House of the Dragon: King of the Narrow Sea - a rambling review

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[Merione]

I find it very interesting that, while it is true that the king is justified in not trusting Otto anymore, the decision of firing him only came after Rhaenyra's ultimatum: she very clearly said "I'll do my duty and marry Laenor, if you deal with him first". He got mad at him for bringing the news and he started suspecting him from that point on, but the decision to actually fire him only came after the scene with his daughter. To me, this is one more element that confirms how incapable Viserys is as a king. Despite all his good intentions and good will, he is still indecisive and unable to do what needs to be done, unless someone else puts him shoulders to the wall and makes him do it.

[idab]

Setting aside the questionable power dynamics and dubious consent for a moment, I really liked the way those intimate scenes were shot and the contrast between Rhaenyra getting to experiment and have a little taste of freedom, and Alicent having to do her duty. You can totally tell this episode was directed by a woman and for this storyline in particular I'm very, very happy about that.

[Velociraptour]

I like the line from Viserys about Otto being the one who taught him to be a king, because it adds to his reasoning. If Viserys really has been noticing Otto's maneuvering for years, despite being an effective hand, he should have gotten rid of him ages ago. But Otto was like Viserys' training wheels and he's reluctant to be king without him.

[Luuuna]

I love the kid vs douche fight coz the kid is from house Blackwood and the douche is from house Bracken, and those two houses hating each other was never brought up in GoT, so it being shown here makes me very happy

[allisonwonchoba]

I agree with your points and want to embellish more on what you touched on with Daemon and Rhaenyra in the brothel. Sex was definitely used to show power dynamics and roles in very different ways throughout the episode. Daemon used sex as kind of a power move over Rhaenyra and starts pulling away when her excitement compels her to make the initiative moves, thus flipping the power dynamic in a way (this was touched on a little in the “Behind the Episode” segment). Contrasting with this scene was the very clearly duty-driven, emotionless sex scene with Alicent and Viserys - she’s literally called to her duty in the middle of the night. There’s no passion, no care for what she wants…such a clear contrast. Finally, the sex scene between Rhaenyra and Criston Cole flips the roles a little bit between her sex scene with Daemon in which she is now the one in control - and because Criston doesn’t, in a way, resist his role and try to overpower her, they fully get into it. Also a big power dynamic moment when Criston, whether by duty to obey the Princess or by forbidden lust that he himself may not admit to, is shown consciously denying his celibacy vows in the way that he sets his white cloak down.

All very interesting this episode.

[roxanacorral]

Always love your takes! I found the way the sex scenes were shot to be very interesting considering it was mostly focused on the women's perspectives!

[xenon]

I’m glad that this episode let us see the character dynamics. Letting Alicent reach out a little before Rhaenyra lies to her later on was nice and makes me think they will never recover their friendship.

In this episode Otto is talking with a level of disgust and Alicent says it’s a dodgy practice to have sex with her uncle when last episode Otto suggested she and her brother marry.

[yumyum]

Love the positivity towards this show after the end of GOT seemed to ruin this universe

[gozerthegozarian]

Matt Smith aging backwards as time progesses - old habits die hard, huh? 😉 But yeah, the shorter haircut definitely flatters him more. "Evil Legolas" wasn't an altogether flattering look for him...

[Stress-Free-K]

I'm not so sure, in Rhae's mind, she felt she was lying. Like Monica and Bill, they did not have "sex". Passionate kissing yes. But in their world, intercourse = sex. There was no "coupling". Instead, as Rhae eagerly reciprocates, Daemon is taken off-guard, slams his hand against the wall, and marches off. In the Look Inside, the producers note that Daemon has a problem with impotence. Which is why his wife taunts him the next morning and he drinks himself into a stupor.

[melissaisloud]

The kid was a Blackwood & the Blowhard was a Bracken. The Blackwoods & the Brackens have been at war with each other for generations.

[bananasaregood]

Miss you’re classic who reviews. Hope more are coming to YouTube soon 👍

[mariakowal]

Do you think Daemon lost his nerve? I think maybe he couldn't get it up. There's a few times where they've made sidelong references to impotence, including the first sex scene, his lack of children with his first wife and him lying about his second wife/paramour being pregnant. I wondered if he thought it would be easier with a fellow Targaryen but then it still didn't happen.

[commandZee]

Yep it felt great, the writing and execution of episode 4 was at prime GoT level. Btw, it looked like the bully had a short sword or long knife but the smaller kid had the advantage with full sized sword. 🤣 The young kid's a dead ringer for Thomas Middleditch from Silicon Valley.

[gozerthegozarian]

The (poor traumatized) kid won because the other guy a) most certainly underestimated him, due to his tender age and b) may not have been the kind of honourless scumbag who goes full-throttle & all-out force against a damn child. Either way, that scene was a neat little illustration of the way Honour Culture - of which duelling is an integral part - fucks with people and ruins or even ends their lives.

[Elwaves]

I'm 100% with you on the suitor fight. I was expecting the kid to be killed just as Rhaenyra turns to see it, then she'd feel bad about it. Yet it went another way and was better for it. I love it when an underdog wins.
I agree on the rest of your thoughts too and while it's hard to tell, I still don't think Otto wants the throne for himself. I think everything he done was for the realm, including positioning his daughter with the King. I think he sees Viserys as a good man who has become weaker (probably through that infection/illness), so he did what he could to protect the realm, it's traditions and secure a 'rightful' heir to the throne. Of course, that may all change now that he's out.

[knitcrochettiger]

spoiler --- King Vaserys even pointed out the fact that Hightower wanted him to know the son he had with Hightower's daughter to be heir instead of Hightower's grandson were to be the next king, that was the biggest nail in the coffin of why Vaserys realized Hightower has a political agenda

[dariusradu]

Fun fact, I just got spoiled by fucking Joffrey about the ending of this show while rewatching season 2 of GoT, while
he's talking about Rhaenyra in the cripts beneath the Red Keep lol :))
After all these years, he still manages to be the worst :))))

[mimimurlough]

I think it's kinda funny that most people talk about Rhaenyra lying in this episode as if it was a big character thing. What would she say, "yeah, I would have boned my uncle if he'd been able to get it up, but he pussed out so I did the celibate bodyguard instead"?

In that castle? Not an option. The boning itself says a lot more about her.

[Donnagata]

Maybe the kid won because the bigger guy just went in overconfident and careless! Why not?
On the other hand, the kid (Laenor) is the only one of the suitors Rhaenerys can see herself coming to like. That is also interesting.
He is definitely coming back. Rhaenerys might marry him, with as much enthusiasm as she can show for a man (not a lot 🙄).
Cole? Well, she might be bi/ pan, or she just means to spite both her father and uncle.
Still enjoying it too, like you. A lot.