‘House of the Dragon’: It’s a Small(folk) World After All

(spoilers for episode 6)

Since the beginning, the story told at the center of House of the Dragon was made clear: this would be a civil war led by two sides of a fractured family. Season one was dedicated to showing how this family came to be and the events that led up to their quarrel. But season two is emphasizing the “civil” aspect, expanding our knowledge of not just the political and cultural variances between regions, but the people on the ground as well. The hierarchy between the haves and the have-nots is clear, but the advantages enjoyed by the powerful come at a price, which is being disconnected from the very people you’re ruling over. It’s one of the conditions in life that isn’t a problem until it is, and that’s when you’re forcibly reminded of two things: first, that the poor far outnumber the rich, and two, that when you have nothing, you’re capable of doing anything.

House Green is hoisting themselves up by their own petard, first with that poorly thought-out decision to parade a decapitated dragon head through King’s Landing, followed by the frankly baffling decision to not allow any of the smallfolk to leave. It’s interesting that the Greens’ biggest fumbles are being carried out with Aemond at the helm, compared to Aegon who, thickheaded as he is, at least had the desire to do some good (count me among those who’re relieved that he survived because Tom Glynn-Carney is delivering the strongest performance of the season). It would seem that for all of Aemond’s careful study of history, he neglected the lessons offered by his predecessors who kept peace in favor of those who mainly waged war.

It’s a lucky turn for Rhaenyra, who could definitely use a break. Not only has she lost Rhaenys, they’ve now lost another dedicated ally in Ser Steffon Darklyn (Anthony Flanagan), who died in the dragon equivalent of a housecat exposing its belly. However, unlike her younger brother, Rhaenyra is open to receiving wise counsel, even if it’s from her husband’s ex-girlfriend—though judging by that kiss, Daemon’s the last thing on their minds (or ours, considering how endlessly drawn out the Harrenhal plot has become). Turning back around from that boat to warn Rhaenyra of the assassination plot was a hell of a gamble, but Mysaria scored big time; why eke out a living as a commoner in a distant land when she could pull strings in the comfortable shadow of a throne? What she lacks in military tactics, she more than makes up for with her knowledge of how people operate (“It is harder to wage war abroad when you must also keep peace at home”); there’s no battle that Rhaenyra could have waged that would have done half the damage to the Greens than those dozen or so food-laden boats.

Larys pursuit of power mirrors Mysaria’s, but to more mixed results. He’s not from nearly the same humble beginning as she is, but he’s clever enough to use every advantage available to him, especially when it comes to keeping himself apprised of people no matter where they fall on the social rank. Aemond has (correctly) assessed Larys as the manipulative “toad” that he is. If Aemond weren’t so drunk with power, he would have kept his mother close and allowed her to counsel him long enough to learn exactly how dangerous Larys can be. Instead, Aemond cruelly dismisses him, commanding him to send word for Otto Hightower’s return (first we get a Paddy Considine guest stint, now the promise of more Rhys Ifans, huzzah). But word of Aegon’s miraculous survival presents a new pawn on the board, one that Larys is more than happy to seize in order to make use of him. If Aegon manages to make a full recovery before his brother figures out a way for him to have an “accident” of some sort, his status coupled with Larys’ cunning will make for a dangerous pairing.

But if there’s anything that shows how narrow the gulf can be between smallfolk and those who wield power, it’s the scene where Seasmoke, fresh from making charcoal out of his new would-be rider, hunts down the believed-to-be-deceased Laenor’s next of kin. This individual just so happens to be Addam of Hull (Clinton Liberty), one of Corlys’ illegitimate sons. As terrifying as it must have been to get chased down by the closest thing to a god you can get, going from a humble shiphand to a dragon rider, a status beyond the grasp of even the kingdom’s elite, is the level up of the century. It’s a development that will no doubt bring strife between him and Alyn, who has made a point of not wanting to leverage their absent father’s power, but could prove to be a gift for House Black. This may be a war of dragons but victory may prove to be delivered by someone born outside castle walls.

Kaleena Rivera is the TV Editor for Pajiba. She can be found on Twitter or Bluesky here.