By: Kelly Kearney
As the search for Aemond and Vhagar continues, Ser Criston Cole clears the way for Ormund Hightower to launch his attack alongside his ward, Daeron, and the young prince’s juvenile dragon. Meanwhile, Daemon attempts to control the rapidly unraveling situation in King’s Landing as his Gold Cloaks are still waiting to be paid, and now being killed by an unknown assailant. That, understandably, ruffles a few hungry feathers, as the queen’s first line of defense is already beginning to question her leadership.
Elsewhere, Team Green is running out of ways to stay alive. Alicent’s secret is out, and it could put her only daughter’s life at risk, while the supposedly dead Aegon’s cover is hanging by a thread. We also catch up with Aemond, who has been missing ever since the kingdom started referring to him as the “Kingslayer.” It’s a story-packed hour that ends in a shocking blood-bath that could tip the power away from Rhaenyra.
The Push Toward Tumbleton
We open in the Riverlands with Queen Rhaenyra’s loyalists, led by Lord Oscar Tully (Archie Barnes), at their makeshift camp along the Blackwater Rush. With the help of the Winter Wolves, Team Black is marching to Tumbleton to overthrow Ormund Hightower’s recent occupation of the market town. There’s just one thorny issue standing in the way of this plan, and it goes by the name Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel). The knight and former Hand to the King, along with Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox), is leading a small force of Team Green soldiers in an attempt to block the Rivermen’s advance. Hightowers stick together, and Ormund might be their last hope of surviving what Gwayne sees as a fiery death at the hands of the Queen’s dragons. They even burned a bridge that would have allowed Team Black to cross the Rush, and now the Winter Wolves are ready to take their frustrations out on Cole. Last week Criston devised a suicidal plan to stall the Rivermen with late-night raids on their camps, and this week we see that plan in action. Under the cover of darkness, and before Lord Tully can unleash the Wolves on Ser Criston, he and his men attack Team Black’s camp, burning it to the ground and slaughtering anyone who attempts to flee. It’s a bloodbath, and proof that Criston has nothing left to lose—including his own life and those of his men.
Over at the cursed Harrenhal, a small group of Team Black soldiers arrives searching for the missing Aemond (Ewan Mitchell), whom the realm now refers to as “The Kingslayer.” The visitors are met by Alys Rivers (Gayle Rankin), who informs them that Aemond flew off with Vhagar to parts unknown, but she reminds them of the castle’s cursed past. Under the evil Harren, thousands died to build the hall, and just as many have died trying to conquer it under any number of banners. Then to really sell its cursed history, she goes full haunted house on them and summons a swarm of bats to chase them from the castle.
It’s not long before we learn she lied and a wounded Aemond has been sleeping off the stab wound he received when he went all- homicidal maniac on the entire Strong bloodline. Now he’s recovering in the same weirwood bed Daemon (Matt Smith) tossed and turned in last season. Alys has been playing nursemaid–just like she did with Aemond’s uncle, and keeping the missing prince hidden. But for how long? Her special kind of medicine seems to have hallucinogenic effects on the men she cares for. Case in point, Aemond awakens from a nightmare about Aegon, and it shakes him so badly that he winds up in the fetal position while Alys comforts him. Curled up in her lap, Aemond recounts his sister Helaena’s prediction of his impending death. He was born crying for his mother, and according to her prophecy, he’ll die that way too.
A City on the Verge of Ruin
Meanwhile, back at the Red Keep, Grand Maester Orwyle (Kurt Egyiawan) manages to smuggle in moon tea—Westeros’ version of Plan B—to Alicent (Olivia Cooke). Helaena (Phia Saban) is pregnant with an heir to the throne, and Alicent knows the crown weighs heavily on whoever wears it. If Rhaenyra finds out there could be another heir, she will remove the threat without a second thought. Alicent isn’t willing to lose Helaena over Rhaenyra’s quest to remain in power.
Unfortunately, castle walls talk, and the White Worm has ears hidden in every corner. One of Mysaria’s (Sonoya Mizuno) listeners catches Orwyle with the tea and alerts the Queen’s ears about what’s going on with the Hightower captives. Of course, nobody knows the tea is actually for Helaena, as Alicent convinces Orwyle to claim it was her own indiscretion with a knight that carelessly left her with child. Erasing the pregnancy is her only plan, and it hits a snag when she tries convincing Helaena to drink the tea. She refuses. Her child might be seen as a rival claim to Rhaenyra’s throne, but all Helaena sees is her baby, and she won’t let anyone—including her mother—convince her to end the pregnancy.
As for Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy), she’s busy listening to the complaints of Lady Sabitha Frey (Sarah Woodward) who’s rattling on about failed promises. She was supposed to be given Harrenhal as payment for allowing the Northmen army to use her castle in its push south. Instead of handing over the cursed castle, Rhaenyra offers her a seat on the Small Council. After all, she has plenty of seats to fill, and the position is far better than a haunted castle full of bats and whining princes. The offer doesn’t seem to please Lady Sabitha, who appears to complain just to hear the sound of her own voice. That makes her the perfect work wife for the recently appointed Master of Coin, Torrhen Manderly (dan Fogler), who instantly latches onto Frey, and the two gossip like old friends.
While filling Sabitha in on the Small Council’s dynamics, Daemon grows annoyed, seemingly determined to be the queen’s only trusted advisor as he insults and downplays everyone seated around the table. Mysaria, and the close relationship she has with Rhaenyra, especially bothers him. Anyone with influence over the queen is a threat to his own power.
All the bickering and princely posturing aside, the council gets word that Vhagar has been spotted in a village in the Riverlands. Everyone assumes that where the dragon goes, so does her rider. Daemon brushes off the news and instead tries to steer his wife’s attention toward the grievances of his unpaid, recently attacked City Watch. One of the Gold Cloaks was murdered in Flea Bottom by an unknown assailant. Daemon is loyal to his men, and they are loyal to their queen, but they can’t be expected to protect the city while being attacked in the streets and not paid for their efforts.
Rhaenyra sidesteps his complaints when Orwyle brings news of Criston Cole’s recent attacks on Lord Tully and the Winter Wolves’ camp. The Greens’ knight is burning bridges and slowing Team Black’s march toward Tumbleton and their plan to take out Ormund Hightower. Daemon mutters under his breath that this wouldn’t be an issue if she’d listened to him when he suggested siccing her dragon on Hightower—along with his loyal citizens in the town.
She cuts her husband off and announces that Vhagar is her top priority. She sends Addam (Clinton Liberty) and Baela (Bethany Antonia) to the Riverlands in search of the dragon, even as Addam practically begs the queen to let Baela rest and eat a meal since they’ve only just returned from their last mission. Addam seems completely smitten with Baela, and his protective nature comes through in every interaction they share. Baela, meanwhile, doesn’t appreciate him speaking for her and interrupts his plea to assure the queen she’s fit to fly. She still feels guilty over what happened with Jace, and agreeing to whatever Rhaenyra asks may help ease the tension simmering between her and her grieving aunt.
Speaking of tension, when the queen orders her husband to join Baela and Addam, Daemon refuses—not until he’s proven to the City Watch that they are appreciated. He storms out of the council chamber with Rhaenyra close behind. All other kingdom business will have to wait as the queen gathers her disrespectful husband. She is queen, and she refuses to keep battling Daemon just to have her voice heard. He tries to smooth things over but once again refuses to treat the Vhagar sighting as urgent. Aemond is scared and in hiding and not a current threat. Her desire for revenge is justified, but her focus should remain on the problems inside King’s Landing—problems Daemon believes are largely her fault. Ser Luthor Largent (Tom Cullen) and the Gold Cloaks went overboard dragging people from their homes over anti-queen graffiti, and while Rhaenyra never ordered that level of brutality, the repercussions haven’t exactly helped her image with the people. Now that resentment is being taken out on his men, who are being murdered in the streets. Her power isn’t in controlling the narrative painted on the walls of King’s Landing. Her power is in her dragons. It’s a truth she continues to reject, and one Daemon continues trying to push her toward embracing.
Their argument is interrupted by news that Prince Joffrey (Oscar Eskinazi)—the son Rhaenyra sent to the Vale—has returned to the Red Keep and is requesting an audience with his mother. He’ll have to wait. The queen has more pressing duties to fulfill.
Speaking of a mother’s duty, Mysaria pays Alicent a visit and demands to see the tea Orwyle brought her. At first, Alicent tries to pass it off as medicine for Helaena’s headaches. But after one sniff and a look from Mysaria that practically says, “I smell Plan B… and a lying Hightower,” Alicent changes her story and blames the tea on her post-Viserys hookup. She even goes so far as to drink the tea herself to prove she’s telling the truth.
King Daeron
Next, we catch up with Gwayne and Criston’s group making their way through the crowded brush of the woods en route to another sneak attack. They hit a snag—literally—when their horses step on metal spikes hidden like landmines beneath the underbrush. With spikes driven into their hooves, the horses tumble, including Cole’s, which he is forced to put down. Without horses, they won’t be able to slow the Riverlords’ advance.
Back in King’s Landing, Daemon and Luthor Largent discover two more Gold Cloaks slaughtered, just like the one in Flea Bottom. Who is killing members of the City Watch?
When Ormund (James Norton) gets a raven telling him Criston and Gwayne failed to delay the Riverlords, he’s in the mood for a fight. We find him with Daeron (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth), and every moment of their interaction paints a picture of the kind of man Ormund really is. The two are playing a strategy game, and when Daeron wins, he immediately shrinks back and apologizes. Ormund tells him never to apologize for a victory, but the lesson comes wrapped in barely concealed menace. He compares Daeron’s tactics to those of the Yellow Toad, the ruler of Dorne who relied on wit instead of brute force to defeat enemies. Ormund insists he isn’t bothered by the loss, but it’s painfully obvious that he is. He reminds Daeron that he is the rightful heir to the throne and claims the realm was always meant to be ruled by Hightowers favored by the Gods until the Targaryens summoned the evil of dragons. Raised in Oldtown under Hightower influence, Ormund believes nurture rules over nature and that side of Daeron’s heritage overshadows his Targaryen blood.
While Daeron struggles with confidence, Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) is suddenly filled with purpose after he and Larys (Matthew Needham) overhear news about the dragon in the Riverlands. It’s Vhagar, and Aegon is determined to find both her and his brother and kill them for what they’ve done to him. In his mind, every misfortune he’s suffered can be traced back to Aemond.
Tired of listening to Aegon’s endless whining, Larys can’t help but point out how ridiculous he sounds. He speaks truth to power, dismantling the former king with brutal insults about both his broken body and his loathsome personality. How exactly does this crippled former king expect to kill the brother who rides the largest dragon in the realm? Aegon is outraged and storms off, while Larys heads back to Rook’s Rest. Aegon, like his sister back at the Red Keep, is consumed by revenge. Everyone wants a piece of Aemond, and all Aemond wants is his dragon back so he can reclaim his confidence.
With everything in her kingdom in disarray, Rhaenyra prays for guidance. Daemon shows up snickering, but eventually kneels beside her and learns she believes Aemond’s disappearance, Cole’s attacks delaying her army, the anti-queen graffiti, and the murders of the City Watch are all connected. She’s right—they are—but to everyone else, from her Small Council to her husband, she sounds paranoid. It’s an easy conclusion to reach considering the long, bloody history of the Iron Throne and the rulers who occupied it before Viserys.
Speaking of Mad Kings, letting Larys’ litany of insults sink in, Aegon returns to Rook’s Rest with his proverbial tail between his legs–which is the only thing there since he was burned out of the sky by his brother. Is this a new-and-improved Aegon who’s finally recognized his privileged, toxic behavior and wants to walk a better path? Not likely.
While he battles his thirst for vengeance, Alicent makes one last attempt to convince her stubborn daughter to flee the Red Keep. Through a secret passage leading to Baela’s room, she plans for them to escape while Baela is away searching for Vhagar. Disguised as maids, mother and daughter don’t get very far before Mysaria catches them. She quickly realizes it isn’t Alicent who’s pregnant—it’s Helaena.
Spilling the Tea
Out of excuses and running short on plans, Alicent appeals to the woman beneath the White Worm. Mysaria was once a captive of the queen before becoming her closest advisor and lover. Alicent knows all too well the pull Rhaenyra has over people and how easy it is to believe she’ll always stay loyal to those she claims to love. The reality, Alicent argues, is that love and power don’t always complement each other. Telling Rhaenyra about this baby won’t earn Mysaria any extra favor. If the queen is ever forced to choose between her dragon-riding husband and her current advisor and lover, she’ll choose Daemon. Alicent begs Mysaria to keep Helaena’s secret, leaving the White Worm with plenty to think about.
Over at Harrenhal, another search party looking for the whiny prince takes Alys hostage, and their attempted sexual assault is enough to snap Aemond out of his pity-party. To save the woman who once saved him, he slaughters the men with ease. The prince is getting his mojo back, but without Vhagar, he sees his days as numbered. He’s reverted to the frightened boy from Season 1 who hid from the world until he managed to claim the most terrifying dragon in the kingdom. Without that dragon, Aemond’s ego—and his thirst for power—have taken a massive hit.
Meanwhile, back at Rook’s Rest, keeping the usurper king’s existence a secret from his brother and his sister, the Queen, is proving difficult. When one of the townsfolk figures it out and quietly creeps up on Aegon, the former king calmly stabs the man over and over while whispering about the proper way to address a king. Considering Aegon was practically comatose when Larys dragged him out of bed for this little adventure, it’s something of a miracle. Then again, miracles seem to be the theme of Westeros this week because Tyland Lanniste (Jefferson Hall)r is apparently back from the dead too. After seemingly drowning in his armor during the Battle of the Gullet, Tyland has returned. He reunites with Larys, and the two immediately start plotting ways to stay “dead” before anyone discovers Aegon is still alive.
Finally, Daemon gathers his men for an inspiring pep talk before the City Watch mutinies. After the murders of their fellow Gold Cloaks and months of empty wallets, they need to be reminded that they still matter to the realm. Daemon gives the speech everything he’s got, and by the end, the men are cheering for him.
Death to Traitors!
After lifting the men’s spirits, Daemon and Luthor torture the man accused of painting the anti-queen graffiti until he finally admits the killings were committed in honor of King Daeron. All traitors to his throne should die. It turns out Ormund Hightower has crowned himself a little king and is preparing to fight for the Iron Throne. He even minted a coin bearing the prince’s image. Daemon slams it onto Rhaenyra’s desk before angrily storming out, reminding her—for what feels like the hundredth time—that she should’ve burned them all the minute Ormund took Tumbleton. He keeps telling her, “You are better than this,” but what he really means is that the power she’s trying so hard to protect could already be hers if she were willing to take it by fire.
Back with the Greens, Gwayne tries convincing Criston to abandon his plan and head to Tumbleton, where they can join forces with Ormund’s army. He sees it as their only chance of survival. That’s where his plan falls apart, because Criston has no intention of surviving. The next morning, Criston delivers the best speech of his life, rallying his men as he leads them toward certain death, while Gwayne—bags packed—heads in the opposite direction, leaving them to their fate.
Finally, at the Red Keep things go from bad to terrifying when Helaena discovers a hidden door in her bedchamber and wakes her mother to investigate. The two see it as a possible escape route but instead end up trapped behind the walls with no way back out.
While the two women stumble through the darkness, Daemon walks into a bloodbath. When he last left Luther and the City Watch men they were ready to fight back whoever was killing their fellow Gold Cloaks. Now, he follows the smell of death until he finds the words scrawled in blood “A Feast for Traitors,” and below them sit more members of the City Watch—Luthor included—slaughtered and posed around a table, ready to dine on their own treason.