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Take a look at the Season 2 finale of the "Game of Thrones" prequel "House of the Dragon", now streaming on Max:

“…it is the beginning of the long-awaited ‘Targaryen’ civil war called the ‘Dance of the Dragons’…

“…as the ‘Black Council’ comes up with a counterattack against imminent threats.

Cast includes Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Sonoya Mizuno, Milly Alcock…

…Emily Carey, Graham McTavish, Ryan Corr, Jefferson Hall, David Horovitch, Matthew Needham, Bill Patterson, Gavin Spokes, Wil Johnson, John Macmillan, Savannah Steyn, and Theo Nate.

Click the images to enlarge…...

Take a look at more new footage from Season 2 of the "Game of Thrones" prequel "House of the Dragon", now streaming on Max:

“…it is the beginning of the long-awaited ‘Targaryen’ civil war called the ‘Dance of the Dragons’…

“…as the ‘Black Council’ comes up with a counterattack against imminent threats.

Cast includes Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Sonoya Mizuno, Milly Alcock…

…Emily Carey, Graham McTavish, Ryan Corr, Jefferson Hall, David Horovitch, Matthew Needham, Bill Patterson, Gavin Spokes, Wil Johnson, John Macmillan, Savannah Steyn, and Theo Nate.

Click the images to enlarge…...

Take a look at more new footage from Season 2 of the "Game of Thrones" prequel "House of the Dragon", now streaming on Max:

“…it is the beginning of the long-awaited ‘Targaryen’ civil war called the ‘Dance of the Dragons’…

“…as the ‘Black Council’ comes up with a counterattack against imminent threats.

Cast includes Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Sonoya Mizuno, Milly Alcock…

…Emily Carey, Graham McTavish, Ryan Corr, Jefferson Hall, David Horovitch, Matthew Needham, Bill Patterson, Gavin Spokes, Wil Johnson, John Macmillan, Savannah Steyn, and Theo Nate.

Click the images to enlarge…...

Recently renewed for Season 3, take a look at more new footage from Season 2 of the "Game of Thrones" prequel "House of the Dragon", streaming June 16, 2024 on Max:

“…it is the beginning of the long-awaited ‘Targaryen’ civil war called the ‘Dance of the Dragons’…

“…as the ‘Black Council’ comes up with a counterattack against imminent threats.

Cast includes Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Sonoya Mizuno, Milly Alcock…

‘…Emily Carey, Graham McTavish, Ryan Corr, Jefferson Hall, David Horovitch, Matthew Needham, Bill Patterson, Gavin Spokes, Wil Johnson, John Macmillan, Savannah Steyn, and Theo Nate.

Click the images to enlarge…...

Take a look at more footage from Season 2 of the "Game of Thrones" prequel "House of the Dragon", streaming June 16, 2024 on Max:

“…it is the beginning of the long-awaited ‘Targaryen’ civil war called the ‘Dance of the Dragons’…

“…as the ‘Black Council’ comes up with a counterattack against imminent threats.

Cast includes Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Sonoya Mizuno, Milly Alcock…

‘…Emily Carey, Graham McTavish, Ryan Corr, Jefferson Hall, David Horovitch, Matthew Needham, Bill Patterson, Gavin Spokes, Wil Johnson, John Macmillan, Savannah Steyn, and Theo Nate.

Click the images to enlarge…...

Take a look at more footage from Season 2 of the "Game of Thrones" prequel "House of the Dragon", streaming June 16, 2024 on Max:

“…it is the beginning of the long-awaited ‘Targaryen’ civil war called the ‘Dance of the Dragons’…

“…as the ‘Black Council’ comes up with a counterattack against imminent threats.

Cast includes Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Sonoya Mizuno, Milly Alcock…

‘…Emily Carey, Graham McTavish, Ryan Corr, Jefferson Hall, David Horovitch, Matthew Needham, Bill Patterson, Gavin Spokes, Wil Johnson, John Macmillan, Savannah Steyn, and Theo Nate.

Click the images to enlarge…...

Take a look at more footage from Season 2 of the "Game of Thrones" prequel "House of the Dragon", streaming June 16, 2024 on Max:

“…it is the beginning of the long-awaited ‘Targaryen’ civil war called the ‘Dance of the Dragons’ as the ‘Black Council’ comes up with a counterattack against imminent threats.

Cast includes Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Sonoya Mizuno, Milly Alcock, Emily Carey, Graham McTavish, Ryan Corr, Jefferson Hall, David Horovitch, Matthew Needham, Bill Patterson, Gavin Spokes, Wil Johnson, John Macmillan, Savannah Steyn, and Theo Nate.

Click the images to enlarge…...

Take a look at more footage from Season 2 of the "Game of Thrones" prequel "House of the Dragon", streaming June 16, 2024 on Max:

“…it is the beginning of the long-awaited ‘Targaryen’ civil war called the ‘Dance of the Dragons’ as the ‘Black Council’ comes up with a counterattack against imminent threats.

Cast includes Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Sonoya Mizuno, Milly Alcock, Emily Carey, Graham McTavish, Ryan Corr, Jefferson Hall, David Horovitch, Matthew Needham, Bill Patterson, Gavin Spokes, Wil Johnson, John Macmillan, Savannah Steyn, and Theo Nate.

Click the images to enlarge…...

Season 2 of the "Game of Thrones" prequel "House of the Dragon", streams June 16, 2024 on Max:

“…it is the beginning of the long-awaited ‘Targaryen’ civil war called the ‘Dance of the Dragons’ as the ‘Black Council’ comes up with a counterattack against imminent threats.

Cast includes Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Sonoya Mizuno, Milly Alcock, Emily Carey, Graham McTavish, Ryan Corr, Jefferson Hall, David Horovitch, Matthew Needham, Bill Patterson, Gavin Spokes, Wil Johnson, John Macmillan, Savannah Steyn, and Theo Nate.

Take a look at footage from Season 2 of the "Game of Thrones" prequel "House of the Dragon", streaming June 16, 2024 on Max:

“…it is the beginning of the long-awaited ‘Targaryen’ civil war called the ‘Dance of the Dragons’…

“…as the ‘Black Council’ comes up with a counterattack against imminent threats.

Cast includes Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Sonoya Mizuno, Milly Alcock…

‘…Emily Carey, Graham McTavish, Ryan Corr, Jefferson Hall, David Horovitch, Matthew Needham, Bill Patterson, Gavin Spokes, Wil Johnson, John Macmillan, Savannah Steyn, and Theo Nate.

Click the images to enlarge…...

Season 2 of the "Game of Thrones" prequel "House of the Dragon", streams June 2024 on Max:

“…it is the beginning of the long-awaited ‘Targaryen’ civil war called the ‘Dance of the Dragons’ as the ‘Black Council’ comes up with a counterattack against imminent threats.

Cast includes Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Sonoya Mizuno, Milly Alcock, Emily Carey, Graham McTavish, Ryan Corr, Jefferson Hall, David Horovitch, Matthew Needham, Bill Patterson, Gavin Spokes, Wil Johnson, John Macmillan, Savannah Steyn, and Theo Nate.

Game of Thrones' prequel, House of the Dragon, centers around the formidable House Targaryen, powered by flames, dragons and chaos. However, for every powerful character on the show, there is a weaker character who lacks morals, political power and influence. Some of these characters, like Aegon and Alicent, manage to survive, but others are hunted down and meet their end in the vicious world of Westeros.

Not every HotD character is weak for the same reasons. Characters like Helaena Targaryen and Lucerys Velaryon are unfortunately beholden to the cruel world they live in. In a medieval world, women only had so much power, with dragons sometimes evening the scales. However, even being a dragon rider isn't always enough to survive the Dance of Dragons.

Vaemond Velaryon's Tongue Was His Downfall

House

Status

Actor

Velaryon

Deceased, Killed by Daemon Targaryen

Wil Johnson

Related House of the Dragon: Who Kills Rhaenyra Targaryen?...

In anticipation of Season 2 of the "Game of Thrones" prequel "House of the Dragon", streaming Summer 2024, take a look at the last episode of the series titled "The Black Queen", now streaming on HBO Max:

“…it is the beginning of the long-awaited ‘Targaryen’ civil war called the ‘Dance of the Dragons’ as the ‘Black Council’ comes up with a counterattack against imminent threats.

Cast includes Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Sonoya Mizuno, Milly Alcock, Emily Carey, Graham McTavish, Ryan Corr, Jefferson Hall, David Horovitch, Matthew Needham, Bill Patterson, Gavin Spokes, Wil Johnson, John Macmillan, Savannah Steyn, and Theo Nate.

Take a look at the season finale episode of the "Game of Thrones" prequel "House of the Dragon", titled "The Black Queen", now streaming on HBO Max:

“…it is the beginning of the long-awaited ‘Targaryen’ civil war called the ‘Dance of the Dragons’ as the ‘Black Council’ comes up with a counterattack against imminent threats.

Cast includes Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Sonoya Mizuno, Milly Alcock, Emily Carey, Graham McTavish, Ryan Corr, Jefferson Hall, David Horovitch, Matthew Needham, Bill Patterson, Gavin Spokes, Wil Johnson, John Macmillan, Savannah Steyn, and Theo Nate.

Click the images to enlarge...

The late Denise Dowse’s ’Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story’ has received the most nominations.

The British Urban Film Festival (Buff) has unveiled nominations for the 2022 awards, to be held at London’s Rich Mix on December 2, following the week-long festival.

Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story has received the most nominations. The drama focuses on gospel singer and activist Mahalia Jackson’s unsung contribution to the US civil rights movement in the mid-20th century, and her friendship with Martin Luther King. It is directed by the late Denise Dowse, with US musician Ledisi starring as Jackson – a...

House of the Dragon The Black Queen Featurette — HBO‘s House of the Dragon: Season 1, Episode 10: The Black Queen TV show featurette has been released. Cast and crew House of the Dragon stars Wil Johnson, John Macmillan, Savannah Steyn, Theo Nate, Milly Alcock, Emily Carey, Matt Smith, Emma D’Arcy, Continue reading: House Of The Dragon: Season 1, Episode 10: The Black Queen Featurette – Inside the Episode [HBO]...

Warning! This article contains Spoilers for House of the Dragon season 1 and George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood!House of the Dragon actor Steve Toussaint reveals a deleted scene centered on Corlys in battle. Lord Corlys Velaryon (Toussaint), also known as the Sea Snake, serves as the head of House Velaryon in the Game of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon. As the Lord of Driftmark and leader of an ancient, proud House which contains the blood of Old Valyria, something they have in common with the Targaryens, Corlys has been shown to possess great ambition, which only grew since his wife Rhaenys (Eve Best) was passed over for the Iron Throne. The character has seen great tragedy in House of the Dragon, with his daughter Laena (Nanna Blondell) dying during childbirth, his son Laenor (John MacMillian) presumably being killed (though viewers know he is alive), and his brother Vaemond (Wil Johnson) being killed.

House of the Dragon’s season finale saw the return of a character that few saw coming.

*Warning – spoilers ahead for House of the Dragon episode 10*

The last episode of the Game of Thrones prequel series revealed the survival of Lord Corlys Velaryon – played by Steve Touissant.

In episode eight, viewers were told that the Sea Snake had been mortally wounded while fighting for the Stepstones.

The wounds combined with a fever had Corlys on death’s door and discussions were immediately struck up over his succession to the Driftwood Throne.

His brother, Vaemond Velaryon (Wil Johnson), swiftly lost his head in an attempted power grab, leaving Lucerys Velaryon in line.

However, following, two episodes of uncertainty, Princess Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Best) is seen by her husband Corlys’ sickbed – and he’s fully conscious.

Corlys’ recovery is confirmed minutes later when the Lord of Driftmark enters Rhaenyra Targaryen’s (Emma D’Arcy...

House of the Dragon’s season finale saw the return of a character that few saw coming.

*Warning – spoilers ahead for House of the Dragon episode 10*

The last episode of the Game of Thrones prequel series revealed the survival of Lord Corlys Velaryon – played by Steve Touissant.

In episode eight, viewers were told that the Sea Snake had been mortally wounded while fighting for the Stepstones.

The wounds combined with a fever had Corlys on death’s door and discussions were immediately struck up over his succession to the Driftwood Throne.

His brother, Vaemond Velaryon (Wil Johnson), swiftly lost his head in an attempted power grab, leaving Lucerys Velaryon in line.

However, following, two episodes of uncertainty, Princess Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Best) is seen by her husband Corlys’ sickbed – and he’s fully conscious.

Corlys’ recovery is confirmed minutes later when the Lord of Driftmark enters Rhaenyra Targaryen’s (Emma D’Arcy...

If you’ve been dragon your feet on HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel series, the time is nigh to binge all of Season 1’s 10 episodes, on HBO Max.

Based on George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, House of the Dragon is set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, as it tells the story of House Targaryen. The HBO series debuted on Aug. 21, with the season finale set for a Sunday, Oct. 23 release — meaning, you can sign up for HBO Max for a monthly rate as low as 9.99, get your binge on, and then move on (if you...

House of the Dragon writer Sara Hess recently explained that season 2 will explore Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) and Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen's (Emma D'Arcy) relationship. Set approximately 200 years before the events of the hit HBO series Game of Thrones, the prequel show centers on the strife at the heart of House Targaryen following King Viserys I Targaryen's (Paddy Considine) decision to name Rhaenyra his heir apparent. However, with several members of the king's court seeing the selection as an affront to honored patriarchal tradition, Ser Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) organizes a successful coup and places his grandson, Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney), on the Iron Throne.

After Ser Laenor Velaryon (John Macmillan) faked his death and departed Westeros, Rhaenyra and Daemon quickly marry in the old Dragonlord tradition to continue the purity of the Targaryen bloodline. They subsequently move to Dragonstone and gave birth to two children, Aegon II Targaryen and Viserys II Targaryen.

House of the Dragon The Black Queen TV Show Trailer — HBO‘s House of the Dragon: Season 1, Episode 10: The Black Queen TV show trailer has been released. Cast and crew House of the Dragon stars Wil Johnson, John Macmillan, Savannah Steyn, Theo Nate, Milly Alcock, Emily Carey, Matt Smith, Emma [...]

Continue reading: House Of The Dragon: Season 1, Episode 10: The Black Queen TV Show Trailer [HBO]...

Take a look at the season finale episode of “House of the Dragon”, titled “The Black Queen airing October 23, 2022 on HBO:

“…it is the beginning of the long-awaited ‘Targaryen’ civil war called the ‘Dance of the Dragons’ as the ‘Black Council’ comes up with a counterattack against imminent threats.

Cast includes Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Sonoya Mizuno, Milly Alcock, Emily Carey, Graham McTavish, Ryan Corr, Jefferson Hall, David Horovitch, Matthew Needham, Bill Patterson, Gavin Spokes, Wil Johnson, John Macmillan, Savannah Steyn, and Theo Nate.

Click the images to enlarge...

Spoiler Alert: Do not read if you haven’t watched Episode 9 of “House of the Dragon,” titled “The Green Council.”

King Viserys is dead, long live King Aegon!

Season 1 of “House of the Dragon” barrels toward an explosive finale next Sunday, as the battle lines are further drawn between the greens and the blacks. The penultimate episode didn’t feature Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) or her side of the impending civil war, instead focusing on how Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) and her supporters usurped the Iron Throne and ushered in the new, somewhat reluctant, King Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney).

The episode begins with word quickly spreading within the Red Keep of King Viserys’ (Paddy Considine) death overnight. As we saw at the end of the previous episode, Alicent conveniently misinterprets Viserys’ final words about Aegon the Conqueror to be about her son Aegon and how he should be king instead of Rhaenyra.

The Game of Throne TV series was incredibly successful for HBO, but the series finale soured many people on the saga. Can a prequel lure disappointed viewers back to Westeros? Will House of the Dragon be cancelled or renewed for season two? Stay tuned. *Status update below.

A fantasy series, the House of the Dragon TV show is based on George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood novel and is a prequel to Game of Thrones. It stars Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Emma D’Arcy, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Fabien Frankel, Sonoya Mizuno, and Rhys Ifans. Additional cast includes Milly Alcock, Bethany Antonia, Phoebe Campbell, Emily Carey, Harry Collett, Ryan Corr, Tom Glynn-Carney, Jefferson Hall, David Horovitch, Wil Johnson, John Macmillan, Graham McTavish, Ewan Mitchell, Theo Nate, Matthew Needham, Bill Paterson, Phia Saban, Gavin Spokes, and Savannah Steyn. The series...

House of the Dragon The Green Council TV Show Trailer — HBO‘s House of the Dragon: Season 1, Episode 9: The Green Council TV show trailer has been released. Cast and crew House of the Dragon stars Wil Johnson, John Macmillan, Savannah Steyn, Theo Nate, Milly Alcock, Emily Carey, Matt Smith, Emma [...]

Continue reading: House Of The Dragon: Season 1, Episode 9: The Green Council TV Show Trailer [HBO]...

A lot happened in the latest "House of the Dragon" episode: puberty hit Aemond Targaryen far harder than any of us expected, Viserys (Paddy Considine) earned his World's Best Dad coffee mug, and a certain member of the Velaryon family said perhaps a little too much in a public setting. Yes, that's right, Ser Vaemond Velaryon (Wil Johnson) is no longer of this world. After he called Rhaenyra's (Emma D'arcy) children bastards (and then called Rhaenyra herself a whore), her uncle-husband Daemon (Matt Smith) went and sliced his head in half. So long, Vaemond; we'll always fondly remember you as that guy who sort of complained a lot.

In fairness to Vaemond, he did have valid reasons to be upset. For the past two decades, his house's alliance with the Targaryens seems to have had pretty one-sided benefits. Rhaenyra and Laenor's marriage, which seemed like a clear-cut good deal at the time,...

Time is a funny thing. A constant that on occasion appears to move at great pace, and at other moments with a glacial trickle. But all my preconceptions about the apparent mutability of time have been thrown out the window with this season of House of the Dragon. Time has moved in a hop, skip and a jump, with actors replacing actors replacing actors. And all the same, despite another six-year gap before this week’s episode, “The Lord of the Tides”, most of these beautiful characters haven’t aged a day. There must be something in the Westerosi water.

Turn of the tides

One person who has aged a day – and quite a lot more – is Paddy Considine’s Viserys. The fact that he’s held on this long, despite viewers witnessing his rotting wound in the first episode (very much like coughing in Act One), is a medical miracle.

This article contains spoilers for "House of the Dragon" episode 8. 

There is no drama like family drama, and the Targaryens are one seriously messy family. While "Game of Thrones" followed more than a half-dozen houses in depth, "House of the Dragon" is only concerned with one. House Targaryen began its rule in Westeros with Aegon I, known as Aegon the Conqueror, but in the decades since his death, the family has grown larger, more intertwined, and much more chaotic. It can be challenging to remember how everyone is related and the implications behind those various relations, but that's all a part of the fun. It's "Succession" with swords and incest, so why not lean into the wicked weirdness of this sprawling clan?

While there is absolutely precedent in history for this kind of hilariously complicated royal family, it also makes for great television. There are plenty of players on the...

“House of the Dragon” is no stranger to drama, but it’s taking things to a whole new level as Season 1 draws to a close.

With episodes that have so far included a fatal beating at a wedding and a child knife fight, Episode 8, “The Lord of the Tides,” provides some good-old fashioned pettiness — perhaps something to look on fondly in the weeks and years to come.

After the unexpected decapitation of Vaemond Velaryon (Wil Johnson), King Viserys (Paddy Considine) insists on hosting a family dinner for his ill-behaved lineage. The king can no longer pretend that everyone in the room likes each other, but he hopes that this one meal (his last) can do what no other did and unite them — that if nothing else, the sight of their patriarch clearly on his last legs will inspire some loyalty, humility, and love.

But Viserys’ last supper is unique enough...

HBO’s House of the Dragon is roaring onwards to its penultimate episode and the stakes have not been any higher than they are now. Episode 8 titled The Lord of the Tides is arguably the series’ most emotional episode yet. The episode begins with a six-year time jump and with the question of the succession of the Driftwood Throne called into question. With Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) injured, his brother, Ser Vaemond (Wil Johnson) seeks to supplant Lucerys Velaryon (Elliot Grihault) as heir. In one of his last acts, King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine) affirms Luke as Lord of the Tides and Prince Daemon (Matt Smith) beheads Ser Vaemond for his callous yet righteous insubordination...

Time is a funny thing. A constant that on occasion appears to move at great pace, and at other moments with a glacial trickle. But all my preconceptions about the apparent mutability of time have been thrown out the window with this season of House of the Dragon. Time has moved in a hop, skip and a jump, with actors replacing actors replacing actors. And all the same, despite another six-year gap before this week’s episode, “The Lord of the Tides”, most of these beautiful characters haven’t aged a day. There must be something in the Westerosi water.

Turn of the tides

One person who has aged a day – and quite a lot more – is Paddy Considine’s Viserys. The fact that he’s held on this long, despite viewers witnessing his rotting wound in the first episode (very much like coughing in Act One), is a medical miracle.

Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for Episode 1-8 of House of the Dragon.King's Landing is full of secrets and whispers, and it seems like Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno) is now a procurer of these secrets. In the momentous eighth episode of House of the Dragon, we saw many dramatic moments take place. From Vaemond (Wil Johnson) being killed by Daemon (Matt Smith) to Viserys (Paddy Considine) finally dying at the end of the episode, the moment where we see Mysaria again might have passed some people by, but it's a critical scene for the future.

“House of the Dragon” had an incredibly high bar to clear. Not only was it following in the footsteps of the juggernaut that was “Game of Thrones,” but in contrast to other TV sequels or spinoffs, this prequel had zero character crossover beyond the Targaryen name. It’s an all-new cast of characters in a very different Westeros, and getting viewers to care about that was not a given.

And yet, HBO’s “House of the Dragon” is a massive success. In addition to widespread critical acclaim, it debuted to 9.99 million viewers on its first night — the largest single-day debut for a series in HBO Max history. And that success both critically and commercially is due to the innovative creative decisions made by showrunner and co-creator Ryan Condal and his team.

In telling the story of the beginning of the end of the Targaryen reign, centering the show on two...

This article contains House of the Dragon episode 8 spoilers.

Even a character as arrogant as Matt Smith’s Daemon Targaryen has to begrudge it was a good line. When a young and still bleeding Prince Aemond (then Leo Ashton) takes his hand and places it in the queen’s, he says, “Do not mourn me Mother, it was a fair exchange. I may have lost an eye but I gained a dragon.” The little flicker across his uncle’s face suggests the older prince is impressed.

Such was our first hint on House of the Dragon that these are two Targaryens cut from the same stuff: fire and blood. And after last night’s episode, that fact has become both clearer and more perilous for the realm of Westeros.

The first time we see Prince Aemond after a six-year time jump between episodes, it’s jarring. He has a new...

Matt Smith, Emma D’Arcy, and Eve Best in ‘House of the Dragon’ season 1 episode 8 (Photograph by Ollie Upton / HBO)

It’s been six years since Princess Rhaenys Targaryen last saw Lord Corlys Velaryon as HBO’s House of the Dragon season one episode eight begins. And 10 years have passed since Queen Alicent slashed Princess Rhaenyra’s arm, effectively drawing a line in blood between the greens (the Hightowers and their allies) and the blacks (the Targaryens and their supporters).

Princess Rhaenys receives the devastating news that Corlys had his throat slashed in an ambush. His ship’s maester as well as Corlys’ brother, Ser Vaemond Velaryon (Wil Johnson), are more worried about the blood fever affecting him than the wound. Rhaenys (Eve Best) refuses to believe Corlys will almost certainly die soon.

Who will take the Driftwood Throne if he dies? Rhaenys thinks it should pass to Lucerys Velaryon as Corlys requested,...

[Warning: The following contains Major spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 1 episode 8, “The Lord of the Tides.”] When Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) is severely injured fighting in the Stepstones, the matter of succession for Driftmark is called into question. Vaemond Velaryon (Wil Johnson), Corlys’ brother, believes he should inherit the throne rather than Rhaenyra’s son; Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) obviously believes her son should inherit the throne; Rhaenys (Eve Best) intends to put herself forward as heir. Everyone converges on a drastically changed King’s Landing to argue for their own proposals, but first, there are a few matters to attend to. Rhaenyra introduces her ailing father—seriously, Viserys (Paddy Considine) is maybe a quarter of the man he was in the first episode, the rest of him has rotted away or shriveled—to her two sons by Daemon (Matt Smith). She also meets with Rhaenys and realizes her intent to take the throne for herself.

The King is dead. Long live…who, exactly?

With the passing of Viserys Targaryen — valar morghulis, buddy — the big question posed by this entire first season of House of the Dragon has now become inescapable. Who will sit on the Iron Throne now that House Targaryen’s patriarch has finally shuffled off to meet the Seven? Will it be Rhaenyra, his firstborn child and official heir? Or Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney), his son with Queen Alicent and likely the preferred candidate of the sexist pigs who populate the realm?

If this...

Many a joke has been made about what awkward family dinners the Targaryens must have: between the incest, eye-gouging, arm lacerating, prejudice against brunettes, and the general issue of holding onto grudges for Way too long, there's no way that this extended family can sit down for a peaceful meal of pigeon pie without breaking into battle. So it was only a matter of time before "House of the Dragon" made good on the promise and forced us to endure the full-fledged awkwardness of a massive Targaryen gathering. In "The Lord of the Tides," we get a front-row seat to one of this family's most unforgettable meals.

All that said, I've gotta say, for a surprising couple of minutes, the Targaryen family dinner actually goes pretty smoothly. It was even kind of heartwarming! But, of course, I'm a seasoned Westerosi visitor, and thanks to the Red Wedding debacle of 2013, I...

Time is a funny thing. A constant that on occasion appears to move at great pace, and at other moments with a glacial trickle. But all my preconceptions about the apparent mutability of time have been thrown out the window with this season of House of the Dragon. Time has moved in a hop, skip and a jump, with actors replacing actors replacing actors. And all the same, despite another six-year gap before this week’s episode, “The Lord of the Tides”, most of these beautiful characters haven’t aged a day. There must be something in the Westerosi water.

Turn of the tides

One person who has aged a day – and quite a lot more – is Paddy Considine’s Viserys. The fact that he’s held on this long, despite viewers witnessing his rotting wound in the first episode (very much like coughing in Act One), is a medical miracle.

House of the Dragon The Lord of the Tides TV Show Trailer — HBO‘s House of the Dragon: Season 1, Episode 8: The Lord of the Tides TV show trailer has been released. Cast and crew House of the Dragon stars Wil Johnson, John Macmillan, Savannah Steyn, Theo Nate, Milly Alcock, Emily Carey, Continue reading: House Of The Dragon: Season 1, Episode 8: The Lord of the Tides TV Show Trailer [HBO]...

A child runs across the moonlit sands. As the stars shine down into the ocean nearby, the boy approaches a dragon asleep on the beach — Vhagar, massive and ancient, the largest and oldest animal in Westeros. Determined to seize what he feels is his birthright, he braves the beast’s searching eyes and fiery gullet, climbing up the rope ladder to its back dozens of feet off the ground. Commanding the creature in an ancient tongue, he drives it into the sky, taking flight at long last. The boy shakes,...

House of the Dragon Driftmark TV Show Trailer — HBO‘s House of the Dragon: Season 1, Episode 7: Driftmark TV show trailer has been released. Cast and crew House of the Dragon stars Wil Johnson, John Macmillan, Savannah Steyn, Theo Nate, Milly Alcock, Emily Carey, Matt Smith, Emma D’Arcy, Rhys Ifans, [...]

Continue reading: House Of The Dragon: Season 1, Episode 7: Driftmark TV Show Trailer [HBO]...

House of the Dragon The Princess And The Queen TV Show Trailer — HBO‘s House of the Dragon: Season 1, Episode 6: The Princess And The Queen TV show trailer has been released. Cast and crew House of the Dragon stars Wil Johnson, John Macmillan, Savannah Steyn, Theo Nate, Milly Alcock, Emily Carey, Continue reading: House Of The Dragon: Season 1, Episode 6: The Princess And The Queen TV Show Trailer [HBO]...

House of the Dragon We Light The Way TV Show Trailer — HBO‘s House of the Dragon: Season 1, Episode 5: We Light The Way TV show trailer has been released. Cast and crew House of the Dragon stars Wil Johnson, John Macmillan, Savannah Steyn, Theo Nate, Milly Alcock, Emily Carey, Matt Smith, [...]

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Matt Smith stars as Prince Daemon Targaryen in Episode 3 of House of the Dragon Season 1. Pic credit: HBO/Ollie Upton

Episode 3 of House of the Dragon saw Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) battling it out in the Stepstones.

Previously, he had been rejected by his brother, King Viserys (Paddy Considine) as the next in line to rule over Westeros and banished to the Vale.

Not to be disgruntled, Daemon decided to join with Lord Corlys Velaryn (Steve Toussaint) and attack the Crabfeeder (Daniel Scott-Smith) in order to claim victory in the Stepstones, which is an important travel route between Westeros and Essos.

It also meant that Daemon could look good among the people of Westeros for finally settling this conflict when the king wouldn’t.

The battle lasted some time but, eventually, Daemon was victorious and killed the Crabfeeder.

Now, he will be named King of the Narrow Sea in...

House of the Dragon King of the Narrow TV Show Trailer — HBO‘s House of the Dragon: Season 1, Episode 4: King of the Narrow TV show trailer has been released. Cast and crew House of the Dragon stars Wil Johnson, John Macmillan, Savannah Steyn, Theo Nate, Milly Alcock, Emily Carey, Matt Smith, [...]

Continue reading: House Of The Dragon: Season 1, Episode 4: King of the Narrow Sea TV Show Trailer [HBO]...

This article contains House of the Dragon episode 3 spoilers.

It is no small thing when a king goes hunting. As author George R.R. Martin is no doubt relieved to see—after previously suggesting the depiction of a king’s hunt in Game of Thrones was one of his great regrets—King Viserys’ chase during last night’s House of the Dragon was quite the spectacle.

When a stag finally fell beneath the gaze of Viserys (Paddy Considine), there were horses and hounds, broad pavilion tents and bards to sing in them. Even his toddler son by his second wife, the teenage Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey), is on hand to bask in the opulence of the Targaryen monarch’s alleged greatness. But right down to the dour countenance on Viserys’ face… something very wrong appears to be occurring.

The sequence was the centerpiece of Sunday night’s House of the Dragon.

Steve Toussaint stars as Lord Corlys Velaryon in Episode 3 of House of the Dragon Season 1. Pic credit: HBO/Gary Moyes

Last week’s episode of House of the Dragon saw King Viserys (Paddy Considine) reject one marriage proposal in favor of another.

As a result, viewers got their first significant time jump in this week’s installment.

King Viserys is now married to his daughter’s friend, Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey), and they already have a son together.

Prince Aegon is turning two years old, which is something to be celebrated in the realm, but Princess Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock) has mixed feelings.

For starters, things between Rhaenerya and Alicient are already frosty. Secondly, everyone is whispering across Westeros that Aegon is the one true heir to the Iron Throne merely because he is a boy.

To hell with the fact he is only two, and Rhaenyra has already been declared the legal heir.

It’s not easy being king.

That’s been the story for poor Viserys Targaryen since House of the Dragon began, hasn’t it? Every time he seems to catch a break or make a decision, he winds up pissing off more people than he pleases. For a people-person like him, it’s a fate worse than the Seven Hells. And even though nearly three years have passed in Westeros time between last week’s episode and this one, things have only gotten worse.

For example, we see Viserys at the center of a massive,...