Final week, Home of the Dragon confirmed the implications of revenge and errors, with the present adapting the notorious Blood and Cheese arc from George R.R. Martin’s guide.
As each Staff Inexperienced and Staff Black wrestle to return to phrases with what has occurred, many puppet-masters behind the scenes attempt to flip this horrific occasion right into a political assertion. In the meantime, others search additional revenge, solely leading to extra bloodshed.
If you wish to atone for what occurred in Home of the Dragon season 2 episode 2, we’ve rounded up all the key plot factors under. We even have an analogous article for the primary episode, A Son for a Son.
Spoilers for Home of the Dragon season 2, episode 2 under. Need to maintain spoiler-free? Learn our assessment of episodes 1 and a couple of.
King Aegon II declares battle
The episode opens with the Pink Maintain shrouded in darkness, with workers panicking as they study the horrific destiny of the younger inheritor Jaehaerys, who was beheaded within the night time by a rat catcher and guard.
Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) is distraught, smashing aside his mannequin metropolis along with his sword and claiming again and again that he’ll kill the perpetrators – that that is now battle.
Elsewhere, different members of Staff Inexperienced are extra somber. Alicent (Olivia Cooke) weeps for the loss, whereas the Hand of the King, Otto (Rhys Ifans) begins to take a position who could be accountable. Aegon’s brother, Aemond (Ewan Mitchell), finds a free coin that Blood knocked to the ground.
Ollie Upton/HBO
The crown begins an investigation after one of many perpetrators is caught attempting to flee with a severed head. Nonetheless, intestine intuition tells the King that this was the work of Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy). Whereas not technically true, Aegon isn’t far off the mark.
Otto sees this as an opportunity to garner help for the crown. He suggests parading the kid’s physique by the streets in a funeral procession, so town can witness the horrors first-hand. He means that Queen Helaena Targaryen and Alicent experience behind in a wagon, so their sorrow is clear.
No one desires their grief to be manipulated this manner, however all events reluctantly agree for the good thing about the realm. The physique, crudely stitched collectively, is wheeled by the streets as King’s Touchdown watches on and weeps.
Lord Larys Sturdy (Matthre Needham) learns that Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) employed Blood (Sam C. Wilson), who provides up the data simply. His fast confession means little although, as Aemon enters the cell and bludgeons the murderer.
Rhaenyra’s occasion takes a step backwards
In Dragonstone, Rhaenyra learns in regards to the decapitation of Jaehaerys. She confronts Daemon and accuses him of weakening her declare to the Iron Throne in a messy ploy for revenge.
He turns into enraged when she additionally claims he’s utilizing her to get nearer to energy. As such, he leaves for Harrenhal in a huff on Caraxes to assist increase a military.
Theo Whitman/HBO
In his absence, the Black Queen scrambles to do injury management. She instructs Baela Targaryen (Bethany Antonia) to fly in the direction of King’s Touchdown on the dragon Moondancer to look at town and see what they’ve deliberate. Baela later confesses to Jacaerys (Harry Collett) that she might hate her father.
To attempt to unravel what occurred with Jaehaerys’s homicide, Rhaenyra questions captive Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno), whereas additionally bonding over Daemon’s previous behaviour. After a short while, the Queen lets the captive stroll free, despite the fact that it’s a threat.
It later proves the distinction between life and demise.
Ser Cristen Cole is a not so useful Hand
Kingsguard member Cristen (Fabian Frankel) was earlier accused within the episode of neglecting his duties by Aegon. The knight claimed to be asleep when Blood and Cheese infiltrated the fortress, however he was, in truth, busy having intercourse with Alicent Hightower.
This guilt appears to eat away at him, as he sees the bloody bedsheets of the deceased little one and claims to Alicent that there’s “no absolution” for what he’d finished.
As a substitute of atoning for his sins, he picks a battle with Ser Arryk Cargyll (Luke Tittensor) by asking him to vary to a clear white cloak as it’s a image of purity and constancy. He then takes issues a step additional, by demanding to know the place the knight was when the homicide occurred and accusing him of not stopping it.
Ollie Upton/HBO
When the knight fairly rightly snaps again, Cristen loses his mood and calls for that Ser Arryk go to Dragonstone to kill Rhaenyra by posing as his twin brother Erryk (Elliott Tittensor), who serves Staff Black. Arryk factors out that it is a suicide mission, however Cristen threatens to go to the King if there are any complaints.
This act places the guard in Aegon’s good books, who believes it to be proactive. Otto Hightower, nonetheless, just isn’t as impressed with the plan.
He’s equally annoyed with the King’s resolution to hold all of the rat catchers within the metropolis. Aegon wished revenge, and the present confirms that they did kill the perpetrator. Nonetheless, he additionally murdered harmless husbands, brothers and sons, which can not go down favourably.
After implying to his grandson that the late King Viserys by no means wished to crown Aegon, the King dismisses him of his duties, passing on the title of Hand of the King to Ser Cristen Cole, who celebrates his promotion by… but once more sleeping with Alicent.
Ollie Upton/HBO
Whereas the brand new Hand is having fun with himself throughout the land, Arryk lastly arrives at Dragonstone, and simply passes the guards as he sneaks by the fortress.
He makes his method to Rhaenyra’s mattress chambers, however is interrupted by the true Staff Black loyalist, his brother Erryk, who was warned by Mysaria.
The pair get right into a bloody and brutal battle, and it’s onerous to inform which is which as they’re each dressed so equally. Ultimately, Erryk prevails, however it’s a fruitless victory as he kills himself, wracked with guilt.
Two useless deaths, all as a result of Ser Cristen Cole couldn’t discover one other method to make up for his errors. Are these deaths an indication of what’s to return sooner or later? Tune in subsequent week to search out out.
Facet plots
- After assembly Alyn of Hull (Abubakar Salim) final week, we meet his brother Addam (Clinton Liberty) on this episode, who seemed up curiously on the dragon Seasmoke flying above. Are we going to get a brand new dragon rider?
- In a brothel, Aemond Targaryen confesses that he is aware of his brother his afraid of him – presumably a sign of an influence shift but to return
- Hugh Hammer (Kieran Bew), who was not too long ago promised financial help from the King, discusses the hardships that he and his household are going through, presumably seeding unrest from the townsfolk
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