HBO's House of the Dragon season two episode one, The Burning Mill, starts out with an open field. Knights from House Bracken are standing around until knights from House Blackwood confront them due to the boundary stones.
We find out that the Brackens have declared for the Greens while the Blackwoods for Team Black. The next scene we see is the same field, littered with dead soldiers and the Bracken knight from before, with a sword through his neck. The titular mill, is blackened in the background.
Back in Dragonstone, the Cargyll twins, Ser Erryck (Elliott Tittensor) and Ser Arryk (Luke Tittensor) are laid down side by side, in preparation for burial. The Blacks are burying both with commentary from Prince Jacaerys (Harry Collett) in his bloodthirsty era. Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) and Rhaenys (Eve Best) look on.
Rhaenys tries to be the House of the Dragon's Conciliator
Rhaenys tells Rhaenyra, “Otto Hightower would never have allowed this. Hotter blood has prevailed, I think. The young men have taken the bit in their teeth. They wish to punish, to avenge. Soon they will not even remember what it was that began the war in the first place.”
Rhaenyra, not having it, responds, “That is easy enough. They usurped my throne.”
However, Rhaenys tries to get them back on track. She presses on, “That is one answer. Or was it when the child was beheaded? Or when Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) killed Luke (Elliott Grihault)? Or when Luke took Aemond's eye? We teeter now at the point where none of it will matter. And the desire to kill and burn takes hold and reason is forgotten.”
She has a suggestion, “There may be another way. Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke).”
Rhaenyra doesn't scoff at this, but reminds Rhaenys, “When last we met, Alicent said I wold make a fine queen. You've seen what has happened since then.”
This doesn't deter Rhaenys. She tells Rhaenyra that Alicent went to her after King Viserys' (Paddy Considine) death. The dowager queen understands that war is coming and it will be savage.
“There is no war so hateful to the gods as a war between kin. And no war so bloody as a war between dragons.” We finally hear these lines in the show as they were in the trailer.
Rhaenyra tells her former mother-in-law about Alicent's messages which she hasn't read.
Rhaenys tell her that it's the men surrounding her who call for blood, not Alicent herself.
“She permitted it,” Rhaenyra countered.
“As you permitted the murder of a little boy in his bed.” Touché.
Get you an adviser like Rhaenys. She doesn't call for blood, but for peace. She's trying to be the voice of reason. But as we all know, those who see reason when others want war don't usually end up with happy ever afters.
However, Rhaenyra is adamant, “Alicent is in King's Landing. Her son sits my throne. There is nothing more to be said.”
And so the conversation ends at an impasse. Both women are of the House of the Dragon — neither will bend easily.
Heavy is the cloak that wears the Hand
Meanwhile in King's Landing, the new Hand of the King is startled from his reverie. Ser Criston Cole (Fabian Frankel) is late to the Small Council, and neither is he even announced. That's because these are new knights appointed by Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney). In the end, though, Criston gets the council's agreement that the next course of action is for control of Harrenhal.
Back in Dragonstone, a dragon flies in the distance. And on the ramparts is Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno). The dragon is Seasmoke, possible in search of a rider.
Rhaenyra speaks with her, asking her what she wanted after trying to warn the castle of danger. Mysaria tells her that she wants a place at her court and a bit of praise, “You showed me grace when you could have withheld it.”
We finally see Rhaena (Phoebe Campbell)! Only for her stepmother and queen to give her an assignment.
“I've decided to send Joffrey to ward with my cousin, Lady Jeyne Arryn. She has pledged an army in return for a dragon so she will have one. Aegon and Viserys will accompany him until a place of greater safety can be found,” she tells Rhaena.
Rhaena tries to object. Tyraxes is still a hatching. And Stormcloud not so much larger.
However, Rhaenyra insists, “I want you to go with them. The Red Keep is in disarray. They have sent one assassin in the night and their dragons are ever a short flight away. You must take the little ones farther. To Pentos, I think.”
Rhaena's memories of the place are less than pleasant since it's where her mother died.
Rhaenyra tells her that it's safer than anywhere in Westeros. She asks Rhaena to write to its ruler, Prince Reggio. And gives her a task that she cannot refuse: “Rhaena, I need you to be the mother to them that I cannot. Teach them, train them, guard them as a dragon guards her eggs.”
Rhaena asks after Baela, who will remain because she has a dragon. While Rhaena will be sent away, to make a sacrifice.
Daemon takes Harrenhal
And we finally see Daemon (Matt Smith) and Syrax flying through a storm to Harrenhal. Daemon look properly frightening. The castle seems deserted, even though we heard someone shout “Dragon!” as a warning as soon was Daemon was sighted.
Where is everyone?
At dinner, as it turns out.
“I'm claiming Harrenhal,” that's all he needed to say for its lord to acquiesce with, “Apparently so,” and readily bend the knee.
“I, Ser Simon Strong (Simon Russell Beale), Castellan of Harrenhal, pledge fealty to Rhaenyra of House Targaryen, First of Her Name. I swear this by the old gods and the new,” he intones.
Now, here's the menu. Seriously, that's what he said after his pledge. Priorities.
When Ser Simon calls Daemon, my prince, he corrects him with, “Your Grace.”
I always found it curious that in this world, they address the monarchs as Your Grace. In ours, that address is reserved for dukes, non-royal ones. If you remember, when Prince William married, he was raised as Duke of Cambridge. When Prince Harry married, he was raised as Duke of Sussex. However, both of them were still referred to by their royal title, Your Highness. Non-royal dukes on the other hand, are addressed as Your Grace.
Meet Ser Gwayne Hightower
Going back to King's Landing, the Greens are readying to march and we meet Ser Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox), who can't help but deride Ser Criston with, “What a giddying ascent the gods have bestowed on you.”
Criston retaliates by asking for Alicent's favor in public.
In Dragonstone, the Black Council is in session. Rhaenyra's restraint in loosing the dragons is met with, “The value of a sword is not within its scabbard.”
But this doesn't deter her.
In Driftmark, Lord Corlys (Steve Toussaint) calls the council “ditherers” and shades his granddaughter.
Lord Corlys, Rhaena has no dragons. In her exile, she protects the heirs of Dragonstone and Driftmark. It's no dishonor; it's a sacrifice. Besides, she takes with her, four dragon eggs. Rhaenyra essentially makes her the insurance policy. Rhaena's mission is to protect House of the Dragon's contingency plans.
At the Red Keep, Helaena (Phia Saban) tells her mother, “I forgive you.”
She knows that Alicent hasn't asked that, but she knows what it's for.
The House of the Dragon has its Master of Whispers back
Elsewhere, Lord Larys Strong (Matthew Needham) is trying to be Aegon's voice of reason, who it seems wants to join the war to cosplay as Aegon the Conqueror.
Larys is good at his job. He tells Aegon two rumors flying around his city: one, that in his courage and wisdom, chose to go into battle with Ser Criston. Which is partly correct, except for the courage and wisdom. The other is that he was outwitted by his own council, forced to go into battle so Alicent can be his regent, with Aemond ruling beside her.
You manipulative little weasel, so good at his job.
We meet one Ulf (Tom Bennett) in a tavern where Aegon and his minions end up. He claims he's a Targaryen and a dragonseed. Is he for real? We'll find out. The House of the Dragon has never lacked for bastards.
But there are other important matters to attend to. Such as Aegon discovering Aemond in the brothel, in the arms of the first woman he bedded. It's not a good idea for Aegon to antagonize him; between the two of them, it's Aemond who has drawn blood and has a dragon, Vhagar, big enough to swallow Aegon's Sunfyre whole.
In Dragonstone, Rhaenyra grieves for Luke by herself back. She takes out Alicent's message and decides to read it.
Somewhere in Westeros, its' Ser Criston vs. Ser Gwayne until the former spots a dragon, It's Baela. This is the one from the trailer. She spots them running for the trees. Too bad, the one vulnerability with dragons is their inability to maneuver in tight spaces. Unless they burn indiscriminately.
Back at Harrenhal, Daemon is haunted by a vision of the younger Rhaenyra (Milly Allcock in a pleasantly surprising cameo). It's quite eerie watching her stitch up Jaehaerys' head to his body, tellin Daemon, “Always coming and going, aren't you? And I have to clean up afterwards.”
You see tears forming in Daemon's eyes, showing fear, vulnerability and guilt. Emotions he never showed her older, present version.
He briefly closes his eyes. And when he opens them, he's no longer inside the castle, but outside, near the godswoods, dropping his Valyrian sword, Dark Sister. When Daemon turns around, a dark-haired woman tells him, “You will die in this place.”
And you are…
This, ladies and gentlemen, is Alys Rivers (Gayle Rankin), and for now, that's all you need to know.
Back in Dragonstone again, Rhaenyra makes use of Mysaria as the White Worm. She tells her she wants to meet Alicent face-to-face, in secret.
Mysaria obliges and tell her there's a way…
Which is for Rhaenyra to be dressed as a septa, with a guard. They weave their way through King's Landing and follow a group of septa on their way to the Great Sept of Baelor.
When the two childhood friends finally meet, Rhaenyra fumbles it. She's not made for threats so when she makes one, it doesn't exactly land. However, in the end their conversation gives her closure about her father's death. And she and Alicent — even though she will never give voice to it — know that the war has started based on a misunderstanding. Viserys didn't mean that his son by Alicent is the Prince That Was Promised. He was telling a story about the first Aegon, the Conqueror. Rhaenyra IS his rightful heir.
But Alicent is also right. It's too late to turn back now. The wheels are in motion. Aegon will go to war. So will Aemond. Daemon is in Harrenhal, haunted but determined.
The Dance of the Dragons is nigh. The House of the Dragon will soon tear itself apart.
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