‘House of the Dragon’ Episode 8 Recap: “The Lord of the Tides”

It’s been six years since the events of “Driftmark,” episode 7 of House of the Dragon, and as you’d imagine, Princess Rhaenys Velaryon hasn’t gotten over Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen’s assumed complicity in the supposed murder of her son Ser Leanor. Lord Corlys has been gravely wounded in the ongoing Stepstones conflict, and now his brother Vaemond Velaryon (Wil Johnson) is peacocking for control of the Driftwood throne based on his trueblood claim. Baela Targaryen (now played by Bethany Antonia) has become her ward, and Rhaenys had been resigned to the lines of succession as determined, however fraught. But what of Vaemond’s assurance that Queen Alicent and Hand of the King Otto Hightower have his back in this Driftmark succession fight? Where does that leave her? It’s off to King’s Landing to file a petition, even though an unseen Corlys is still thought to be breathing. 

At Dragonstone, where cranes rise above the parapets, Prince Daemon descends into a narrow steam cut in the nearby rockface and harvests a clutch of three eggs left by the dragon Syrax. Handing them to the tenders, it’s the most joyful we’ve seen Daemon in years, and that contentment continues as he joins a pregnant Rhaenyra in the castle. Uncle and niece have settled into married life, Jacaerys (now played by Harry Collett) is now a young man cramming for his Old Valyrian exams, and Lucerys (Elliot Grihault) has become a bright-eyed adolescent underneath his shock of Harwin Strong-like brown hair. But when Baela’s raven note reveals Vaemond’s agitation, Daemon and Rhaenyra and fam also decamp for King’s Landing. It’s paramount they advocate for the princess’s standing claim amongst the Hightowerian “vipers” who now rule the realm in King Viserys’ stead. 

After a clouded arrival that barely warrants a “What’s up?”, they discover a Red Keep made unrecognizable, its Targaryen heraldry removed in favor of statues and seven-pointed stars. And speaking of unrecognizable, King V is still hanging on, even though half his face is ravaged, his skin resembles chapped parchment, he’s at least half blind, and in a near-constant fog of pain and dementia. Rhaenyra is mostly just a daughter greeting her aged parent, eager to introduce his new grandchildren Aegon the Younger and baby Viserys, which the dying sovereign agrees is a name fit for a king. But Daemon, after pausing for the requisite amount of respect and pity, leans on his brother to affirm Lucerys as Corlys Velaryon’s rightful successor. 

Alicent and Otto pay lip service to ruling under the king’s authority. But is that what they call it, Daemon wonders, as the Hightowers leave him bedridden and hopped up on milk of the poppy? Alicent also has a more immediate problem in the management of her loutish oldest, Aegon (now played by Tom Glynn-Carney), who’s defiled his marriage to Princess Helaena (Phia Saban) with the rape of a servant girl. “You’re no son of mine,” she says with a vicious and warranted slap, but at this point Alicent doesn’t know how instrumental this royal rapist will become.

In the courtyard, Jace and Luc encounter an eypatched Aemond (now played by Ewan Mitchell) sparring with Ser Criston and his morning star and verbally hectoring his nephews, while Rhaenyra confronts Rhaenys beneath the red leaves of the Weirwood tree. She swears – carefully worded – that she did not order Laenor’s death, nor was she complicit in it. She also makes an offer to betrothe her sons to the late Princess Laena’s daughters, which would make Baela queen of the seven kingdoms and her sons heirs to the throne. But Rhaenys, on a limb, still won’t budge. And inside the castle, Vaemond soothes the queen’s qualms over optics and succession and assures his allyship, come a war in need of the greatest fleet in Westeros.

With Rhaenys seemingly aligned against her, Rhaenyra visits her father on his sickbed. “The Song of Ice and Fire: do you believe it to be true? You told me it was our duty to hold the realm against a common foe.” But Viserys can’t answer right now. He’s an utter mess as the maesters tinker with his sores and afflictions. 

Everyone has gathered for the reading of the petitions. Otto says as Hand he speaks for the king regarding succession of Driftmark and all other matters, and with a shoot of his cloak he settles presumptuously onto the Iron Throne. Vaemond goes first, but just as Rhaenyra begins her rebuttal, the doors creak open to reveal King V, clad in his cape and crown and walking with a cane under his own power. The Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm wears a mask of gold over half his visage, but the gathered are reminded who they still serve as Daemon helps his brother to rest on the throne. Viserys reaffirms the succession as it stands, which prompts Rhaenys to announce Rhaenyra’s marriage offer, Alicent and Otto to begin recalculating, and Vaemond to fume in disgust. His rhetoric runs right to the edge of publicly calling Rhaenyra’s sons bastards – Daemon dares him – and then he actually does it, and even calls the princess a whore for good measure. “I’ll have your tongue for this!” Viserys cries, drawing his dagger. But the prince’s blade is closer. Daemon cleaves Vaemond’s head in two, right above the jawline. “He can keep his tongue.”

Now we’re at the evening’s feasting table, where bone-deep tension and Last Supper vibes are both on offer. King Viserys is carried in. He celebrates the betrothal of his grandsons to their cousins – “further strengthening the bond between our two houses” – and pleads with the assembled to put aside their grievances. The king removes his mask; beneath it, his eye socket is an empty chasm. But his condition, his dignity, and his pleas for peace set off a series of throaty toasts and sincere apologies, especially between Alicent and Rhaenyra. There are courtly dances and merrymaking as the courses are served, and even Otto manages a smile. The king knows he’s dying. But if this moment of warmth is among his last, then at least here was joy.     

Not so fast. Aemond rises and taunts his “Strong” nephews in a toast, with a cocky Aegon to back him up. (Aegon, the letch, also openly propositions Baela Velaryon.) God, these two are awful, and it’s clear they aren’t done with all of the bitter anger and resentment. Daemon steps forward – I’ve already beheaded one guy today, don’t make me do it again – but the charged moment dissipates a little as the young people are separated and Rhaenyra tells the queen that she’ll return her brood to Dragonstone. 

By the way, remember Mysaria? Well, these days she has eyes and ears everywhere – she’s like Varys from Game of Thrones, but with style and hair – and is seen receiving a report about all of the juicy and bloody goss going on up at the castle. Mysaria is sure to factor into whatever the near future holds.

Night has fallen in King’s Landing, and Viserys is back in bed. He’s delirious with pain, and when Alicent comes in to comfort him, he thinks she’s Rhaenyra having returned to his chambers to take up her query about the Song of Ice and Fire. “It’s true,” he says through gritted and cracked teeth, what Aegon the Conqueror saw in the north. “The prince that was promised.” The king implores Rhaenyra – who is really Alicent – that she must unite the realm against the cold and dark, and the queen listens but misunderstands. Are Viserys’ desperate murmurs about Aegon their son becoming king? After all, the queen doesn’t know anything about the treasured secret entrusted to Rhaenyra. And once Alicent leaves the chamber with this new information – so long, warm toasts and healed wounds from dinner – King Viserys reaches for something or someone in the air before him. His breath is failing. This is it. He’s dying. “My love…” he whispers, and we fade to black.

Johnny Loftus is an independent writer and editor living at large in Chicagoland. His work has appeared in The Village Voice, All Music Guide, Pitchfork Media, and Nicki Swift. Follow him on Twitter: @glennganges