These "House Of The Dragon" Episode 8 Details And Moments Were Very Interesting
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Warning: this post contains spoilers for House of the Dragon Episode 8.
A lot happened in this episode — including multiple deaths. Let's take a look at the interesting details and moments...
1.Around six years have passed between the last episode and this one — putting us at more than 20 years after the events of the first episode (not counting the Great Council, which happened even earlier).
In the six years between the most recent episodes, Corlys Velaryon has been fighting in the Stepstones again, Daemon and Rhaenyra have been at Dragonstone having babies (two, Aegon III and Viserys, with another on the way), Baela Velaryon became a ward of Rhaenys, Aegon II (Alicent's son) and Helaena married each other and had kids themselves, and King Viserys' health continued to drastically decline.
2.According to the show creators, collecting eggs on Dragonstone is Daemon's hobby — and part of him preparing for the conflict he believes is coming.
3.If you want to know exactly what Baela's letter to Daemon said, it's this: "Father, I write with news of Uncle Vaemond, who this moment sails for King's Landing. He plans to appeal to his Grace the King on matters of succession, rights, and the sanctity of blood. He wishes for the Driftwood Throne to pass to him, that is his by rights and that he is the only unattainted choice."
4.The table we see at Dragonstone is the one both Stannis and Daenerys use in Game of Thrones.
5.The changes to the Red Keep indicate not only the way Alicent has become more powerful, but also her increasing religious fervour.
The seven-pointed stars in the decor particularly highlight this.
6.Alicent's more severe costume also reflects her closer connection to her faith.
7.Lord Caswell, who greets Rhaenyra at the Red Keep, is the same man who offered his service to her when she was making her way to Alicent after giving birth to Joffrey.
8.The lack of official greeting for Rhaenyra is an insult, deliberately perpetrated by Otto Hightower — we hear Ser Harrold Westerling tell him they were greeted according to his orders. Alicent notices this and seems surprised, and immediately gets up to greet them.
She's delayed by Aegon's attack on Dyana, but this shows she at least did not intend to snub Rhaenyra and Daemon — which makes it seem like her brief reconciliation with Rhaenyra at the end of the episode really is genuine.
9.Viserys' model has a lot of cobwebs on it, indicating it's been some time since he was able to go near it.
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10.The shot of Alicent framed through Corlys' former chair at the Small Council table feels symbolic, perhaps of the way she feels trapped by the argument over the Velaryon line of succession.
11.The set-up of the family dinner was influenced by depictions of the Last Supper.
12.Helaena says "beware the beast beneath the boards".
As with her previous mutterings, there's no doubt this is foreshadowing something that will happen in future, although it's hard to say exactly what at this stage.
13.Luke laughs when the pig is placed in front of Aemond because of the prank the boys played on him when they were younger, giving him a pig instead of a dragon.
This of course sets Aemond off, and the way he repeatedly describes Rhaenyra's children as "strong" boys is him blatantly acknowledging the fact they're Ser Harwin Strong's bastards.
14.Viserys' last words are "My love" and it almost sounds like his last breath is a sigh of relief — like he's glad at the thought he's being released from his pain ("no more" is what he says before this) and will be reunited with Aemma again.
It also seems like Alicent took his final sentences, about Aegon the Conqueror and the Prince Who Was Promised, the wrong way. She believed he was speaking of their son, Aegon II. These finals words may be the fire Alicent needs to push against Rhaenyra.
