House of the Dragonis never kind to its supporting characters, but it’s reached a new level of character assassination. For all the violence, backstabbing, duplicity, and outright madness on display, the show seems to keep digging deeper and deeper holes for one Criston Cole. He is, in a way, a microcosm of power as a concept. He’s a bitter, petty, spurned ex-boyfriend wielding police authority and failing upward into critical positions as the kingdom dies around him. There’s a lot to take away from this bizarrely unnamed episode, but a broad hatred for Criston Cole is the main lingering result.
There will, presumably, be a title for this episode at some point, but it’s currently dubbed “Episode 2” on HBO Max. Claire Kilner directed this episode. She previously helmed three episodes of season one, but her career goes beyond this series. Kilner recently crafted episodes ofGen VandFalloutfor Amazon Prime. She’s also known for the 2005 romantic comedyThe Wedding Date. She’s scheduled to return for episode five in a few weeks.
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Release Date
July 21, 2025
Most of this episode deals with the immediate fallout fromlast week’s dynamic conclusion. After a pair of incompetent goons slipped into the Red Keep and murdered the wrong member of the royal family, King Aegon II is in tatters. He throws a fit, symbolically smashing his dad’s treasured scale model of Old Valyria while literally declaring war. Aegon demands blood, pushing his council to launch immediate attacks against Rhaenyra. He’s certain she’s behind the assassination, but the Hand of the King, Otto Hightower, and his fellow council members preach patience. Otto sees a propaganda opportunity in a toddler’s decapitation. He intends to lead a public funeral procession through King’s Landing to drum up as much support as possible. Aegon hates the idea, as does his grieving bride, but Alicent pushes them to accept the move. It works, visibly winningmany local smallfolkto the Greens and dragging Rhaenyra’s name through the mud.
Rhaenyra hears about the murder later, and she quickly admonishes anyone who suggests any involvement on her end. Daemon smirks awkwardly throughout the meeting discussing the event, butRhaenyra easily guesseshis involvement. This leads to an incredibly tense argument between the once-happy couple. Rhaenyra accurately points out the loss of support her camp will face as a result of this unsanctioned scheme. As the debate sharpens, Rhaenyra accuses her uncle/husband of using her as a sad last-ditch effort to reclaim the throne. She asks him, point-blank, whether he respects her as his leader and queen. He can’t answer. Daemon storms off, mounts his dragon, and flies away. Without Daemon, Rhaenrya faces the loss of even more public support and one of her mightiest warriors, but that relationship isn’t necessarily over yet.Corlys and Rhaenys geta brief pillow talk scene to discuss Daemon and cement themselves as perhaps the only good couple in Westeros. They suggest that raising an army from Harrenhal might be enough to earn Daemon a pardon, setting his path in place for the next few episodes.
What happened to Otto Hightower?
Criston Cole’s hard charge for theWorst Person in Westerosaward goes well beyond negligence. Far too much of this episode focuses on Dowager Queen Alicent and Cole sharing guilt for spending the evening sharing a bed rather than guarding the dearly departed prince. Cole needs a scapegoat, so he picks a fight with Ser Arryk Cargyll. His half-formed logic suggests that Arryk might still have some allegiance to his twin brother, who ran away to fight for Rhaenyra. He decides to send Arryk behind enemy lines to impersonate his twin and attempt to assassinate Rhaenyra. It’s a grim assignment that flies in the face of Kingsguard behavior, but he’s prepared to threaten death if Arryk doesn’t ship out. This act of unhinged arrogance and reckless violence leaves Aegon enamored of his would-be stepdad. The young king hangs all the ratcatchers in King’s Landing, and while he successfully gets revenge, he also undoes all the goodwill his son’s death bought him. Aegon enters a screaming match with Otto, who tactfully lets slip the fact that Viserys died wanting Rhaenyra in his place. Sick of Otto’s political games,Aegon fires Otto Hightowerand gives his position as Hand to Cole. It might not be the most impressive case of failing upward in Westeros, but it’s close.
Now that Cole is in charge,House of the Dragongives his first executive decision some time to shine. Ser Arryk makes it shockingly far into hisplan to assassinate Rhaenyra. Unfortunately for him, he comes across Mysaria. Rhaenyra briefly considered keeping the White Worm in captivity to use her as an asset, but she eventually decides to make good on Daemon’s promise of freedom. This decision pays off immediately, as Arryk slips into Rhaenyra’s chambers, only for his brother Erryk to intervene. Arryk and Erryk engage in a bloody fight to the death in the episode’s finest moment. Erryk wins, but the grief of slaying his beloved brother leads him to immediately take his own life. The episode could have stopped there, but it briefly returns to King’s Landing. Otto bemoans his position, but Alicent has a suggestion. She sends him to Highgarden to curryfavor with House Tyrell, mentioning her son Daeron in Oldtown just to excite fans. As is apparently tradition at this point, the episode ends with Alicent continuing her trysts with Cole, despite some initial protest.
House of the Dragon’s latest, referred to as “Rhaenyra the Cruel” on Wikipedia but still unnamed at the time of writing on HBO Max, features several stellar moments that will remind fans ofwhat this series has to offer. Rhys Ifans, Tom Glynn-Carney, Emma D’Arcy, Elliot, and Luke Tittensor, and even poor Fabien Frankel deliver stellar performances. It’s a solid episode of TV that further engrosses the audience in a petty squabble between royals that quickly escalates to encompass the fate of the known world.
