It's not a cold open, but it does open in the cold after an
awesome new intro that will break down separately.
Episode one called A Son for a Son is a fantastic new start
full of callbacks and references.
Many things in this episode show and or tell us of recurring
traditions, such as the one started by Torren Stark, The
King who Knelt a century or so ago.
It calls for one in 10 men from his household to join the
Night's Watch or Why an Arias time.
Well over a century later, the Red Keep is full of cats with
nary a rat catcher to be seen. The first word of the episode is
duty, and it is a central theme of the episode, but paired with
conflict, the sort that makes one's duty difficult to
determine. The duty of the north to support
unity in the South and remember their oaths, but also to send
men, sometimes to their own family, to the wall when winter
is coming. The duty of the king to defend
the small folk, but also to win the war for his family and to
avenge those who do it harm. The duty of a queen in conflict
with the inherent duties of motherhood, as Damon tells
Raines, the mother grieves as the queen shirks her duty.
The duty of Kingsguard. How are they to know what to do
when the House of the Dragon, whom they swear to protect,
turns on its? It's a question worthy of Jaime
Lannister's conflicting oaths. There's also the duty of Allen,
as he himself puts it, to save Lord Corleiss in battle.
The conflict in this particular scene is implied rather than
explained. For now.
Give it time. The phrase dark wings, dark
words is also implied rather than spoken when word arrives
for Lord Cregan from Dragonstone about the death of Luke, making
war all the more certain. You might recognize the song
playing in the opening Northern scene as well, A familiar,
haunting tune that many would call the Stark theme.
It also debuts back in that very first episode of Game of Thrones
when Jon Snow leaves for the Wall, parting with Rob Stark.
They expect to see each other again, but never do.
Fittingly, the song is called Goodbye, Brother, and damn is it
ever a sad song by itself, let alone with the knowledge that
Jace learns while standing atop the Wall like Jon Snow, another
man with uncertain ancestry, that he too will never see his
brother again after being killed under treacherous and vengeful
circumstances. Kragen has much and more to say
about winter and duty, but when he reads the message from
Dragonstone telling of Luke's death, he's speechless.
War does demand the sacrifice of children, but usually that
sacrifice comes during the war, not before.
Eamond will later claim the war had already begun before his
act, or Veigar's act if you prefer.
So I suppose it's a matter of perspective, as Eamon's own
actions are seen as quite different, not only in his own
eyes, but of his family, and even more differently in the
eyes of, say, Damon or Rainiera. But in this episode, as Helena
tells Aegon, it's not the Dragons but the rats she's
afraid of, and it's the Ravens that bring the news for many in
this one as well, as it did for Rainiera.
Just as the season concluded, Rainey's experienced the same
when a Raven came to her long ago with news that her daughter
Elena died. Damon is angry and wants to kill
both Veigar and her rider, as he puts it, and echoes the episode
title, saying it would be a son for a son, but softens a bit at
the mention of Veigar's previous rider, his deceased wife.
He lashes out and blames Rainey's for the death of Luke,
though who would still be alive if she had incinerated Greens
when she had the chance. Rainey's declares that Rainier
is not as lost to vengeance as he seems to be, but the only
words the Queen speaks in the entire episode are I want Eamon
Targaryen, showing that she is closer to Damon's frame of mind
than Rainey's seems to have believed, though surely not so
similar as to expect the death of a toddler.
Rainier searches around the region of Storm's End for
tangible proof of her son's death, and eventually finds it.
When she returns, she utters that singular wish and holds a
funeral for Luke after Jace returns too, as they can sign
Luceros personal belongings to the flames as Targaryen
tradition demands. The scene is paralleled with
Allison at the Great Sept lighting candles in honor of her
deceased. First she names her mother
Allory Floret, then King Viserys, who was her husband.
Then after some trepidation, she too names Luceros and notably
calls him Delarium. Luke's death is also raised
during the conversation between Allen and Lord Corleiss.
Allen mentions his brother the Shipwright, which seems to give
Lord Corley some moments pause, but the pause when Allen
presents Corleiss with a dagger meant for Prince Luceros is even
longer. Alan seems to have a command
role, informing Lord Corleiss that seven more ships have been
sent out to reinforce the incomplete blockade, while Lord
Corleiss wants his own ship prepared to lead the effort,
though it will be weeks. According to Alan, the blockade,
though incomplete, is sufficient to capture the White Worm as she
flees King's Landing, perhaps for Essos.
Instead, she ends up in the dungeons of Dragonstone upon the
orders of an angry Prince Damon, who blames her for putting Egg
on on the throne, though she denies doing anything more than
profiting from it or perhaps speeding it along.
A bit at worse. Damon's actually right, though
she manages to convince him otherwise.
But we know that she did actually tell Otto at the time
that she could have killed Aegon easily, and to remember that it
was her who put him on the throne as much as anyone else.
In retrospect, she overplayed her hand in that incident as her
threats resulted in her establishment being burned to
the ground. The only silver lining for her
seems to be the widespread belief that she's dead, meaning
they aren't looking for her any longer for now, because she is
complicit, or at least would be so in the eyes of the Greens if
they knew. In giving Damon crucial
information that leads to the incident that history now
remembers as Blood and Cheese, we first see the man known as
Cheese in the corner of the Small Council chambers.
Allison and Sir Kristen, just after hooking up, arrive there
and pass in front of Cheese with his dog.
As he's leaving, they will again be hooking up Wind.
Blood and Cheese infiltrate the keep at the end of the episode.
Even though Allison declares they have to stop, they take no
notice of Cheese, nor does anyone else.
Otto instead gives both Cole and his daughter a look as if he
suspects their relationship. The early scene in the Small
Council also sets up the horror at the end by having young
Prince Jahari so close by in this scene as well.
It's a sign of the King making up for his own lack of education
in such matters by overdoing it with his son a bit early.
Young Jerry says presence is almost light hearted, but it's a
cruel bit of foreshadowing along with Aegon himself failing to
recognize which of his twins is the boy, just like the confusion
of the murderers when finding them lying side by side.
Aegon also invites his brother Eamon to the meeting, who
declares that they must take Harrenhall just as Damon wants,
but Otto declares that they must be patient now that they've
reminded the realm of what Veigar can do.
After a look from Allison, Kristen tells Aegon that he must
not not risk himself directly in battle.
Aegon is visibly perturbed by the notions of patience and
caution, but seems to accede to them for now.
Lorries comes to Allison just after the session to inform her
that he's completed his investigations and executed all
the traitors in their household. Clearly, he missed at least one
rat catcher, but whether he'll be blamed for it remains to be
seen. In the meantime, Allison is
uncomfortable at the news Lorries has hired all her new
staff personally, which manifests in her sending all her
maids away when she's taking a bath.
Does he know about her dalliances with Sir Kristen?
Larry's also watches from the gallery above while Aegon holds
court. Fresh off a huge dose of
validation by the commoners during his coronation, he's
feeling generous and wants to maintain his popularity, yet
he's at odds with Auto over how to handle the assembled
petitioners. He reverses one decision
regarding tribute for Dragonfodder after the Hand
insists, but refuses to budget on the matter of paying the
blacksmiths in advance. They're represented by a man
named Hugh who couldn't possibly have a further role in the show.
Larry, he's an opportunity in the disagreements between King
and Hand, and reminds Aegon that Otto was his father's Hand,
leaving unspoken that he is within his rights to name his
own new Hand. Someone more in tune with his
style of rule, perhaps. We see that while the Blacks are
in stasis, while waiting for Reniera to recover from grief,
the Greens are beset by internal squabbles and power struggles.
One of those squabbles, one that has been running since season
one, may have actually been resolved, though.
Allison confronts Otto, asserting that despite being on
the same page as to the path to victory, he's undermining her
authority over her sons, authority they very much need if
they are to maintain control over their faction.
Otto and Allison believe they understand the minds of Egon and
Amond, that the former will eventually grow bored with
ruling allowing them to take over, and that the latter is
angry. There's a lot of evidence
they're wrong. However, soon after, Sir Kristen
and Amon have their own session, one that very much parallels the
one with Otto and Allison, including Amon declaring that
Allison is angry. In addition to calling his own
mother by her first name, he also believes she's a hypocrite
for blaming the war on him and a fool for loving their enemy.
Sir Kristen responds, probably because he's sleeping with her,
by recalling his take from season one to Allison herself,
where he declared Ranira to be a spider and tells Eamon that
Allison's not to blame. Still, they agree that they
should privately ask Aegon to send them with an army to force
the Crown lands into submission. They discuss tactics using coins
as markers on their map as they plan this campaign and how to
enact it. Damon's plan to kill Aymond is
already underway thanks to Mizar's connections, which he
trades for her freedom. Damon also uses coins, but as
bribes, not as markers. He recruits a large man to kill
Aymond and a rat catcher with knowledge of Megor's tunnels.
The two of them pass through the same drainage tunnel Aria will
exit from many years later and proceed to work their way
through the Red Keep, which includes passing right through
the throne room, just as Cheese that earlier passed through the
small council room and been ignored.
He tells Blood to keep his eyes down and they'll be ignored here
as well. Neither of them do.
Blood can't help but stare directly into the face of what
must be a new statue of King Viserys, while Cheese can't help
but look at the king on his throne, drunk on strong line
while chatting about what nickname he should establish for
himself with his friends. Suggested names include Aegon
the Generous and Aegon the Dragon Heart, but he seems to
really like Aegon the Dragon Cock most of all.
We returned to Cole and Amons plotting, only to hear it
interrupted by footsteps approaching.
As Kristen reaches for his sword, we wonder if Blood and
Cheese are about to appear, but it's only Otto.
He sees what they're doing and orders Coal to return to his
post, then proceeds to simultaneously win over and
chastise Aymond, who declares he's only doing his duty to his
house. Otto reminds Aymond of the value
of discipline, challenging him to be better than his brother.
A clever thing to say, as we know Eamon sees himself as
superior to Aegon. Given his comments last season.
We don't see the conversation end, but it clearly does, and
both of them leave the room to go elsewhere.
This may have saved Amon's life, though perhaps he would have
been able to defend himself against Blood and Cheese, who
enter the royal apartments through a secret door.
Blood steals the map marker coins while it's Cheese's turn
to be mesmerized by Targaryen artwork.
A mural of Harrenhal's burning. It seems Otto's interruption had
the potential to save young Prince to Harry's as well,
assuming Sir Kristen's duty was guarding him and his sister and
the Queen, but instead he was with Allison.
While they're going at it, Blood and Cheese stumble upon a
hapless and innocent Helena, who is forced to reveal which of her
two children is the boy, a regular Sophie's Choice.
And again, they declare the episode's title a son for a son.
When they set upon with disturbing sound effects, the
even more hapless and more innocent Jeharis, the Queen
grabs his twin sister and runs off, eventually entering the
bedroom where Allison and Sir Kristen believe themselves to be
hidden, the very bedroom Kristen slept with Ranira.
In fact, ignoring their affair, Helena simply sits down in the
corner. Allison asks what's wrong, and
Helena replies in an almost flat voice that they killed the boy,
ending the episode. This is a final grim call back
to episode one of Game of Thrones and that one.
Another Queen and another Lord Commander are caught sleeping
together by an innocent boy whom they try but fail to kill.
We don't learn that until episode 2, though.
Just as we don't know what the fallout will be for the death of
Prince Jay Harris, his won't be the only head to roll, so to
speak. It's not exactly what Damon
wanted, though he's probably OK with it.
It's not at all what Ranira wanted and she'd like likely
won't be OK with it, and it's definitely not what any of the
Greens wanted and definitely won't be OK with Aegon's new
found. Patience and caution are likely
at an end, as is the notion that Veigar is keeping them safe and
the internal power struggle is about to heat up like a dragon
headed to war. Join us all season long for long
and short form coverage and in between TV seasons for deep
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