Game of Thrones: House of the Dragon!

[Crop]

The dialogue between Sansa and Bran made me roll my eyes.
"I thought you were the three eyed raven?"
"I told you it'd be difficult to explain"

Err, is it that hard to say "The old one died and now I'm the new one". Definitely one of the worst bits of dialogue on the show.

Other than that, a good episode. Although what's with the timeframes this series? The Unsullied left for Castely Rock two episodes ago and just got there, yet the Iron Fleet was at King's Landing just this episode, then suddenly turned up at the rock two scenes later?!

Anyway, gutted to see Olenna die, but she went out just like she would, with a final 'smurf you' to the Lannisters.

[LunarWeaver]

Happy to see Dany and Jon finally meet after all these years. Still, a no Arya episode is a sad episode for me.

[Psychotic]

Although what's with the timeframes this series? The Unsullied left for Castely Rock two episodes ago and just got there, yet the Iron Fleet was at King's Landing just this episode, then suddenly turned up at the rock two scenes later?!.

It is a bit jarring. I guess there's time skips of weeks and months between scenes and they just don't bother showing what happens in between.

[Mr. Carnelian]

Honestly, at this point I couldn't care less about travel times making no sense. It was the point of the story where the siege of Casterly Rock had to happen, and story shouldn't play second-fiddle to geography.

[Jinx]

Jon doesn't have more of a claim to the Iron Throne that Dany (she doesn't even have a claim to it, but). He's a bastard. Even if he's Rhaegar Targaryen's bastard, he still doesn't have claim to the throne.

[Psychotic]

Jon doesn't have more of a claim to the Iron Throne that Dany (she doesn't even have a claim to it, but). He's a bastard. Even if he's Rhaegar Targaryen's bastard, he still doesn't have claim to the throne.

Do you really believe he's Rhaegar's bastard? Rhaegar three-heads-has-the-dragon-song-of-ice-and-fire-prince-who-was-promised Targaryen?

[Jinx]

Jon doesn't have more of a claim to the Iron Throne that Dany (she doesn't even have a claim to it, but). He's a bastard. Even if he's Rhaegar Targaryen's bastard, he still doesn't have claim to the throne.

Do you really believe he's Rhaegar's bastard? Rhaegar three-heads-has-the-dragon-song-of-ice-and-fire-prince-who-was-promised Targaryen?

Yes. He was married to Elia Martell. The whole "Oh, he had two wives, he was a polygamist!" thing is honestly one of the dumbest fan theories out there.

[Psychotic]

"Jon, guess what! You're a still bastard, just a different man's bastard! Huh! Huh?" is a pretty boring outcome that changes nothing though and I'll be disappointed if it is. His parentage switcheroo has to have some payoff, and it would be fascinating to see the effect on both Jon (does not want power but people want him to have it) and Dany (feels entitled to rule through birthright).

Although with that said it's not above GRRM (Dorne, Brienne's adventures in nowhere, Aeron Greyjoy) and the show runners (Ros, Rickon, Dorne again) to put in totally pointless characters and arcs. So who knows. If he is a bastard, the show and book have laid down a hell of a lot of groundwork to show that actually counts for bugger all if someone wants power. Indeed, Jon above Sansa as KitN is a pretty good example!

but, callin' it, jon is ptwp, true targ, sits on the throne at the end, dany is mhysa mhysa and dies.

[Shaibana]

''did you know what Tyrion made when he build/restored the sewers of Casterly Rock?''
''Hodor''


as to Jon being Rheagar's bastard: yes i believe it. i doubt they aproved or acknowledged the marriage between Rheagar and Lyanna (that was most likely done in secret and without any kind of consent.. (did they get married at all btw? i'm not sure anymore)
therefor the marriage is null and void, and any children of it are considered bastards.

[Jinx]

Jon being a true Targ would be way too neat and tied in a box with a bow. Which is something neither the books--or the show, though to a lesser extent--do.

But hey, I'll eat crow over this if Rhaegar DID marry Lyanna. I'll just think it's really smurfing dumb. xD

[Psychotic]

Jon being a true Targ would be way too neat and tied in a box with a bow. Which is something neither the books--or the show, though to a lesser extent--do.

I don't know how neat that'll be, I think if there's any truth in the Dany = Mad Queen theory, finding out she's not entitled to the throne will be the spark that lights the fire. Dance of the Dragons 2.0: THE DANCENING.

[Jinx]

Yeah, the only thing I can see that's I'd love is how #triggered Dany would get finding out she's got even less of a claim (negative claim) to the throne.

Especially if the theory that Jon will ride Rhaegon (clearly Viserion is about to eat it, as he is the least important dragon) and then it'd be Dragon vs. Dragon a la Spy vs. Spy.

[Slothy]

Jon doesn't need to be Rhaegars legitimate son if Dany dies and he's the man with the dragons.

[Jinx]

Now there's an ending I could get behind.

[The Captain]

Do they have things like divorces in Westeros? Could Rhaegar have ended his marriage to Elia and married Lyanna in secret? I'm assuming not, since people seem to just father bastard children instead of breaking up, but maybe he was a revolutionary in that way? Obviously, due to its backwards gender politics, it would have to be the men who enacted the divorce too, which is a problem.

As to the acting, I think to a large degree, it's a matter of the characters. Up until now, Dany and Jon Snow have been played as the traditional heroes of the story, thus they don't get the best lines or ever changing character arcs like others do (Jamie, Tyrion, Sansa, The Hound). In fact, while almost every other character has some shade of grey, both of them are straight-forward: Dany was the victim who became a queen and Jon is the bastard who became king. I think both actors are fine in their roles but they aren't asked to do much, aside from proclaim and brood. Maybe the final few episodes will unleash more nuance for them. Also, let's be honest, heroes tend to be boring, it's the villains and rogues that are fun to play and watch.

I really would be interested to see if the final season or two for the show ends up being like the Return Of The King's Oscar victories, where the final chapter saw it be rewarded for everything. Dinklage is rightly praised as being wonderful, but I have to believe others will get some rewards for a job well done.

Take care all.