House of the Dragon season 2: These three details that you should not have missed in episode 6

From start to finish, the latest episode of House of the Dragon had a few secrets hidden.

Airing this week, episode 6 of season 2 of House of the Dragon had its share of winks and especially surprises. Returning to certain points previously mentioned during this season, this episode continued to exploit them to their paroxysm. Here are three that you absolutely should not miss.

The web continues to be woven

Like its predecessor before it, the credits of House of the Dragon evolves as it goes along to embrace the plot. From episode 3, the latter had lengthened with a drawn-out representation of the death of Jahearys, Aegon’s heir son, decapitated, as well as the hanged men of King’s Landing, judged responsible for this crime. Nothing had changed since then, but we were not safe from witnessing a new variation given the events that followed. Then, episode 6 arrived.

House of the Dragon Season 2: Did you notice this detail in the credits of episode 4?

Even before the episode began, fans who never skipped the credits could notice a change in the composition of the canvas. As expected, the additions concern the Battle of Rook’s Rest – the finale of episode 4. We see dozens of charred bodies and blood spilling – symbols of the losses on the Green side – then three dragons fighting each other: Aemond and Vhagar, Rhaenys and Meleys, and Aegon and Sunfire. This confrontation inevitably led to the death of the one who was never queen and her dragon. Their loss is now inscribed in the canvas of the credits as a reminder of the essential events of the Dance of the Dragons.

Given this addition and what is likely to happen in episode 7, it is likely that new variations will appear in the final episode. Stay tuned.

Daemon’s Ghosts

Daemon will have spent more than half of this season chasing his demons taking the form of ghosts from the past. Since his encounter with the mysterious Alys Rivers, Harrenhaal’s witch, the latter has been plagued by increasingly strong hallucinations, each echoing the character’s deep psychology. It all started with the appearance of Rhaenyra twice when she was still a teenager, in the guise of Milly Alcock. Then that of Laena Velaryon (Nanna Blondell), his previous deceased wife.

House of the Dragon, season 2: Daemon’s visions explained

In episode 5, the notch was raised with a projection of Daemon having an intimate relationship with Alyssa Targaryen (Emeline Lambert) – his mother who died when he was still a child. Freud himself would have enjoyed studying the case of this character.

And just when viewers thought they had seen it all, a new vision came to haunt Daemon during this episode. It was the last ghost he had yet to buy redemption from: King Viserys, his brother. Many fans were surprised by the return of this widely loved character, and by his actor, Paddy Considine.

In his first appearance, the latter stands on the throne and launches into a monologue:

“Heir for a day, you said? My family was destroyed. You should have been by my side. But instead, you chose to celebrate your own ascension. Mocking me.”

What seems trivial is never so with Daemon’s visions. Prisoner of his mind and consumed by his remorse, the latter replays in this scene the day his brother banished him from King’s Landing. Viserys’ words here are word for word those spoken in the pilot episode of season 1. At the time, Daemon had mocked the stillborn child by calling him “inherit it one day”consequently tarnishing the image of Aemma, Viserys’ wife who died in childbirth.

@Game Of Thrones

Tormented by past choices.

♬ original sound – Game of Thrones

In this imagined version, Daemon seems to have lost his smile and reacts differently to his brother’s words, certainly realizing the harm he may have caused. Later in this episode, finding his brother again, the latter joins him and together, they mourn Aemma’s death. Daemon even states: “I’m sorry. You needed me. I’m here now. I’m here.” The repair is done and Daemon’s regrets are erased. Now, will he be able to leave this haunted place and return to Dragonstone?

With nostalgia and sadness, Paddy Considine later shared on social networks photos taken behind the scenes of this return, accompanied by a text written with emotion:

“It was brief, but I don’t have the words to tell you how happy I was to be back in House of the Dragon and see my old friends. I missed them all. It was an incredible opportunity to be able to put that costume on one last time and say goodbye. Honestly, I felt lost not being a part of that show anymore. It gave me a sense of purpose, and a sense of responsibility that I haven’t felt since. To my castmates, I miss you. (…)”

Sea Smoke and the Velaryons

One of the highlights of this episode was Rhaenyra executing Jacaerys’ plan: finding illegitimate descendants of Targaryen blood who could ride a dragon. While several men try their hand at it in Fire and Bloodthe novel from which the series is based, with varying degrees of success, episode 7 focused on Lord Steffon Sombrelyn’s attempt to be burned by Seasmoke, and on Addam of Carène and his brother Alyn. While the latter is shown shaving his head to avoid the blondness of his hair appearing, Addam reveals that they are in fact the illegitimate sons of Lord Corlys. A secret they hope to keep. But that’s without counting on a dragon’s claim to have a rider…

Towards the end of the episode, as Addam tries to escape Seasmoke’s fury, the latter is trapped and faces the dragon. While doubts hover, the last minutes of the episode confirm our predictions: Seasmoke flies over the surroundings with Addam on his back.

But why would Seasmoke have set his sights on Addam? Before being without a rider, Seasmoke belonged to Laenor Velaryon, son of Corlys and first husband of Rhaenyra. By choosing Addam, the animal not only confirms the kinship between Laenor and Addam, but also the possible death of his first rider.

Indeed, in season 1, Laenor faked her death and fled to Essos, leaving behind her family and Seasmoke. However, in GRR Martin’s universe, for a dragon to take a new dragon rider, its predecessor must die. With the years having passed between season 1 and season 2, and without any certainty, one could imagine that Laenor Velaryon died off-screen.

Addam is the first to achieve the impossible. Will we see other illegitimate children achieve this in the next episode? Episode 7 will be available on Max next Monday.

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