House of the Dragon Season 2: The Easter Eggs of the Second Episode
The Season 2 premiere of House of the Dragon wasn’t afraid to shock audiences: following the killing of Lucerys by Aemond (Ewan Mitchell), Daemon (Matt Smith), in the absence of Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy), shocked by the loss of her son, decided to act harshly. He then hired two hitmen, Blood, and Cheese, to even the score. “A son for a son”. He spoke. And so it was. Too bad that, as we discovered with horror, the son in question was not the murderer, Aemond himself, but a much more helpless and innocent victim. This terrible gesture cannot fail to have shaken even the most convinced supporters of the Blacks, namely the faction of House Targaryen that supports Rhaenyra as the legitimate heir of King Viserys I. The second episode of House of the Dragon Season 2 focuses precisely on the pain of the Greens, in particular Helaena Targaryen (Phia Saban), mother of Prince Jaehaerys, killed brutally.
House of the Dragon Season 2: The Easter Eggs of the Second Episode
We have already seen it from the trailer, Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney), father of the murdered child and King supported by the Greens, does not want to listen to reason: the only possible response is revenge. Viserys’ nightmare is therefore taking shape: peace is now unthinkable. Meanwhile, Otto Hightower and the others think about how to use this terrible event to their advantage. So let’s analyze the episode in detail, entitled “Rhaenyra the Cruel”: here are the Easter eggs of the second episode of House of the Dragon Season 2.
The Model of King Viserys I?
Understandably, Aegon reacts to the killing of his son with great pain and anger, which he vents by destroying an object with a strong symbolic value: the model of the city of Valyria built by Viserys. During the first season, we saw how the King dedicated much of his life to building it. With patience, dedication, and attention to detail. It is a metaphor for his kingdom, made of reasoning, caution, and patience. And, within minutes, the son destroys his legacy. It is clear at this point that he is not at all the worthy successor of his father: his reign will not be characterized by rationality.
The New Hand of the King?
In this second episode of the second season, we see the fruits of what was sown in the premiere reaped: after Lord Larys Strong (Matthew Needham) insinuated doubt into Aegon’s ear, telling him that his figure is seen as still trapped in the shadow of father, also because he continues to listen to the advice of the Hand of the King of Viserys I, or his grandfather, Otto Hightower, the King is convinced to change course. An important change then occurs: Otto, despite immediately realizing that it is not a good idea, not only because he sees his power reduced, but because there is little to trust in general, is forced to step aside and give up the pin of the Hand. of the King to Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel), Aegon’s new right-hand man. Even if it’s been two episodes since we’ve seen him talking to Aemond at night: this is a new alliance and closeness, which should not only surprise but also alert us. If we also pay attention to the precious metals that the characters handle and wear, we see that Aemond has scattered the map of Westeros with coins: objects that are used either to pay, obviously, but also to put on the eyes of the dead. Is he planning something?
Alicent’s Necklaces
Alicent, however, has changed her jewelry: before she always wore a necklace with the sun, a symbol of the Cult of the Seven, one of the most widespread religions in the Seven Kingdoms, in this episode we see her wearing other types of necklaces. It’s a sign of how her faith is wavering in these violent times and perhaps also of the sense of guilt, she feels for her relationship with Cole: at the beginning of the season, we discover that Alicent and Ser Criston Cole are having an affair secret. And precisely because of a nocturnal meeting with her, despite being a member of the Royal Guard, Cole did not notice the intrusion of the Blood and Cheese assassins into the palace.
Otto and “Rhaenyra the Cruel”
The title of the episode, “Rhaenyra the Cruel”, comes from Otto’s plan: although his nephew and heir to the throne were killed by beheading, the man thinks about how to exploit this monstrous act. Showing the child’s body to the people will lead many to see Rhaenyra not as a leader, but as a heartless fury. Despite the protests of his parents, and even his daughter Alicent, Otto’s plan is put into action. Alicent and Helaena are then forced to file through the streets of the city together with the reassembled body of little Jaehaerys.
Does Helaena Targaryen see the Future?
As we also know from Aegon I’s dream, a prophecy that Viserys I calls the “song of ice and fire”, some members of House Targaryen are “dreamers”, that is, capable of predicting the future. Helaena Targaryen most likely has this ability: in the first season, we saw her anticipate the loss of her brother Aemond’s eye and also that Rhaenys and her dragon Meleys would escape the Dragonpit. Unfortunately, however, no one, at least for the moment, seems to have noticed. And, as we saw in the premiere of House of the Dragon Season 2, he also predicted the death of his son Jaehaerys: while he is embroidering a robe for his son, he says in a whisper: “They only want the male” and then states that he is afraid of rats. And in fact, one of the son’s killers is Formaggio, because he is a rat catcher by profession.
The Cargyll Twins
One of Cole’s first moves as Hand of the King is to organize a quick counter-move to killing the prince: he therefore thinks well of entrusting Ser Arryk Cargyll with the task of sneaking into Rhaenyra’s chambers on Dragonstone and killing her. This is because the Green Knight has an identical twin, Ser Erryk Cargyll, who instead decided to remain faithful to the Black Queen. The idea is, therefore, to pass off Arryk as Erryk (yes, names never help in the saga created by Martin), to deceive the opponent. Playing these characters are two real identical twins, the actors Elliot and Luke Tittensor. A Greek tragedy unfolds: Arryk manages to reach Rhaenyra, but it is her brother who comes to defend her. Although they both declare that they love each other, they cannot put aside their sense of duty and loyalty to the opposing factions. They then kill each other.
Who is Mysaria?
In this episode we meet an old acquaintance: Lady Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno). If you don’t remember exactly who she is, let’s refresh your memory: she was a dancer from Lys and in the first season we saw her as Daemon Targaryen’s lover. If you remember she had become pregnant with her and Daemon had given her a dragon egg for this, infuriating her brother Viserys I, who had then had her sent back to Lys. During the journey, Mysaria lost her child. Her nickname is White Maggot: she is now in fact a Master of Whispers and she becomes a valuable ally for Rhaenyra. Mysaria has a dense network of spies, which she manages to reach everywhere in Westeros. Mysaria’s scar on her neck, which Rhaenyra also references, is a testament to her past as her slave, in which she was forced to wear a collar.
Who is Alyn of Hull?
In these first two episodes a new character was introduced: Alyn of Hull, played by Abubakar Salim (who you may have seen in the role of Father in the Raised by Wolves series). As his name suggests, Alyn comes from Hull, the city of Driftmark, an island in Blackwater Bay, which lies west of Dragonstone in the Crownlands, home of House Velaryon. He fought in the Velaryon fleet during the War for the Stepstones, in which he saved the life of Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint). Alyn has a brother: Addam of Hull (Clinton Liberty). Corlys asks him to repair the ship Sea Serpent as soon as possible so that it is ready for the coming war.
Who is Hugh Hammer?
In these first two episodes, we also meet Hugh Hammer (Kieran Bew), the Blacksmith of King’s Landing who asks King Aegon II for help. From his hair, we understand that he has Targaryen blood in his veins. He is an illegitimate son of the noble house. This then makes him capable of claiming a dragon.
