REVIEW: House of the Dragon – Season 2, Episode 6, “Smallfolk”

“I am but a man; the dragons are gods.”

Television Reviews

***SPOILERS***

“Smallfolk” sees the Lannisters summon Prince Aemond to battle, much to his chagrin. Aemond dismisses Alicent from the Council as, back in Dragonstone, Corlys Velaryon accepts the role of Rhaenyra’s Hand. Rhaenyra seeks dragon riders among the other houses. Daemon sees his brother in his waking dream and blames Ser Simon for this, attacking him. Alys chalks this up to the curse and tells him his desire for the crown is why he shouldn’t have it. Seasmoke rejects his prospective rider, burning him alive. Corlys asks Alyn to serve as his first mate. Rhaenyra’s Council grows uneasy after the failed dragon taming. Ser Larys tells Aemond about the people’s anger and plays at becoming the Hand. However, Aemond tasks him with bringing Otto Hightower back instead. Aemond visits Aegon. Rhaena and the babies are welcome in Pentos. Lady Arryn admits there is a wild dragon in The Vale. Jace reminds Rhaenyra of Daemon’s importance, a reminder she doesn’t want. Mysaria sends food to the common folk of King’s Landing on Rhaenyra’s behalf. Alicent and Helaena light a candle for Aegon. As the people riot in King’s Landing, the Queen and Queen Dowager are escorted away from the church. Larys denies Aegon his medicine so they can speak. Addam claims Seasmoke. Rhaenyra hears that Seasmoke has a rider and flies out to face him. 

I’m a little confused; I thought a dragon would only accept a new rider after theirs dies, and Laenor is alive in hiding. I’m not complaining, as this is a very satisfying payoff to what they’ve been doing with Addam and Alyn. I think Alyn is wrong, and Corlys will recognize them as his sons, especially with Addam on Laenor’s dragon. The scene where Addam is running from the dragon is awesome, too. I had no idea what was happening and thought someone was chasing him on dragonback. They always do a great job building tension in House of the Dragon, something other shows could learn from. I’m pleased, if not surprised, that Corlys accepts the role of Hand. He is smart, and Rhaenyra needs someone like that by her side with Rhaenys gone. I suspect she might invite Mysaria onto her Council soon as well, but that wouldn’t be good. I don’t trust Mysaria at all, and after this episode, I really have no idea what she wants. I knew they were setting something up with these two working together, but for me, the kiss was out of left field. I honestly think they took it in this direction to get people talking and spice up an otherwise filler-y episode. Still, I don’t think it serves Rhaenyra’s character. So she doesn’t need Daemon and should stand alone, but a little hanky panky with his old whore girlfriend is just what the doctor ordered. This still doesn’t make Mysaria any more trustworthy, and in my eyes, now it’s even more likely she’s using the Queen for something. 

I’m still over Daemon at Harrenhal, something that was initially a highlight of the season. I think they’ve overplayed this hand, and these scenes should have been in 2-3 episodes max. It’s great to see Paddy Considine as King Viserys again, though. He was my favorite in season 1, and with Rhaenys gone, he represents a steady presence that hardly exists now. He tells Daemon the exact same thing he did in season 1 after Baelon died; the dialogue is identical, about his broken family, etc. In isolation, this is the best set of Daemon visions; I only wish they had come earlier in the season. These scenes would only be in two episodes if it were up to me. One episode would have the Rhaenyra and Laena visions, then Viserys and the twisted melding of Daemon and Aemond in another. I would veto the weird mommy kinky stuff; nobody needed that. Even if it is Alys tormenting Daemon, I did not need to see that. Regardless, Considine is a delight, and I’m genuinely happy to see him return. The visions have provided cool opportunities to bring back season 1 cast members, and I like the idea and most of the execution. I just feel like they’re kicking the can to waste time at this point, which is a bizarre decision in an already-shortened season. I’m super done with the Alys nonsense, especially Daemon constantly listening to and humoring her. He obviously thinks she’s smart, but dude, she’s the bastard daughter of a lower house. You’re trying to take the Iron Throne. Stop listening to her, leave the cursed castle, and treat the River Lords with some respect. Why ask what she thinks about them? Who cares? And she has apparently killed Lord Grover Tully, making matters worse for Daemon. Again, they’re stretching these plot points out instead of doing different things. I love this show, but season 2 has much more filler than season 1. I wonder if they should have saved one of the time skips for this season, but even then, there’s no reason to have an action-packed episode like “The Red Dragon and the Gold” followed by multiple weeks of filler. 

That being said, there is a major development with the regular people the episode’s title references. This has been an ongoing theme in season 2, showing how the quarrels among the Royal Family trickle down and hurt their subjects. In “Smallfolk,” the people in King’s Landing have had it with the feasting at the Red Keep while they scrape and starve. Mysaria sends in some well-timed, much-needed food stores, and suddenly, the streets swell with pro-Rhaenyra rioters. This is smart and the right thing to do; sure, it gets people on Team Black and screeching at Alicent and poor Helaena (Helaena and her babies are the only ones who don’t deserve this), but feeding the people is a good thing to do, especially if you want to lead them. I also think Rhaenyra genuinely cares about their plight; Aemond and “mostly dead is still slightly alive” Aegon, not so much. Speaking of the brothers grim, I almost feel bad for Aegon here. He’s in an awful state, barely waking up but unable to do much. Aemond comes in to see him, but it really amounts to psychological torture, and some physical, too. Aegon says he can’t remember what happened at Rook’s Rest, which I’m sure is a lie designed to assure Aemond he’s not a threat. I like the little detail of Aemond putting the ball from the Small Council table in Aegon’s hand, perhaps to make himself look good. It’s like he actually wants him to get better. Or maybe he’s still just messing with him; I’m not sure. Larys coming in to scheme with Aegon is good, too. I like how they’re similar now, crippled and looked at with pity and scorn. It makes sense to crawl to the sleeping King looking for favor after Aemond rejects him, although I think Otto would be the better Hand. He has his own agenda, and he’s selfish for sure, but Larys can’t be trusted at all. And unlike Otto, Larys is not kin to the brothers and has no reason to serve their interests beyond what suits him. 

I forgot or didn’t know about Daeron, Alicent’s youngest son. She asks her brother Ser Gwayne about him and learns he’s doing well and is apparently a better person than his brothers. That means absolutely nothing, but I also liked her suggestion that her parenting was to blame for any flaws, and her absence is why Daeron turned out good. I’ve been thinking that her resentful, aloof parenting turned her boys into monsters; even Helaena isn’t close with her mother and blames her (rightfully) for Jaehaerys’ death. Conversely, Rhaenyra loves her children more than anything, and they reciprocate that love. Jace is growing into a good guy. 

“Smallfolk” is just as good as you’d expect on the technical front, but this season has slowed a little too much for my liking. I’m not interested in Rhaenyra fooling around; I don’t see why we need two episodes of nothing when the crap is going to hit the fan next week. And to me, it doesn’t feel like a “calm before the storm” situation; it just feels like wheel spinning to buy time.