r/HouseOfTheDragon

.. and that Rhaenys is his first cousin. Bro is not loyal to his kin.

Is it a normal custom for Blackwood people? She looks like El Barto. Does she wear it in the books?

this isn’t news to me i’ve known this information since hotd s1. but even after all this time it still surprises me. cause the way the conquest is talked about, it sounds like something that happened in a completely different world in a completely different time. it just goes to show how god damn old vhagar is. she has seen just about everything. the conquest. everything that happened before the dance of the dragons. and then the dance itself. all that just to be claimed by Aemond of all people.

do you think rhaenyra finds it insulting that the living dragon of her idol visenya is being ridden by one of the worst people in westeros? i wonder if nyra would have ever tried to claim her if she never had syrax

First i thought Caraxes was bigger than Sheepstealer but after thorough comparsions, Sheepstealer is definitely bigger.

Rhaenyra Targaryen was born in 97 AC. She was 4 years old when Otto Hightower and his daughter, Alicent Hightower, came to King's Landing in 101 AC, when Otto was appointed Hand of the King by King Jaehaerys I.

For most of Rhaenyra's childhood and youth, Otto served as her father's closest advisor and best friend. She practically grew up with Otto, and with Otto's daughter as her best friend. From an early age she was a cupbearer at small council meetings, was she not? So everyday she saw Otto, listened to him, maybe talked with him too.

This doesn't mean that Rhaenyra should forgive Otto for his actions. Of course not. And she didn't forgive him. She DID take his head.

However, it also makes perfect sense that she hesitated. For all his faults, Otto was still a part of Rhaenyra's childhood, and perhaps she feels like another part of the "good old days" died with Otto. That's my theory at least. That when she was faced with Otto's fate, suddenly she recalled all the memories of the good ol days, when her father was healthy and strong, her friendship with Alicent was full of bliss and love, and the realm was at peace. Otto was a part of all that.

It should also be noted that it was Otto who persuaded Viserys to name Rhaenyra his heir. Originally Daemon was closer in line to inherit, but Otto didn't want that and manipulated Viserys to instead make Rhaenyra his heir.

Before Alicent married Viserys, Otto actually became a tutor for Rhaenyra, trying to mentor her in the art of statesmanship. The most notable scene from this brief time period is when Otto counseled Rhaenyra on the next Kingsguard (she chose Criston Cole, a choice Otto disagreed with because he was from a lesser house of no repute, and he believed the title should've gone to higher houses).

And sure, you can argue that Rhaenyra should absolutely hate Otto for what he's done, and for planning to have her family wiped out by the Kingsguard. But isn't the whole point of the narrrative that Rhaenyra (at least in the show) is supposed to have a kind and gentle mother's heart?

Ormund's squire by episode 5 is like: 'Seek help my lord.'

To be honest, I always thought that Season 2 should’ve ended with the Battle of the Gullet (with episode 9 being that initial bloodbath in the Riverlands that we only got to see the end of in the actual show). I just feel like this way would have been a much better payoff to all the buildup that the end of episode 8 was trying to do, plus ending Season 2 with Jacerys dying would have been a good callback/bookend/whatever to how Season 1 ended with Lucerys dying.

You can pick any of the ones that were alive at any point in the show.
Consider all things like size, maneuverability, obedience, aesthetics etc.

...but when the dragons flew over the city during Fall of KL, we can see how Hugh's wife is watching Vermithor and Ulf's drinking buddies watch Silverwing above, probably not knowing who the riders are, or am I mistaken? I can't remember if they had a chance to talk about it after the Sowing.