Who you calling smallfolk?! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re taking a look at references, callbacks, Easter eggs and subtext in the sixth episode of this exciting new season.
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00:00My uncle is a challenge I welcome, if he dares face me.
00:05Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're taking a look at references, callbacks,
00:09easter eggs and subtext in the sixth episode of the second season of House of the Dragon.
00:14You know the drill, there will be spoilers to come.
00:17Kindness is a quality I found lacking in his brothers.
00:22Number 10. A real Lannister lion.
00:25Hear them roar.
00:26The Lannisters open this week's episode with a marching army,
00:30led by Tyland Lannister's twin brother Jason.
00:33They're not so eager to fight though, since Sir Jason demands hospitality for his men
00:37and assistance from Aemond and Vhagar before taking any action.
00:41Tell my brother we are ready to march, as soon as Prince Aemond is able to join us on Vhagar.
00:49The soldier's armor glistens with the symbol of their golden house,
00:52but did you notice the living sigil that's visible over Sir Jason's shoulder?
00:56As part of its cargo, the caravan carries actual lions, secured in cages.
01:02Lion imagery traditionally represents House Lannister,
01:05so leave it to the family of Casterly Rock to needlessly carry a literal example of their mascot.
01:16The detail speaks to the house's arrogance and insistence on reinforcing their might,
01:21even if not yet in battle.
01:27Another surreal vision gives us a brief cameo by the great Paddy Considine,
01:31as Daemon remembers a scolding taken from elder brother Viserys Targaryen.
01:35Did you say it?
01:39The heir for a day.
01:42Did you say it?
01:44As Daemon relives disrespectful words of his past and hears disappointment from Viserys once again,
01:50he turns to flee the imagined Iron Throne room.
01:53But he finds the exit secured shut,
01:56and his frustration turns to pleas as the doors refuse to open.
02:00Symbolically, the scene tells us that Daemon has confined himself in his current predicament,
02:06due to his past actions and pursuit of the throne.
02:08As Rhaenyra later points out accurately,
02:11unresolved fraternal issues and desire for power have motivated Daemon to flee.
02:16As Rhaenyra later points out accurately,
02:19unresolved fraternal issues and desire for power have motivated Daemon's mistakes.
02:24His current self-made predicament is just like being trapped in a locked room.
02:29And I was what he wanted.
02:31Cherished by my father and made my father's heir.
02:34We were halves of a whole.
02:40He's never been at peace.
02:43You probably remember Game of Thrones popularizing the phrase Valar Morghulis,
02:47which functioned as a season finale title and a commonly repeated sentence.
02:58Valar Morghulis.
03:00It translates from High Valyrian to mean all men must die.
03:03The proper response is Valar Dohaerys, meaning all men must serve.
03:08The ancient language of High Valyrian appears sparingly in House of the Dragon,
03:12used mostly by the Targaryen royal family and the educated dragon keepers.
03:17Listen closely and you'll hear Ser Stefan Darklyn using a conjugated form of the word
03:21during his unfortunate attempt at taming Seasmoke.
03:24Seasmoke.
03:28Dohaerys.
03:29Dragons must also understand some Valyrian,
03:32since its terms have typically been used as commands for the creatures.
03:36Often in the world of thrones and dragon,
03:38death and service do go hand in hand.
03:40So it's a grimly appropriate call and response.
03:44Dohaerys.
03:45Seasmoke.
03:50Alliances during the Dance of Dragons are fleeting.
03:53And we learn that the greens have just lost another.
03:56Grand Maester Orwyle briefly informs Queen Alicent that the Beesbury family has turned on her.
04:09The last Beesbury we saw was Lord Lyman,
04:11who met his end at the hands of Criston Cole,
04:14and that seems to have catalyzed his family's shifting loyalty.
04:17One of the strengths in the Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon writing
04:24is the way simple actions can have unexpected ripple effects.
04:40Robb Stark's beheading of Rickard Karstark, for example,
04:43later caused Karstark men to declare for Ramsay Bolton in favor of Jon Snow.
04:48Every decision feels dire,
04:50since even taking a single life can drastically affect the outcome of war.
04:57When Daemon again seeks advice from Alys Rivers,
05:00she's joined by an inconspicuous brown owl.
05:03Owls can be an auteur's manner of communicating allegory,
05:06often indicating that great wisdom should be associated with someone.
05:14Do nothing now.
05:18In three days' time, the winds will shift.
05:20Throughout a song of ice and fire book lore,
05:22owls appear in a few different ways.
05:25In A Game of Thrones,
05:26Catelyn Stark is escorted to the Eyrie by Maia Stone,
05:29a girl who's said to have the eyes of an owl.
05:32She, like Alys, is the bastard girl of a noble house.
05:36In common Westerosi tongue,
05:38the hour of the owl directly precedes the hour of the wolf,
05:41or the darkest hours of nighttime.
05:50Its appearance, then,
05:52might signify that we're now heading into the blackest part of the story.
06:01As Mysaria's plan to win Rhaenyra support from the common people unfolds,
06:05we learn that it involves sending supplies to the starving class of King's Landing.
06:10In one of her more optimistic lines,
06:12Rhaenyra briskly makes mention of the Blackwater.
06:20This means that the boats of food she's sent to the capital
06:23eventually arrive in Blackwater Bay,
06:25an important cove that's just outside the city.
06:35This was the location for the pivotal battle of Blackwater Bay
06:38back in season two of Game of Thrones,
06:40when Stannis Baratheon laid siege to the harbor.
06:43Tyrion Lannister played a major role in the city's defense,
06:47strategically using wildfire to take down part of the enemy fleet.
06:51Now, it seems that new schemes are afloat on the same waters.
06:55It looks like we'll be seeing more of brothers Alan and Adam,
06:58who, we've learned, may be illegitimate children of Lord Corlys Velaryon.
07:03Their attitudes about success differ greatly, though,
07:06with Alan being hesitant to accept a promotional position from Corlys.
07:12But Adam's brothers are not the only ones who are hesitant to accept a promotional position.
07:17They're also the ones who are hesitant to accept a promotion from Corlys.
07:24Adam's ambitions are higher, imagining wealth, success,
07:28and even the Driftwood Throne as desirable goals.
07:43While they're debating these ideas,
07:45carefully cut close-up shots show Alan razoring the dome of his head.
07:49The book characterizes Alan of Hull with silver hair,
07:52and though the change could be simply to differentiate the brothers visually,
07:56it could also represent their opposing viewpoints.
07:59Adam's hair is long, which can symbolize rebellion,
08:02while Alan keeps his head clean-shaven,
08:05which is more indicative of practicality and his grounded personality.
08:12Queen Helena might be the most prophetic character on the whole show.
08:15She's had dreams and left-behind images that indicate she's seen many things
08:23in the past and present of both House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones.
08:27She's back to work here, focusing on some small caged crickets as Alicent comes to see her.
08:33Helena notes curiously that one of the insects on her table has ceased producing sound.
08:38Given that Alicent is approaching her with concern for Aegon's life,
08:46the observation could be foreshadowing a dismal fate for the king,
08:50or perhaps some other impending character death.
08:53In some cultures, crickets have traditionally been seen as signs of good fortune,
08:57so a silent one probably doesn't mean anything good.
09:082. Alicent's Guilt
09:11Aemon's position on the throne could be dangerous,
09:14and no one is more aware of that than Alicent Hightower.
09:17Unfortunately, there's little she can do when the Prince Regent decides to remove her from his council.
09:23Realizing that she'll never get through to him,
09:25she solemnly utters this trailer-worthy question.
09:32On the surface, she's referring to Aemon's long-standing rivalry
09:35with his nephews and the loss of his eye.
09:37She maternally touches his cheek as she's saying this,
09:40suggesting that Alicent could be referring to wrongdoings that she may have caused.
09:44It's possible she blames herself for Aemon's injury,
09:48having been unable to stop it.
09:55She might also be looking at both her grown boys,
09:58wondering how responsible she is for making them what they are.
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10:241. Reyna and Sheepstealer
10:27You misled me, my lady.
10:31I did what?
10:34There is a large dragon in the Vale.
10:37Yes, Reyna, there is a dragon in the Vale.
10:39Or so she discovers when she comes upon animal carcasses and scorched earth.
10:44Jane Arryn can only tell her that it's a large and untamed creature.
10:48It is large and formidable, but alas wild.
10:53Book readers might suspect this to be Sheepstealer,
10:56a wild dragon that's mastered by a young girl named Nettles.
11:00There's no confirmation as to whether or not Nettles will appear on the show,
11:03but there's speculation that parts of her character may be assimilated into Reyna.
11:08And my sister?
11:11I need Bailey here.
11:11Because she has a dragon?
11:13I cannot promise to make you happy,
11:15but I ask you, make this sacrifice willingly for all of us.
11:20That means we might get to see Reyna ride the unclaimed Sheepstealer.
11:24She is sitting in a room full of dragon and livestock looking statuettes
11:29when she learns about the dragon after all.
11:31Did we miss anything?
11:32Let us know what easter eggs you caught in the comments.
11:35And what dragon are you most excited to see more of?
11:38And they will underestimate you.
11:42And this will be your advantage.
11:44No.
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