Top 10 Things You Missed in House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 7

#10: The Dragon Sign

Aemond and his council might be dangerously underestimating the power of the smallfolk. Rhaenyra and Mysaria have been doing a good job rallying the commoners, and recent episodes have started to show the power of the people. Most recently, Elinda Massey marches through the streets of King’s Landing, and she’s intercut with a member of the gold cloaks tearing a worn sign off a wooden door. Looking closely, you can see that the poster shows an inverted three-headed dragon with a red mark slashed through it. This is likely a symbol of protest against the sitting rulers, with the dragon’s upside-down positioning possibly representing the falsity of Aegon’s claim. It’s a cool detail that shows how Rhaenyra’s influence in the capital is growing.

#9: What Addam Wants

Addam of Hull’s ability to claim Seasmoke has big implications, so the episode starts with he and Rhaenyra meeting in a Wild West-type standoff. She attempts to gauge his uncertain motivations, though we know some of them from a conversation that he’s already had with his brother. Later, as Addam is waiting to meet with Corlys Velaryon, he takes a moment to admire the room and some ornate table decorations. He might be thinking about the “riches'' that he’d just told Allyn they could have, if Allyn embraced the attention of Lord Corlys. More personally, Addam also earns praise from the man he suspects to be his father, as Corlys ends the exchange with what might be a proud subtextual acknowledgement of his son.

#8: Rewards for the Faithful

Daemon’s having a hard time getting support from the Riverlands, and he turns to the young Oscar Tully to get it. Unfortunately, Oscar demands that Daemon execute Ser Willem Blackwood for despicable crimes. But Willem was only ever acting on Daemon’s orders, and he pleads out a reminder of his devotion as Daemon carries out the sentence. A similar cry came from one of Stannis Baratheon’s allies back in “Game of Thrones”, who was burned at the stake as a sacrifice. The circumstances aren’t exactly the same, but both cases show men in power choosing to disregard loyalty in favor of their ambition. That didn’t turn out so well for Stannis. Daemon’s choice could signify that his actions are already leading to a potential downfall.

#7: An Army of Bastards

No one knows for sure why dragons accept their riders, but it seems to have something to do with bloodlines. Even those with partial Targaryen ancestry are capable, and learning this causes Rhaenyra to cry out a rally for low-borns with potentially valuable family trees. The phrase sounds like the “Battle of the Bastards” title from “Game of Thrones”, which makes sense when you think about Jon Snow and his mixed Targaryen heritage. If you rewatch his first meeting with Drogon, it looks a lot like Rhaenyra’s approach to Vermithor in this episode. Presumably, Jon Snow’s fractional Targaryen lineage helped Drogon take a liking to him. The more that we learn about both of these shows, the word “bastard” sounds like less of an insult.

#6: The Burns of the King

Episode Seven gives viewers a glimpse of King Aegon’s recovery process, and it does a great job of making us feel his physical pain. But have you ever thought about why some Targaryens can be burnt, while others cannot? Most notably, Daenerys Targaryen proved to be immune to fire on multiple “Game of Thrones” occasions. She even speaks a line that implies true “dragons” should not fear flames. That idea is flawed, though, since others of Targaryen descent can be killed by fire. Notably, Dany’s brother, Laena Velaryon, and Aegon the Second have all endured fiery suffering. Was Daenerys unaffected because she was the “Prince Promised” from the prophecy, or is there another reason that “House of the Dragon” might yet teach us?

#5: Alicent Adrift

Having been removed from Aemond’s council, Alicent now contemplates the choices that she’s made and how they’ve left her without purpose. She appears to be in the Kingswood, the same location for a glorified hunt that occurred in Season One. That hunt honored Aegon’s birthday, so Alicent’s choice to swim here indicates that her fractured family is on her mind. Her submergence into the lake mirrors the way she typically sinks into her baths–almost like meditation. The most curious detail is the bird that she notices soaring above her. It could represent a desire to ascend past the mortal world, or perhaps something more hopeful that has yet to be revealed. Either way, the sequence is oddly dreamlike and feels provocatively open to interpretation.

#4: Puppets in Westeros?

There are too many names to remember on the “House of the Dragon” roster, but here are a few fun ones that might stand out. It turns out some of the Tullys share titles with characters from “Sesame Street”, including Lord Grover Tully and his grandson Oscar. The connection may not have a deep meaning, but George R.R. Martin’s co-authors have tweeted that the writer was “amused” by the use of the famous puppets’ names. During young Oscar’s tense scene with Daemon, Oscar assigns a very specific color to his conflicted feelings. “Sesame Street”’s iconic garbage monster is also green, and it’s a charming elbow-nudge to those familiar with the backstory. Now we just need to meet a Bert and Ernie Lannister!

#3: Rhaenyra’s Speech

Wrangling a dragon is terrifying business, but Queen Rhaenyra has some encouraging words for the contenders. She reminds them of the lives they’re fighting for, and she elaborates that taming the dragons could mean victory and an end to suffering. It sounds a little like a speech that Rhaenrya’s ancestor, Daenerys Targaryen, makes on the “Game of Thrones” finale. Dany perceives her goal as “liberation,” but others see how her choices have only bred more violence. Both Dany and Rhaenyra share the problematic viewpoint that winning a war is equivalent to peace and prosperity, so their messages are somewhat deceptive. But Rhaenyra is essentially sending her followers to their probable doom, and how else can you motivate people to accept that risk?

#2: Daeron Targaryen

During Aemond’s council meeting, one of the members mentions a character who could potentially become important to the storyline’s near future. We’ve not met him yet, but Daeron Targaryen is Viserys and Alicent’s youngest son, and he’s actually been referenced a couple times before. We know he’s grown up in Oldtown, and Aemond now learns that his dragon may be ready for battle soon. That news comes right before Aemond flies off to learn of Rhaenyra’s new dragonriders, so this might be foreshadowing Daeron’s appearance and participation in the fight. And should the Greens lose any of Alicent’s children that we have met, Daeron could be the next adversary in-line for the Blacks.

#1: The Dragon Who Speaks

Book readers have probably been waiting excitedly for the sowing of the dragonseeds, and Season Two’s penultimate episode got it started explosively. As Rhaenyra presents the potential riders before Vermithor, she ominously declares that the “dragon” must speak next. Many likely assume she’s referring to the Bronze Fury behind her, but “dragon” has been used to describe both the animals and the Targaryens who ride them. Her words might thus have a double meaning. In fact, Hugh Hammer does speak to quell the mighty Vermithor, drawing from his personal tragedy and anger in a truly epic moment. It’s a sign that riders will go on and prove to be just as ferocious as the legendary beasts they command.