Written by Kevin Lau
Directed by Miguel Sapochnik
Rhaenyra (to Alicent): "Exhausting, wasn't it? Hiding beneath the cloak of your own righteousness but now they see you as you are."
Wow, did this episode take some fucking turns or what? The big dramatic trailer moment with Alicent coming after Rhaenyra with Aegon the Conqueror's knife was something I expected this episode to end on. Instead it took place halfway through the episode and it wasn't even the most shocking thing here. Then again appearing in the trailers did dilute the potential shock factor in that scene.
So what exactly happened to make Alicent get a bit knife happy on Rhaenyra. Funnily enough, it wasn't Rhaenyra that Alicent had in mind for the knife but rather Lucerys, who during a very violent spat with Aemond cleaved the latter's eye. Basically Alicent decided to get a bit literal on the whole 'eye for an eye' adage when Viserys refused to punish his own grandchild.
I thought Aegon was a little shit in the last episode but Aemond stepped up that factor, first by claiming Vhagar, then by attacking a rightfully upset Baela and Rhaena and also by making sure he knew that both Jacaerys and Lucerys were bastards. Oddly enough, his victory over claiming Vhagar did calm him down in regards to losing an eye.
As for Rhaenyra, the walls were definitely closing in on both her and Laenor's sham marriage and both of them needed a miracle. Alicent might have failed to turn Viserys against Rhaenyra but the latter knew her claim to the throne was under serious threat and she had to act accordingly. She needed a husband that could strengthen her claim. Laenor was out and Daemon was in. Only problem being Laenor still being alive but on this show if a spouse becomes an obstacle, there are ways to remedy that conundrum.
Yup, it really did appear that we were going to get the 'bury your gays' trope a second time this season and had the show stuck to the source material, it's what would've happened. Heck, this episode did a great in convincing that Daemon had hired Qarl to murder Laenor at Rhaenyra's behest. We even got a dual between the lovers and a body for Rhaenys and Corlys to mouth over.
Except in a genuinely surprising twist, it turned out to be a ruse and Laenor turned up alive and sailed off with Qarl for some unknown adventure. If this was the last time we've seen Laenor and Qarl, this was a great way of ending their story. This turn of events also served as a good reminder that this show will do it's own thing, which means other characters fates down the line could end up being very different from the source material itself.
As for Rhaenyra and Daemon, those two didn't waste time here. Laena had just been buried in the sea and the two of them ended up having sex in the sand, stepping up against the Greens, faking Laenor's death and even getting married in secret with their children as witnesses. Alicent and her Greens might want to up their game because Rhaenyra and Daemon as a force will definitely pose a big threat to her.
- Alicent went from judging the Targaryens about their queer customs to planning marriage for both Aegon and Helaena. The latter might be weird but she's the nicest of Alicent's children so far and she did predict Aemond's fate with deadly accuracy.
- Rhaenys and Corlys's stance on Rhaenyra's children was fascinating to watch. Corlys embraced them as his own while Rhaenys was distant towards them. She was also resentful of Daemon not letting Laena come home.
- Larys became Lord of Harrenhal following the deaths of Lyonel and Harwin. Alicent also made it clear that she would be asking a big favour of him fairly soon. Otto has also become the Hand of the King yet again.
- Not only has Viserys lost an arm but his memory seems to be going as well. In one scene he mistook Alicent for Aemma and didn't correct himself when he realised what he had said.
- This is the first and likely only episode this season set on Driftmark from start to finish.
- Chronology: Not long from the events of the previous episode.
Driftmark was definitely a season high point for me. Yes, if the show had stuck to the book and killed Laenor, a part of me would've been disappointed but I still would've highly rated the episode. The fact that they changed that though did work in the episode's favour as well as every other storyline we got this week. Possibly my favourite episode so far.
Rating: 9 out of 10
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