It was fantastic. It had what made GOT special and what this show is lacking. The acting had subtlety, it wasn't rushed and you could feel it. This show needs more of that, unfortunately I don't think it will.
indeed. its wild that Rhaenyra said one thing the entire episode...but it just speaks to exactly what she says here, we 'sit with this absence' until she's found proof of Luke's death then the tears and first words come TT_TT that's when grief begins right?! gods
So am I right in assuming Aegon the Conquerer and Thorren Stark discussed Aegon's dream and the return of the Long Night when they treated at the Night's Watch? After which Stark knew for certain the Long Night was coming and reinforced the Night's Watch best he could with his offerings on the onset of winter. Aegon's dram would explain why he bent the knee given Jacerys said he'd probably sooner die unless it meant unity.
The ending was a little weird but the best moment of the episode was Jacaerys reporting back to the queen and seemingly breaking down in front of his mom. That part had me tearing up.
Of course theyre not gonna do what the book said, are you stupid? If they had done the killing of a child just like in the book therell be no more house of the dragon tv series, it will get banned for sure.
She wants Aemond Targareyn. She doesn't know that the 7 Kingdoms want him, and yet they all kneel before the Lord of Chaos, riding the Queen of Destruction.
It was such a joy to go back home to Winterfell again. The emotions were at an all time high I swear And Tom Glynn-Carney (King Aegon II) was the MVP of episode 1 for me, he brought his A game to the character and I'm loving it.
@@garden3818 These 2000 old ass dudes are gonna win dozens of battles for their Queen and even slay major Green characters. They are legends known as the winter wolves who will be remembered for centuries after the war. I wont spoil much.
Daemon flies Rhaenys’ father’s dragon and Rhaenys flies Daemon’s mother’s dragon. There’s a lot of mutual respect between them but Daemon as usual has no chill
But we have to admit that his idea of pairing up in order to get Vaghar is not a bad idea. Maybe if they would have done that, Blood and Cheese could have been avoided and getting rid of Vaghar makes more strategic sense
@@aileenpi73 thats the thing, people keep acting like Daemon is asking for something silly but he's being the most rational one here. If they can team up and take out Aemond it saves a lot of bloodshed later on.
Yeah, I'm actually pretty unhappy about his characterization in this show compared to the book. That being said, the scene in the throne room was an exception. It was perfect. His initial ignorance of the nuisance of these situations, to his begrudge acceptance of his grandfather's wise advice, and finally ending with his pointed disregard of his grandfather's opinion in favor of his own naive compassion and seemingly genuine empathy. Aegon in the book is kind of a spoiled but harmless oaf. He's a horn dog, yeah, but not a deviant like here. He likes to drink, maybe a bit too much, but he's not a fucking alcoholic at 14 like in this. He's just a degenerate in this for some reason, in the book he's not fit to be king not because he's proto-Joffrey but because he's a good-natured but immature and irresponsible rich kid. Not a villain, just a dummy in a bad situation that he couldn't control and didn't understand.
Losing her father, & two of her children in such a short span of time would be absolutely heartbreaking- it's almost merciful that she didn't get to see BabyVisenya take her first breath, or grow into her own person, like she did her son - Luke is a young life cut tragically short- I can't even begin to imagine getting into that headspace; she doesn't have time to mourn her father's death, or her daughter's, but she's made focus on the usurpation of her promised throne- politics, rather than the personal - but then it all just compounds in the loss of Lucerys...
The opening scene with the raven flying back to Winterfell then to the wall, back to Jace and Rhaenyra. King Aegon wanting to show his son and heir the ropes at the beginning with the exterminators with rat traps in the background foreshadowing what was coming. That final scene with Helaena and the little ones and her previously saying she's not afraid of the dragons, but the rats. Welcome back House of the Dragon.
Eve Best deserves more credit for her role in the show. She inhabits Rhaenys better than I could have ever imagined. If only they hadn’t passed over her for Viserys. Emma D’Arcy is just continuing to kill it. Such an insightful and talented actress.
The amount of pain and loss for Rhaenyra from the very beginning is heartbreaking and she bottles it all up. Loosing your mum, loosing your best friend, painful labours and still borns, her fathers death, dealing with the death of her children’s father, Daemons abuse, Luke’s death, having to cover up the fake death of her ex husband, loosing her family home and the crown. My god it just keeps getting worse for her.
The cinematography and those large establishing shots really reminded me of early GoT, but even better. It’s nice seeing locations like the North and the Wall shown again almost through new eyes, like it’s the first time. I really enjoyed the opening scene. And seeing smaller things with the Dragons is always awesome, like Meleyes returning to Dragonstone,Syrax searching the coast with Rheanerya, and the rushed landing to reach Arrax’s wing. Love that stuff. I know it’s expensive but it makes the Dragons feel more real and less like a special effect only saved for battles or “epic” moments…I really hoped we’d see more of Jace in the north tho. I don’t know if that’s all there was but I don’t see them flashing back to it in other episodes, which kinda sucks. And as always Ramin Djawadi is a blessing to this world and it’s stories. I just hope the audience remembers that these characters are flying by the whims of their emotions, and their reactions to certain individuals, who have a constant need to prove themselves and make chaos in their wake. This isn’t GOT, this story really is about revenge and the horrible things that occur between super powers at war. There is no crumb of a happy ending for anyone we see in screen. So it could get very depressing. With no “Jon rides off into the woods” or “Arya sets sail” final note to end on. It really is fire and blood.
Absolutely horrific ending especially with that sound effect. Poor helaena , and her son hat off to pahia sagan she was amazing in that scene the sheer panic feels as she run away with jahaera ? is so well down. Im sure the audience felt intense panic as well.
In the book, Jaehaerys’ death is so much worse and sad. Blood and Cheese basically take all three of them hostage, and have her two children with knives to their throats, and demand Helaena chose which child dies. Helaena begs them to kill her and spare her children, but they say they will kill all three of them if she doesn’t choose. She reluctantly tells them to kill her second child, as they may be too young to understand what’s happening. Blood and Cheese then tell her second child that their mother wants them dead, laugh about it; then proceed to kill the child she didn’t choose instead, as his mother screams with maddening grief, and the other child lives with the knowledge that their mother chose them to die. So messed up for everyone involved.
Man, if I could, I would watch all eight episodes right now. This show just brings unmatched levels of excitement and hype. Can’t wait to watch it all play out this season.
I love that you just had to imagine horrible things happening in the last scene. This isn't a scene that needs to be shown explicitly (not even sure it's legal lol)... but just hearing that first child-like scream and the sound of slicing is HORRIFYING. I saw some one say it's not the red wedding, but it doesn't have to be, we already have one of those. That scene makes me squirm just thinking about the sounds I heard. You're left to imagine what Helena must have scene as she left the room. We'll have more than enough violence to go around this season. HOT-D IS fucking BACK.
Yeah like honestly I think it’s a better decision narratively to focus on Helaena and her choice to choose the boy rather than lie and choose her daughter rather than just like brutality and an up yours to Helaena ?
It's something that HOTD is doing better than GOT, I think, in that the violence shown is not meant to be sensationalistic just for the sake of shocking audiences, but rather for disgust & making you realize how disturbing the violent aspects of this world really are, especially over a century before the War of the Five Kings, which leaving it up to the audience's imagination really helps with. It's not meant to make you go "Oh my GOD!!!" so much as "...Oh my God." It started with Aemma's death in the first episode, and now at the start of the second season we have a child being butchered off-screen. Really helps cement the more melancholic & tragic tone of the show, as civil wars do tend to be quite tragic in how truly ugly & gruesome they become (case in point: the US Civil War having the highest body count of US soldiers to this day).
Blood and Cheese was the perfect time to shift the fans' moral support to Team Green & honestly they mishandled it. * Having Daemon specifically target Aemond makes him less unhinged. If Daemon established either of the heirs as the target it would make him impossible to root for. * Kidnapping Alicent and then doing the pick which child to kill only to swerve in the ending would make both Blood and Cheese more memorable
Yes I found the scene a bit disappointing... And to have Haelena find her mom lying with Cristina felt so weird and kinda ruined the tragic tone of the scene
The opening scene was so freaking phenomenal, seeing Winterfell, the Wall, and off course Cregan Stark himself. Loved it. Emma D'Arcy's Acting is remarkable, Aegon having his fun with Tyland at the small council was so great 🤣🤣 Still pretty conflicted about Alicent and Criston as well as how Blood and Cheese was done but other than that... a good first episode. Great being back in Westeros. Bring on episode 2.
Excellent and very dark episode from start to finish, out of all the moments my favorite was when Cheese looks into Helena's eyes and realizes she's telling the truth, and for a moment he's more terrified of her because she's able to make that calculating decision.
@@queenxx1690 what point was that? I've read the book, that whole scene is a page and a half, and in the books there is another younger child she chooses, so it couldn't be translated identically to screen. So given what show was working with it was executed (pardon the pun) beautifully
Rhaenyra and Jace sharing a moment to grieve for Lucerys was beyond heartbreaking and having Helaena witness the demise of her son was beyond tragic as she even tried to warn everyone due to her abilities and no one listened. The grief of these two mothers will only escalate the upcoming conflict. Starting off the Season in Winterfell and hearing the nostalgic theme from the North it felt like coming back home except it’s hundreds of years in the past and seeing the Wall was a massive bonus. Aegon has no experience when it comes to being King and let’s be honest he had gross moments where it spoke volumes that he was not fit to rule the Seven Kingdoms. A the realm is being ruled by a fool who has a possible inferiority complex and will be a loose cannon which will lead up to him being burned, crushed, and mentally unstable. As for Alicent…..what is there to say except she started off Season 2 by being a massive hypocrite with Criston Cole breaking his vows to the Kingsgaurd “Honor and Dignity.” my fricking ass. This kind of dynamic will later on be toxic and even in the background Larys has spies all over the Red Keep so there’s going to be some blackmail. This information will label Alicent as a harlot who went from marrying the former King Viserys to shacking it up with the Commander of her son’s Kingsguard.
Blood and Cheese killing is different from the Dance of the Dragon history & lore. They didn't make make one talk in the living child's ear of "Your mama wants you dead", before slicing the other's throat.
I think the last scene was better in the books where blood and cheese ask to chose btwn the boys(when they were awake) and they kill the other boy and ensures the younger boy to know that his mother chose him to die.
Exactly, the scene was such a disgrace. That dumbass of a Condal thought that having Alicent hook up with Criston would do better for her character development in such a short season than witnessing her grandson's death and her daughter's madness. Not to mention that now they'll have to introduce Maelor somehow. Cersei&Jaime on Joffrey's grave 2.0?🤢
Even one Alicent and Cole's sex scene was absolutely unnecessary in this episode, but two, one of which overshadowed Blood and Cheese? Idk how could they even come up with this when they had a perfectly terrifying scene in the book.
Daemon's great idea of pairing up with RhaenysXMeleys to fight Vhagar seemed to have been shrugged off without much consideration. A surprise ambush by 2 experience riders with their fast and agile dragons against a young dragon rider and his old and slow dragon. Just brilliant.
Emma darcy deserve an emmy for her emotional performance this episode seeing rhaenyra rage , and grief over the loss of lucerys especially the scene with jace breaking down crying over the loss of brother with his mom was heartbreaking 😭🖤.
He, it's cute that Fabien Frankel describes Criston and Alicent as lost people. In all seriousness, him and Olivia Cooke are really great actors and wonderfully nail portraying such loathsome and worthless hypocrites.
Emma D'arcy really stole the show in ep 1. The portrayal of emotion was phenomenal, to be able to go back & forth from pure heartbreak to rage was amazing. And that Stark theme music, awesome to hear again!
Book: ask for the mother to choose between two sons, she asks them to kill her instead, and when denied chooses the younger thinking he wont know what’s happening, they kill the older haunting her with regret Show: they ask who the boy is, she points to the boy Honestly, the performances were beautiful and the directing was solid but the writing was subpar guys, remember what George just told us about adaptations
The book versions feels a bit cartoonish. Blood and cheese here are two people wanting to get paid and GTFO. Fire and blood is written by chronicles who thrives on drama and invention, Hotd is more grounded.
@@jeanbutinfrench Or, the book version was highly exaggerated by biased maesters and a little jester who may or may not wanted to make Daemon look even worse of a monster.
More than likely Haelena made a calculated decision, if she lied they could have killed the girl... and then checked, realized they didn't get the son and still kill him, and possibly her for their trouble. As it stood, they weren't there for her, and she knew it, so by telling the truth, grabbing her daughter and booking it, there stood a better chance to save _something_. Note how despite her loathing being touched in general she grabbed her daughter hard and didn't let go.
I thought S2E1 was excellent. I liked it more than S1E1. I also think the intro is phenomenal! You have hooked me now. Of course I’ve read all the books. I’m re-reading them now. For all the faults of the last season of GOT especially, I love that series. It’s the only thing I’ve ever re-watched 6x. I love every single character. They were perfectly cast. I’m more excited now for this season, since I’ve watched the 1st episode. Just brilliant.
As always, it’s explained better in the books. Magar hold has a whole system of unknown secret passages riddle throughout it. When May had them built, he killed all of the architects and brick Mason who did everything had a great feast. It was like 79 years from this point, which in this day and age might as well have been 500. Only the ratcatcher know the are as well as they do.
The show set it up throughout the episode. As others mentioned, Criston was meant to be guarding them but was with Alicent. But Larys also killed a lot of the previous staff and we can assume hasn’t replaced them one for one
I wonder how they will explain changing the bit of Alicent being a hostage of B&C when Helaena and her children come upon them to Alicent banging Criston Cole. That was a seriously 'wft?' moment for me. Not to mention Helaena offering her necklace in exchange for her children's safety instead of her own life.
That’s life. They all act more believable here than in the book. Helaena sees Blood and Cheese as they are: men who do something for money, so it’s very smart of her to offer her necklace. And not every mother would sacrifice herself to save her children. And her walking into mom’s sex also completely realistic, people in the night do this kind of stuff. Book version is really hard to believe: how tf two guys can take a Queen mother hostage in a guarded castle and then do all the theatrical shit they’ve done. In the show it’s very realistic. Two guys not knowing where they are, fearing they might get caught, tortured and killed want to leave the place as soon as possible but they want to do at least something not to go back empty handed.
@@_antillas8674 you are bias, the greens usurp the throne and killed luke, you think that wont start the war, rhaenyra wants aemond dead you think she would not want to kill aemond for killing her son lmap cope
I wished they sticked to the books with Cheese and Blood, with Halaena having to pick between two sons while they're awake-- only for them to kill the one she chose to save.
I think for the show, it makes sense. Helaena doesnt want to be queen, she doesnt want this conflict, and she doesnt want her child on the Iron Throne. Picking the girl means that Aegon will "lose his heir" because how can he put a female on the throne after stealing Rhaenerya's? If one of her children was fated to die, let it be the child who she believes was doomed to become a king, to suffer the same way as her father and husband/brother. Maybe the little princess can fly under the radar and be left in peace. Her having a second son aftet losing her first... That worries me... I think something dark is coming for Helaena.
I know this is about fire and blood , but would of loved to see at least a episode or two to see everything that went on in Winterfell during that period. I get though . But Aegon wanting to be loved by the small folk was a humorous surprise. You get a sheep , he gets a sheep 🐑. Original Oprah Winfrey
I saw episode 1 last week. It's taken me this long to accept how Blood and Cheese had to be done. Having worked in film for many years I can only imagine that conversation with the parents of the young actors who play Jaeherys and Jaehyra .." you're going to do what to my kids?!" ... Phia did an absolute mamoth job in that scene. And knowing where she's about to take Helaena is gonna be heartbreaking. I know she's gonna break me. But I'm still #teamblack.. lol
yea why Helena showed almost no emotion ? she should be screaming, crying over her sons body and told them that they should kill her instead like in the book
@@nicbahtin4774that just wouldn’t really make sense for Helaena’s character in the show though, the idea that she is paralysed by the shock and goes into survival mode to get her only daughter out i think suits Phia’s portrayal more
Attacking Helena’s children was stupid. Helena is a woman born in a prison. She didn’t like her position at all. The right offer to her, (freedom for her and her children), and she could’ve been a spy for the blacks. They could’ve used her gifts from the gods for their advantage. But now… Madness… Madness and stupidity.
Ending was a little botched unfortunately. 😢 Blood and Cheese should've just robbed the royal purse and fled given the lackluster security. 😂 The whole setup was ridiculous.
I do wish we got to see Alicent’s immediate response to hearing about Luke’s death. It was confusing at first, I kept waiting for her to be told about it, only to realize that the episode began with her already having known about it. And then for the first (I think?) scene that we see of her in the episode being her having sex with Criston was disappointing.
It already has sadly, but you are right...they will leave alot out from the book...now with even less episodes.....and probably rush it like they did with the last few seasons of GOT
Rhaenyra and Jace sharing a moment to grieve together was my favourite moment in the episode.
I totally forgot about Jace also took off on his own dragon, and that he is way up north so he is the last to hear the ill news!
It was fantastic. It had what made GOT special and what this show is lacking. The acting had subtlety, it wasn't rushed and you could feel it. This show needs more of that, unfortunately I don't think it will.
Jace’s voice breaking while he tries to remain honourable and delivering the message.
Yeaaah wished it was a longer scene
indeed. its wild that Rhaenyra said one thing the entire episode...but it just speaks to exactly what she says here, we 'sit with this absence' until she's found proof of Luke's death then the tears and first words come TT_TT that's when grief begins right?! gods
Underrated moment: seeing the Nights Watch still be a respected and honored faction instead of the exiled criminals from GoT
Served as a nice explanation for why Benjen joined them too, if one of the Starks always served in the Watch.
Yeah that was great
So am I right in assuming Aegon the Conquerer and Thorren Stark discussed Aegon's dream and the return of the Long Night when they treated at the Night's Watch? After which Stark knew for certain the Long Night was coming and reinforced the Night's Watch best he could with his offerings on the onset of winter. Aegon's dram would explain why he bent the knee given Jacerys said he'd probably sooner die unless it meant unity.
Nearly all of Rhaenyra’s scenes made me tear up and she hardly says a word :(
Same, such a great actress
SHE IS SUCH A FRICKING GOOD ACTRESS !!
@@gabrielket4673 they* are such a good actor
@@kikirose-k8c i wont call someone that but you do you❤😅
Our monarch
The ending was a little weird but the best moment of the episode was Jacaerys reporting back to the queen and seemingly breaking down in front of his mom. That part had me tearing up.
Personally, I loved the ending. To each their own. 🙂
Completely agree with you. It was as if they were scared to go all in with the death of Aegon’s child. In the book it’s a little more gruesome.
@@Pillowman9A little? It was absolutely horrible when I read it, even though the book was written in this impersonal, matter-of-fact way.
OMG that made me cry
Of course theyre not gonna do what the book said, are you stupid? If they had done the killing of a child just like in the book therell be no more house of the dragon tv series, it will get banned for sure.
I just knew Blood and Cheese were going to be in the initial episode. Rhaeneyra's one line was brilliantly chilling. Well done.
Hugh reminded me of The Mountain from his first words. What's with sawing the little boys head off? No blind eye there.
She wants Aemond Targareyn. She doesn't know that the 7 Kingdoms want him, and yet they all kneel before the Lord of Chaos, riding the Queen of Destruction.
The scene where Aegon The Dragoncock is relaxing with his pals on the iron throne was very well done. A few laughs before the horror
It was such a joy to go back home to Winterfell again. The emotions were at an all time high I swear
And Tom Glynn-Carney (King Aegon II) was the MVP of episode 1 for me, he brought his A game to the character and I'm loving it.
The landscape is juuuuust a little different..
It was such waste of time tho... like what did they even accomplsh there but get 2000 old ass dudes
@@garden3818 These 2000 old ass dudes are gonna win dozens of battles for their Queen and even slay major Green characters. They are legends known as the winter wolves who will be remembered for centuries after the war. I wont spoil much.
I know right? As soon as I heard the House Stark theme, my heart teared up
Yeah it got me too
Daemon flies Rhaenys’ father’s dragon and Rhaenys flies Daemon’s mother’s dragon. There’s a lot of mutual respect between them but Daemon as usual has no chill
wow i didnt know that, still every single scene they have together somehow translates this well.
But we have to admit that his idea of pairing up in order to get Vaghar is not a bad idea. Maybe if they would have done that, Blood and Cheese could have been avoided and getting rid of Vaghar makes more strategic sense
@@aileenpi73 thats the thing, people keep acting like Daemon is asking for something silly but he's being the most rational one here. If they can team up and take out Aemond it saves a lot of bloodshed later on.
Literally didn't realize Emma only had ONE LINE in the entire episode
They did a great job silently acting in the other scenes
The sound design in the blood and cheese moment was perfectly nauseating
never had a reaction to a sound effect until this. i literally felt sick, my tummy turned. jfc, great work
Music gave me anxiety
High tension
That is the perfect description for it
As bad as Aegon is, it’s still interesting to see he has compassion for people in some capacity. He’s still not as bad as Joffrey…….yet
I heard from rumors that Aegon is going to be a standout performance in this season. Already looking like it; he's gonna go ballistic.
I liked it! Gives him more layers to his character. I think the evil twisted child king character is so old and overplayed ever sense after Joffrey.
Yeah, I'm actually pretty unhappy about his characterization in this show compared to the book. That being said, the scene in the throne room was an exception. It was perfect. His initial ignorance of the nuisance of these situations, to his begrudge acceptance of his grandfather's wise advice, and finally ending with his pointed disregard of his grandfather's opinion in favor of his own naive compassion and seemingly genuine empathy. Aegon in the book is kind of a spoiled but harmless oaf. He's a horn dog, yeah, but not a deviant like here. He likes to drink, maybe a bit too much, but he's not a fucking alcoholic at 14 like in this. He's just a degenerate in this for some reason, in the book he's not fit to be king not because he's proto-Joffrey but because he's a good-natured but immature and irresponsible rich kid. Not a villain, just a dummy in a bad situation that he couldn't control and didn't understand.
he will never be joffrey, stop this stupid argument, he is his own character, just like rhaenyra is not daenerys and neither alicent is cercei
he is literally a rap!st… how is he not bad enough???
Rhaenyra lost 2 children in a span of like a week… she didn’t just lose luke. Her grief is insane.
And a father
“Im afraid of the rats” Brilliant
Losing her father, & two of her children in such a short span of time would be absolutely heartbreaking- it's almost merciful that she didn't get to see BabyVisenya take her first breath, or grow into her own person, like she did her son - Luke is a young life cut tragically short- I can't even begin to imagine getting into that headspace; she doesn't have time to mourn her father's death, or her daughter's, but she's made focus on the usurpation of her promised throne- politics, rather than the personal - but then it all just compounds in the loss of Lucerys...
Yeah, Rhaenyra would've been absolutely devastated.
Fire will reign supreme and there shall be no innocents.
Rhaeneyra already has paid a lot for that damned throne.
The opening scene with the raven flying back to Winterfell then to the wall, back to Jace and Rhaenyra. King Aegon wanting to show his son and heir the ropes at the beginning with the exterminators with rat traps in the background foreshadowing what was coming. That final scene with Helaena and the little ones and her previously saying she's not afraid of the dragons, but the rats. Welcome back House of the Dragon.
Eve Best deserves more credit for her role in the show. She inhabits Rhaenys better than I could have ever imagined. If only they hadn’t passed over her for Viserys. Emma D’Arcy is just continuing to kill it. Such an insightful and talented actress.
The amount of pain and loss for Rhaenyra from the very beginning is heartbreaking and she bottles it all up. Loosing your mum, loosing your best friend, painful labours and still borns, her fathers death, dealing with the death of her children’s father, Daemons abuse, Luke’s death, having to cover up the fake death of her ex husband, loosing her family home and the crown. My god it just keeps getting worse for her.
Poor doggo.
Going back to Winterfell with the Stark theme in the background by Raman Djawadi was such a joy and brought back GoT memories. ♥
The cinematography and those large establishing shots really reminded me of early GoT, but even better. It’s nice seeing locations like the North and the Wall shown again almost through new eyes, like it’s the first time. I really enjoyed the opening scene. And seeing smaller things with the Dragons is always awesome, like Meleyes returning to Dragonstone,Syrax searching the coast with Rheanerya, and the rushed landing to reach Arrax’s wing. Love that stuff. I know it’s expensive but it makes the Dragons feel more real and less like a special effect only saved for battles or “epic” moments…I really hoped we’d see more of Jace in the north tho. I don’t know if that’s all there was but I don’t see them flashing back to it in other episodes, which kinda sucks.
And as always Ramin Djawadi is a blessing to this world and it’s stories.
I just hope the audience remembers that these characters are flying by the whims of their emotions, and their reactions to certain individuals, who have a constant need to prove themselves and make chaos in their wake. This isn’t GOT, this story really is about revenge and the horrible things that occur between super powers at war. There is no crumb of a happy ending for anyone we see in screen. So it could get very depressing. With no “Jon rides off into the woods” or “Arya sets sail” final note to end on. It really is fire and blood.
i thought rhaenyra finding luke's cloak and the remains of arrax was heartbreaking, but them sharing a moment was the breaking point for me 😭
Absolutely horrific ending especially with that sound effect. Poor helaena , and her son hat off to pahia sagan she was amazing in that scene the sheer panic feels as she run away with jahaera ? is so well down. Im sure the audience felt intense panic as well.
In the book, Jaehaerys’ death is so much worse and sad. Blood and Cheese basically take all three of them hostage, and have her two children with knives to their throats, and demand Helaena chose which child dies. Helaena begs them to kill her and spare her children, but they say they will kill all three of them if she doesn’t choose.
She reluctantly tells them to kill her second child, as they may be too young to understand what’s happening. Blood and Cheese then tell her second child that their mother wants them dead, laugh about it; then proceed to kill the child she didn’t choose instead, as his mother screams with maddening grief, and the other child lives with the knowledge that their mother chose them to die. So messed up for everyone involved.
This was one of those episodes that just not only showed so many emotions, but actually made you feel all of them as well as it progressed
0:28 this theme really hits hard in the feels, doesn't it.
The North Remembers❤
Man, if I could, I would watch all eight episodes right now. This show just brings unmatched levels of excitement and hype. Can’t wait to watch it all play out this season.
The shot panning the cribs into the frame was awesome
Cheese is basically Charlie from always sunny but Westeros edition.
I want to see Blood and Cheese but overdubbed with Mac and Charlie now.
Seeing Winterfell brought back good memories.
we are so back!
I love that you just had to imagine horrible things happening in the last scene. This isn't a scene that needs to be shown explicitly (not even sure it's legal lol)... but just hearing that first child-like scream and the sound of slicing is HORRIFYING. I saw some one say it's not the red wedding, but it doesn't have to be, we already have one of those. That scene makes me squirm just thinking about the sounds I heard. You're left to imagine what Helena must have scene as she left the room. We'll have more than enough violence to go around this season. HOT-D IS fucking BACK.
Yeah like honestly I think it’s a better decision narratively to focus on Helaena and her choice to choose the boy rather than lie and choose her daughter rather than just like brutality and an up yours to Helaena ?
It's something that HOTD is doing better than GOT, I think, in that the violence shown is not meant to be sensationalistic just for the sake of shocking audiences, but rather for disgust & making you realize how disturbing the violent aspects of this world really are, especially over a century before the War of the Five Kings, which leaving it up to the audience's imagination really helps with. It's not meant to make you go "Oh my GOD!!!" so much as "...Oh my God." It started with Aemma's death in the first episode, and now at the start of the second season we have a child being butchered off-screen. Really helps cement the more melancholic & tragic tone of the show, as civil wars do tend to be quite tragic in how truly ugly & gruesome they become (case in point: the US Civil War having the highest body count of US soldiers to this day).
The scene fucking sucked 🤷♂️and got ruined by the dumb asses who wrote it
Blood and Cheese was the perfect time to shift the fans' moral support to Team Green & honestly they mishandled it.
* Having Daemon specifically target Aemond makes him less unhinged. If Daemon established either of the heirs as the target it would make him impossible to root for.
* Kidnapping Alicent and then doing the pick which child to kill only to swerve in the ending would make both Blood and Cheese more memorable
Yes I found the scene a bit disappointing... And to have Haelena find her mom lying with Cristina felt so weird and kinda ruined the tragic tone of the scene
The opening scene was so freaking phenomenal, seeing Winterfell, the Wall, and off course Cregan Stark himself. Loved it. Emma D'Arcy's Acting is remarkable, Aegon having his fun with Tyland at the small council was so great 🤣🤣
Still pretty conflicted about Alicent and Criston as well as how Blood and Cheese was done but other than that... a good first episode. Great being back in Westeros. Bring on episode 2.
Excellent and very dark episode from start to finish, out of all the moments my favorite was when Cheese looks into Helena's eyes and realizes she's telling the truth, and for a moment he's more terrified of her because she's able to make that calculating decision.
Finish was stupid as well as whole b&ch point was lost
@@queenxx1690 what point was that? I've read the book, that whole scene is a page and a half, and in the books there is another younger child she chooses, so it couldn't be translated identically to screen. So given what show was working with it was executed (pardon the pun) beautifully
I really thought they would go full-on 'boar on the floor' when Aegon said "I think he wants a ride" 😄
Rhaenyra and Jace sharing a moment to grieve for Lucerys was beyond heartbreaking and having Helaena witness the demise of her son was beyond tragic as she even tried to warn everyone due to her abilities and no one listened. The grief of these two mothers will only escalate the upcoming conflict.
Starting off the Season in Winterfell and hearing the nostalgic theme from the North it felt like coming back home except it’s hundreds of years in the past and seeing the Wall was a massive bonus.
Aegon has no experience when it comes to being King and let’s be honest he had gross moments where it spoke volumes that he was not fit to rule the Seven Kingdoms. A the realm is being ruled by a fool who has a possible inferiority complex and will be a loose cannon which will lead up to him being burned, crushed, and mentally unstable.
As for Alicent…..what is there to say except she started off Season 2 by being a massive hypocrite with Criston Cole breaking his vows to the Kingsgaurd “Honor and Dignity.” my fricking ass. This kind of dynamic will later on be toxic and even in the background Larys has spies all over the Red Keep so there’s going to be some blackmail. This information will label Alicent as a harlot who went from marrying the former King Viserys to shacking it up with the Commander of her son’s Kingsguard.
An absolute masterpiece of an episode. The acting is next effing level. Beautiful work 👏👏 So excited for tonights ep!!!!!!!
I'm so thankful to Ryan and Alan! Finally GOT spinoff in safe hands.
Blood and Cheese killing is different from the Dance of the Dragon history & lore. They didn't make make one talk in the living child's ear of "Your mama wants you dead", before slicing the other's throat.
it is SO great to have alan taylor back in the asoiaf universe !! he is a fantastic director
I think the last scene was better in the books where blood and cheese ask to chose btwn the boys(when they were awake) and they kill the other boy and ensures the younger boy to know that his mother chose him to die.
Exactly, the scene was such a disgrace. That dumbass of a Condal thought that having Alicent hook up with Criston would do better for her character development in such a short season than witnessing her grandson's death and her daughter's madness.
Not to mention that now they'll have to introduce Maelor somehow. Cersei&Jaime on Joffrey's grave 2.0?🤢
@@_antillas8674 I don't think so.. Why would they at this point?? I think they have left out his character intentionally
@@praveen_1805 And what shall that intention be?..
@@_antillas8674 you gotta ask them or wait n see which might also turn out to be nothing
@@_antillas8674 Shorten the storyline. The whole kidnapping, the townspeople ripping him apart, seems very messy.
They really said son for a son
Even one Alicent and Cole's sex scene was absolutely unnecessary in this episode, but two, one of which overshadowed Blood and Cheese? Idk how could they even come up with this when they had a perfectly terrifying scene in the book.
God dayum, Blood’s deep ass voice!
The Queen That Never Was putting Daemon in his place is satisfying.
Yet, if his idea of teaming up to take down Aemond and Vaghar was taken seriously, then Blood and Cheese wouldn’t have been a thing
Daemon's great idea of pairing up with RhaenysXMeleys to fight Vhagar seemed to have been shrugged off without much consideration.
A surprise ambush by 2 experience riders with their fast and agile dragons against a young dragon rider and his old and slow dragon. Just brilliant.
Emma is a force of nature. Their performance is mesmerizing.
Her?
@@_antillas8674 They are non-binary.
@@_antillas8674they are non binary
@@_antillas8674no, “they”, that’s what Emma uses.
@@CaptainPikeachu But she is a woman, isn't she?
I loved watching these for the first season, and I can’t wait for more to come out later on!
Emma D’Arcy future emmy winner!
For what category?
@@Brydigan94 vfx
@@Brydigan94 Best actress
Emma darcy deserve an emmy for her emotional performance this episode seeing rhaenyra rage , and grief over the loss of lucerys especially the scene with jace breaking down crying over the loss of brother with his mom was heartbreaking 😭🖤.
I wished Jacaerys and Cregan’s scenes were much longer. It is actually heartwarming if you read the Fire & Blood book.
When I first heard the north theme, I cried man. Instantly remembered all disasters that happen to house stark.
Baela and Rhaena never getting to speak is so bizarre
1 of 8 episodes. calm down
@@adarnia it was the same thing last season
@@NebulasOnyx so you've already seen ALL of season 2 episodes. 👍 happy for you
had to come back here after episodes 2 and 3. lol this comment didn't age well🤣
He, it's cute that Fabien Frankel describes Criston and Alicent as lost people.
In all seriousness, him and Olivia Cooke are really great actors and wonderfully nail portraying such loathsome and worthless hypocrites.
Jace looks more and more like Harwin. I'm glad they upgraded the wig this season. Last season's hair was ridiculous 😅
I believe it is the actor's real hair this season
The genes are Strong
Emma D'arcy really stole the show in ep 1. The portrayal of emotion was phenomenal, to be able to go back & forth from pure heartbreak to rage was amazing. And that Stark theme music, awesome to hear again!
and she didn’t have to say anything
Awesome episode. What bothered me most I think was Jacaerys's total change of haircut only in a flight's time.
Book: ask for the mother to choose between two sons, she asks them to kill her instead, and when denied chooses the younger thinking he wont know what’s happening, they kill the older haunting her with regret
Show: they ask who the boy is, she points to the boy
Honestly, the performances were beautiful and the directing was solid but the writing was subpar guys, remember what George just told us about adaptations
The book versions feels a bit cartoonish. Blood and cheese here are two people wanting to get paid and GTFO. Fire and blood is written by chronicles who thrives on drama and invention, Hotd is more grounded.
@@LawsonSchlönsson i agree the book is cartoonish and didnt need to be fully the same, but in the show the impact was just not there
@@jeanbutinfrench Or, the book version was highly exaggerated by biased maesters and a little jester who may or may not wanted to make Daemon look even worse of a monster.
More than likely Haelena made a calculated decision, if she lied they could have killed the girl... and then checked, realized they didn't get the son and still kill him, and possibly her for their trouble. As it stood, they weren't there for her, and she knew it, so by telling the truth, grabbing her daughter and booking it, there stood a better chance to save _something_. Note how despite her loathing being touched in general she grabbed her daughter hard and didn't let go.
@@maxi1ification I thought the same.
Feel like back home when see Winterfell..
The shot of the camera panning to the twin's beds was absolutely horrifying.
I thought S2E1 was excellent. I liked it more than S1E1. I also think the intro is phenomenal! You have hooked me now.
Of course I’ve read all the books. I’m re-reading them now.
For all the faults of the last season of GOT especially, I love that series. It’s the only thing I’ve ever re-watched 6x. I love every single character. They were perfectly cast.
I’m more excited now for this season, since I’ve watched the 1st episode. Just brilliant.
finally. competence crew! thanks
i love aegon so much
Find it hard to believe it’s soo easy to kill a prince In the most obvious secret tunnel ever.
Wellmthe one Who was suppose to be protecting the kids was busy doing alicent so that is why It was easy
As always, it’s explained better in the books. Magar hold has a whole system of unknown secret passages riddle throughout it. When May had them built, he killed all of the architects and brick Mason who did everything had a great feast.
It was like 79 years from this point, which in this day and age might as well have been 500. Only the ratcatcher know the are as well as they do.
That's what happens when your guard is inside the queen mother while on duty.
read the book
The show set it up throughout the episode. As others mentioned, Criston was meant to be guarding them but was with Alicent. But Larys also killed a lot of the previous staff and we can assume hasn’t replaced them one for one
My opinion says my favorite movie I definitely think house of dragons deserved to get a award
I wonder how they will explain changing the bit of Alicent being a hostage of B&C when Helaena and her children come upon them to Alicent banging Criston Cole. That was a seriously 'wft?' moment for me. Not to mention Helaena offering her necklace in exchange for her children's safety instead of her own life.
How they will explain what? Tf are they supposed to be explaining lmao the whole thing is clear enough, it deviates from the books and that’s it
That scene was such a disgrace.
They wanted to shit on the Greens. I'm surprised they even included Blood and Cheese at all.
It's a disgrace, that's it. If the show does well from now on, I'll just forget this existed. If it goes downhill...
That’s life. They all act more believable here than in the book. Helaena sees Blood and Cheese as they are: men who do something for money, so it’s very smart of her to offer her necklace. And not every mother would sacrifice herself to save her children. And her walking into mom’s sex also completely realistic, people in the night do this kind of stuff.
Book version is really hard to believe: how tf two guys can take a Queen mother hostage in a guarded castle and then do all the theatrical shit they’ve done. In the show it’s very realistic. Two guys not knowing where they are, fearing they might get caught, tortured and killed want to leave the place as soon as possible but they want to do at least something not to go back empty handed.
The ending was traumatic 😢
Aegon gave me the vibes of influencers who can't refuse what the fans want & is too eager to please😅
Someday Netflix will create a documentary on how this wonderful world was created
I hope they show what happened directly after and how Aegon messed up and unleashed a plague on the kingdom because of his anger.
You mean, after Daemon started the Dance?
@@_antillas8674you mean after aemond started the dance?
@@ideozublake8036 The Dance didn't start after that accident. The Dance started after Daemon specifically ordered to murder a child.
@@_antillas8674 you are bias, the greens usurp the throne and killed luke, you think that wont start the war, rhaenyra wants aemond dead you think she would not want to kill aemond for killing her son lmap cope
@@_antillas8674you are team green so nothing you says makes sense
Where is Daeron Targaryen? Why wasn't he added to the series?
@@juliasugarbaker9032 I don't think he's in the show. They haven't even mentioned another son.
Best series ever, thank you so much. #TeamBlack
I wished they sticked to the books with Cheese and Blood, with Halaena having to pick between two sons while they're awake-- only for them to kill the one she chose to save.
I think for the show, it makes sense. Helaena doesnt want to be queen, she doesnt want this conflict, and she doesnt want her child on the Iron Throne. Picking the girl means that Aegon will "lose his heir" because how can he put a female on the throne after stealing Rhaenerya's?
If one of her children was fated to die, let it be the child who she believes was doomed to become a king, to suffer the same way as her father and husband/brother. Maybe the little princess can fly under the radar and be left in peace.
Her having a second son aftet losing her first... That worries me... I think something dark is coming for Helaena.
I did not expect Aegon to be the MVP of the episode 😂 kudos indeed to Tom Glynn-Carney
1:30 is it a theme from Djawadi ?
I know this is about fire and blood , but would of loved to see at least a episode or two to see everything that went on in Winterfell during that period. I get though . But Aegon wanting to be loved by the small folk was a humorous surprise. You get a sheep , he gets a sheep 🐑. Original Oprah Winfrey
Outstanding episode well done y’all.
I saw episode 1 last week. It's taken me this long to accept how Blood and Cheese had to be done. Having worked in film for many years I can only imagine that conversation with the parents of the young actors who play Jaeherys and Jaehyra .." you're going to do what to my kids?!" ... Phia did an absolute mamoth job in that scene. And knowing where she's about to take Helaena is gonna be heartbreaking. I know she's gonna break me. But I'm still #teamblack.. lol
Yasss, that ep was fire, can't wait for next week's lituation! 🔥👀
They will fight hard like northerners oh my God I love this show
Since when all these mountains surround Winterfell
where is the trailer for episode 2?
Amazing episode
IS THE DOG OK????
please make 2 to 3 episode per week..
2:20 GALVANIZED mentioned🗣🗣🗣
you can tell this episode was written during the writers’ strike…😭😭😭
I loved this episode overall, but yeah...
Not going to disagree.
yea why Helena showed almost no emotion ? she should be screaming, crying over her sons body
and told them that they should kill her instead like in the book
@@nicbahtin4774that just wouldn’t really make sense for Helaena’s character in the show though, the idea that she is paralysed by the shock and goes into survival mode to get her only daughter out i think suits Phia’s portrayal more
They messed up the blood and cheese scene. It was supposed to be traumatizing and horrifying.
The North remembers ⚔️ 🐺
So you are not mentioning Aemond's entrance to the small council or Helena's reaction after the "event"
Attacking Helena’s children was stupid.
Helena is a woman born in a prison.
She didn’t like her position at all.
The right offer to her, (freedom for her and her children), and she could’ve been a spy for the blacks. They could’ve used her gifts from the gods for their advantage.
But now… Madness… Madness and stupidity.
Ending was a little botched unfortunately. 😢 Blood and Cheese should've just robbed the royal purse and fled given the lackluster security. 😂 The whole setup was ridiculous.
I had watch the 1 st EP, and love it. Waiting for the next EP.
Scenes In: 5
Words Spoken: 4
Times I Cried: 3
Season: 2
Episode: 1
Emma D'arcy!
#TeamQueen #FTK #Black&Red
One episode is far too early to tell, but this first ep was a lot more workmanlike than the artfulness of S1.
I do wish we got to see Alicent’s immediate response to hearing about Luke’s death. It was confusing at first, I kept waiting for her to be told about it, only to realize that the episode began with her already having known about it. And then for the first (I think?) scene that we see of her in the episode being her having sex with Criston was disappointing.
Yeah wtf, luckily my volumes werent too high
I just love seeing winterfell!!❤️
Blood and cheese are comedy,but that sound design 😢
Alicent was the only one who got a pony ride this episode 🔥
Cant believe we get less episodes, with so much story to tell. E1 was so good. But I feel alot will be left out.
It already has sadly, but you are right...they will leave alot out from the book...now with even less episodes.....and probably rush it like they did with the last few seasons of GOT
Damn the ending was savage 😂