Spoiler-Free Review Of HBO's 'House of The Dragon' Episode 5
Image Source: IMDb
We have officially hit the season one halfway point, and tonight’s episode did not disappoint. Episode 5 was the messiest episode so far, and it has given fans a glimpse of what they can expect from the show moving forward. This review will contain no spoilers from tonight’s episode but will contain spoilers from the first four episodes of the season.
The first half of season one has been a roller coaster for fans, especially for new fans who had not seen Game of Thrones nor read the books. Diving into death early on, Episode 1 featured the first major character's death reminding fans of the show’s predecessor that no character is safe. Episode 2 focused more on the politics and backstabbing within House Targaryen, and gave fans their first look at the iconic title sequence.
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Fans got their first House of the Dragon battle in Episode 3, and it was truly spectacular. With perfectly choreographed fight sequences, the taking of the Stepstones was a sight to behold. Episode 4 dove into the darker more gritty side of House of the Dragon and Rhaenerya’s character. Not only did she have her steamy moments with both Daemon and Ser Criston Cole, but she also swore on her dead mother to Queen Alicent, and forced her father to fire Alicent’s father Otto. By the end of Episode 4, it felt like the princess was putting a target on her own back.
Tonight’s episode featured the first wedding of House of the Dragon, and it was exactly what Game of Thrones fans have come to expect from royal weddings. While King Viserys wed Lady Alicent in the time jump between Episodes 2 and 3, fans did not see the wedding happen. What was initially believed to be simply the start of the festivities ended in tragedy and an exchanging of vows. The episode also featured the show’s first LGBTQ+ characters and their relationship. This unfortunately was only touched on very briefly, and I hope to see more of this come into play during the second half of the season.
Image Source: IMDb
Queen Alicent played innocent during the first four episodes. However, tonight she not only showed her true colors but also how she was willing to betray those she “loves” when their actions angered her. I am looking forward to seeing how her character continues to develop as the season progresses. King Viserys’ health has been deteriorating since Episode 1 when fans first saw the sores on his back. Tonight the extent of his poor health was made clear, and it leads me to wonder how many more episodes we will have of his character.
Daemon Targaryen was mostly absent from tonight’s episode. However, when he was on screen, his presence was felt by all. While his true motives with his niece are still unclear, I am excited to see how their relationship plays out later in this season and into Season 2.
According to social media chatter and the preview of next Sunday’s episode, we have now seen the last of our young Queen Alicent and Princess Rhaenyra. I am curious to see how fans take to the older actresses and characters since we have bonded so much with their younger selves. Tonight’s episode tied a perfectly gruesome bow on the young queen and princess’ reign, and it left me eager to see how the show will change when we see the characters again. HBO has released multiple images since the show was first previewed at San Diego Comic-Con, and those images are filled with spoilers and questions about future episodes despite having seen the first five episodes.
All-new episodes of House of The Dragon air Sundays at 9 PM ET on HBO and stream the same day on HBO Max.
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