‘House Of The Dragon Season’ 2 Episode 7: Alliances Are Tested & Formed

(This article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 2 up to Episode 6.)

As House of the Dragon builds to its Season 2 finale, Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) takes a big risk. After claiming a dragon at the end of Episode 6, Lord Corlys’s illegitimate son, Addam of Hull, is on a new career path. Daemon’s (Matt Smith) fraught dealings with the Riverlords lead to a high-stakes exchange. Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) remains incapacitated, and Alicent (Olivia Cooke), stripped of her power, leaves King’s Landing to gain some perspective.

Clinton Liberty as Addam of Hull isn’t the only one who hops from a side story to the main plot. Episode 7 contextualizes some characters we’ve followed on and off throughout the season. For those of us who have eagerly awaited some more dragon action since the last few minutes of Episode 4, this episode is both satisfying and promising.

How Daemon will contribute to the season finale remains up in the air. Paddy Considine, who returned last episode as Viserys in Daemon’s visions at Harrenhal, makes another appearance in Episode 7, presenting Daemon with the penultimate question that will define his loyalties. Considine insisted on wearing the decrepit makeup that was used to portray Viserys’s fatal illness at the end of Season 1 – this choice solidifies the importance of the interaction in Daemon’s psyche as he fully absorbs his brother’s deterioration for the first time. 

In another pivotal scene for Daemon, Archie Barnes gave one of the season’s most engaging performances as Oscar Tully, the new head of House Tully and Lord Paramount of the Riverlands. Both Daemon and the young Lord Tully seek the respect of the Riverlords in a meeting of the houses. “The fun of that scene is seeing all the cards as they’re turned over,” explains showrunner Ryan Condal. Barnes takes charge of the moment, showing that Tully, only briefly introduced in Episode 4, is a critical player on the board who will not be easily manipulated. Alliances are tested and formed that will surely impact the arc of the season’s climax.

“One of the things I love about House of the Dragon is that it’s a generational narrative,” says Episode 7 director Loni Peristere. “We have a lot of young characters that are all coming of age, one of whom is Rhaena.” Rhaena (Phoebe Campbell) has sought purpose throughout the season, broadly dissatisfied with her role in the Targaryen legacy. At the eleventh hour, she takes direct action. Will Rhaena’s endeavors throw another dragon into the mix? Only time will tell. But probably yes. I would be entirely on board for a moment of lost hope for Team Black being uplifted by Rhaena swooping on dragonback in a twist that has, in fact, been teased since Season 1.

The previous season ended with several character deaths and the usurping of the Iron Throne. Season 2’s conclusion is set up to be bigger and better. The show is expected to have at least four seasons, having been renewed for Season 3 before the Season 2 premiere, so we’re not anticipating a resolution to every thread in Episode 8; even so, many plot elements have reached their boiling points. With one episode left, Season 2 marches for battle.