"King of the Narrow Sea" & "We Light the Way" (HOTD S1EP4&5) (ACOIAF #5)

Will I be remembered as a good king? Linel of Chris? What will they say of me? And the histories are written, I have neither fought, nor cook God, nor suffered any great defeat. Some might call out good fortune. It hardly makes a good song, does it to be sung at feasts? An hundred years? Five hundred? You have carried Kane to Harris's legacy and kept the realm strong? Is it not better to live in peace than to have songs sung after you are dead? Perhaps there is a part of me wishes I've been tested. I often say that in a crucible I may have been forged a different man. Many that are tested, and you wish to have been spared. Another lord might have showed me that I would rise like on the conqueror, given the chance. Your grace, that is your right, You're right, That's always tis perhaps best not? Now Welcome to the Unreal Hour. Hi there, and welcome her show. I'm Fiona and I'm Emma. We're going to be covering episode four of House of the Dragon season one, which is King of the Narrow Sea, and episode five we Light the Way. So there's a lot to cover in as we're doing two episodes this time, so let's just jump straight in. What did you think of the episode? Overall? The first one was a lot of relationship building, yes, and or like a big chess games. It's setting it up. It really was, and I feel like everything was building towards this wedding feast at the end of episode five. My overall thoughts were, I really enjoyed the episodes. I thought they were great. I was missing my dragons, and I was missing the humor. Although there was humor in there, but I felt it was more humor in the scene rather than funny lines for a change. So for episode four, it was definitely an episode about bad choices. Yes. Great. I was also thinking, I'm not digging Damon's new haircut. No, nah, no, don like it you. I mean, it's just a bad bleached job whether it's short or long, isn't it? Yeah? It really is. It does have that yellow tinge to that, yeah it does. So Yeah, both episodes were great, but I felt like they got it was actually quite good that we're covering them both together because I felt like they go together. Yeah, I would agree. Yeah. So in the first episode, episode four, we were introduced to a few new characters. We had Lord Borman brathy End, who was sitting with Rania while she was choosing her or interviewing her suitors. That was interesting. I'm not sure where they were, but because it was Borman brathy and I'm going to assume she was in storms End, but then she came back by shit she did. Yeah, which, yeah, I mean storms Ends down the coast from kings Land, and so I suppose it's a possibility. It's a possibility. But yeah. He seemed like a pretty cool dude. We didn't get much of him, but yeah, I loved the moment it was. I remember what it was she said, Oh it was when she was it was Lord dun Darien when she made the dig about it being fifty years ago, and did you think my grandmother was my great grandmother was pretty? And he's like, you can't say that it was an exact word. But the princess that's unseemly or something. Yeah, that was so I quite like that line. In the same scene, we were also introduced to Lord Blackwood, brave wee man. He wasn't a job he was, indeed and very articulate young man. He certainly was. He'd well rehearsed that speech, and we also got Gerald Bracken, although despite being introduced to him, I don't think we'll see him again. That was interesting, and in episode five we I think the only new character and introduction really was an olderly and a Virilarian. Did you know what's Yeah, were introduced to Ria Royce. Oh. We were also introduced to Geoffrey Lawnmouth. Oh yeah, I did write. I wrote Geoffrey there, and then I just couldn't see it. There's a lot of notes for these two, A lot of notes. Yes, so Geoffrey long Mouth as well. But we will work our way through and we'll get through everybody. So major plot lines, the first being Damon's return after Nida's courting. That was he certainly knows how to make an entrance as usual. But yeah, I love the It was a. Bit of a hero's return. Sorry it's gone there. Yeah, it was first and yeah, I, oh my goodness, what's king to say? Oh everyone was on the edge of their seats waiting. Yeah, he proclaimed yourself a king, my lord, I. Give you my crown and all that jazz and yeah, so Damon came back Runidas wearing the necklace again. I know I noticed that. Well, obviously not because it panned in on it. Yeah, that was the first shot you got, was her fiddling with her necklace, Wasn't It made it very clear, is that she was back on team Damon. Yeah, after his his victory in the Stepstones. So yeah, I love the way that the SI's just decided to just drop all the ship and give his big his little brother a. Hug, as he always does, because he's He's just an affable character, isn't he? And and when it comes to his family. Yes, definitely he's He's fiercely loyal. You see that when things are unfold. Yeah, as things unfold and Damon, when they were in the gardens and you know, they're just laughing like it was yesterday that they were just hanging out telling old stories mother, I loved you best and all that stuff. It was cool. What did you think about that scene? Yeah? I don't have anything in my notes that's different from yours. I mean, what I would say is that I watched this episode a couple of days ago, so it's less fresh than episode five, which I watched today. Yeah, but yeah, there was the whole oh gasp, he came in and there was It's always nice to see Visser's and Damon getting along, getting along. Yeah, that bit about the tapestries hilarious, absolutely hilarious, hilarious. Poor Alison though, and they're just gone the floor, Oh blessed. I mean poor Alison. She was she was trying, she was. Yes, So Damon's back and visaris are cool. Everybody's getting along. And there was a lovely scene with Alison and Runia, yeah. Which led on from the tapestries ye moment, and they're they're sat there and you see them be. Close again and a little handhold and everything. So I missed you too. Yeah, they're girls that are that need each other. They definitely do. They're navigating, they're navigating the patriarchy. They're both young and in high station. And being forced to do things from a duty, yes, that they don't want to do. Well, isn't that the truth? So I suppose that leads us into our first relationship because I felt this episode was very much about it was about relationships growing and blooming and shifting, and there was a shifting alliances. And absolutely it's the setup of the relationship chess board, Yes, of how these relationships fracture and then they cause these earthquake moments. Yeah, shift everything. And I feel like a lot of the things that happened in this episode between these people were the catalysts for what's to come. Absolutely, this is the beginning of the end, I suppose, isn't it. It is? So it was a really I thought it was a fab episode. But the first relationship that I think we're really presented with is the Damon and Nia situation. And we talked about this in our earlier episodes about how the scenes were the ones that made us uncomfortable. How did you feel about watching it, rewatching it again. Rewatching it? I actually didn't feel as uncomfortable, I think because I was so focused on the other relationships. Yeah, they. We need us feelings towards everything that's going on was more of a focus this time. And that back to that lovely moment that she had with Alice Allison. Yeah, I think yeah, actually obviously, Yeah, they're the two main gals if you will, that progressed to killing the family off. Yes, yeah, the fracture and their relationship is the biggest catalystutely so. Yeah, but this is the last time that those girls share a loving moment where they're both in that. Yeah, definitely let's have a look at that. Actually, or I'll listen, should I say so? Why is the toy did not going to. Enjoyed it as long as. I could. Have every young knight and lord in the Seven kingdoms pawning over you? Miserable? There's rare for girls in this realm to get a choice between two suitors. They're less too scorelful. There's many boys. Don't fall over me. You only want my name in my Valerian blood for their offspring. I think it's rather romantic. How romantic it must be to get imprisoned in a castle of me to squeeze out airs. Alison's face here is so sad. Yeah, Alison's face through these into four episodes is so sad. How angry is he? The king went through great effort to arrange your toe? Yes, frustrated, but I am glad you are home. I find I have few friends babies. I like to believe I'm still the lady Alison. But what anyone says when they look at me now is the queen. I've missed you too. That's so sweet. Yeah, I feel like I feel really sorry for Alison there at that moment. I mean, the way, although you could turn it on its head, and the way she just said to Rina Rinda about being fond of her by all the men in the kingdom, how terrible. You could say the same thing about being queen. How terrible. Yeah, you know, But at the same time, I just I felt for her. But she's she's lonely, and she has no identity. She's not herself anymore. She's just the queen and a baby factory for heirs. Yes, that's exactly what she is, and it's very sad. So yeah, it was nice to see those two connecting again. I certainly feel that that's that's definitely one of the last times. That is the last said. And it's such a shame because they were friends and then you know, the whole marrying her dad didn't go down to well, well, you know, they kind of fell out a bit, and then they kind of made up a bit, and then that happened, and then they fell out again, and then they've just made up again, and then shit hits the fan again. So it's a relationship of many ups and downs. I think it's broken now. Well, yeah, there's no way back. For them, not at all. So Damon and Ramier, Yes, so they had that initial conversation in the gardens as well. It was it was mostly in hih Valerian, but it was Runida commenting on the what you were just saying there about Alison about not wanting to be a baby factory, and yeah, and I think Damon listening to what she's saying, and I think this that this is this is the conversation that led to his decision to take it out after dark and shure that sex isn't just about making babies, it's not just about duty. It's it's for pleasure. It's for pleasure, absolutely, and he wanted to show that pleasure. Yeah, so he he leaves a little note and change of clothes and everything for her, and we map showing her the secret passageway, one of Mega's secret passageways. I wonder, like if Damon knows them all, you know, you can imagine young Damon running around the Red Keep as a kid and discovering all these secret passagys and off and him and Visseis, you know, playing in the tunnels and things like that. And like, I mean, this one was in Rinda's bedroom. She didn't even know it was there, which I find quite funny. So that was pretty cool. But yes, so she goes out, she meets and I was a short street of silk after dark. Wow, it's a party town, isn't it. Yeah, there's there's a total festival of debauchery going on there. It really was cool. I really thought the show was. Rinda's response to the show was great. Yeah, she was just like she was. She was absolutely before before we get to the Mummers show. She she was just absolutely beaming in and she just having such a great time. And it was like when the guy thought she was a boy, She's like he called me boy. She was this big smile on her face. And then they make their down in the crowd and the Mummers are putting on this performance, and her face changed slightly. Then she wasn't quite so happy anymore. No, but I thought she responded to it very well. She shouldn't get huppy about it. No, she was just like, yeah, yeah, it's a. Show, when actually it was a it was how the people really feel. It's a warning. Yes it was, and the uninformed opinion of the masses. So and you know, there's a little bit more to it than than the way they see it. Yeah, yeah, I was. But at the end of the day, these are the people that she will be ruling. Yeah, so they've got they've got to love their queen. Yeah, she needs their support or there'll be a revolution that she's just like slander. Actually I have that clip. Let's just play that. And now we. Come to the matter of the great iron chair, and who's bum it might our good king names his daughter a girl, his heir. A baby is born. A son, so we chair like the chair there? Who will it be? The brother the daughter? What a little princeling of three? It's very different when you just hear the audio. The ron's delight a girl so young and so slight, loved by all of her people. But would she make a powerful queen or would. She be feeble? On the basements? Might long for acclaim? He has two things where nier cannot I conquer his name? And a cock and. Just if you will, And many of us whom afriker light to believe it is a nail eye should be the heir. There wants to have no consequence. They're of great consequence. If you expect ruling. One day were you because you're lesting and not watching, and it's like he has two things, her name and a cock. And then she goes, why does he not have a cock because he definitely has a name. I have even thought about that, But that's actually really funny. Oh that's funny. Yeah, so that was an interesting scene. It was kind of I felt it was a little bit of a callback too, to a very similar scene in Game of Thrones with Aria. I don't remember. Oh right, so it was a similar situation. Arias walked in to a show and they were chopping off ned Stark's head all over again. Right, Yeah, so yeah, I felt it was a little bit of a callback to that. I'm going to assume because I don't remember at all, that Aria was probably incredibly pissed off about that. Oh yes, when as Rania is a bit like joining in with the the ge ring and and sort of laughing it off like well, I don't I don't care, I don't care what you guys think. I was raging. But that was when she was when she was in Bravos actually, and she was she started hanging about the the woman that she was supposed to be poisoning, and she kind of liked her all right, Yeah, I don't remember that, so yeah, but she was not happy about the show. But Rania was cool about it. She was definitely. She was just like, I see what you want doesn't really matter what they think, which was pretty much her words. So that was cool. At this point their relationship is still like not weird, go kind of weird, but not not to the next level weird that we come to. No, but it gets there pretty quick. It does. But then actually looking at from the point of view that these are targetians, Yeah, and it's not weird in their targeting culture. No, so. Is it really that weird. It's weird for us us watching it is, but in context of the story, yeah, no, it's actually not that weird. But it is absolutely treason us because he's putting her virtue at stake and he does he does stop and not deflour. Yes, but yeah, but before we get to that, bet see when they walk into that brothel and he pulls off her hat, right. Did you think why is nobody noticed that they have like silver hair? But they did, which is why it was all being gossiped about the Well, that's not the way I saw it that they weren't the gossiping ones. It was Mike's. Area through her jealousy, and not just not just jealousy, but he insulted her. Everyone insulted her. Yes, and that's that's fucking payback, bitch. It was, yeah, and I felt like she was that that was pretty But for her to know that they were there in the first place, they had to have been spotted. And I can't help but feel that this incident when he pulls off their Yeah, did he mean to do it? That's where I was going with this. What was it intentional? Was he trying to ruin her so that he could clamor for himself? Probably, yeah, And I feel like that when he speaks to Viseries later about any more or less, says that, yeah, he doesn't deny it. He doesn't not at all, but we'll get there. So in this brothel, it's like starts getting a bit hot and heavy and he basically leaves her there with her pants down, which was just I felt for the girl in that moment, and she was hot and bothered and he just he couldn't go through with it. That's what I felt. It was like he had these evil plans, but when it came down to it, he just couldn't do it. Yeah, I think he fully intended to ruin her and claim her for himself, But in the end, I think he just respects her too much, which is weird to even himself, because I don't think he's ever respected anybody. And I think he even surprised himself. And he was pulling back, and then she was trying to kiss him again and he almost gave him, but he pulled back again, and he thought about for a second, and then he just punches the wall and walks away because he finally went, no, I just can't do it. I can't. So I thought it was a bit awkward, But at the same time I feel it. Do we feel it was necessary to the story? No? No, not at all. Not no. Uh, it's what weird overall thoughts of the whole scene. Then, I just I just know, just not just gave me the no feeling, just the big no feeling. That's fair. What I did notice, though, is that the very next day, and who could blame her, she was not wearing the necklace again. I didn't notice that. I was watching this is my thing now, the necklace is on. The necklace is off there, like I'm obsessed with the necklace. Every time she wears a new dress, I'm like, watch around her neck. So yeah, I feel like the next relationship that is obviously Runia and Kristen, which happened right on the back of it, And I think the girl was just hot and bothered. She was and they have such a lovely relationship. And it's such a shame because yeah, she was using them just to say a big fuck you today. Man, I think. No, because Demon didn't. Really, It's not like she pointed it out. No, I don't mean directly to Daymon. I just mean she in her head, she was hot and bothered, and she was horny, and she was pissed off, and she just she was acting out. Yeah, but it was also our first time. Yeah, she could have acted out in that brothel, and she didn't. She went back to someone that she trusts and loves and had that moment with him. Yes, so there was that. Well, I wrote sexual harassment in the workplace because it is at the end of the day, he is her employee. I found it creepier her removing his gauntlets and all that. I found that creepier than the brothels scene. Yeah, second watch because I just thought, oh, poor Kristen, come on, man, well I had nothing I know. Well, that's exactly why I thought, right, that gauntlet thing was right on the back of my sexual harassment in the workplace. So I was like, while she's doing this, all I'm thinking is, well, she's in a position of power. He can't say no to her. Yeah, and that is the very definition of sexual harassment. This is why we have laws that exactly so this kind of ship doesn't go down. So I felt really bad for for Kristen in that moment. He has a wee moment where he's like, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, and then she just goes. I like the way the scene was filmed that his white cloak was very prevalent, was it. Yeah, the taking off of the cloak, right, it's it's right in the scene because it's it's important. That's that cloak means everything to him. Oh yeah, I mean I understand the importance of the clo but I didn't watch it back. I will, Yeah, it's it's maybe I just found it. No, No, I know, I think that's the way I've done it is. If you saw it. It was meant to be. There, and I just I didn't know white cloak was off. That seemed to be the point where he was himself with her and engaged in the act. Right, Yes, well I did see the moment where he changed, but I didn't connect it to the cloak coming off so well spotted, well spotted, I like that. Didn't spott the necklace, spotty the clock though, Yeah, there we go. This is why we're a good team. Yes, this is it. So it was a long sex scene, though it was. I mean, honestly, if my nana was still alive, she would have been through for a cup of tea and back. Yeah. Absolutely. Anyone else does nana do that a film that they knew, and they'd be like, oh, I'm just going to go and make a cup of tea and you're left it in the room, Like, oh my god, none of it not come back. Well, this is on. This is so awkward. I'm going to go for a Wii thinking she comes back. I don't know. My grandparents all passed when I was quite young, so I was only ever a child when they were alive, so I don't know. I've never been I've been there with my mum and Gary, so my stepdad, I've get up, make a cup of tea. No, we all just sat and just didn't look at each other. It was just really awkward. I don't know if my mum was giving me side glasses to see how I react, but I was just straight face. I'm just going to sit here with this no expression on my face until this scene is over. I remember the first thing I watched that had a sex scene in it with my oldest daughter, right, and she was she was thirteen, and this was a twelve right, but what was it? Twelve twelve? A twelve A yeah? And it was Deadpool? Oh right, that and were sitting in the living room watching this and it was fair and then that came on and like you say, no one's eyes shifted at all. We all we just sat apart from me and I did side eyec. I was like, oh my god, that poor kid must be dying. Oh definitely, and she just sat stone faced. Oh did you know that there's a new Deadpool and Wolverine movie. Yes, we're finally getting Deadpool and Wolverine. That's going to be so cool. I've seen that. The trailer looks amazing. It looks so funny, really look yeah that one, so yeah, looking forward to that. But back to the House of the Dragon, so yeah. Rinia and Kristen's relationship kind of evolves over the two episodes, and that was in the first one and then apart from the next Morning where it's a wee bit awkward, Yeah, they don't really speak again for the rest of that episode. But in the next episode that poor boys in love. He is so in love. It's Geoffrey Lawns count struck. Yes, that's what you said at the end. Yes, the boys truly count struck dear, which is a problematic term, but in the context, I'm just gonna laugh because it's funny. Yeah, I laughed. I thought, well, that's good old land of Western ofs for a good one liner, like Count Struck. So he's the whole plan of like, you know, let's just jump on a ship and go to this US and get married and we'll just be we'll just be nobody's and live an ice relaxed life and golfing oranges. Yeah, and it's like in his head, he's like he's given up so much for her and everything. He has given up everything his family had nothing. Well, depends on your perspective, I suppose, right, because I want to offer a different perspective here, right, Sam Charley in The Night's Watch, well, actually it never doesn't say I can't. The boath doesn't say I can't have sex. It says I'll take no wife, but it doesn't say I can't have sex. And he just shrugs it off and has his relationship with Gilly because he's like, Okay, it's a little ambiguous. So I'm just gonna and I feel like. It's a Night's Watch, the same oath as the King's Guard. It's not exactly the same oath, but the line that they will take no wife is the same. And yeah, so Sam Tarley had a completely different perspective on it. He's like, well, it's all about the word and really, whereas Kristin Cole he took his old seriously, he took it as a vow of chastity. Yeah, and a lot of Kingsguard and Night's Watch have taken it that way. But if you go down to Mole's Town on your average Saturday night, you will find a lot the Night's Watch in there, with the tavern girls and the sex workers. So do they really take those old seriously? So anyway, that's just another another perspective. But to him it really meant something. It meant it was his whole life. But what did he expect? Really? I think, well, that was it. He didn't it happened. I mean afterwards, you know, when we're into the episode five by now, and he's like expecting her to run away with them and everything. I mean, well that's what he said, like, Princess, I would like to think that I know you, and she's like, well, well, of course you know me. You're fucking clown of with me every day for like many years now. And he's just overthought it. He's very much in love and he's overthought it and thought Niera hates all this stuff. If I ask, if I don't ask, I'll never know. I've given up everything in that one moment. Yeah, So I mean it's all or nothing for him at that point, Yes, definitely, And when it turns out to be nothing, he's raging and is destroyed. Yeah, it was a moment for him. It was I was an eye opener. He was living in his little romantic fantasy bubble where he pictured that they could be together and because yeah, I suppose he said nothing but listening to her going about how what a burden in her life is. For however many years he's been her swarm protector and then here he is offering her something else and she doesn't love him enough and that's the bottom line there, and that's why his heart was broken. But that's in episode five. Let's just come back a little bit and we can talk about Viceeries finding out that what we Needa and Damon have been up to. Yes, so alto you see this moment. We'll also where he's just on his own and he's just thinking and thinking, is like, oh, I don't know. I think, I like I'm going to have to say something, but should I? And he's really really debating it. And then the. Next das debating it. Why do you always have such faith in all White Tower? I don't really, he has a cunt, but I stick up for him. I don't feel like, you know, you always see the human side of him. I do, actually, and in this moment I did see it again. No, that man sent out spies and it's when. They know they were myssarious spies. The white Worm. Has a message and he's still like a he's a horrible girt. Oh yeah, yeah, I mean he was. He was spying on our bat. Maybe he wasn't debating whether or not he should say something. He was maybe debating how you say it, how he should say it. But there was definitely a moment of deliberation. He was sitting there trying to He was contemplating whether he what he was contemplating will never know, calculating, Oh yeah, okay, I'm going to stop looking at his humans. You're right half one he did at one point that is now gone's soul worse. Yes, And I think the series is starting to see that for himself. But I have that seen there. So let's just play that. The princess was spied. Last evening, literally beyond the walls of the king. In a pleasure house. What of it she was carrying on with her uncle? They were engaged in behaviors and becoming of a maiden. Of a princess? What behaviors? Or just spat it out? What must I say it? You went to my bedchamber accusing my daughter of something. I speak it plainly. H Damon and Grania were seen together in the bowels of a pleasure then. Coupling. Yeah, this is anversari? Is that? Mother? Do I only wish that were true? Your grace, who is responsible for this gossip, Have this rum amonger brought before. Me at once, and I will take their eyes as your hand. I must maintain trusted sources. She has never led me astray, and several of the servants have now admitted to seeing her the princess creeping through the gates from kings Landing disguised as a page during the hour of the Owl. You're so sick an ambition that you could have my daughter stopped, spied upon, awaiting your best chance to destroy her reputation. I have no such intent. You think yourself a cunning man. Your design they're obvious. Do you wish to have your blood on the iron throne so badly that you are willing to destroy mine own? Just get out, believe me. I actually listening to that. Just before we discussed that scene, wanted to take it back to the awkward sex scenes which you have Rania and Kristen having Randa's first time, probably Kristen's first time in a loving sense, and also at the same time you have Alisan in visaries. No it wasn't then or is that in the pleasure that was in the pleasure House. So you've got the because it's actually in my notes. I can't got a miss that actually because I wrote about it, because you know how I love a good juxtaposition. I know we do need to discuss that. Yeah, definitely, so you've got this. I wrote pleasure versus the Royal marriage bed. Yeah, it was. It's worse than that. I mean, it's it's barely consensual. It's duty. She even when the handmade if you will come through and says, oh, the King's asking for you, and she's like, it's quite a late hour. She doesn't want to. Know, she doesn't the way she's just lying there. Yeah, it's awful. That is a harder watch than the brothel scene. It was actually what I found that a lot more of it after. The cushions that the girls have had together about niave been a bit spoiled and she has all these suitors and Alison feels very stuck and like she doesn't have an identity and now it's I mean, it's rape. It was. It was very It's a horrible scene to watch. Yeah, it brings to mind the term just lie back and think of England. Yeah, you know, where did that come from? I don't know where that lie comes from. I've heard it many times. I don't know where it originates from. But that is what she was doing. She was lying back and thinking of Western Us and her duty and her obligations. And it was her father that put her in that position. Well, yeah, yeah. He is souls. I can't stand to its character. I think he's awful. You know, it's just so funny because you start eat out like I really love Reese Evans even but and I was like, oh, he's an absolute cun. And then I'm later on we're like shifting and You're just like, Nope, he's a cunt. And I'm like, oh, but he's a We're like the old guys from the Muppets, Heckel and Jeckyl. They are in the Muppet Christmas Carol. They're brilliant. I can't remember what they're actual, No me neither. I just remember, yeah, Muppet Christmas Carol, Heckle and Jeckyl so funny. So yeah, that is that was That was much more uncomfortable than the brothel scene for me. Absolutely, And when her father comes to Grass on Rianida. Yeah, she's there and she's just had that horrible night having to do her duty, and then here's her father disclose that about Rinia. So there's the that girl must be like, oh my god, I'm lying here on my back having to take this and she's got the pick of everybody in the kingdom. Plus she's gone out to a brothel with her uncle and she just must have been like, oh, it must be a lie. I can't even process. This is how her face looked. Yes, And that actually is something I wanted to discuss on that subject because Allison is completely and totally outraged, and I suppose I wanted I tried to understand it, and I think that's why I wanted to talk about it. I wanted to hear your perspective on it because I get that she would be shocked, but she seems to have taken it very personally, and you can see and I think you've just hit the nail on the head of why because of what she had endured, what she's enduring. Well, Runia's off having fun and we're. Seeing this clip of this is just one night for Raniera. This is Allison's life called upon when she's in her bed. Yeah, she was well settled and quite comfy. And yeah, nowhere there's you know, it's quite late. I mean, not only does she have to ensure that, but she has to endure pregnancies, labors. There's a lot of scenes where she's sitting with the babes. Yeah I wrote that, well, yeah, quite depressed. She's struggling with motherhood as well. I think she's the way she's bouncing that babe, and it's quite aggressively, but not in a way that she's hurting the baby, but she's her tension cannot be helping that baby settle down. It's never a relaxed, contented baby that she has in her arms. It's always a screaming baby on her lap. Yeah. Yeah, and she just looks broken. She's she's a shell, which comes back to what she was saying earlier about just like I like to pretend that I'm still Lady Alison. It's really sad. I never thought I'd have this much compassion for Alison when we were going back into this. No, you don't get that in the book, but the way that this season has been written is fantastic in that character, because you have a real character connection with her in that respect. Yeah, there's there's there's an arc there, whereas in the book, I feel she just comes straight in as. Yeah the book, you've because you've read all about the Targarian family, you're very much in with the Targarians. Yeah, within the story, and she's just. There there. Yeah, but yeah, she But by this point in the show, I'm feeling for her, I really am, and she's she's having a tough time of it, and none of the none of the position that she's we had anything to do with her own doing. Yeah, she didn't decide anything. She didn't decide to go and comfort viseries. She certainly didn't decide to marry him. He didn't decide to have any of those babies. No, he just announces that I'm going to marry Lady Allison. And as we discussed at the time, it was I don't remember, I'm asking h I think her face said the same. She looked as surprised as Rania. Yeah. So yeah, I'm definitely feeling for Alison in these episodes. And yeah, at that that was the thing I was wondering, I was like, why why is she taking this so personally? I get that she's shocked, but it's this was not done to you, Alison. But after your perspective, I now think in her head she feels wronged. Yeah, and maybe a little bit sad as well that her best friend. And I use air quotes here, but you know, because it's been a rocky relationship, but our friend has this life that she doesn't talk to her about. She's maybe wondering, is this the first time? Is there is Rania, you know, having fun more often than she's letting on. So yeah, I just I wonder, I wonder what was going through her head there. But she was definitely definitely outraged. That's the word I wrote, outraged, and more so more so later when she talks to Rania. I think in the beginning of that conversation, she she's asking a question, but she's still very angry. Yes, and Ranera provides her with the reassurance that she wanted Alson wanted Rania to say it's not true. Yeah, so then she is in her corner. Yeah, and Raniera isn't lying out of manipulation. I wrote half truths. Yeah, it was half truth She basically admitted to as much as she could without admitting to having done the deed. When you were a teenager and you get caught for something and you didn't want to stick your pals in. Yeah, that was the vibe she was given. Yeah, definitely one other thing. Did Damon stopped in that moment in the brothel but everything below their shoulders was off camera? Do you think that they start? No? I was left a little unsure. I walked away from the scene thinking no, they didn't. But during the scene, I was like, is this happening? Are they doing this? You know? Has there been penetration? No? I don't think so. We don't know. We but so yes, back to the series confronting Damon, unless you had any other notes, No, so, well, the moment Damon's staggering in through the front gates, bleedy eyed and can barely stand up, and it's like the king demands and audience. They just pick him up and carry him off, and he's like, go off me, but he's far too rough to be ably like. Uh so, yeah, they have that moment, and he doesn't deny it. He doesn't deny it. In fact, he's like, what better me than some. It feels tactical and not even just it feels like tall Damon wind up. Even when I have I could diffuse a situation, I'm just going to exacerbate it because I can, because I enjoy That was the vibe he was given, even to his own very forgiving brother, Yeah, which is really sad. It is actually because Vissaris wants to be close to him. He wants to have that brotherly bond. You saw that at the beginning of the episode where they're laughing and joking and getting along brilliantly. That's the relationship that Visseris wants to have with his brother, and yet Damon just keeps sucking it up and winding things up and creating this blockage between them. And I feel sad for him because he really wants that. Yeah. So yeah, he's like whether to me, I'll take her off your hands, you know, She's I'll take it in whatever state she's in, soiled and all, which I thought was a bit. Well, then I suppose that comes back to do you think something happened because he doesn't know about Kristen Cole. No, he doesn't, So is he just winding his brother up? Or was did something happen? Yes, that's another reason why. Yeah, maybe maybe something started to happen, but. He just ditched her. Does he think that she maybe found pleasure somewhere else. Maybe, but which she did, Yeah, but not where he left her. Or is he just saying it to be mean. I think he's just saying it to be mean. I think he just Damon wants what he wants, and yeah, he wants that throne. He does. He really really wants that throne, and if he can't have it legitimately, then he's going to find a loophole, which is ranier. But I also feel like he genuinely has feelings for her. There is something there between them, which has been very clear from the start. But I believe his aspirations towards her come from a selfish place of what he wants and she is the best way to get there. Well, it's that socialization of learned behavior, isn't it that patriarchy that I am male and that is my entitlement? Oh yeah, so I suppose that's maybe something that has That's yeah, that's the way he's been socialized. However, he has that internal I do care for. Her, Yeah, Yeah, he definitely cares for her, and that's seen in the brothel kind of showed that these feelings for her are very confused. Yeah, he's attracted to her, he loves her in an uncle way and maybe something more. But at the same time, he also respected are enough to not be able to go through with it, because I don't think if it had been anyone else other than Runira, he would have went through with that there. But I think it's weird using the word respect in the same sentence as Damon, But I felt that's what it was, kind of in his own twisted way, twisted respect. Is that a thing. In his head? Yeah, yeah, then not to the logic of the rest of us, But from his perspective, I think that's what he was feeling. Or is that making allowances for a narcissist? Yeah, yeah, he's good at what he does. Well. I don't think I'm making allowances for him as such. I don't condone the behavior in any way. Oh, I'm not going to lie. I love his character and he's very charming. He's great. Matt Smith plays him brilliantly. He really does. He wasn't as charming in the book, but Matt Smith has absolutely work that character. He's brilliant. He's great. I've got a little bit more about that later in the news. Oh nice. Yeah, and we interview with him regarding his character. So yes, Seri's kicks him in the gups a couple of times quite rightly, so absolutely, and he gets bounced back to the veil again. But I love this moment when Series walks out of the throne room and leaves him lying there in the floor and her shrolls over like he's just going to go back to sleep right there. He's like, I was just want my bed, man? How bad does that hangover you? So might still be a little drunk, which probably helped with the pain, but yeah, I just love the way it just rolls over and it's just like, I'm just going to go to sleep right here, and then I'll go back to the well, yeah, after my nap. So yeah. The next conversation slash relationship that we come across as Vices and Rnier, he shows her the dagger, yes, and the engravings on the dagger. That was really cool, Yeah, really cool. It was giving off florid of the rings vibes. Was a bit, wasn't it. I loved it, Yeah, definitely, and it was to the whole point of it was to illustrate the fact that we neer this is bigger than you. Yeah, this is. And she totally took it on board. She really does. Yeah, she's she's a savvy girl. She really did understand what he was trying to say. And I believe that that was what fueled her her conversation with Christian. Call absolutely that was a turning point for her, where she she's like, Okay, as an adult, I can't run being a petulant teenager and went, wait a minute, this isn't about me anymore. It's not. And she sees that and she she acts on it. Now. She was quite happy to keep fooling around with them. She had her little really arrangement with late Or, which we'll get to. But and it shows you how manipulative that relationship with Demon is because essentially that's what Demon said to her, you can have your your bits and pieces on the side, but you have to do what's what's what's expected. Yes, yeah, so, and she totally line yeah, not that he does, No, I do exactly. True Orgadian style. I suppose absolutely so. Yeah, it's like Visi's is like, grow up, this is bigger than you. He doesn't use those exact words, but that's what he's trying to say. Yeah, because she's still kind of whining at the start, she has a little and then he's like, you will marry Lenor. That's it, and you're not going to argue about it either. You're just going to do what you're talking. I love that she puts her own terms on it. Definitely, and it's like, oh, so I can just relieve your political headache. And he's like, you are my political headache. Yeah, which is brilliant. But I love the moment that follows and she goes, right, Okay, I'll do what you want. I'll toe the line. I'll marry leonor Valarian. But you need to realize that there's a fox in your hen house. Yep. Otto is a bad news. Get wise to hem. He's spying on me. He is absolutely one thousand percent trying to put my little brother on the thrown in my place, and as soon as you're gone, he is going to undo everything that you're trying to achieve. And she's I just thought that was brilliant. I thought it was so insightful of her to see that he is the real danger, not demon. She knows that demon's not the real danger, no matter how pissed off she is with him in that moment. Lara's Strong in the next episode makes a really good quote. Okay, what did he say? He says that when you're not asked to talk, you spend a lot of time listening. And Rania has done that, is cut bearer. Yes, and she's not expected to contribute at these councils. No, but she has listened to everything that Auto said, her whole kind of teenage life. Yes, so she knows that girl knows he's a dick. Yes, yeah, definitely one. She's not caught up in the conversation. It's like when we're podcasting and we watch an episode and then we play the audio from a scene and suddenly the scene comes across different Yeah yeah, yeah, so yeah, and it's that, and she's she's there, she's she's spotted it, she knows, and this is the time to bring it up. This is the absolute time to bring it up, because it's like, you are accusing me of something on the word of a man who is out to undermine you. Yeah. So I thought it was very very insightful of her, very wise beyond her years to see that and then of course he sends her the tea, and we don't know if she took the tea or not. We we don't know if she needed. It after Damon, but she definitely did after Kristen, so I would imagine that she probably did take it. But we'll never know. Really, we'll never. Know, And so that more or less. No, just to Visits in auto, yes it does. I was going to say that brings us to the end of episode four, but no, that is Visiti's in auto is how this ends. I love this scene. I really loved it. Brilliant. It was really good. I love the way Visies is just like he's just suddenly sees everything so clearly. He sees everything, he sees Alison being there to comfort, he sees the the way Otto was perfectly placed to just step into the role of his father. Yeah, it's like five days and the world changed, and I just that scene was brilliant. Do you want me to play it? Yes? Please? Five days. I'm sorry, Grace, though it was some time ago. The details they fade in memory. My father was a hale and healthy warrior and dragon rider. At the peak of his abilities. Jeharis named a great royal hunt to celebrate him being named the hand of the King. Five days later, my father laid dead. Tourneys last longer. Bail On, the brave rider of Vaguer, heir to the Iron throne, dead of a burst belly. Gods have a dark wit. It was a grim day. I recall it all too well. It was a good day for you. Jahiras named you handen Ailon's dead. That's hardly how I viewed it, your graze. Liar, it was a duty you served my grandson nobly in his final days. You are the man that taught me how to be king. Well, you wanted me your grace. Just five days. You went from me another man in Jehirah's court, to the second most powerful. Men in the realm. I wonder how long did it take you to choose yourself over your king, your graze. I will never recover from Amma's death, But Alisoned, she took me through the worst of my grief. She was a calculated distraction. I only now realize how well calculated it was. That is an absurdity. The Queen loves you, busted, as I know you love her. Your interests no longer aligned with those of the realm. Your judgment has been compromised. The loyal and must tell his king of discomforting truth from time to time your grace. If he doesn't, he's failed as a servant. You were a faithful servant, Doto. Well there's the pen coming off. Your services are not. Both of you are, But I can no longer trust your judgment. And yeah, busted, absolutely busted. He was on him a little by earlier in the previous when he grasped on. Yeah, when he poked the bear, you took it too far. Yes he did. He was on him, but he it was after speaking to Ranida. That you know that way when you have that thought about someone or a feeling, yes, and then when someone that you love says something out loud that you've had a feeling about and it suddenly all clicks into place. That was vices. He was like, oh, you dick, you've actually set all of this up, I mean too far. Thinking it was from the five days. I think Auto came into that as an honest man. I think he did, but no, the position went to his head. But did he They see we're flipping again. You're still on the human side of attle again And I'm like, so you you say that during the Five Days he came in he as an honest man, and maybe in the show that might be true, but in the books he came into that role and the first thing he did was send his daughter, his fifteen year old daughter, to Herris's side to comfort him. So I wonder if that was more just giving her something to do and be, not in a. Not in a. Paper off to the king way that he did, but more of a had his wife passed away at. That point, I believe so. So rather than having to look after a grieving teenager, go and do that and then you're important lady in court. Just go go do that and I don't have to look after you because I'm hand to the king. It's still not nice, No, no, absolutely not, but it's a reasoning. I mean, he's a hard guy, he's so hard. But yeah, did he always have the design that he was going to manipulate to Harris? I think that. Was it. Something Damon said about him, actually, and now that I think of it was you know, he's he's a second son, and this is the he's. You have to make your own way. Yeah, O, Damon didn't say it's such a nice way about That was the way Carlis said it to Daymon, you know, about being second sons, We've got to make our own way. But what Damon says to the said he's about all is that he he's a devious person and he's just you know, and being a second son. He's trying to carve out his own existence. He's trying to carve out his own superiorities. And yeah, I think it's I think it's that. I think he's always been devious. I think sending young Allison to comfort Viseri's or Ja Harri's, whether it's the book or the TV show, either way, was calculated. But in the book that was instant from the second he became hand, which shows that he's been at it a lot longer, if you know what I mean. So, yeah, he's a nasty piece of work, but he's busted. You're fired. In my notes it says busted, sacked. Definitely, and that is exactly what happened. So that more or less brings us to the end of episode four. I think maybe we should have a break before we go into episode five. Yeah. Absolutely, Let's fillip our wine glasses and take a minute, and we'll be back. With you guys son fab season. Welcome Back. We neglected to mention at the start of the episode who these episodes were written and directed by, so both episodes were directed by Claire Kilner, who is also known for Snoop Here Sir, and episode four there was a writing credit for Ira Parker. I didn't actually recognize any of the shows that IRA's in. I don't involved with, so I don't feel like I can comment on that because I don't. It's not even that I haven't seen it, as I've not heard of them, so I have no idea what they're about. But Ira was a writer on episode four. So onto the episode Damon and Rihea Ria Royce, Well, she did not look pleased to see him. No, she didn't. It was quite cool to see her character in person. There's been she's been mentioned a few times. Yeah. Absolutely, and way prettier than he described her. Absolutely, she was very pretty. I mean, she was pissed, so she wasn't pulling her best face at the time. It was her angry face. But yeah, but she was a very pretty girl and Demon should never have said what he said about her. No, he was overly harsh. Definitely, But I like her. I thought she was pretty cool. I thought she was cool. She she made me laugh, she definitely did. Yes, I like her nobullshit attitude. I have a little note of something really funny that she said. She said her sheep might even be willing if I'm not. Our sheep are prettier after all. Yes, that's what you said, isn't it. Yeah, I like that moment. I love her. Like news travels in the Seven Kingdoms, and she's clearly heard the things he's been saying about her, and. Yes, doesn't really let him get a word in. She doesn't, but he doesn't try. No, he's being all dark and mysterious clock menacing, yes, very menacing, and she yes. She lets him have it, and then says, what will you do now? Will you strike the child down? And then that moment her face changes. Oh yeah, he realizes, Oh my god, No, that's not what's going to happen. He's come here and get rid of me. She can marry Rania. She saw it. She the whole scenario just played out in her head in a split second. Yeah, and she was scared. She was still defiant though, Oh yeah, After he strikes her down. But actually before that, she she reaches back to grab her bowl. Yes, wasn't it? Yeah it was a bowl. Yeah, but when the horse rears up and that's snapping noise as she fell, or is the horse fell on her? Yeah? It was a poor girl. She said to him, I knew you couldn't finish on absolutely, And who can blame her after the way she's been treated and the way she's been talked about. Ye, there's you know, and what an offense to not consummate your marriage. Yeah, she's a lady after all, Yeah she is. She's she's set to inherit Runstone. She's Yeah, she's a lady, and by all accounts, she's a pretty girl. But she's not TARGETI and blonde, which is what he's into it. So that might be the problem that he has with her. But she she provides him no, what's the word I'm looking for? She is no advancement. Yeah, yeah, she provides him absolutely no advancement. There's no prospects of him settling down for a life with her in the Runstone to get him to where he wants to be in the world. He wants his name remembered, not just as the little brother of the series. That was a wee bit mischievous. He wants his name going down in history and he's never going to get that with her, and I don't think he ever gave their marriage a chance. Sad, Yeah, very sad. But yeah, he doesn't say a word, though, does he. It's that he just picks up that rock and we don't see him killer. But I feel like this episode there's a lot of turning points for characters, and this seems to be a turning point for Demon because he's quite he's proficient in battle, and he's he's quite sneaky and blunt and peaky and all those things, but he's never actually murdered a woman, a lady for his own ends, and this seems to be a turning point for his character. Where quite. The dark side or the Megor side? Yeah? Yeah, for all my defense of him not being quite as bad as Megor, he just crossed the line there that puts them more in the Megor camp than he ever was before. Yeah. It's typical sort of Game of Thrones character though, isn't it. Yeah, where you have a character you feel one way about them and then to something despicable. Yeah, yeah, I don't know how you feel about Damon after this. It's like, I still still that's that smirk. That smirk just always gets me. And so every time Demon's on camera, I enjoy it because he wears that smirk a lot. Yeah, but at the same time, he's just done something so dark and despicable that it's like it's irredeemable at this point. And that makes me conflicted because I love his character. So we'll just have to see how Damon progresses as we go. And I mean, obviously this is a rewatch. We know some of the things that Damon does going forward, but yeah, it's not fresh in my memory, so we'll take a look at it as we progress. But yeah, it was. It was a dark, dark time. It's a definite turning point for his character. So next we had Alison in Auto. Yeah, and talking about turning points for characters and how we feel about them. Yeah, and you know how I have had no love for Auto whatsoever. I saw the human side of it. Yeah, I saw it too, but I have a counter but go for it. Give me your human side first. Well, it spoke a harsh truth, but that's it. It was the honest truth. It was and the moment where he he hugs her, you could just it was it was fatherly. It was girl, you have to you have to think of you because if you don't, your kids are going to get murdered. So come on, this isn't about how you feel for Rania. No, you need to stop being a silly wee girl. You need to channel your big girl pants now. Yeah, and yeah, you're absolutely right. I saw that too. But the thought I had right on the back of it was he's right, but he put her in that position. Yeah. Yeah, I mean I don't I don't love Otto, but I did not feel in that moment it was less manipulative than he's been in the past. No, there was genuine concern yea for her and his grandchildren. Yeah, every Nara should ascend the throne. They are a threat to her rule and urged by the patriarchy to to take away because that's what happens. It has happened in history, and it happens in these kind of fantasy books as well. But when there is a challenge to the throne, people tend to die. Yeah, there's so many points in history. What one time in particular springs to mine is you know, the War of the Rosies, the Cousins War, which is what George Martin based Game of Thrones on, and this entire you know, even this part as well, the Targarians, the politics, the fucking politicings, all that stuff, it's all based on that time. And when you know, one minute, this one had the throne, and then these lot had to flee because you know they were going to they were in the line of fire, and then the other side got the her own back, and then these ones had to go in to hide in, and then there was a week war being fought, and the queen and the princes all had to hide in the sanctuary until the war was over, just in case they lost, and because they would all be slaughtered. And that's how it plays out through history. And that is the harsh truth of the situation that he put her in. But maybe he should have gave her a heads up before she got into it, that this is how it's going to play out. But no, that's not what he did. He put her in that position so that when that time came, she was only one choice she could make. Because he's a nasty, nasty. Piece of word, so totally flipped on this guy. I'll probably come back around to the human side of him again. Yeah, I'll be all hateful towards him. So yeah, that was that. It was a very touching scene. Actually, there was, like you say, the manipulation was gone in that moment and it was just love and it was just a goodbye. It was sad. I really felt for Alison. She was pure breaking her heart. There she was, she was she was just a wee girl. Again. So moving on, our next section is Laris spills the tea. Oh he did. Indeed, didn't he did. I like that. That's clever. Yeah, definitely. He was so devious about it though. I've got Bailish two point oh here, I might have said it before. I don't know if I've said it before, so I'm getting it in again in case I haven't. That is, I've got all sorts of Beilish vibes of him. Yeah. No, you're right. Oh it was masterful. That was a masterclass in manipulation. Yea. Oh he is a slimy bastard. Yeah, it really is. Perhaps you need an ally. What a creep, But god, I mean, this guy knows how to get what he wants. But what does he want? I just it's like bailish as well, It's like, how was it was? What was his motives? And in the end it was the iron throwne the same as everybody else that that was? That was his motives? And is that the same with Laris? Does he really see himself sitting there on that throne? Maybe he has the ambition and he's. How many dead bodies does he have to trample over to get there? Jesus, how many dead bodies is he willing to tramp over? It seems like anyone's fair game to him because he's approached the queen. Oh, he's playing a proper chess game. Is yeah, everyone's a puppet everyone he is, oh dear, and the like, where's he getting his information? Because I felt she was very easily manipulated in that situation. She's still young. She is what I mean, who said? I mean? All he's saying is, oh, well, I hope the princess isn't done. Well, she was brought some tea, and well who said she actually drank it? Though? Because he does say, oh, well, by the order of the king, it was brought. She didn't ask for the tea, No, she didn't, but Alison doesn't. She seems quite Oh okay, well I don't want to listen to this, but I am listening to this. Yeah. Yeah, she was very uncomfortable. She wanted to get out of the conversation. Yeah, but then he kept feeding her more information that confirmed the suspicions that she's earlier and it's approached her. While the king is gone, Rania's gone, her father's just left. There's no one there to protect Allison. So he's oh, it's such a gripe. Oh yes, do you know why I not a most about this scene? And that's nothing to do with the people actually, or maybe it was. By my third watch, was how beautiful that wherewood Tree is. It was stunning just framing the screen in the background. It's just absolutely beautiful. It's so big, and it's just I don't know if we've seen had a good view of it like that before, but this was the first time I properly just took notice of that. And it's beautiful, absolutely stunning. So fat that trees like thousands years old, Oh so cool, so cool, I can imagine, and the age of heroes. The children of the forests gathered round their wherewood tree there, Yeah, thousands of years ago. That's amazing. But yes, Larice, what a creep is all I can really take from that scene. And of course this is the start of Allison's mind change, and these are the words that that prompt her to later on. Christian very honest but hers chat with her. Then this has a follow up. Yes, it's all just pushing that wee girl's mind. Oh yeah, away from Ranera and to have her own independent thought about her own children and stop seeing her relationship with Rania anversaries as a family. Oh definitely. And it's like, oh, built the fire and then Laris Strong come along, pour some oil on it, and then Kristen Cole throws in the spark. But we'll get to that because meanwhile in drift Mark, first of my first thoughts actually is drift Mark is awesome. It is awesome. It is such a beautiful castle as well, and the island and the little walk way heading out to the castle. It's so so cool. But Vesies did not get the welcome he was expecting, but I think he took it well. I think there's part of them that got it. It's part of the animosity between them over the years he got it. He wasn't happy about it, but it's like, let's just get. On with it and okay, and he has a purpose. Yeah really, the only the only thing left that he can do with Rania. Yeah, yeah, it really is, and it is the best choice for you know, mending bridges between the Valarians and securing a good match with a Valerian family and all these things. On paper, it's absolutely a match made in heavy Yeah, it really is. So. First, well, Rainy's looked pleased to see him. She did. She was so happy it was, which was which was really comforting after the cold response that he got at the gates. So but when he sees when Renie sees her cousin, she's just like, cousin, goat to see you, and she it was pure joy. It was natural and I love that. But she also looked concerned. Yeah she did, didn't she when she went to touch his hand and he kind of flinched. Yes, yeah, yeah, definitely. So then he finds out about Lady Rhea and they have that kind of that's so awkward. It was because everybody in the room had their suspicions. But no, what they're not going to make the accusation, and he's not going to make the admission that he thinks that. Yeah, yes, so it was. It was a bit awkward. So yeah, he lays it on the line and it's I have a marriage proposal for you, and I like the Corlis has his questions slash, I wouldn't say conditions. They weren't conditions. You didn't lay condition He's like, were you going to give me? What am I going to get out of this? Because I've suffered some slaps in the face here. Yeah. Yeah, he sees that bridges are trying to be mended. Yeah, however, however, how are you going to mend those bridges? What am I going to gain from this? Yes, exactly, And he seems happy with the outcome, the choice that they the kids can bear the Valarian name, but the oldest that ascends the ron throne is a Targetian when they ascend the I. Liked Rani's Rainie's little smile, Yeah, just slightly behind Corlis's shoulder and you can see that She's like, well, you know, I'm a target in so. Yeah, yeah that's cool. Go ahou Targanian, Yeah, definitely I like that too. But definitely I like that he looks to her as well, before he gives that final nod and says, yes, okay, he a loox to just see where she's at. And I love that they took the way those two can communicate with just a look. Yeah, it's quite touching. They're very close. I like it. Yeah. So meanwhile, wow, this has gone on. Rinda and Lena have been introduced and gone for a little walk along the beach, and yeah, I love that little codd conversation they have. It was so adorable. It's just like, Okay, we're going to get this out of the way, but we're both shy and so we're going to talking code here. Absolutely, I'm going to play that clip because it's adorable. In truth, if it had to be someone, I'm glad it to see you. I know this union is not what you would choose. Oh, nothing against your cousin. No, Well, then I say it doesn't match of taste. I prefer grow stuck to goose. I cannot say why. It's not for a lack of try. There are those who like us very well. I find it a bit greasy for my tast Oh. I know that whatever agreement being struck up, there will not change your appetites and. A will it change mine? And what do you propose? That we perform our duty to our fathers and. The realm, and when. It's done, each of us dine as we see fit. And he just gets there an a sweet smell like, Okay, I can get on board with that plan. I thought I was really cute. It's the best situation that either of them could have made out of that. Yeah, rather than them both going in miserable. Yeah, they've found a way to a future that they can both see some happiness in. Yeah, And I think that's adorable. And then you know, I love you know, they've had that conversation about ducks and geese and then later in the scene with Geoffrey and Geoffrey's like, was that the duck or the geese? And that was another three touching scene actually between those two you could see that they're they're really in love. I mean, you know, you know, who's to know if it would last, But at this point it's it's young love. They're totally at each other, and they're very comfortable with each other and who they are, and it's clearly not a secret. As we discover with this conversation between Rainy's and Corliss, and Corliss is in complete denial. Yeah, maybe we'll grow out of it. Yeah, of course, because because that works. It's been tried many times. Never works. I mean, yeah, some people go through a confused stage and then settle one way or the other. Blah blah blah. But I think in Leanor's situation, Leaneor is what he is and that is not going to change. So his dad is in complete denial, but his mother is completely accepting of Well, I don't know if she's so much. She doesn't express her personal feelings about it, but she no. And that doesn't seem to be her concern. She's like, she knows that duty is duty, and she's like, well, their cousins, they're close. When Carloss is like, oh, well that's good. They see what we get on well sort of things, She's like, yeah, they're cousins, there's no other of course, they're comfortable with each other. Yeah, She's more concerned about the fact that her son's going to be put in a position where he could die. Yeah, that's her concern, and Corliss has given it the yeah, well you know it's you should be on the throne and I would have done anything. And she's like, I don't give a shit about the crown. I just she just loves her family. She does, she absolutely does. And the concern is that, you know, Lena getting being in that position with really Rania puts a target on his back too. It absolutely does. And who can blame her as mother, you. Know, to. It's and she's already been in that position, and she knows what how the patriarchy work. Yeah, you know, so she's there's this this these little boys here that you know, they're they're going to have favor. Eggon's going to have favor. Yeah, and she knows it and she sees it, and she just doesn't, like you say, she doesn't want her son to have a target on his back. Yeah. It's a dangerous position, but it's still a good marriage. Yeah, but they have to be aware of all the potential outcomes, the bad ones. Yeah, let's just hope it all goes great, but this could be disastrous for our son. What's going to happen is going to happen anyway, whether he's in it or out. But if he's right in the middle of it, and it could be his life on the line. You know, at this point, nobody knows quite how unwell Visus is. No, they see that he's not keeping very well. But I mean to to Rennie's and Corliss, Potentially Vissaris is going to live for decades, So it might be a very long time before this succession even comes around, but we will see. Yeah, and you're absolutely rights could be around for decades and fact, with a ten year time jump coming up on the back of this episode, yeah we know it leads to lives a decade. Yeah, and a lot can happen in a decade, So Renie's concern is more than valid. Absolutely, It's just Corless is kind of living in a bit of a ho are they getting along? Just like that is really not the issue here, Oh bless her. So really the only other twisting relation twist in relationships that is left is Alison and Kristen. Oh yeah, yeah. That was so that has clearly got in her head, as we said earlier, and that's you know, set it off, but her face when he can fit out, you know, I'm getting ahead of myself right the way she was fishing and she was trying to ask the question and she almost said exactly what it is, but she was too shy to say exactly what it is that she was accusing, which led him to. Yeah, to totally fess up. And if she'd just been more direct, he potentially wouldn't have said anything. No, he wouldn't. The pressure got to him because she was trailing off and he's sitting there going, oh, of course she knows, she knows, she knows, she knows. I'm just gonna say, she's an indiscretion between and obviously it's terrible of me doubt the princesses finish a sentence, girl. And when people are young, sometimes their indiscretions are. Yeah, she literally just didn't finish any of her sentences. And if she had just finished at least one of them, he probably would not have confessed. But her face when he did, Oh, there was a lot going on there. Yeah, of course there was an initial shock, but ah, it was her. It was It was because Runina had lied to her. She sat there and went on about Damon and made all her excuses about everything that had happened with Damon, and she had an opportunity there to, yeah, to say, something else happens. And all those things that we discussed before in episode four that everything that Alison's gone through, yes, all of those that you're right, all of those emotions. It was like her, you know, your emotions flashing before your eyes rather than your life. She just acted very well. I thought, I thought it was brilliant. But then she has a moment where she where she turns around and she has her back to and she looks like she's been possessed by auto high tower. She's channeled her in her dad and she's thinking, how am I going to make How am I going to win in this situation? How can I use this situation? Because then she turns round and just said you can go. Oh I read a different Oh no. She looked like she thought, what am I going to do with this? Well, yeah, I got what am I going to do with this? But I didn't get from a calculating channel and her dad's kind of vibe. I thought, I think what happened. What I saw was she was like, oh shit, she's lied to me. Well she didn't, she didn't not so much lie, but she she didn't fess up to this when she had the opportunity. And then maybe that means she's lying about Damon as well, and there's all the shock and everything she went through, you know, you know, lying on her back and taking it for everybody's series, and everything is all bubbled up, and she's processing that. And in that moment, he says to her, he basically says, can I just have a quick death? And what I saw in that moment was her going, oh no, I'm not comfortable. Was putting a man to death? I said that, Well, she was facing Now what did you see in her face when she turned around and had her back to him. I just thought she was just processing. Yeah, that was the moment for me where I thought, like, like I said, like channel or in our auto was thinking about what her dad had said to her. Yeah, in that moment, I'm sure that came in and that was part of the process. I need an ally. Yeah, there's there's no one here, Okay, I can't trust anyone. I'm going to use him as someone I can trust. Yeah, it could be true. I didn't think of it myself. It could be just one of those moments where you've looked a little bit deeper and saw something I didn't. Maybe it was that, maybe that is what was meant to be portrayed there possibly, but. It's interesting that you had a different perspective of it. Yeah, I just saw a processing and then I saw the the mood. There was definitely a mood change in her when he said can I have a quick day? And she was not comfortable at all with putting a man well. Up and she's like, oh no, no. I can't be responsible for that. In fact, I don't even know what to do with this information. I don't want this information. So right now I'm just going to send you on your way and you know, and I'm going to have a think about what I'm going to do with this. But I don't think she was manipulating. I don't think she was. She was contemplating an alliance at that time, I don't. I think that's something that does obviously does develop between the two of them, But think in that moment she was just processing and didn't want to be responsible for killing someone. But all that other stuff equally be true now that you've said it to me. It was something about the look on her face. Okay, that didn't it didn't look innocent Alison struggling anymore. There was something that crossed her face. Oh, she was angry. There was definite and anger flashing through her face at what Nia Runeia's betrayal as far as she's concerned and outrage Rinider getting to behave that way and always getting away with it. Well, she always has to be the good little girl. So yeah, like I said, I saw one thing, but what you've said could absolutely equally be true. Now that I look at and reflection with your works and is looking at it for your life and your lens is very fucking interesting to me in this moment. But yeah, that's that is exactly why we worked well together. I like that, right. Cool. So the only other topic of conversation to before we hit the feast is Viceeres's health. It's really on a decline in this episode. It really is. Forcly's puking on the boat. It looks so rough when he's with the Valerians and the cough and the shaky hands and the please don't touch my hands because I'm clearly covered in sores under these gloves and it hurts. Yeah, it's awful. His hair seems to be thinning a bit as. Well, and he's oh, yeah, he's definitely receding. Yeah, big time we've seen. Although way, it looks really thin from the front, but when you saw the back, he still had that you know, like half pony thing going on. It was still quite sick at the back. But he's definitely receding. He's he's looking old, he's hobbling a lot more. He's he's definitely on the decline. I actually got a note here from that that scene with the Masters, just before the Face and they're having this argument over this herbal polus or lee ches. I'm just like, I will take the herbs any day over the lee ches. His grace prefers the leecheese, you know, like, Okay, I'm just you know, trying something new, trying to move medicine along a bit with the next generation. Something less disgusting. Yeah, absolutely, so, Yeah, he's he's in a dark place as well. He was lying there contemplating the end and what his legacy is going to be, that sad and wishing that he'd been tested at some point instead of having a peaceful reign because all these challenges were family orientated, and those bloody stepstones that just won't go away. But yeah, he's he's definitely he's very contemplative. At that time he. Has he's experienced a lot of loss. Yes, he's lost his wife, he's lost his dragon. I think he's on the back of you know, he lost his father very well, that's where I was going to say. He lost his father very suddenly. And then all of a sudden there was this whole big counsel about who should be king and a position he thought he would never have. And you know that that all happened very quickly. And you know, I feel like the beginning of his reign he was really you know, just finding his feet. And then there's there's his wife and his babies, and there was other babies in between as well. He's had a hard time and this dragon and his yes, of course, the last man who like rides Blarry in the Black Dread and yeah, and that's sad. He's not a dragon rider, he's not a warrior. And his ancestors have all these well except his grandfather. His grandfather had you know, a time of peace, but his father was a warrior, although again it was very much of a time of peace. But he still down his bill on the brave though he rode Vagar. You know, that just gives you status straight away rider of Fagar status. So yeah, he's had a tough life and I feel like he feels like the end is coming. And we know he's got at least a decade left in him, but with his failing health, I think he feels it's coming sooner than that. Yeah, yeah, you totally get that vibe in this episode. Yeah, yeah, definitely. So yeah, that's where everybody is at the moment. So let's just recap. Nina and Vissers are pissed off with Damon. Yep. Now, Kristen is no happy about being a meat stick. It's just no on board with that. Alison is like a little wind up toy that you know everybody's had a go at it, and she's a coiled spring at this stage. Visaris, of course, is really really ill. Damon's killed his misses and carless. Valarian is living his best life. He is having a stonkery day, which brings us to the feast. So opening seeing of the Feast, Jefferson Hall, he is bloody brilliant. He is fast becoming one of my favorite characters as Jason is Thailand Lanistar, He's frightfully dull. Yeah, I haven't seen much personality I'm as Thailand, but as Jason. Oh my god, he's so funny, like because he's so awful, but oh dear that that moment, you know, he walks up to the table and it's like, I'd like to I'd like to offer my congratulations to the series who's getting married here, and I love that we need us. The one that answers goes, you're very welcome, very cool. So I absolutely love that. Yeah, he totally made it well, that part made it to my Funny Lines session. It's not even that funny. I just thought it was hilarious. Had to be there is when he's just he's giving it his best Jason, and the Bernina's just like your prisons saw was such a pleasure, Lord Jason. With the role of that, he's just like, yeah, okay, thanks by. So right after that, Hobart High Tower I think his name is he he goes to approach the Dais and it gets totally cut off by Gerald Royce. Yeah, and nobody argues with him because he's a grieving man. Absolutely, and yeah, I love the respect that venia anversaries paid to the passing of his niece and they were just about to offer help and they were loudly interrupted by the entrance of Carlis Valaria having his best day. Yeah, I'm gonna play that clip because it's just awesome. Lord of cars, our House Malaria, Lord of the Tides, Master of Drift Mark and his lady wife, Princess Renie Togeran and a fir Selena Valaria the Future King console. Yes, and this applause just is one. Absolutely love that for Carlas he's been waiting for an introduction like that his whole life. Absolutely, he's that that respect that he's just been craven. He got it all in that moment. But in this scene, I want to pay homage to Graham McTavish Harold Westerly. I feel like through this whole series, all he does is introduce people, and he's looked at his scripts and he's went, well, do you know what, See, If I'm going to introduce people all the time, and that's pretty much my only lines, I am going to be the best goddamn introducer that there ever fucking was, because it's like it's the Future King concept he's given that. It's just some belly like he really really is. I love him. Tavish is so underused in this show. He really is. I hope we see more of him next season actually, because he has been completely underused and so far, and while he did die in the books in the time jump, his character is still around at the end of season one, and so I'm hoping that we will see more of them next season. Finger And it's one of those things that we just don't know until we see it because it's not in the books. He's dead already, but he outlived his book Ritson so far, so there's a chance. And I'm liking that. So that's pretty cute. And he I think he just died of old age in the books and that there was there was no events just during this time and Harold Westerland died and that was just it was like a sentence, Oh that's all he got. So one of my favorites and totally underused. So yeah, this what happens after the Corliss entrance. I think they all come in, they take their seats and everything, and then we get that awkward. Awkward demon that's the one. Yeah, that was weird. Looks pissed. Oh he does. He's like, what's he going to do? Where you're not supposed to be here, dude, I kind of told you to fuck off back to Roundstone and you're not meant to be here. Just had your wife's cousin up. Yeah, everybody in this fucking room thinks you killed her, but you can't say any of that because it's a public event. So yeah, that's very, very awkward. But Matt Smith with that ever devilish smirk that he is attached to this character, damon, it's like part of his outfit. Now, Yeah, it's absolutely brilliant. He's such a naughty guy, like definitely, So yeah, gets up to give that speech, yes, yeah, and then he's cut off. He certainly his speech by another entrance well delivered, Graham. Let's give Gammy's credit here. But yeah, there was a different mood when she walked in. Yeah, yeah, definitely that was that was a moment. He was not impressed. And it's is it a lot of Strong talking to Harwin Strong. It's ha Strong, Yeah, saying about. That's the way that the light's delivered. But I love it. It's like, do you know what color the beacon burns? When the old town calls it's banished to war? And he was like it's just that total brother relationship there, just like yeah, little brother, I told you that. But yeah, that was funny. And it's weird seeing those two together and thinking that they're brothers, because I forget that sometimes because they're so very different. You've never really seen I don't think we ever really see them together. We haven't up to now. No, No, I've not seen any interactions with them until that. So it was good that it was a proper brother moment. It's like dull little brother. So yeah, green for war and she meant it. And she got our recognition from her uncle as well for that. Old Town stands with you, Yes. They do. And she's becoming a person in her own her own right now. She's no longer our father's puppet. She's making her own decisions and they're dangerous decisions, but she made that and she made it very very publicly, So that was very interesting. Did you have any other notes on on that part? Just her very stony faced congratulations step daughter. Oh yeah, it was very cold, wasn't it. It was very cold and they all felt it. Yep. So yeah, Alison looking strong. Yes, So you know, the Senes carries on with his speech and there's lots of exchanges of looks in this moment. Everybody, you know, Damon's look at it. Some drums and looks. Yeah, oh the just the daggers flying across the room unless it's Damon, and then he's smirking. He's always smirking, and Christian Cole is like struggling. You can see he is not comfortable, he's not happy. The poor boy's broken hearted. But he's being watched from across the room. He's also still in limbo as to what the Queen's going to do with the information that she has, but didn't give him a an answer. Is such, she just dismissed him, so he must have all this going on, and. He's like, is there going to be repercussions? You know he's ah boiling kettle, Yeah, definitely, And he's being watched from across the room and they can see by his demeanor it's got to be him. Yeah, he's got to be the one. And Geoffrey are well, Geoffrey has figured it out and he's total having a bitch with his man. He's like, I figured it out by. The yeah, exactly. Gossiping, Yeah, a couple of gossip and queens. Yeah, yeah, definitely. So, yeah, they're there, I and him across the room. He's got made that jocobou and being contstruckt and and after that the dancing begins, you know, late Lenor and Rania, and I'm just thinking, I've got to note here about all the proud parents as there as they're watching them on the dance floor. And but again, the music it doesn't feel very party is it's very drum oriented, which is I always interpret drums for battle, and. Yeah, I think it's building tension, isn't it is? It was a clever choice of music and that scene to go with the drums. Yeah, because and I feel like if you if I think thinking back, I mean, I really have to actually go and listen to it again. But off the top of my head, I feel like right before the Rains of Castemere and the Red Wedding scene, it was the same, right before the music changed, it was that drumming and drumming thing going on, because that's that scene that in that scene, the drummer from Snow Patrol is one of the musicians up there, basically got the he's playing the baran in that scene. And yeah, so it's very drum it's that cat building the tension, but something's going to happen. So yeah, it was really really good music choice, I feel because it's got all these looks are going on. Meanwhile, these drums are going and as a viewer, you're sitting there going something's going to happen. Everybody's smiling, but something's going to happen. It's definitely going to kick off here just where because as we've been going on through the whole of episode four and five, all this stuff has been brewing every since brewing, and there's a moment for everyone in this scene of a climax of what's been brewing over the last two episodes. So yeah, I love it. When they're dancing, Lena makes that joke about dancing and combat not being that and he was like, well, I'll hope for a different outcome. So that was cool. Geoffrey didn't like the dance No, he was not comfortable with them having their moment on the dance floor. So he continued to go and be a bitchy queen, didn't. He He did, And that's where he goes to He goes to stir it up. But before there I've got my next note. That was just when I was taking these notes I was doing. This is the day that I discovered voice notes were easier, And I'm they're just comment and everything and every little thing that happened. So my next note is Damon looks amused. So Damon's like so at the dancing. I remember it's like Geoffrey was just not happy with the dancing. But Damon looks amused. Yeah, he's highly entertained by the whole scene. And this is when this is actually when the old town stands with Alison. Thing happens then, and this is when Gerald Royce confronts Damon, and wow, he was very, very very cheeky. Actually, I'm going to play that clip In the. Veil, men are made to answer for their crimes. Even Tulgarians, who are you of a room start. Sing and ye see that's a drum music. Grand cousin to your leged lady wife. Ah, yes, terrible thing. I'm positively bereft. You know better than anyone. It was no accident. Are you're confessing some guilts of general? Oh? I am making an accusation, you know. In King's Landing, men are made to answer for their slanders, even old Bronze Cancel like you. Truth is, I'm glad you've come. I wished to speak to you about my inheritance. Oh come, Lady Rear. And I had no heirs as her husband whatever she was now passes to. Me the brass neck of our inherit of Runestone. You know, after my niece's wedding, I planned to fly to the area and petition Lady Jane and myself. Perhaps I'll see you there, Sir Gerald. Oh, damn man, that's absolutely shokuan, Sir Sir Gerald's poor face, I know, Uh, he just couldn't believe what he was here at. It was the moment when he's heart and he's like, are you confessing to some guilt? Just like, oh, my god, you have absolutely no shame whatsoever? Do you. Oh he's a horrible, horrible person. Why do I love him so much? I have no idea that says something about me. I suppose take what you will from that listener. Ah, but yeah, And then at this point I was it's getting really tense. So this is the point where Geoffrey goes to speak to Kristen and like it's a great speech. What he said, kind of made sense. It's just the worst time and ever, wasn't it. Yeah, oh god, so the battle. Drums are rising, Damon's stunning, and that's it. This time with Runia. Oh no, sorry that first of all. With Lena, Yeah, yeah, they have they have a moment. Oh it does actually have a really funny line that he says, Oh he does, doesn't he You're almost prettier than your brother. Almost and again this mark, but she receives it, well, she does. Actually, I really like her character. She is a very very cool, good lady. I like her she certainly I think she can handle him, Yeah, definitely. So it's it's so obvious this party is going to endle the bag. So then of course he goes to Rania and they have this conversation in the middle of the dance floor that gets quite heated. The Valarian. Yeah, it's all Valerian. But she's basically saying, well, come on, then, if you want me, take me, throw me over your shoulder, fly me on, dragging back away to dragon Stone and you know, knock out all these kings guard on the way, you know, if that's what. Yeah, she says a bit like a sort of vibe of TikTok. Yeah, time's a ticket. Yeah, if you want me, I'm getting married in the next week. Yeah, so you better get on with it. But she completely challenges them in that moment, and Vasseris is watching this from across the room. He's got his eyes on that, and yeah, it was, it was. It was getting very tense, and of course it's it's it's not long after that that the screaming begins. That's what distracts the series from the fact that this keat conversations going on in the dance for and it's just ah. The scene is just carnage. Everybody's scrambling and people are like, where are my loved ones? What's going on? And it was brutal, wasn't it. There. There was a bit in it where just let me find my notes, so I've got Harwin comes to the rescue for the second time. He does because he he came to a rescue in when she was in the streets and she was chased when they thought she was a wee boy. What does she steal? Was that harbor? That was harbe. Oh, I didn't even realize that. Was hard one. Are you sure? I'm sure I'm positive. Okay, right, I didn't. I didn't realize that was Harwin. Then, and he then comes to a rescue again. He kicks it up, gets the nods from his dad. Us. Yeah, he's like, kind of can I go. It, starts knocking people over like skills, yes, and then picks her up and puts her over his shoulder. It's like, get the princess out there. Yeah. And yeah, well I did not know that it was him in the street. I just thought it was some random city Watch guy. And you know, you're right. She does call him by name, but I didn't quite hear it. Yep, I remember it's sir Harbin. Oh god, right, okay, And that's why you're absolutely sure. Absolutely, because because obviously didn't hear it. Being a rewatch, I thought, oh wait a minute. Yeah, so yeah, I went right over my head, totally zoned out. I must have been typing a note at the time, yeah, probably writing a note and completely missed it. So ye yeah, okay, So second time he's come to a rescue, that's cool. You can see why that she she ends up being attracted to him. It's kind of like her night in Shining Armor because another night in Shining Armors fell out with her. Yeah, so yeah, like all the scream is going on for series. Looks like he's about ready to collapse. Yeah, he's bleeding from his nose. Yeah, he's nose. He's bleeding onto the table. He's leaning over on the table. Note again, he's quite unwell. Oh dear, something wal Kristen called us to Geoffrey though, I just a bit marchy. Yeh, March. He's taken all of that emotion and all that rage on that poor boy's face has. I'd like, I'm a fan of producers violence and TV shows. It's like the grocer of the kill. I'm like, yes, like that was awesome, But in this instance I was a bit like, whoa right, you can stop now. It's it's a bit March. It was. But in my next note after that is the party sucks because that's when people just start departing. They just they all turn around and they just start leaving. And that follows into a really sucky wedding too, it does. But this this scene, the whole kind of the ending of that episode and that wedding scene and visually and the music, it all really was quite cool because you've got all the left not really leftovers there. It's like Mary Celeste. Yeah, folk have just left their dinners on the table and it's all just sitting there and there's there's blood on the floor and yeah, and they're having this wedding and they're both. Tall and they're not running down Leanor's face. Yeah, and they're reading and then there's this piano music and it goes to Sir Christen Cole and he's ready to take his own life. Yeah. The what's that big tree called? Well, it's the where tree in the gods. Yes, he's in the Godswood. Clearly not remembering my history. This is why you're here. Yeah, and then you've still got this lovely piano music going. And then Alison comes out says his name stops, and then it's it's it's just that it goes off, tails off with the piano music and sort of the picture pans out of all this blood on the floor. Yeah. Yeah, it was awful. It's like because they were then it was supposed to be a week of festivities. Yeah, but after that they were just married that night. Yeah, how could you carry on festivities after that? No, the party was ruined. Absolutely, would it was just like, Okay, let's just get to the wedding now, and they both did what they needed to do, have carried out their duty. It just felt so bad for Lenoor in that scene that it was his lover's blood was still on the floor. No one had even handed him a tissue glass, and man, that was it was awful. But to come back to the Christian gold thing, he was disgraced in his mind, he had disgraced himself and the only thing left to do was was to take his own life to following his own sword, and he was more than prepared to do so in nice time. And on Allison's part that she intervened. But from what I remember the rest of the sails, that is the start of an alliance that's quite problematic. Yeah so but yeah, and then vas series collapses and we're left thinking, oh no, is this the end for Vissaris. Sorry, I was totally laughing over my sadness about the end of the series. Have totally got piano Music's thud. Your notes that is my notes, Oh yeah, because but that is kind of how it went down. I can't really blame you. You try to take notes quickly. Yeah, yeah, And because there was all of this going on. As I've just said, it's very yep, there's so much emotion. The music's really great. Yeah, it's all you don't want to miss anything, so you're type of notes as fast as you can, and then you go back to the podcast letter look at your nose and oh, for goodness sakes, thud. Really yeah, absolutely, So that brings us to the end of main plotlines. We were going to take a short break just now and then we'll be back to discuss the dragons. So dragon section was pretty sparse this week. There's very few dragon sightings in West of US. Yeah, what do we have an episode for? There was just that moment when Rania was on the ship and Karaxy swoops in, yeah and nearly knocks her out, And I'm just thinking, actually, I I did have thoughts on this, see, like what was Deamon up to? Like is he just typical Damon at the wind up? Why are you being a pain? Yeah? Exactly? Did he know Raniera was on that ship because it would have been you know, ships fly flags. Yeah, so maybe maybe we were just saying hi, Riania. That was every car acxis just had a we whoops. Yeah, totally that just like I need a we dip, you know, I'm just going to go down in the water have a we splash. Oh look a ship? Who can I wind up? So a little bit of mischief from Damon and Karaxis and then other than that, there. Was sea smoking mellies flying in for the face. Yeah. Yeah, it was just a wee moment of Dragonfly lasted about ten seconds. Yep, that's all We're getting pacts. That is the whole dragon section. So did you have any other funny lines? No? I think I said all my funny lines and the major plot, but they needed to flow there. Yeah, so this one, I only got one that we haven't mentioned, and it wasn't really a funny line. It was more when Venia was talking about her betrothed but at that moment, the feet and Jason Lanster face as she says, by Patroth and he was like, so there was a wee moment there in this moment. I wish it wasn't a podcast that I could actually show you the face, but you saw the episode. If you didn't see it, go back and have another look. It's funny. So yeah, that was all my funny lines. You got any other notes. No, my notes were all covered. So I mean we mentioned that Alison was struggling with motherhood. The only other note that I have here was just the line of his hand now after O's departure. Yeah, he's been there throughout the whole thing, but we never actually gave a mention to that. So yeah, that was it. And there was one other thing that I want. I wanted to make a couple of corrections, so I did some wiki dive in and stuff like that while I was doing some research and also re listening to that particular part of the book as well. And there was a couple of things. We were debating how old Alison was a couple episodes ago, and I found out that she was eighteen at the time she married. For seies, Okay, everybody's age is absolutely on point with the books, except Raniera's. They've made Renia older. So Rania was age eight when her mother died, nine when her father married, when her father married Alisent right, and five years later at their wedding anniversary, making Riniera fourteen was the first time when they wore the dresses that got them the names the Blacks and the Greens, right, Okay, that was the same summer that Damon came home and spent a lot of time with Rania, as we covered earlier in the episode, which makes that stuff a whole lot worse because she was fourteen years old while this was going on. But yeah, I just wanted to add to that, which leads me on to my next point, which was, it could have been a whole lot worse no matter how much of a no feeling we got during that, it could have been a whole lot worse, because I remember from the books the sept and Eustace's version of events was that damonstroduced Rania in her bedchamber and they were caught by Eric Carter Gill. And then there was the whole thing that we actually saw in the episode. Off give her to me now instead, and Seri sent them away. But mushrooms version of events, oh dear, were much more sinister. Mushroom's version of events was that it went on for months. He was taking her out all the time. Started off giving her kissing lessons, all in the name of seducing Christian cole right, teaching her to seduce Christian call. He started giving her kiss and lessons, and then he moved on to pleasuring a man with touch, an act that Mushroom himself was often involved in due to his infamous huge cock exactly. And then. He took her out to rocks in a blackwater bay where they ran around naked all day and she practice the yard of pleasuring a man with her mouth. Okay, well, I can see how that is not acceptable for screen, and it's not acceptable for a fourteen year old actress to be doing that. Well, absolutely not. And of course we've got this whole thing where it's Mushrooms versions of events, versions stepty versus set and useace, I think, and they to find a middle ground that is the truth, because that would just not it wouldn't have gone down well at all on TV. No. Yeah, which brings me to another point actually, which reminds me they did the same thing in Game of Thrones because Denaries was thirteen when she married Caldrogo. All right, okay, yeah, well yeah, it's that same thing. There was no way they were going to get away with a thirteen year old girl doing her wedding night. No, So yeah, this is that they've changed this one detail. They've changed it just for screen, because I mean, who can blame them. Yeah, no, absolutely so, and I'm glad that we've solved it finally. So I know it's like, why is she that age and why is she died? So yeah, Alison is eleven years older than Venia in the books. But what they've done in the TV show, and I think they might have made Alison a little younger as well. Not in it's not much they've made her younger, it's that they've replaced the timeline of events. So they were still, according to the history books, born in the years that they were born, but they've just moved these events till they were a little bit older. Yeah. So the thing with Runia and day Man was fourteen in the books, they made it seventeen in the show, and so yeah, but glad we got to the bottom of that. The other correction I wanted to make was something I said about there being no valarians in the Duncan Egg Times. I don't know for sure what valarians are kicking around them Duncan Egg Times, but I do know now that there were valarians in Game of Thrones. Oh right, okay, so so yeah, they would have been there then. So they would have been there during the Dunken Egg period as well, but they are at the time of Game of Thrones. They are a lesser house that is sworn to Stanis Barathiam. That's quite sad now that we know how far they fell. Yeah, yeah, that really is so. Yeah. House Villarian is sworn to Stanus by the time we get to Game of Thrones, but they are a lesser house of not even enough significance to get a mention in the show. They are mentioned in the books right, very briefly, but at least their name was mentioned. That is really sad. So yeah, that was a couple of corrections that I wanted to make. Before we move on to our Arab So in these two episodes, the first person that we said goodbye to was General Bracken. He should have picked on someone his own size, Yes, he should have. Absolutely that we man had some balls. He did. And the next person that we said goodbye to was Rea Royce. It was and she definitely had some balls. She definitely did. She was a feisty lady and while we only knew her for a few minutes, I'm sad to see her go. Yes, absolutely, I would have liked to have seen more of her. Yes, and finally we said goodbye to Jeoffrey Longman the Night of Kisses. I don't know why, no, and no one does. He doesn't will, we never will. It's sad to say him go for Leaner. He loved him clearly, so much in such a shocking, violent and horrific way. He was just trying to make a little bit of an alliance so that him and his lover could find a way to be together. And he thought that because he knew what was going on with them, that Kristen Cole would be approachable. And he had his own shit going on. It was a fatal mistake. Yes, it was a bit cocky in the moment. To be fair, it was not that, you know, he absolutely did not deserve what he got, but he maybe underestimated the situation massively. Yes, So rest in peace, Geoffrey Lommouth, Real Royce and Gerald Brackett. Now time for fun facts. Oh great, bring the tone up a little bit. Okay, So for episode four, I have got so when Rania holds the Valerian steel dagger in the fire, the inscribed words are revealed, from my blood come the prince that was promised, and his will be the song of ice and fire. These are almost the same words that Regar Targarian said about his son Eggon in a vision Denaries saw at the House of the Undying, and it's also in a clash of King's chapter for eight. He he is the prince that was promised, and his is the song of ice and fire. So those exact same word us again the next one. As Milly Olcock told The New York Post that when filming the Brothel or seen in the episode, director Claire Kilner made sure that she and Matt Smith hadn't seen any of the extras until they were shooting. She said it was quite shocking and kind of weird and silly. As they made their way through the naked bodies, she said, there were extras who we had just met, who were like sixty nine, and for twelve hours long, it's pretty narly. We felt pretty overdressed because everyone else there was nude. This episode title refers to a title used by claimants to the Stepstones in the Southern Narrow Sea. The first person to style himself the title was Damon Targarian in the novels, The full title is King of the Stepstones and the Narrow Sea. The next one, the Parade of Suitors for Rania, takes place at Storm's End, the seat of House Brathian. We were asking that there we go. This episode marks the first time we see the castle on either Game of Thrones or this show. There had been plans to feature the castle in the background during the parley between Stanis and Renley Brathian, but the budget wouldn't allow it. Well, that's really cool that we got to see at this time, and that'll be why we didn't recognize it. Well, yes, and you know what I was thinking is that there was a very very famous battle during the time of the conquest that was fought there, and I would love to, you know, like see more, to actually live the land around it, etc. To you know, picture where that battle happens, because that'd be interesting. Finally, in the episode, we see Lucas Blackwood and a boy from House Bracken argue and fight until they kill each other. In the books by George R. R. Martin, the classic feud between the Brackens and the Blackwoods is often mentioned. If a lord one of the families chooses one side, the lord of the other family chooses the other side. Just out of Spie in the series itself. In the future, the two houses will fight on opposite sides of the Targarian Civil War, the Blackwoods with the Blacks and Rania and the Brackens with the Greens and egg On the second analysent. Interesting. So that is our episode for fun facts. Now with you for episode five. Okay, The first one is the title of this episode. We Light the Way is the motto of House High Tower Cool. The next one is Johnny Start Again. Jeoffrey Lommouth's death at the hands of Kristin Call differs significantly from the novel. In the novel, Geoffrey was fatally injured by Kristin in a tourney joust and died several days afterwards, as opposed to the show where Kristin beats him to death at Rania's wedding fast. The next one this episode marks the first appearance of Rainy's these dragon Melly's nicknamed the Red Queen. Rainies can be seen riding her she Dragon alongside her son Lane or on his dragon Sea Smoke when the Valarians arrive at Kingslanding. And you do totally see that it's a red dragon. Yeah, yeah, she's she looks badass. Yeah. In the scene set aside set inside the Castle High Tide. In the scenes set inside the Castle High Tide, the Valarians home on the island of drift Mark, there are many references to Corliss Villarians nine Voyages, most notable of which is the name of his great hall, the Hall of Nine. Yeah, there we go. So those are are fun facts for this episode. Now it's time for the news. What in news have you got for us at this time? Ever? So we've got a wee interview with Matt Smith. Yeah, so it starts. The twisted Turgerian family tree is on the way back to prime time with House of the Dragon season two, and HBO went all out with the trailers to set up the Blacks versus the Greens, with the majority of season one stars reprising their roles for the second season. Matt Smith, ak Demon Targerion himself has shared reservations he had about joining the series after the phenomenon of gamith Rons. Oh okay, So, Matt Smith was arguably the best known member of the House of the Dragon cast ahead of season one, thanks to Doctor Who in the Crown, Yes, and readers of George R. R. Martin's Fire and Blood knew that anybody playing Demon would be portraying a tricky character. According to Variety, however, the complications of the Rogue Prince weren't what concerned him about joining the first Game of Thrown spin off. He shared what he told creators Ryan Condell and Miguel sapotch Neck during the cast process. My concern is that we've seen the story told. That's the first thing I said. Okay, it was a valid concern. Game of Thrones had only ended with its divisive series finale a year earlier in twenty nineteen, when Matt Smith met with the creators in twenty twenty about possibly playing Demon, so not a long period of time. It's not really The final season heavily featured the only remaining branch of the Tigerian family tree, and culminated in one of the last two killing each other. That kind of conflict already began in House of the Dragons season one, and is set to continue in season two, although on a much larger scale than Danny and John. Yes. Of course, fans who were burned by the Game of Thrones finale might have been wary of the House of the Dragon, not least because premiering epic Fantasy in twenty twenty two was very different from Game of Thrones coming out of nowhere in twenty eleven. Big time, Yeah, Yeah, very different. The era of peaked t has ended since final credits rolled on Thrones. As Matt Smith observed, audiences have changed. The way TV is consumed has changed. You can see a market saturate itself and envelop itself and become obsolete. Expectations are different in the House of the Dragon era versus Game of Thrones era, not least because streaming and binge watching are popular ways of consuming television nowadays. There are also more fantasy TV options than there was in the Game of Thrones days, Absolutely so much more, ranging from Netflix, The Witch, Are Love That Too, Prime Videos, The Lord of the Rings, Power Yeah. Matt Smith went on to tell the outlet that while comparisons between House of the Dragon and Thrones were unavoidable, when you're standing on the shoulders of a show that really got into the culture of xek geist of the world, he didn't expect the show to match its predecessor. He went on, in a way, I was lucky because I had that in Doctor Who Bit, but it just feels like people judge it on its own terms. You're never going to create that moment in time that Game of Thrones was. The love and affection and scale of that show is never going to be that because it was a moment in time. Oh it so was. It may be for the best that House of the Dragon can't recreate Game of Thrones moment in time, as all that love and affection for the show made disappointment and the ending hit all the harder for fans who didn't get what they wanted to see in the series finale back in twenty nineteen. I feel that I get that the two shows are also very different. For all that they are the same theme song and set in the Seven Kingdoms, at that very least there are there are a whole lot more dragons and plenty of insects that isn't considered taboo in this shows that centuries before John Snow and Co. Took center stage and Game of Thrones. Fortunately for fans who've been missing The House of the Dragon for the better part of two years now, season two will arrive well as we know June sixteenth, yes, nine pm. Not here in America. If you want to revisit the first season in the meantime. You can do so on any streaming site. That has it, Yes, absolutely, Or you can just listen to our podcast and hope for the best. Yes absolutely, We'll keep you up to date on what happened. I'll give you a wee refresher at least. And I know a lot of people do that. You know, rather than rewatch a show, they might go and listen to a podcast about a show. Yeah, memory, they could do that while they're driving. Absolutely, I do definitely, So tell your friends. So, yeah, that's interesting, you know, it's right though, that whole it was a moment in time, the thing with Games Ones. I mean I was one of the few people that got into one of the few people that I know, should I say that got into it very early on before for the hype. Yeah, I watched it. Season one had just finished when I started to watch it. I think it was it was rounded. It was only a couple of episodes of season one left to go when I jumped on. My friend said, I was like trying to talk to her on the phone one night and she's like, listen, I'm going to go because my show's coming on and it's really good and I really like this show and you'd really love it too. You should check it out. And that was it. I was hooked, absolutely hooked. Yeah, and then the hype came later, and by then I'd read all the books as well, so it was it was a moment in time that will never be recreated, not And I mean, don't get me wrong, there will be another show sometime that just grips everybody and gets us all and but they can't recreate that in such a short space of time with a spin off on the same subject. Any other is going to be on a new show. Yeah, So yeah, me wrong. Though. House of the Dragon is absolutely abasic. I'm absolutely loving it and enjoying our rewatch. So yeah, I've got one other here, and it's quite a long article, so I'm I'm going to read bits of it rather than the whole thing. So again, it's another interview with Matt Smith's I'm laughing here because at the same time I'm saying that I'm reading something and half a paragraph down that we found a musing So we'll get to that. So on House of the Dragon, HBO's fantasy epic that takes place two centuries before Game of Thrones. Matt Smith plays Damon, a warrior prince who exists among fire breathing reptiles and palace intrigue. But if his character was ever to leap deeper into the supernatural, Smith has some ideas about where he could go. I think Matt Smith says, Damon would make a really good vampire. I can imagine him wandering the earth alone for attorney, I can see that, yeah, totally. And he goes on to say he certainly has the color in pallid and platinum blonde. Damon looks as if he could have arrived in the forbidding and dark world of Westerns, all the way from Transylvania. But he might be too hot, bloody to play the vampire. And House of the Dragon a prequel to the emmy gobbling, earth shattering hit Game of Thrones, it's unlikely to pivot into creature horror. Well that's not true. We had White Walkers, which were practically zombies. Oh yeah, yeah, so that is creature horror as far as I'm concerned. But it's easy to understand what Smith, the English actor who went into the series. August twenty twenty two premiere as the best known member of the House of the Dragon ensemble means it's easy to know. TA means but he's vampirically two thirsty, too isolated, and too much of a creature of the night to really rain. He'd probably make a terrible king. Matt Smith says, Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean that much is clear, which is a shame he's married to the queen. This is a problem. After the show enters its second season and Damon is setting off on his own to settle scores and rally troops for the war to come. Yes, you never really know which way he's going to go, Smith says over a recent lunch in New York. I always viewed him as an agent of chaos. It's not the first time that Smith added a daring touch of uncertainty to a familiar property. In two thousand and nine, when he was twenty six, Matt Smith was announced as the youngest ever doctor on the iconic British sci fi serial Doctor Who, and despite the risk of turning off loyalists to the previous doctor, the phenomenally popular David Tennant, one fans over. I would walk down the street and people will say, don't break Doctor because they had no idea who I was. He'd consider turning the role down briefly, but my agent very quickly was like, you're doing it. Thank god. Once the world knew him. He originated the character of Prince Philip in twenty sixteen opposite Clairefoys Queen Elizabeth on The Crowd? Do you watch the Crowd? No? Oh, it's brilliant, so good. He was brilliant in it. That's why I find it really hardy when he's doing his posh accent and he's trying to be medicine and I just see Prince Philip. It's quite hard. No, he is good. I'm not saying he's not good in his role. There's just moments where I'm like, oh, there's Prince Philip. Oh there's doctor Who. So where were we? Blah blah blah. This is a terribly long article, people, and I don't feel like they're really saying much more in here other than recapping stuff that happens throughout the season, So orders wrap it up there. But I did find the stuff about Daman being a vampire quite entertaining. Yeah, me too, have the stuff about I might not do Doctor Who. You're doing it. That's brilliant. That makes me laugh. So yeah, I'm just gonna call it there and say we've heard the best bits of that article and we'll be wrapping up the show there. So thank you for listening. Fox. Here's how you can contact us. We will be back next time with episode six, The Princess and the Queen. If you want to contact us, you can head over to our website, The unreel Hour dot com, where you can find links to our social media and Patreon to review. Like following subscribe, you can also leave us a voice message that we might use on the show. Finally, you can email us at talk at the unrelour dot com. If you like what we're doing here and you want to support the show, then visit Patreon dot com slash the unrelour to show your support, where you can subscribe for ad free listening, early access episodes, and exclusive content. If you don't want to commit to a monthly subscription, then you can buy us a coffee at buy me a Coffee dot com slash the Unrelour. All your donations will go back into the show to cover costs and keep the lights on. Once again, thanks for listening until next time. Keep it on real