"The Heirs of the Dragon" (HOTD S1EP1) (ACOIAF #2)

Hi, the Sarah's Targarian. First of his name, think of the Angels and the Rhino and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and protector of the Realm. Do hear my name? We're near a targarian, princess of Dragonstone and heir to the Iron Throne. Welcome to the Unreal Hour. Hi, Welcome Ershaw. I'm Fiona and I'm Emma. We're covering the first episode of season one of How the Dragon, titled The Airs of the Dragon. The episode was directed by Miguel Sapotchnik. It was written by Ryan Condall. Those two are both showrunners for the co showrunners for this season awesome, and next season it's just Ryan Condall showrunner for season two, so I thought that was quite interesting. So Miguel directed this episode. He's responsible for Game of Thrones, of course, Altered Carbon Iron Fist Revolution, which I loved. Did you see Resovolutions? I haven't seen that, but I really loved it. But it was one of those shows that got canceled on a big, massive cliffhanger after season two, and I was really disappointed not to see the end of that because it looked like it was going in a good direction. He's also responsible for Banshee, which is another one that's on my list. I've seen the first couple episodes. I thought it was a just was watching too many things at the time, and I've never got around to getting back to it. Will be Yourself. No, I've never seen it, but again it's it's on my list, it's been recommended multiple times, so we need to give that a watch at some point. Yeah, I think so. Ryan Condall is responsible for Colony, and there was a few others there, but I didn't take a note that I don't recognize the TV shows, then I don't feel like I've got any right to comment on it. I would agree with that the music was written by the fabulous ram and Joade of course, who's responsible for the Game of Thrones theme and music of Game of Thrones. That's so exciting. I know he is fabulous. He likes a lot of strings and cello. It totally works, it does so Actually, the music Game of Thrones was absolutely outstanding. So knowing that we've got the same guy going into the House of the Dragon inspires me with confidence. Of lots of moving epic music, stringersrendos, and yes, I'm excited. I'm very, very excited. So Ramon Jibadi is responsible for Clash of the Titans, iron Man. He does games as well. It was a couple of the Medal of Honor games TV shows, prison Break, West World Awesome, and I won a couple of Emmys for those, a couple of Game of Thrones episodes, particularly my favorite, The Long Night. I do love that episode. I do love the music, but that one's your favorite, So that's my absolute favorite, that's my standout. So glad to have Miguel back on board for the episode by episode music and not just the theme, and that's so cool. What did you think of the episode overall? Emma? The episode was great, It really was. I thought it was a fantastic opening to the show. I think because we've waited so long since Game of Thrones finished to this starting, it's very reminiscent, it definitely, and it brings you right back to Western US. Oh I did. I got all those exciting buzzies seeing all the little bits that were you know, kings landing and that opening scene of the opening scene. Well before we get into the opening scene, though, let's discuss that little intro just before with the council because that ties right into where we left off in our intro episode. So that council scene, I mean, what stood out for me immediately was Harenhall in all its glory and ruin, particularly the ruin. For me, it just it was amazing. Oh definitely. You just see what Valerian and egg On the Conqueror did to that place. It was so huge and imposing. I just thought it was absolutely stunning despite being a ruin. Yeah, and so far on from when it happened, it's still in use in a ruined state. Even still in Game of Thrones time, which is three hundred years after it's been ruined. People are still getting that Lord of Harem Hall title, which is apparently cursed because everyone that gets that die afterwards. So yeah, but it was great to say Haron Hall properly because we never really did in Game of Thrones. We saw scenes with Aria in the courtyard and Taiwan and having meetings in some random room within the building, but we never really saw the full extent. Oh yeah, I know. It was breathtaking, to be honest with Yeah. So they were discussing there, basically bringing the viewers up to speed in a couple of paragraphs, but nicee king Jeharris, it was. It was lovely to see Jeharris there, although he never got a line, but he whooped the part. He certainly did, sitting there on his throwne. The council itself that what it was there for was to decide the succession as Jeherris had lost his two older sons. It said in the title they'd lost both his sons, which is a slight embellishment on what's written in the books, because he had another son he was vague on. I think he was the third son, but he wanted nothing to do with ruling. He wanted nothing to do with dragons. He became a septin, so he was suggested briefly and he was like, no way of not doing that. So they didn't even mention him at all in the show because he's not really necessary. Do we have Vissari's on one side, Lenny's on the other side. Yes, The Sais looked a little nervous. He did look he wasn't coveting the role at all. He looked a little bit overwhelmed. Yeah, so that was that was interesting to see. Right from the start. He looked very, very hesitant. So what did you think of that same comparison to what you've read in the book. I think visually how they bring out the scroll with the it's going to be and at that time, Je Harris was very old, he lost Alison, and the look on his face, he looks a bit surprised. It totally depicts old lost man. Yeah, and he opens the scroll up and I just I thought it looked on his he looked confused and surprised. Split. So I mean it was a fault. And if I remember rightly, it was twenty to one the series. I know that the Barathians and the Starks, of notable family names both backed for Rainy's claim, although in the book it was it wasn't Rainy's that who was being decided against the series was it it was her younger son Lenor Lenor that's the one. So Rainey's wasn't sitting there looking for herself to be chosen as next in line. It was she was hoping for it to go through her to her son. I actually think it was her unborn child at that point, and they didn't know if it was going to be a boy or a girl, but they were pretty certain that it would be an air but it turned out to be Lena. They had Lenor two years later. Oh right, yeah, yet coming back to me and now thanks. So yeah, that was that was a wee twist there, but I think it was just it just simplified it. Yeah, it really did. So that looked absolutely amazing and got us all up to speed very quickly on these initial main characters. I love this Emma Darcy that does the voiceover. Yeah, so older Ranera. Yeah, yeah, that was. That was actually really cool because you're going in and then you don't and you don't realize who's doing the voice over until she says the Seri's my father, yeah, and then you're like, oh okay, So Emma Aaron is pregnant in this scene. I believe this is one of the the babes that she lost, because I believe Na was about four years old at the time of the Great Council. And then we jump forward at this point to our opening scene, which is eleven years l It says on the screen that is nine years. That's the ninety year of the series rule. But you Haas actually died a couple of years after the Great Council, so it then becomes an eleven year time jump, which was one hundred and seventy two years before Robert's rebellion, So that is quite a distance to before Game of Thrones, which just that that in itself just immediately like, yes, I love a good prequel. I don't know about you. What a grind to cover there, Yeah, definitely, which is why we had to do a prequel episode to do this, because we love a good prequel. So let's let's get it. Let's talk about that opening scene. It's fantastic, wasn't it. Yeah, about the clouds, and then you see the dragon, your dragon roar, Oh, it's so cool. Absolutely, Well, then you've got fifteen year old Rania and she's on dragging back. Definitely. I love the way as the dragons flying in over kings Land, and I love those wide shots that we got of the city as we're coming in. We saw the dragon pit and all its glory because the Dragon Pit is we know it and Game of Thrones was are ruined by this point, So see the dragon pit and all its glory and those super wide shots of the city that just it's just the scale was on another level to anything we saw in Game of Thrones. Yeah, but I think it really rings through the time that it was, yes, being on dragon back and that's the view that the Targarians had of the world from up there. Yeah, yeah, that's really interesting. Actually, I hadn't thought about that. I like that. So the set as well. The set was just like once you get down onto the ground and then you start to see the streets, the Red Keep itself was just absolutely phenomenal. I don't think we've ever had any good shots like that of it before. No, I don't think that it was like it was so familiar, like it's so new. Yeah. At the same time, I think they did a really really, really good job of taking us to a new level visually, just in those first couple of minutes. It's absolutely outstanding. The other thing that really stood out for me, which comes later on, of course, but the Iron Throne. The Iron Throne was fantastic. We've never seen it like that ever, never It's just the Throne itself without all those extrasaurs going down the stairs, and it was just epic. I actually found that that very first scene when Rania walks in to talk to Damon and they're talking in high Valeria yeah, and I didn't. I had to remind it because I couldn't read the high Valaria well the subtitles because I was too busy looking at the throat. I ended up having to rewind it the first time I watched it because I was I had no idea what the dialogue was. Went right over my head. What did you think? No, I was pretty much the same apart of the scene itself, totally set up the creepy uncle vibes with the weird Valerian steel necklace and you know, the weird putting it on her like she's his girlfriend and the whole sort. Yeah, I was very creepy uncle as the way looks are. Yeah, it's yeah, Matt Smith totally got the creepy uncle vibe down. He certainly does. I never I would never have thought it off him prior to that doctor who is not creepy uncle. No, definitely not. But he definitely definitely gave off the right vibes. Yeah, he played the part well, that is the part that I believe he was supposed to be playing. Yeah, So yeah, he did a great job of that. So yeah, we've got this amazing brand new set, improved CGI. We're only a couple of minutes in and we've already had some dragonfly. Yeah, I'm so excited. So let's talk about some more of the characters. Actually, we've already talked about Damon and his creepy uncle vibes. Rnera would probably be the next thing. Go on. What was your initial impressions of Rnina. Oh, she's abviously quite a willful girl, isn't she. Yeah, definitely. It's her relationship with Alison that bugs my happiness. Right, let's get that out of the way, because I know what annoys. Yeah, the age difference is all wrong, the vibe is all wrong. You know, she's not her friend, it's of a similar age. She's eleven years older. Yeah, and I absolutely get the scene where she's being her teacher and she's reading the histories and she's encouraging her to take an interest in her studies. But it's more played off that they're they're good friends, and that's that's not the case in the book, but cool for the series, I'll go with it. I just had to get that out there. Well, from what I picked up was that in the books that Alison nurse Jaharis in his final days. Yeah, her mother master didn't he hight he was like when she was fifteen going she used to them and read and to keep them company and things like that in his final days. And I think rather than establishing that relationship with Jahares, because they're kind of just skipping over Jahares, they've chose to play it out similarly with the way she is with a series after losing his wife. So yeah, they've mixed that up a little bit to give out Allison her place. And there's a great moment at the beginning where she is is she going into her carriage when she's come off of dragging back and she speaks to Alison and syrax Is being sent off to going go tell yeah, and Syraxel looks at Alison as if you're a bitch. Yeah, I didn't. I didn't see that until we watched We had her rewatch there together, you pointed out. So, yeah, my initial impressions of Alison, to be honest with you, were among the way she's coming across in the show, not the books, but my initial impressions of her, she's just come across like a really sweet girl. She's a sweet girl that's lost her mother. Yeah, and she's been manipulated absolutely, and she's found a friend in Rania because she she doesn't have any other females in her life. Yes, and that that's exactly the way here. She's she's a sweet girl with She doesn't seem to have any political aspirations or social climbing ideas at the moment at all. I believe as her father is, for want of a better expression, pimp in her out, he really is for his own ambition and his own his own social climbing. So yeah, Alison is not offending me at this time. I mean, I know that may change, but for now, she's coming across a really really really sweet girl. Damon, as we said, was coming across his creepy youncule. But there's so much more to that character. I Vicenus comes across as quite a good king. He does. I think he's quite indecisive. Yeah, I think he goes along with what people are suggesting to him when he goes for the easiest option. As well. There's that scene at the very first council meeting where Carlos is trying to make them understand that the pirates are a problem and High Tower is dismissing it as it's not a problem yet. The series is just okay, right, well, we don't need to talk about that anymore, and then all manipulating, completely manipulating kind of goes, we would you like to talk about the tourney for your air and the series is like, yes, I would very much love that. That sounds fabulous, because he just wants he doesn't want to deal with the big decisions. Yeah, I think he likes that when things just roll along and he doesn't have to make hard choices, which he will have to make a few before the end of the episode, that's for sure. Will also get a glimpse in the initial opening scenes of his illness and the sore that he has on his back. I wrote down somewhere in my notes, one of these many scribbled pages, death by a Thousand Cuts, I wrote down, Tennis. Yeah, yeah, okay, I'll give you that one. That is definitely an issue. But yeah, this it makes you wonder because like this chair, and you know, it's very sharp, he's got a little sharp bits on it, and he keeps getting cut. And I just often wondered if other rulers had the same issue. I mean, it can't be cleanly, no, many just let his blood drip down the side of the arm there, and you know I didn't even give it a wipe. Hygiene people no handel his hands and I by then so absolutely so. Yeah, the series comes across is a bit indecisive and weak willed. I'll say I'm not not too like an extreme level he he knows how to play the part. Yeah, he knows how to act assert of but I think if there's if you can avoid decisions, you will. Yeah, definitely whenas Auto high Tower is the complete opposite, isn't he Absolutely his character is manipulative. Yep. I wrote always sly. Yeah, that was one of the first things I wrote down about him. He is so sly. He is dvos. He's always playing an angle. I don't take anything that that man says at face value. I'm like, what is your plan here? Every single time? We also have Rainus and Corliss. Yes, yes, they're they're fabulous and they're they're very cool. At this point, I feel cordless. The way he's sitting back in each chair. You can see when things are annoying them, and you can also see him keeping that dead pan straight face and going, okay, we're moving on our Well, right, we don't want to talk about math thing anymore. I accept that. But he's tiding those emotions. He's very very cool and that when did we go We first meet Rainy's at the tournament, I believe, Yeah, but well apart from the Council, the Great Council meeting, but the first time we hear a dialogue and straight away she's like, you know, what did she say there? Actually I clipped that let's let's let's try that. We see, girls, this is how we should celebrate the birth of our future king. It's been seventeen years, sixteen Naples, and these nights were green as summer grass. None have known real war qeen as grasped, but Fellows sent them to the Turney fields for full of steel and balls full of seed, expecting to actus on her own grace. Marvel at war didn't break out of first blood. I love that introduction. Yeah, really helped. She's just like, yeah, in all honesty, they're just not impressed with the whole situation at all, are they They're just they're doing their thing, and you can just tell me the mannerisms and the way they're chilled back and everything with the drinking hants. Yeah, but they're just like, well, if you can't beat them, get pitched dee. But Carlo seems a lot more serious than her. She's she seems a little bit more laid back. But he's still cool in his own right. Yes, I think he's super cool. Yeah, definitely. I feel like, never, at any time did that face give anything away, Like even right at the end when Rania when he's pledging his field here Rania, I didn't see anything on it. There was no and I mean inside he must be like yeah, but he hid it. Well, I mean there was a little flash in the eyes, but the face was dead part. Yeah, it was totally so cool characters, cool characters. Who else have we got? Oh, we got Sir Harold Westerlane and beginning my dear Graham McTavish. Honestly, the second I saw him, I was like, Yeah, he's graam. I love him, A good solid Scottish actor. Gotta love him. I startmic comic con last Jeni was fantastic, such a cool guy. Him and Sam Hugh from Outlander have the show on a on Amazon. Its Men in Kilts. They are just going around Scotland and doing different things. It's like a tour of Scotland. One week they'll be doing highland dancing and another week they'll be sampling whiskey. You can imagine that one went down quite fun. But yeah, and he's just himself and that he's just a fun, fun guy. But I always find amusing is that everything I've seen him and he's got this thick Scottish accent, but when you hear him with his own accent, he is Scottish, but very Scottis. He's very well spoken. It's very well spoken Scottish, whereas as speaks like a real Highlander in both Outlander and This. I have to say I didn't speak to him at Comic Con because I was in the queue for an autograph from John Wee Davis Ah kimmely from one of the Rings. So I was in this queue and GRAYL. McTavish was beside him with a he had a show Q and I just kept looking over thinking, Oh, I love him. He's fat. Why is his cue not bigger? Him next to Gimli with the big queue. Yeah, sorry, folks, We're gonna have to go off on a tangent here because I got so in the House of the Dragon. I completely forgot that we need to talk about Emma's weekend at comic Con, so oh yeah, yeah, tell us what happened. Comic Con is amazing. I was at Liverpool. All of the Lord of the Rings actors were there that could have been there, so I got as many autographs as I could. Orlando Blooms sold out in a week, so I did not get Orlando Bloom's photographs sadly. However, I did meet Elijah Wood for the second time. Yeah, he's a dorival and had a little cardion and he's Oh he's my baby's so sweet. What a lovely person he is. Oh, so I got his autograph and my Lord of the book. I also got Billy Boyd's autograph. He's a lovely guy as well, really really nice. Dominic Morhan is hilarious, I love, I said to him. He said, do you want me to write your name? And I said no, no, if you could just do it in this format, because there's a format for it now. Johnny's Davis had set the precedent, they must do it sign your character from Lord of the Rings. Then if you could put the place and the date, that would be fab So Dominic. Morahan's like, I don't know what the date is. What's the date? And I was like, dude, it's the fourth of May. Geeks Star Wars Day. You don't know the date. So he wrote my book, May the fourth be with you. I'm just I'm just bore away my book with you. That's fabulous. So who else is it? Sean Aston was there. He was also sold out, so he's going to be at Comic Connor in October. So I'll get his one then, all right, I'll be right there with you for that one. Sad, sad part as though Bernard Hill was supposed to be there and he sadly passed away on Sunday. He was King the Oden. Oh no he didn't, he did. That's so sad. Rest in peace, Bernard. He was a fantastic actor. He certainly was. Yes, and condolences to his family. I'm sure he'll be sadly sadly missed and sadly missed as an actor. Yeah, yeah, definitely. Lord of the Rings fans all over the world are saying silent goodbye, absolutely King the Olden once again. Miranda Otto was also supposed to be there, but I think she had film and commitments. She was a Owen right, I am now man, that's brilliant. Oh fabulous. So you had a fab time then? It was absolutely amazing. Loved it. There was so many other cool things there. There was the car from Supernatural we waited forty five minutes and a queue. Baby, Oh my god, I love that car. I want that car. So many cool pause play five different cars when they were making that. Some of them had two doors. Some of them that we seen had four doors. But there was a lady in the queue in front of us and her friend has one with two doors, and she showed us pictures and she she was This woman was fab. If you everre listening to our podcast, lady, you were fab the queue and telling people don't cut in and she was great. She was like, where's my people fibercloth for the door. There's fingerprints on it on it. She was awesome. I loved this woman excellent. I just gotta love that when you're standing queue and you need absolutely The girl behind us was like, is there any weapons in the boot? Like no, I don't think so She's like, damn, should have brought my angel blade. That's awesome. That the best place in the world totally. I can't wait to go in September with you. I mean, Liverpool is a wee bit far away from me. But Engleston, here we come, Engleston, here we come. I can't wait. But that's in September. So we'll get back to you then with somebody. In the meantime. Let's come back to Cast of the Dragon. Let's so we talked about of our initial opinions of characters this set and the CGI at the beginning. Wow, so what was it? The first real story I suppose that we get into is Damon and the Gold Cloaks. Wow, that was pretty intense. It was intense, and he had two thousand men, ye like two thousands, but it didn't I mean some of them would have been on you know, the day shift, very very close to the book and in the acts that they were carrying out because they were ridding the city of rapists and murderers and thieves. Yes, so people were being cut down left, right and center. I think in my notes I've called him Damon, Lord of Flea Bottom. That is what the small fault cause that is exactly what they men were absolutely loyal to them and completely fueled by them and I've got my notes, I've got fun people up in the streets. Well, that is exactly what they did. I mean, it was indiscriminate. They were just knocking people over. Yeah they weren't. They weren't taking names, they weren't reading rights, they weren't. You know, they were chopping off ball sacks and hands the balls. What was that going? To be very honest and say, we'd had to put that back a couple of times because it was difficult to distinguish what it was. A body that was it was a bit of a bloss a blob of fletchiness. I'm assuming it was supposed to be testicles. It was, Yeah, it was. It was like, I don't want it. I don't even know how to describe it. All I know is that there was like a little bit sweat on there. It was glistening in the light. That just made it look even be creepy. One of the things that stood out for me in that scene though, was when just it was so simple. It's just a tiny little thing, but it just shows you what an absolute nerd I am for this stuff. It was that moment when he lifts up dark sister and the ringing of the sword going through the air. They just gave me chills. It made me all nostalgic and just made me think about you know, Visna wielding Dark Sister, and this is the one of two Valerian steel swords that the Valerians have, So we've got Blackfire is the main one, which we see vis Eri's with later on when he's sitting on that throne being all in posing to Damon, trying to look authorative with his sword. It was just human really. We'll get to that later though, but yeah, so Dark Sister is Damon's sword, and that's sound that was ringing through the air. So that actually brings me to one of the things that we discovered in our intro research was that there was two hundred and twenty seven pieces of Valerian steel, and this episode immediately made me wonder whether they were all weapons because of that necklace. Oh yeah, so I wonder how much of the other Valerian steel that's kicking around is not in the form of weapon, if it's armor. Well, we know that Uron gray Joy was wearing Valerian steel armor. I can't remember if that was the book or the show. I honestly can't remember another Oh the bits where the books meet the show, I can't. It just messes me up. What was it last in the last episode? Always whether or not Tyrian used the tunnels, there's always going to be something that's going to keep coming up. And I'm like, I don't know if it was the book or the show, but this happened. But Uron had an entire suit of our certainly a chess plate at least that was Valerian steel. And I don't know if that's maybe one of the two hundred and twenty seven pieces, or whether Uron had melted down so Villarian steel to make that armor. That's unclear, but that would be disappointing to know all those that there was other swords and stuff out there that has just been totally melted down. Because I don't know why I feel sentimentally attached to the Valerian steel. I don't know why I think I have ever since they melted down ice Ned Starks great Sword and the first season that may be what was at the beginning of the second season. Maybe I think it was the beginning of the second season. But when they melt lay down, I've never been so sad for an inanimate object in my life. That's what was for that sword, and ever since then, I've just been fascinated with the stuff. I was always convinced that Valarian steel was going to save the day. Anyway, that was it. So where were we? What was? So that was the Gold Cloaks. Yeah, that's the same. Was brutal, absolutely brutal. We have I've seen after the Gold Cloaks were the counsel are having a right good moan about Demon's behavior and seeky monkey, isn't he? Let me get my notes on this page. So we've got this first small council meeting and Demon well sorry this was the second one. Actually, Damon was why not? So the first calls small council meeting is just really meet the characters, isn't it. You've got Carlos, Hilarion High tower, Lymon Beesberry, Lionel Strong and Grand Master Melas and they're talking about pirates, the Corlis is talking about the crab Feeder and no one is listening to them at all, and then they start talking about the tourney costs and so it's just politics, isn't it. This is sort of stuff we're talking about the series. Just oh, someone else, just make the decisions. It's just like that, we have to. But that's second here, damon winding up all. I can see the way you're glancing down there that you've got a note there that you want to give on that matter, So carry on. I just love his smirky attitude and he's just his big brother says to you, to your wife, just behave essentially, and all high Tower says, yeah, yeah, well I thought you should do that. And Demon's like, your wife's passed away and you can have my bronze bitch if you like. Oh god. And then he goes on about how the sheep are prettier than the women, and he says that they're all fucking sheep in the veil, and he's he's so cheeky. It's the smirk on his face, just the way he's looking at him the whole time. Are you supposed to be getting a telling off about dropping people's bits off in the street? And he's just like, but he's pulling that face from the second they walk in the room. He's like, already before even a words being ard, all right, come on then we'll give it to me. Come on, give me my telling off. He's got an answer for everything though, he really does, and he did justify his actions if you ask me, I mean he Didnvisari's ends up. I don't know how he does it, but oh hi, Tower has to sort of apologize. Did Yeah, it's very much like that. Oh definitely. So the small council, there's I feel like there's like it's unbalanced. Yeah, none of these people really get along, none of them really agree with each other, none of them particularly like each other. I think this is the first moments that we actually see any sort of expressions from carlos on and again he hides them very well, but you can just see that he's just like these people are twice does it's Beesbury and Lionel Strong and he gives them an auto as well. There's just little looks that he's like, all right then, okay, whatever you say, Yeah, because he's probably thinking you are in my position, I would be hand of well the queen if his wife was in speaking concert, yeah, or if it had passed to one of his children. Yeah. So he's yeah, he's right and lift and he's holding it in. He certainly is, but he accepts the vote as it was that Visaris is the ruler. He was the one that was chosen and absolutely, and I think it's a case of keep your enemies close that too. I mean that twenty to one vote kind of sealed it for them. They knew when the vote came back like that, they knew there was no fighting against that. There's no like let's have a recount. There's no recount when the numbers are that staggered in. So, yeah, Carlos is he's playing all his cards really close to his chest. But there's just tiny little moments that you can just see that he's like very little time for these people. He's just doing his duty. Yeah, and his Master of Ships, his duty is quite important. Lord of the Tides, the three Steak. He's got many titles, doesn't He's got almost as many titles. It's the king certainly does So the next big storyline, it's just your tournament things, isn't It was the journey absolutely so love the arena. The arena's fantas so cool. Yeah, something that we never saw when we saw a tournament. Yeah, there was something where Jothrey Barathi and tournament and very first season, and I remember is that when Sansor's first cent and she's sitting there and there's the tournament and ned Stark's there and yes, yeah, and little fingers sitting whispering in her ear. Yeah, and your Aria is eavesdropping because she's sitting next to her and she's like, oh, what's easier, So she's fascinated by it all. But yeah, so that was we saw that tournament, but we never got that kind of shot again. It's a shot that, yeah, and it's given the at this time in history, there was such grandeur. Yes, it was very much in its glory. Yeah, at that time. So yeah, that's the first thing that stood out to me. Was the actual arena itself. I thought it was fabulous. Demon's armor stood out for me. I thought it was fantastic. Was the wings it was. It was very very cool and targeting colors red and black, very fitting of a prince. Absolutely. I love the Damon just comes in and he's like, I'll take my pick who that he must be. The is right as being the prince and everything. He gets to choose who gets to fight first, But it's the swagger honor, it's the choosing otto high towers son that cuts off. Yeah. Absolutely, and then he gives and then he gets Allison's favor again. Just told it all the while he just keeps smirking at him everyone and then just cast eyes up to a little smirk totalus. It's like it's it's like he's made it his life's mission to just wind that a guy. Yeah, I really saw the guys inch. So, yeah, we see Christian Cole for the first time in this scene. Yep, he's quite an imposing fighter. He certainly was the top of the bay. He was, and it ends up just him and Damon it does. Yeah, that is a bit of a Yeah, that was a bit of a shit show. So what did you think of the whole Damon and Christian Cole fight scene running alongside Emma given birth and all of that sort of together as one scene. I thought that was absolutely fabulous direction. And the reason this comes in to something Emma Alan said and there kind of her opening scene with Ranida. I'm going to play the scene for you, and then I'm going to explain to you why I love that kill. Did you sleep I slept? How long? I don't need mothering for anera? Well, here you are surrounded by attendance or focused on the Babe, someone has to attend to you. You well, am I in this bed? Soon enough for an era. This discomfort is how we serve the realm. I'd rather serve as a knight and ride the bustling glory. We have royal wounds, you and I. The child bed is that battlefield. We must learn to face it with a stiff lip. Now take a bath. You stink of dragon. Yeah, so quit for that funny line at the end. The dialogue there is quite serious. And the reasoning makes me think back to this when you're talk about that scene. Is what she's saying is the child bed is our battlefield. And you've got this, you've got this labor going on, and you've got this fighting going on. And it's the juxtaposition of putting those two things side by side, so they're so different and yet so similar. She's going through her battle while the outside, the men are doing their kind of battle. Yeah and yeah, I just I thought it was brilliant direction. And you've got this tense music building up during the fight with Christian and Damon in fact eing that tense month just before they start jousting, and Damon's horse is reading back and the music's building and the drums are going and it's getting more and more intense and the build up, and then there's the screaming and everything. We're back in the bitter birth scene again and there's the screaming, and then back to the fight, and then there's just that moment where the music changes and it goes really somber and melancholy, and he's just got this violin that's just playing this slow, heartbreaking melody and then the cello comes in, and you know how they love a cello. It just brings you right back into the scene. Was just it was brutal. It was hard to watch. Yeah, it was really hard to watch. But the comparison between the two scenes being played together was just it blew me away. I thought that was absolutely brilliant. But let's just focus in on Emma for a second, because wow, that was something else. That scene just broke me, It really did. I mean, she she's really struggling that the labors obviously not going well. And then the master starts discussing sea section, but not like the sea section I had, you know, I had a sea section. They just went, oh, right, we're going to have to you know, like have an emergency. SERI in here and We're just going to have to knock you out, and I'm like, yeah, no, brother. So they knocked me out and then I wake up and they're like, here's your baby. You know it was it was the easy slabor ever. They'd stitched me up and there was no blood anywhere to be seeing that just had a new baby. But to come in without the help of modern medicine, and it was a fatal choice, a choice made by visies. She had no idea what was coming to her. I wrote down here, I do not consent. She made that very clear. She did knock se no. I mean it was a murder. It was murder. I wrote that to murder. Yeah, broke my heart. It was just it was And I just like to add the listeners. When I watched this for the first time, my baby was about three weeks old, my stitches were still healing. It was kind of like a little bit too familiar. It's just thought. It we really made me think about modern medicine and just how far we've come. And it made me think if it wasn't for modern medicine, me and my baby wouldn't be here. And so thankful, isn't it? That makes you very very thankful for my little girl and my own life as well. But yeah, I mean, like what stood out? What notes have you got for that scene? I mean, as amazing as the scene was, there's little bits. I don't know why I noticed these really odd little bits. I think I try and find humor and things that are terrifying. Ye, that sounds like you, But I mean right in the middle of all this, there's like horrifying screams and swords clashing and a horse is cut down and the horse and then there's this little boy vomiting. I didn't see that weird attention focused on the little boy vomiting at the horror of what he was witnessing. Oh god. And also the I thought it was quite funny that Deamon's totally like yeah, one, and then he gets sneak attacked by Kristen. Can he absolutely did? What did I write here? Oh yeah, Kristin gets demon from behind, just cheering away, but yeah he did. You just stakes up at him, and then the yield famans like I suppose I'm going to have to now. I totally kicked your ass though, And then for all his cheek Kristin cole goes and asks Rania for our favor. I know, I know the books it was always and the books it was always like Kristen and that the Venia had the crush on Kristen. Yeah, but they've certainly showed that in a different light. Yea, where you know has that's him making the first movie. She didn't even know who he was, and she never even took a look at him until two seconds before he asked for her favor. So, yeah, painting things in a slightly different light to how they were portrayed to be or how I interpreted them in the book. But that's one of the things about the book though, is that they especially around the Dance of the Dragons, they make it very clear before they get into that story that there are two account off this time, and they're often opposing and completely different. You've got the sept In. The sept In is one of them, and the other one was the court Jester. Oh, mushroom, mushroom that shy and mushrooms. Versions of events are always a little bit more assordid. It's one of those things that we from the book. You assume something, yeah, but you're also often reminded, don't take it at face value. This is just one person's account of this story. Yeah. I think in the books they say that a lot of it has been discussed in secret passageways and lot doors, yes, and during illicit dealings yeah, and that sort of thing. So yeah, they definitely have. I think that's good because it gives them room to embellish, to go off stories slightly and say, well, this is what Mushroom said happened, this is what sept and what's his face said happened, and this is the truth. Yeah, and I think that's what House the Dragon is supposed to be the truth. So I'll be interested to see how the truth unfolds as we can further along. So where does that bring us to? There's a little bit. But at the end of that where you know what Emma's she's gone and vices the babies here and they say, have you have you picked a name for him? And less he's in tears and he's like Bailon, which was his father's name, So his father and his uncle his father his father. Yeah, Rainie's dad was an Amen, right amen, and Bailon was Edison Damon's father, So yeah, he was named after his father, which is kind of heartbreaking, and he's waited all this time for an hour and he loves his wife and then they're both gone. Yeah. Absolutely, and then it cuts to the funeral scene. Yes, oh wow, Yeah that scene was I would love to play the audio of that conversation between Runia and Damon, but it was a Hi Valerian, so there's not much we can do about that. But she is just so angry and sad and angry and sad, and you just see all these emotions going through and she's stollen. Yeah. Yeah, what have you got, rend I've just got dracaras Harris, I've got angry Jacaris. Because just before she said she tries to say it and she gets choke up, and then she looks at the series and she looks at him for quite It's not just a glance. She's staring at him as if to say, look at me, see me, comfort me, be there with me, and he doesn't even cast at a glance, and then she just turns around. So angry, Dacaris, she is raging. I thought it was very moving, very very moving, and of course there's the lighting of the pire. Yeah. I love the way they used the dragon in that sort of ceremonial. Yes, to do that, I was a very very moving scene. So I suppose the main theme from this point onwards was about the succession. Yeah, it was the theme throughout the entire episode, to be fair. It opens talking about the sixth session. They argue about it a little bit in the middle. Let's talk about that. Actually, that small council meeting, that last one where they're trying to make the series decide who's next in line after he's just lost Emma. Yeah, and again it's it's also a high tower. That's yep, feeling it all. He's orchestrated that that meeting. That's him. He's got his little plans in place already, he has. And I love that Damon's eavesdropping. Yeah, he was just hiding around. It's like laughing at the bad things that you say about He's just like, ah, obviously got under your skin. Then he loves to wind him up. It's so funny. It's Cordloss that suggests Rania. That means he does. And then when they just dismissed the idea of Rania, he's like, well there are other claimants. Yeah, Yeah, like, that's either frying. Yeah, so but he but that was not his first suggestion. His first suggestion was Rhanira and they dismissed that just out of hand, just purely based on the fact that she's a girl. But it was debated slightly. They were like, well, that is a precedent. That doesn't mean we have to do it. Yeah, just because the precedent was set doesn't mean that that that you can't change it. You are king if you want to change that. And I suppose that's what he decides to do, but not straight away. Straight away He's like, why are you bothering me with this? My wife and son are dead and you are bothering me with this shit. There's plenty people that go around, they're all arguing for the throne. So at the end of the day, it can wait a fucking week. Well, deals with this guilt because he murdered her, was I was? That is definitely guilt, Gil and grief Gil. Of course he loved her, that was that was very very clear that he loved her. One thing we didn't mention actually was Emma's connection to the family as well, because she was a cousin. Yeah, so the youngest daughter of Jaris and Alixander was Emma's mother, so and she was just as much Targarians as the rest of them, although much further down those ranks. You know, when they've had thirteen kids and many grandkids. It's like, just let the people at the top argue about that. So, yeah, they're arguing about Damon not being worthy. Corlis suggests Runira, then he suggests Rady's and then there's that whole conversation about the air for a day, which kind of triggered some anger, some anger. Oh my god, he was Vesseis was super pissed off. Oh big d oh, I actually have that. I clipped that. But let's have a lessome. You have no had ice of court but me. I have only ever defended you, did everything I've given you. You've thrown back in my face. You've only ever tried to send me away to the veil, to the city watch, anywhere but by your side. Ten years you've been king, and yet not once have you asked me to be your hand. Why would I do that? Because I'm your brother and the blood of the dragon runs thick? Then why do you cut me so deep? I've only ever spoken the truth. I see Auto High Tower for what he is, and I'm wavering and loyal hand hunt our second son who stands to inherit nothing. He doesn't cease for himself. Atto High Tower is a more honorable man. And then you could ever be he doesn't protect you, I would from what yourself. Yeah, that was tense. Wow. I love that he's a cunt, absolutely bright. That word does not get used in TV a lot, No, and when it does, it's well that instance, it was in the right place. It was in the right place. I am a fan of the word, but only in the only in the right context. There is a time and a place. That was one of them. My other favorite would be Lady Elena and Game of Thrones went with Jamie talking about Geoffrey and it's like, what was the sword? What was his sword called? Again, it's a widows whale. He really wasn't perfect. So, yeah, the word has its place, and that was it. He certainly is. And so where were we we were where vice Is has just attempted to go through demon like a dose of saults and tell them to piss off back to Runstone. Yeah, because I mean, can we just talk about that scene? In the propyl for a minute, so I can't even use this language. I don't even know what to say, right, Okay, So you know they're in a brothel and there's fucking and sucking and going on all over the place, and one of Damon's lads is like, listen to your prince, and everybody stops what they're doing. But they got me. It's Will. The speech is going on in the background right in the center of the shot. It's two people, you know, the girls on all fours with the guy behind her, and they've just turned around, stopped mid thrust and they've just stopped in the middle of the room to listen to the speech. Dedication absolutely, but I found it really hard to listen in the speech because I just clock these guys in the middle of the room and I couldn't stop laughing. I found it really hard to take the whole scene seriously after that, So oh, I'm sorry. Oh, that was definitely one of those standout moments for me that just you know, is there anything and you got any notes from that scene? Weirdly no, And I also missed that, did you. I will show you that same before you go back and watch it. Guys, if you didn't see yourself, I'm still honestly, there's tears and everything here can stop. Oh that's too much, right, So I feel that more or less wraps up the main plot lines of the for the episode. So we're going to take us out short break, be back soon, and now it's time for the dragon section. I know there wasn't obviously much drag and play in the first episode, but we got all bit the beginning. We had lovely side acts. All that dragon flight scene was it was something else, wasn't that? It was amazing? Yeah, Oh, the dragon itself as well. She's I think I don't know male female dragon unclear. Some of them. I know, I know Vegars definitely female because there was referenced to early and eggs and yeah, so I know Vegar is definitely female, but I'm not sure about all of them. And He's he's a He's a dude, isn't He was definitely a dude. All we saw Belleria and Skull as well. That thing that was awesome. It was huge. It's so big. It's not the first time we've seen it, obviously. We saw it in that first season A Game of Stones when Aria was snooping in the basement. It's fantastic how imposing it still looks, even though it's he's not alive, no, no, but still terrifying. Yeah, I beg he must have been. Oh, definitely the biggest embarrass I really do hope we get that egg on the Conqueror spin off. I can't wait to see that. It's going to be It's going to be good. Cool. We had that lovely moment at the end with Demon and care Acxis and he's given car access a week cuddle. Oh yeah, that was lovely. It was lovely. Big bad dragon, big bad demon, Targetarian and he's having this really intimate moment with his dragon. Yeah, and I think that was really nice to see. Actually, we saw the same thing with Runida at the beginning when she came back from her flight. There was just this bonding moment, and yeah, I think that's important and maybe not thought about it enough. Actually, the bond between the dragons and the riders. Absolutely, it's not just anyone that can get on a dragon, so there is that being at one with each other, which is lovely. Definitely, it's a whole new level of bonding with your horse. Definitely. Oh, so there was crack scenes and the cuddle and all that was lovely, Valerian's giant skull and that bit with Siax at the beginning of the flight scheme, but not a lot of not a lot more dragon. No, that's as much Dragon teason as we got, I'm afraid. But it's episode one, so and we got the Dragon teason and the first opening scenes. Yeah, so that was that satisfied all my dragon needs right in the beginning of the show. It's good that it opened with dragon and ended with dragon. So oh never noticed that actually until you pointed it out. Yeah, I think there's a big dragon role at the end. Yes, yes, there definitely was, right at the end of that scene that we're locked on that shot of Venia. Yeah, and the music playing out. I actually wanted to talk about that, actually, Mike Swell, now that the conversation is blowed that way. The music at the end, it was the Game of Stone screen but with a choir. Yeah, I love that. So obviously the language that the choir is singing in as Hi Valaria and again, so that was really cool. Yeah, it was like to see a new twist on the Game of Thrones theme. Yeah, Ram and Juaddy, who obviously wrote the track, is absolutely fantastic. But I love it when something gets when it comes around full circle and is used again and it all kind of ties together. Yeah, genius. Actually Outlanders do that really well. So every season of Outlander has got a different the revamped the tune, which is speed Bonny Boat. When there's a French one, there's a very French version of it. Cool. When they're in America we get the country version. Then we're back in Scotland and we've got a gallic version. It's beautiful. The So there we're on like seasons eight now, I think. So we've had eight different versions of the theme song every season. I have to check that. So yeah, I suppose that's pretty much us what we've got about dragons. So let's move on to notes. Before we going to notes, actual left gooked some of the funny lines from the episode. Let's do the funny lines. Oh yeah, definitely, so westerline right at the beginning with obviously that scene with Ranina and fire Ax, he's like a trust You're like, ride is pleasant. She's like try not to look to really, sir. It's like I am relieved every time that golden bee springs you back on spoiled saves my head from U. Spike words themselves are that funny. It's his delivery and it's very He talks like my granddad. I just I love him. He's amazing. What else have we got so all? The first small Council meeting, Rumira, you're late the King's cup beaarer must not be late. It leaves people wanting for cups. I was visiting mother, says Nina, and he gives a week sniff on, dragging back absolutely. I think her mom mentions that she thinks as well. Then she's like, now go to take a bath. You reak of dragon Rinira, when she's with Alison and the when they're studying, says I want to fly with you, and dragging back see the Wonders across the Narrow Sea and eat only cake and being serious as Alison, I never dress about cake. Yeah, that was a good lie. I like that. And then a moment later, it's if when she's ripped the book and Alice is like if the sector sees this, She's like, fuck the sector, Yeah, brilliant. Oh she's good. Where Emma Aaron? When here scene with the series when she was in the bath. Oh yeah, she's like the tourney to celebrate the first born that we presently do not have. You do understand that nothing will cause the babe to grow a cock if he doesn't already possessed one. She's cool. That's a shame we're not going to get more of her. And then there's another one when he tells her about his dream about the baby being born wearing a crown, and she's like, born wearing a crown. God, spare me. Birth is unpleasant enough of it is. She's not wrong, Definitely, what else have I got now? Damon at the Small House of meeting when he's being told off for the gold cloacks and it says our city should be safe for all its people. The said He's it's like, I agree. I just hope you don't have to have my city in order to achieve this. Damon says, Time will tell I like that, and it's a little smirk on his space after y it's like Time will tellink that was funny. And Westerling again at the tourney when Rinia says, Tom, what do you know about this? Sir Kristin Cole, he says, I'm told Sir Christen's the common born son of London Darian the Steward. But other than that, and the fact that he's just on horse both of the Black Brathy and lads, I really couldn't say. Again, it's that deliverating with him. It's that's scott I think it's Scottish humor. It's just that guy, That's what I mean. He jokes that he talks. He sounds like my granddad. He jokes like my granddad. I love him. Oh right, So where are we? So that was That's all I've got. You've got Anya and anymore when you're not but I missed, No, I don't. I think you've captured them all. Excellent, So let's move on to notes. What other other notes have you got there? To wrap up the introduction of mice Area the White Worm. So she's sort of introduced as a sex worker, isn't she in the broth? Yeah? But she's she seems very cunning, doesn't she. Well, yeah, I find it like she's obviously a wee bit more than just yeah, she's worked her way in with Demon because by the end of the episode, she's with Demon having that wee moment with car access, and he's like, yeah, introducing her to car access, and it's it's going, well, she's working her way up, isn't she. Certainly she's worming her way in. Yeah, I mean is it love? Who knows? Possibly? For Demon it might be. Certainly he's more attracted to her than the woman he's married to, who's apparently Yeah. So yeah, she's an interesting character to watch going forward. I don't think I paid her much attention at the beginning before. Yeah. I think for me it was the moment where he's introducing her to the dragon. That's you think, all right, Okay, she's not just a horre in a tavern. I think the first time I watched it when it first aired, I don't even think I saw the scene obviously, but I don't think I thought anything off that. I was more just thinking dragon. So well, you know me, I don't remember a lovely moment and thinking why is she there? Yeah? Yeah, definitely al was suspicious. Oh you've got to watch them all that. Everybody's definitely so any others, No, I think we've we've covered everything apart from her. She seems like one to watch, right, So let me say what else about my notes. Oh the conversation between Rania and Damon that was in hih valarium in the throne room, right, Okay, I went back and had another real look at that to see what had been said. She said, why did you come back? And he's like, I heard your father was strown attorney for me. She's like, no, no, the attorney's for his new air and he's like, well, until your mother brings forth a son, you're all cursed with me. And she said, I'll pray for a brother. Then. Oh love that scene. So yeah, i'd missed that off my wee funny lines, no, because I wrote it down somewhere else. So yeah, that was cool. We talked about those dragons. Do you know, Actually here's something runier. She really reminds me of Aria. Yeah, I would agree, there's so much in common. She knows that story about Nimidia and our ships like the back of your hand. I imagine Nimeria is probably one of her heroes too. Emma had said to Fassi's when they were in the bathtub that Rinda had already named the baby she was named, that she was insistent that she was going to be a girl, and that she was naming her Visenna, was like, so Rinda is obviously a the Senya fan as well, But that whole that speech at the beginning about wanting to fly on dragon back and she wanted to fight in battles, and she really really reminded me of Arias, So I wanted to give a wee mention to that. Have you got anything else here? Oh yeah. One of the other meetings, when Damon's listening in to the conversation between ot Ow and Viseis and was implying that Damon Is aspires to be King Visser's society lacks the patients for it. And I wrote the quote here that Otto's rep I was, the gods are yet to make a man who lacks the patients for absolute power your grace. True story. But I think he's talking about himself more than Damon. Yeah, I think he could be honest something there. Actually, he also says in that conversation that it would be like a second Magor. I think that's a bit harsh. Yeah, you can see though, the fear that they would have had. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely Megor was And the series is very sort of anys vibes, isn't he he's yeah, that's that kind of kind of nice guy. And you know, and Demons told meg Or vibes that's I think the way they're trying to play it off. It's it's like the Sas and megor thing all over again. But I think I don't think Damon's quite you know, as bad as meg Or, to be fair, but certainly I can see why the fear might be there. But when it comes to Otto again, I don't trust anything he says. I don't think anything he says at face value. So I'm hearing him say that, and I don't feel someone being cautious and wary. I feel someone is like he's trying to manipulate because he doesn't like Damon. No, no, he absolutely has it in his head that Demon's a dick. Well, yes, probably for more reasons than just that, but certainly, in all half hours perspective, a million percent, he's just sat through that tournament watching Demon after piss out of him and his families and then ask his daughter for a favor. And you know, yeah, she hearing me. I do not blame all the High Tower for his feelings towards Damon, but I don't blame Damon for his feelings towards him either. No, but you can see how it was spent his his whole career, if you will, being being a great man and making good decisions. He didn't get to where he was through making rash decisions. No, certainly. So he looks a young man who is just going to destroy everything that's ever been built, and it will be taken back to a time of craziness and the time that he's been in the position that he's been in as hand in that time since what it was Jahara's first that made him hand, wasn't it? So in that time it's his work to a certain deg you personally attached to the progress and events and things that have happened over those years. And so if Damon was to come along and undo that, where I'm doing his whole life's work is everything that he's respected for. Yes, so you can you can see every character has a good and bad and I just don't want to see his good side. Sorry, I don't want to see it, isn't I think if they passed it as someone else then I probably would be like, Yeah, he's a dick. I really like Greesa fans, So I've got kind of warm to him a bit more than I've did in the book. Yes, okay, yeah, that's fair. That is fair. I haven't got that far into the book yet, only he's only really been around for like the last chapter, because, as you know, I've stopped and I can't read any further ahead because I don't want to spoil for myself. I'm still in this big debate about it, though I haven't actually decided. Every day I raised the question in my head and go, am I going to read ahead? Or am I just going to let the visuals play out with the TV show? I think that's your call. It is is and it's a hard decision to make. I can't decide. Maybe any of you listeners have got an opinion you can throw in. You might convince me, who knows. I think that's all my notes. That's I don't think I've got anything else here, just callbacks. So first of all, the opening show lots of kings landing. I mean that that's a big callback straight away. You're right back in wester Of, in the heart of it. So just those scenes, the streets of kingsland in, the aerial shots, massive callbacks to game of Thrones really really set the mood, I think. And then when they got into the Red Keep, obviously we well we saw the visuals off the keep outside, which we discussed earlier is just outstanding, but the when they were inside the keep, just the rooms that they walk through were you know, familiar rooms like that that I don't know what, like atrium kind of room where the floor map used to be in the Game of Thrones one that it was painted on the floor in that room, but obviously minus the map, So that was cool. The staircase, that awesome staircase, the spiral staircase where the hound fought the mountain. That was amazing to see because I don't think we ever really saw that in Game of Thrones at all prior to their fight. Yeah, I think their fight was the very first time we really saw this big, massive spiral and staircase. So it was really cool to say that I'll rebuilt again. And oh and of course the speech the series gives we neither at the end and the dagger, Yeah, Aria's dagger. It's nice to see that again. That speech though I actually have that dropped that in it's something else that tell you it might be difficult for you to understand, but you must hear it our history. So they tell us that they're going looked across the black water from Dragonstone saw a rich land right for the capture. But ambition alone is not what drove him to conquest. It was a dream, and it's just the stainus foresaw the end of Valeria. Eggone foresaw the end of the world of men, just to begin with a terrible winter gusting out of the distant, wricked stark, Lord of Winterfille. They're gone, a whole absolute darkness riding on those windows and whatever dwells. When this great winter comes, all of wester Rosmas stand against it. And if the world of men is to survive, a Targerian must be seated on the iron throne, a king or queen strong enough to unite the realm against the cold and the dark. Eggne called his dream the song of ice and fire. This good, it's been passed from king to west and side. That's very show to the dagger. Actually, now you was promised to carry it. I'm protected. Promise me, did run over? Promise me? Oh that's the best callback ever. Yeah, that was awesome. That was the whole of all Game of Thrones was about an entire salt of ice and fire. Yeah, that was fabulous. It's nice to here. That's so. I thought that was the best. Callback absolutely loved that. So that's all my notes. So now it's time to talk about who we lost in this week's episode. Because Game of Thrones House of the Dragon, you're going to expect deaths. I expect lots of death. We need a rest and peace session, we definitely do so. First of all, we said goodbye Jihars. We did so. I'm in those opening scenes and well, people that haven't read the books who are just like, oh, who's the olde? Joharis means quite a lot in our hearts. He's massive, he is he is he was the best. He was a true king and the realm. We'll miss him, certainly going into what's about to happen next as his grandchildren are and his great grandchildren A yeah, they're kind of going to do everything that he worked for, which is in true Targarian style. Yes, absolutely, Alisan got to mention who's equally as important. Definitely, what was it Visari said? Was it the kingdom or was it the city? Has been in decline since my grandmother passed. That's what he said. Something along was like, was ither kingdom or the city? And that's just I love that little nod to how Jahanis was a shell of himself after Alastan's passed. And yeah, so that was really sad. So it was nice that she got a mention because she was very very important to the story. Leader up for Vissers and for Damon I suppose, but more for visies I think, and for advocating a female heir. Oh, exactly. Yeah, Alistan was more than a capable leader. She wasn't just queen to our ruling king. They were a partnership. Ye, So yes, the realm will definitely miss Alissam and I suppose that brings us to our that's the baby Bailon and Emma Aaron. That's so sad. Oh, I am definitely that babe that the series that's wanted for so long. And I don't know the guilt that he must feel for the choice that he made. Yeah, it probably feels like he maybe doesn't even have a right to grieve, or they'll be you know, conflicting size of a woman that he's grieving the next minute, he's beating himself up for grieving because he made some bad choices. And poor Emma Aaron. The way that she died, oh my goodness. Oh I know, it was brutal. It was she was scared. She was she was absolutely terrified, and as I said earlier, she did not consent and she absolutely believed that she was doing her duty. She definitely did. Then in her last moments must have been like shit, yeah, oh you that moment, the realization coming across her face of what was about to happen, and she she was. I mean, it was played absolutely brilliantly. I can't remember the Actressy's name, Sean Brooks. I think she's called Oh, that's her. She played it absolutely amazing. It was just that second where she suddenly realized, oh my god, he chose this the babe over me, and I'm going to die. Yeah. It was brutal, absolutely brutal. So I suppose that brings us to the to the end of our ri ip section. And now it's time for the news. I didn't find a lot this week. The first article I found actually was in regard to dragons, So let's get on with that. So George Martin was raven this week about how House of the Dragon redeemed the most egregious mistakes of Game of Thrones, which was the dragons. So let me just read a few quotes here. It says he had some valid reservations about the dragons portrayal in the original show, which he believed improved in the prequel series House to the Dragon. According to Martin, Game of Thrones dragons lacked personality and we're all too similar to one another. In House of the Dragon, viewers are introduced to a whole new array of dragons as companions of Stargarian family, each with their own unique traits and quirks. Thus, this gave the creators of Game of Thrones prequel a good opportunity to improve their creature effects at this time. Martin further added, they had personality, They came alive. It came as great satisfaction to me. For Martin, seeing these dragons come to life in such a vibrant and nuanced way was a great satisfaction. He went on to say that he thought the weird ass stuff that happened in season one was cool. He did, however, voice some regret about not being able to spend more time on the set in the first season. Sadly, I wasn't there for any of this one. I was in Santa Fe working on his next novel. Oh that's nice to know, George been waiting for it for a while. George Martin also disclosed that while on his two and a half week trip to London, showrunner Ryan Condall providing them with an exclusive sneak peep at the upcoming episodes. He wrote that the highlight of the trip had to be the sneak preview that Ryan gave me of the first two episodes of House of the Dragons season two. I am so jealous. It is certain that viewers would cry watching these powerful, emotional, gut wrenching episodes. As Martin further warn to his readers, dark mind you very dark. They may make you cry. I did not cry myself, but one of my friends did. Powerful emotional, gut wrenching, heartrending, just the sort of thing I like. What can I say? I was weaned on Shakespeare and loved the tragedies and history plays best of all. Moreover, the author detailed how he visited the studio where House of the Dragon was being filmed and spent a total of Three Days with the Dean. I am no stranger to film sets, but nothing I have ever seen can compare with the Redkeep and Dragonstone sets they have built in leavest in studios in London. That's awesome Georgie's endorsement because he's not shy. It's saying when he doesn't like something. Yeah, made these points about Game of their ownes quite vocal, Like he was saying about the dragons, he thought they were a bit I kind of agree. Yeah, in retrospect, I have to agree. Now that you know we went back and read about the prequel stuff and know what things were like when there was loads of dragons around, and what those dragons were like, it does seem a little bit disappointing what we got in Game of Throats. Yeah, definitely. So. Another article that I found was House of the Dragons season two timeline revealed interesting. Leave it to Lord Carlis to close in on House of the Dragons season two timeline. Actor Steve Tusson, who plays Lord Carlis a Hey the Sneeze Ache, gave us a major clue regarding the timeline for season two House of the Dragon during our panel at c c XP so So revealed that season two will begin a mere ten days after the end of season one. This is intriguing news for a series that ambitiously took a massive time jump in season one, springing ahead ten years between episode five and six. Thanks for that, I was trying to remember where the time jump was. Excellent. Joining Tussau on the panel where Eve Best, who plays Rene's Turgarian, and Ewan Mitchell, who plays Aimin Targerian, and each of them spoke about their character's journeys in the turbulent times ahead. As House Targanian's internal battles increase in intensity, called this dramatic writing, isn't it? Sure is? After revealing that season two picks up ten days after season one, Tuston had this to say about Carlis. So, for Lord Carlis, he's still coming to terms with the grief of losing his son, his brother, his daughter, and his heir, his grandson. Jesus, He's had a hard time of it. Yep. Oh, So he's trying to deal with that plus hold on the one thing that he holds most dear, his relationship with his wife. So that's kind of where he is. He's in a very weakened and emotional state. Bless him. I know Eve Best, who plays Lord Corlis's wife, Rainie's, said that season two will find her strong patient should have been Queen getting a little dragon therapy. That oh yes, okay, So Rainie's is trying to keep everything together in the light of the horrible loss of the series and everything that has been going on for the last ten days. She's pulling out strength and trying not to lose her shit. And I think she's really tired and out on her dragon a lot. Mellis. As for you and Mitchell, his Aimon Targarian was the catalyst for a lot more bloodshed and will no doubt play a huge role in the carnage to come. You and Mitchell said. Amond kick started the Dance of the Dragons and drew first blood by killing Luseries. He said during a panel he's facing a choice. He can either own what he did, return to kingsland in and say that he meant to look and become the most hated man in the realm, or he could admit what he did was a mistake and be at the mercy of Rania. He's in trouble. Oops. The last article that I found here was regarding Agon. So Tom glen Carney says that Agon will have a much bigger part to play when season two arrives in June. Agon evolves in season two, showing vulnerabilities and complex players beyond ruling. Tom glen Carney had much to say about how the fledgling ruler will evolve from where he was in season one. Specifically, he detailed how viewers will get a more complex view of Agon going forward that highlights his vulnerable side. And I didn't see in hand on a vulnerable side? Did you know? Season one agone was notably compared to Jack Lison's tyrannical Jeoffrey Barattian. That was a shame for him, that poor guy couldn't go out in public. He was so Hades said he was done with acting after that. Oh, that's a shame that is, doesn't he because it was really fab If he hates someone that much, they're doing their job, right. Yeah. And also it's not real, guys, it's a story. Yeah, although you wouldn't think it the way we've been talking about the couple of episodes. Right, Okay, so where were we? He previously said that rather than ruling with abject cruelty, greed. In psychopathy, the king's worst actions are often governed by insecurities, rage, selfishness, and a total lack of understanding of the responsibilities without the guidance of others. It didn't help that his own father, Viceies Paddy Considine chose to stick with Ruania Emma Darcy as his successor, despite the implication that is the firstborn is the rightful heir. Everything adds up to make Eggon a more complex ruler who feels like an outsider in his family. In season two, however, his layers will be peeled back a bit to just show how unstable he is and expose the thoughts that eat away at him. I think we see a different side, Glenn Carney said during the Parallel about Agon. We see someone who's attempting to take this new responsibility and stride and harness this power in a way that serves him. He's now ruling Wester or us alone. We also see how fractured Egon is as a person, his weakness and vulnerability, his desperation. Furthermore, he hits on how his disdain for his family and his fractured mindset only serve to make him more of effect to Runia and the Blacks. I think when you have nothing to lose, as Eggon has experienced for a long time, that makes somebody quite dangerous. Hell yeah it does. Although he and was largely reluctant to take this thrown in season one, the finale showed that he was beginning to enjoy being in Western US He's seat of absolute power and respect, a feeling that only continues to go. At the start of season two, we see Eggon getting used to wearing the crown. He's enjoying how comfortable the iron thrown is, Glen Carney added. He further revealed that the new episodes will then explore the young king get into grips with what it means to be ruler. Part of that involves eagerly preparing for war with the Blacks. I'm so excited, I can't wait. But his primary responsibilities are to the people throughout his kingdom and how they perceive him. Ooh interesting, he's vanity then, yeah, yeah, that's what it's about for him. But it's not about who he can be. It's about how the people see him. What people Yeah sad angry wee boy, isn't he he really is. So that's the news. We'll be back next week with hopefully some new information. Yeah, next episode, we'll have some new news for you. New news, new news. I'll love that. Well, hopefully it might just be the same old articles when we have a look. Possibly, but we'd like to believe there'll be some new stuff. I know we're only a month away from the the least of the season two. I'm so excited. We're going to have to get our skates on here. Yeah we are. Yeah, well we'll see he's all there. Right then, that's our show. Thanks for listening. We'll be back next time with the second episode, The Rogue Prince. Definitely. I can't remember there's going to be a Damon focused episode, but I would imagine he's the rogue Prince. I would say, I would say, yeah, definitely. So thanks guys. 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