A "Dotard" refers to someone (usual old) who is feeble and slow of body and mind. They are in their "dotage". Loving your reactions as usual. This is such a great show.
Loved your analysis of the Daemon arc. A lot of people have issues with it, but I see it very similarly to you, and really like it. I’m loving the show and the changes and expansions of the book. The story needed a lot of work to be enough for a show and I think they’re doing an excellent job. If they would’ve adapted the book exactly as it is, we might’ve gotten a 4 episode miniseries of several battles over a 2 year period. The book is more of a timeline of events from the conflicting POVs of 2 observers on the periphery. They pretty much had to invent a narrative and inject it into these events based on snippets of details.
Poor alicent just got a mirror of rhaenyras arm scar because of mysarias plan and now she's going to find out that mysaria is also fucking rhaenyra... its over for her i fear she's gonna attempt something
And that’s why it’s so funny because that logic is SO binary. I think a good ruler has to want it yet also recognize it as a burden and not a flashy prize
Remember Seasmoke was Laeris (?) dragon, Corlis' gay son, half Targarian & half Valerian. Seasmoke recognized Adam's hair & his Valerian vibe because of Laeris. And he was circling above him in a previous show where Adam was on the shore picking up a crab. I guess Seasmoke just decided he wanted to pick his own rider. Seems that Targarian blood isn't totally necessary because Adam doesn't have it, only Valerian. Loved this episode & your reaction.
Addam does have Targaryen blood even though small. Houses Targaryen and Velaryon have intermarried for generations even before Corlys and Rhaenys so Corlys does have dragon blood and therefore Addam does as well.
It will always be interesting to see if the show mentions that the Targaryens and Velaryons have intermarried for generations. Most people think Laenor could ride a dragon because his mother was a Targaryens. But the Velaryons have at least three marriages with Targaryens that I’m aware of, including the mother of Aegon the Conqueror. There are probably more. So Velaryons are as likely to ride a dragon as any other family that married with Targaryens. I do think that Addam being a half brother to Laenor probably made him feel more familiar to Seasmoke.
Alyn and Addam have Targaryen blood not just because of the intermixed of generations it’s because their mother is a dragon seed as well so they have plenty of Targaryen blood to try.
I think if one has to claim a dragon , other than having the right amount of blood, you have to show the right amount of respect/fear. I think that’s why Aemond was able to claim Vaghar, at least to an extent, given she was fully going to roast him, if he didn’t tell her to calm down.
I feel like he didn’t pass the sniff test. You let the dragon sniff you before you try getting up behind them. If you can’t look the teeth in the eye you don’t deserve scale.
always let them sniff you and see if they accept a caress on the side or over the nose... much like a cat... once they re satisfied smelling you, can properly pet them
The conversation between Alys Rivers and Daemon while she summons an owl out of nowhere kinda reminds me of that scene between Ben Wyatt and Ron Dunn in Parks and Rec 😂
One of the things about the Lannister, who is talking at the golden teeth to the owner. When you said you wanted to smack him I was like cheering you on, because he basically just look at this man that was so proud to give up 500 of his men to go fight, and then the Lannister said we’re looking forward to your hospitality. He has over 7000 people plus the lions in the horses and basically just said we’re looking forward to going and eating you at a house and home while we wait. I am guaranteeing you that that cheap is not ready to house that many people with food and water and feed for the horses and the lions. I feel sorry for the host.
Kind of a mixed bag for me personally, though I wouldn't say it was bad. Aegon and Larys' scene was the unexpected highlight for me. That, and seeing Paddy again, Daemon going through actual grief, and seeing Seasmoke adopt Addam.
I don't think seasmoke lured the knight. I think he could have ridden seasmoke. I think he made the mistake of changing his behavior all at once. The belief that he had made it triggered seasmoke. A sudden emotional swing that the dragon perceived as negative. Seasmoke was eager to find a new rider. He was restless the whole time. And because the knight was wrong, seasmoke had had enough and said to myself, I'll just look for one myself. If the man with his sick child is a dragon rider too, then Rhaenyra will have a big problem if he fights at her side. Because as it turns out here, he knocks down another of his kind to get what he wants, for his own benefit. Typical traitor material. If such a person fights at Rhaenyra's side and gets a better offer at some point, he will betray her. I don't think anything in this show happens to be shown the way it's shown. We should see that this man lets others jump over the blade to get what he wants. It doesn't matter if Aegon becomes capable of acting again, he can't do anything against Aemond, because he needs him on his dragon. To protect the city and win the war.
There are NO FULL Targaryens. Rhaenyra 's kids are half Strong, Alicent's kids are half Hightower. Dragons bond with the bloodline, not your last name or your haircolor, they don't care if you're legitimate or a bastard.
Well, that’s not completely true. Viserys and Daemon’s parents were brother and sister, so they had two Targaryen parents. Rhaenyra’s mother was half Arryn but her paternal grandparents were both Targaryens, King Jaehaerys and Queen Alysanne. So, Viserys and Aemma were first cousins. That’s why the Targaryens marry so closely with one another, including siblings. They have to make sure their children don’t end up with blood too thin to ride dragons. So, yes, there are members of the cadet branches of the Targaryen family who are mixed with other people but the ruling family never lets itself get too mixed. It may even be that, since Rhaenys had only one Targaryen parent and Viserys had two that that was part of the reason - in addition to her sex - that she wasn’t chosen to rule. Viserys had more blood of the dragon than she did. I mean, I think it was probably just pure sexism but who knows?
The actor who resembles Henry Thomas( who originally started as Elliot in E.T.) from the Flanagan horrorverse is actually named Anthony Flanagan funny enough.
Hi from Australia. Absolutely loved your reaction and your interesting review. Very knowledgeable. What do you think will we have to wait two years or more for season 3?
I don’t think the dragon rejected Ser Steffen because of fear directly but because his Targaryen ancestor was too far back and he didn’t have enough dragon blood. This Targaryen princess was his grandmother’s grandmother. He had a few drops of Targaryen blood, at best. If he had had more, he wouldn’t have been afraid to mount Seasmoke and he wouldn’t have hesitated. For example, we saw Addam running from Seasmoke but that’s because he didn’t know the dragon’s intentions. He never thought Seasmoke wanted him as his rider so anyone with sense would run. But, I bet that when Seasmoke lowered his neck and made things clear, Addam didn’t hesitate because his blood called out for him to mount the dragon. It’s like a need, a thirst. Ser Steffen was just doing what he was out of duty. He never had a thought to be a dragon rider.
The show unintentionally just said Aegon may be suited to rule by saying those who don’t want to lead are the ones who should, and if we remember Aegon had no wish to rule. We of course know he is in no way suited but I can’t help but think that they might be trying to make a parallel with Aegon and Aemond and Rhaenyra and Daemon. There have been a lot of those in this season already.
I can't stand Aegon or Larys but I like them teaming up. Aemond's ego needs to be checked. I enjoyed seeing Alicent suffer a couple of losses this episode. I love Seasmoke choosing Addam. I don't trust Mysaria and I hope Rhaenyra remembers who Mysaria really is.
0:06 Just finished watching Reel Rejects' Cobra Kai 6×5 reaction where they gave you a shout out at the end! They gave your reactions high praise and I would love to see you and Andrew go toe-to-toe with Andrew on Karate Kid knowledge. 😂 23:41 Maybe Seasmoke can smell Leanor's bloodline in Addam, since Leanor is still alive, but not here. Seasmoke sought him out. 33:47 I liked in the first scene with Daemon and Viserys (replay of 1x1), but even though Viserys used the same dialogue, his tone was completely different. Somber instead of irate. It was REALLY powerful, I thought, and made Daemon think about the situation in a different way.
I could see Daemon following in the footsteps of the hero's journey like Tony Stark. Both start off as selfish men, experience psychological traumas of past failures, and eventually learn to become selfless.
The current Lord Lannister is a twin brother to the Lannister who has been a long time member of the Small Council. And there are three wild dragons who have never had a rider. Typical they live on Dragonstone. Having one travel to the Vale is unusual.
Keep an eye out on that old man, who's hand was chopped off by a king's guard. He resembles a book character who MIGHT return later, close to the end of the war. And IF he is the character I'm thinking of, you're right, losing his hand does lead to something worse 😖😖😖
So, the first guy is like 3+ generations separated so there is a good chance he was truly too diluted. I think the Daemon story is over-stretched. As much as I appreciate the psychological part it does seem to be padding for less action/CGI stuff. Aemond like his own mother is a hypocrite calling Lairys out.
Since when can non Targaryens ride dragons? Addam is part Velaryon but they were never dragon riders despite being from Valyaria like the Targaryens. And i love how the peasants have forgotten that Rhaenyra and her blockade are why they are starving in the first place.
They get the ability from their mother plus coryls I believe does have a tiny amount of Targaryen blood himself due to generations ago of the Targaryens and veleyrons intermixing so their mother was at least half Targaryen or quarter Targaryen than add in coryls blood to the mix it is more than enough for Addam and alyn to claim dragons.