Stardancer Supreme

I'm not falling for the "Teen is actually Wiccan" rumors yet. I'm a comics reader and I will put my thought about Teen's actual identity below:

I was hoping that Sharon would turn out to be a witch. None of the witches could hear Teen's name. They recognized the spell preventing them from hearing his name. They assumed that Agatha had done the sigil spell.

Agatha was the only one under Wanda's final hex on Westview. The remaining residents played along with her "craziness" whenever she would leave her house. The neighbor said that "Agnes" had gotten into true crime dramas that week in the last episode. It's cool that Agatha isn't allowed to know who Teen really is; and it is funny since he clearly knows all about her. So Mrs. Davis is a green witch? That would also be cool! Now we have the coven; how is Agatha going to navigate the Witch's Road with no power? We aren't going to see more of Rio or the rabbit, are we?

Oh I'm all in! (Yes, I am a Comics nerd AND a MCU heaux, so I would have watched this series anyway...) I was tickled by the murder mystery and seeing the book title initials spell out "Darkhold" was awesome! So the dead body represented Wanda? I may have to rewatch DS:MOM again. It's been 3 long years...

I'm glad I decided to wait until the season was over to watch the "Inside The Episodes" because there is no logical reason (I know, looking for logic in a show about dragons...) for Silverwing and Ulf to be going to KL 2 minutes after meeting each other, even on Rhaenyra's orders. She shouldn't be able to order dragons around, because if she could do that, what do you need riders for? My canon would be that Silverwing was so excited to have a rider that she took him on a joyride near her former home, the King's Landing dragonpit. Remember, she asked Addam could he get Seasmoke to Dragonstone, so it doesn't make sense for Rhaenyra to send Silverwing and a brand new rider to KL.

So... HotD leaves us waiting on the precipice of battle. I'm still trying to decide if I am mad about it or not. Tyland's adventures with the Triarchy was hilarious. All this fighting to get a penis on the throne while pirates are happily led by a woman. GASP! And I cackled when Lohar told him to impregnate her wives. Pirates are real progressive... So Aemond, in a fit of rage, just burns a random town? Then goes home to attempt to bully Helaena to ride into war with him? I love that she did him like Rhaenys did Daemon; "I ain't doing that shyt. I know you burned Aegon and you are a dead man flying. You can kill me, it won't change your fate." Crispy is just resigned to his fate, and now Gwayne is as well. Heh. Daemon has now seen the future and the light, just in time for Rhaenyra to pull up to Harrenhal. Ser Simon sure took his time sending a raven after seeing Ser Alfred attempt to goad Daemon into usurping a throne that wasn't meant for him. To see him slink off when his plan didn't work was satisfying, but not as satisfying as Daemon (or Rhaenrya) taking his head for treason. I was bracing myself for someone dying horribly this episode; I am more than willing to wait for the next season's shenanigans. Jacerys, Jacerys, Jacerys. Even Baela couldn't shake you out of your sudden turn into prejudice? I'm also glad Ulf is getting most of the shade instead of Addam. We all see that Ulf will be Rhaenyra's problem child, right? He was pouring it on a bit thick; how does he think he can be so forward with Jacerys? Dude, this ain't no family reunion; this is war! I guess Alicent put that guard out of his misery and returned to the Red Keep only to plant seeds of desertion in Helaena's head AND creep back out to Dragonstone to bat her eyes at Rhaenrya one last time? She was way nicer than I would have been to be roused out of bed by that heffa. I personally would have asked for Aegon and Aemond's heads. Hell, I'd want Daeron's head too! Eff that "son for a son"; I want all your sons to try to end this war. The funny thing is that Larys took Aegon off the board and Alicent doesn't know it yet. Ehh. Cole said that Sunfyre was "long in the dying". It might actually serve this story better for that dragon to be dead. Sunfyre sacrificed his life to make sure his rider didn't die. We did all that running with Rhaena to not see the bonding moment? Show, those scenes could have been left to Season 3. I wonder did the retinue go off to Penthos without Rhaena? I want Joffrey and his little brothers to be free of this conflict. I'm glad Alyn told Corlys about himself. I was expecting him to refuse to sail with his deadbeat daddy. I'm not mad. 2 years is enough time to replenish my Team Black collectibles and get the Blu-Ray of this season...

Syrax was next to Rhaenyra. Silverwing, with her new rider Ulf, was on the far tower. The other dragon with them was Vermithor, the Bronze Fury with Hugh as his rider. Fun fact: Syrax and SeaSmoke was hatched by eggs from Silverwing!

Upon rewatch, I did see a saddle on Silverwing! And yes, the dragonriders do have saddles that come on and off. That's part of the duties of the dragon keepers. Now, having seen the saddle when Silverwing woke up from her nap (Did Ulf step on a live dragon egg or a dead one?), am I to understand that that saddle from her previous rider was never removed? Damn, can you imagine not allowing the keepers to remove the saddle of your dead rider...

I think that at this point, Rhaenyra is just basking in shellshock by watching dragons be dragons. She is so stuck on trying to have a bloodless war plus trying not to kill anyone needlessly and she just cannot compute why the roasting of people keeps happening in her Dragonpit. I think Emma D'Arcy needs to see how their face really looks after a scene is shot to see if that is what they wanted to come across in these scenes.

It wasn't a plan; Ulf went deeper in the Dragonpit to escape Vermithor's carnage. In stumbling onto Silverwing napping, he was immediately stunned to not die by dragon. Ulf didn't even have a saddle; he was hanging onto Silverwing's back! Rhaenyrs was probably occupied with Vermithor and Hugh and then noticed a dragon leaving the caverns. Silverwing reacted the same way Vhagar did when Aemond was claimed; immediate joyride hoping their new rider doesn't fall off.

It makes sense. Jacerys doesn't know that Addam is tied to Corlys, so he doesn't see this person as having any Targaryen heritage, even though the male Targaryens have been littering Westeros with their illegitimate progeny. Even if we never hear of or see Alyn and Addam's mother, she could very well have been of Targaryen heritage herself. I'm sure that Corlys has some Targaryen heritage as well. It just smacks of racial profiling...

Larys isn't being sneaky; he just don't eff with Aemond no more. I'm sure Larys won't be whispering anything to the Prince Regent/Boss of Vhagar. It's problematic for Rhaenyra to be in a romantic relationship with someone she relies heavily on.

Yeah, I didn't want to bring modern sensibilites into HotD, but it was telling that the other Council members assumed that Addam "stole" Seasmoke and proceeded to talk much trash until Rhaenyra stated that he was to be treated as a guest and allowed to learn High Valyrian and be trained to be a dragon rider. You would think that Jacerys would have related to Addam as another dark haired dragon rider, but I guess the dark skin lowborn status must have been too much for him even though Corlys and Baela are right there... I wonder if there is a scene between Jacerys and Addam on the cutting room floor?

No, Rhaenyra didn't sanction that excursion. I think Silverwing was so excited to have a rider again that she got way too close to what is now enemy territory. Ulf was along for the ride.

I think it would have been the prevailing thought of "What if this is an ambush?" or wondering if he was being led away from KL for an attack to happen there. Aemond didn't see the other dragons; he saw this rogue dragon heading back to Dragonstone, where all the other dragons are. This is the issue with having the Prince Regent also be the only dragonrider defense for KL. His youngest brother's dragon has just taken to wing AND they are in Oldtown. KL's only weapon is Vhagar, so it would be like Aegon-level foolishness to get into a scrap with multiple dragons without any backup. If Rhaenyra didn't already put it together, she will know when it comes time for Corlys to legitimize his bastards. The thing is, all of the dragonriders have Targaryen heritage. Jacerys claims Targaryen heritage because of his mother. No one questions Rhaenyra as his mother; since patriarchy rules, everyone is too concerned with who his father is, which shouldn't matter since his legal AND biological fathers are now dead. Dragon riding seems to be exclusive to Targaryens still, so I don't get the temper tantrum. Surely he should have related to the bastards a little, considering the fact that he is a bastard himself. Now I would worry only about Ulf; I would say he is more Bronn-like than Addam. Addam only wants validation from his daddy, so he will be content to be a dragonrider for Rhaenyra as long as Corlys acknowledges him.

So are we almost at an end for the Harrenhal LSD trip? I am glad that he did what he had to do to make up for his wartime shenanigans with the Brakens. I knew Daemon had to prove to young Lord Tully and the Riverlords that he was worthy of their swords, and for once I am glad to see him knocked down a peg as he was reminded that he is merely the King...Consort. Huh. So for all of Aemond's orders to keep smallfolk in the Red Keep, Alicent and a cadre of Targaryen bastards was able to waltz outside the gates? Jacerys has fallen a bit in my regard for him. Knowing he is a strong Targaryen (pun unintended. LOL!), he shouldn't feel a way about "lowborns" gaining a dragon. Addam didn't intend to snatch a "Dragon of House Targaryen", as Rhaenyra stated. I thought wild and riderless dragons belonged to themselves; I expected her to say "My late husband's dragon", honestly. Okay, Corlys. Addam has Seasmoke and Alyn has told you that he is Sea and Salt. Time to legitimize your sons! Will Baela get in introduction to her uncles? Rhaena, sis. I get that you really want to have your own dragon, but to leave Joffrey, Aegon III(?), and Viserys II to go to Penthos without you? I hope there were others to care for them besides you. Now, Rhaenyra's cattle call method of finding dragonriders leaves a lot to be desired, but she has gained what she needed. I figured Hugh would be chosen by Vermithor (after he flambeed nearly everyone else!), because we have seen too much of him for him not to be chosen. I thought Ulf was full of shyt because his hair was steadily getting darker as the season went on. Is he a real Targaryen bastard or has he not washed his hair since Episode 1? Aww, Silverwing has chosen him; I guess he is legit! Wait. Silverwing took Ulf to King's Landing? Lawd, that's not the place to be! Whew, now we see how quickly Aemond can mobilize Vhagar. I'm surprised that she actually obeyed instead of going full steam to Dragonstone. I wonder if Daemon will take Rhaenyra's calls now that she has gained 3 dragonriders? "Hey heaux. I got 3 more dragons in play now. ready to come home?" (Written in High Valyrian, of course.)

We have to stop putting modern sensibilities on things that happened way back in the past. There is no "cheating" in these type of relationships. Corlys' reaction may be about Rhaenys knowing about his bastards, as the noble lords are supposed to keep bastards on the down low unless they didn't care about their wives knowing about them. Corlys cared about how Rhaenys thought about him, so he would be a rare exception for feeling guilty at all.

Being that Westeros is as patriarchal as it is, it would be expected that most noble house lords would have bastards in their kingdoms. Out of fairness to Rhaenys, Alyn and Addam seem to be older than Laena and Laenor would be had they lived, so possibly Corlys hooked up with their mother before he married Rhaenys. I also wonder what happened to Aegon's bastards he had in the streets of the Red Keep?

Velaryons and dragons hail from Old Valyria; there is no reason why anyone with Valyrian bloodlines shouldn't be able to bond with a dragon and ride it. The Velaryons were the closest allies of the Targaryens for hundreds of years before they even invaded Westeros and there was likely a significant amount of intermarriage between the two houses to the point where the Velaryons and Targaryens were practically the same family blood-wise. The only reason they didn't have their own dragons prior to the dance was likely a political one. Remember, the Targaryens could very well have sent propaganda out that only they can ride dragons and no one else even bothered to try out the hypothesis to see if it is true. As for Corlys himself, he may well have Targaryen in his bloodline even before he married Rhaenys. So any child that Corlys has will have the capability to bond with a dragon. Plus, Seasmoke used to be Laenor's dragon; he may be more partial to Velaryons than Targaryens.

I think Seasmoke was testing Ser Darklyn. He might have accepted Darklyn if he had simply jumped on Seasmoke's back instead of crowing to everyone that he "tamed" the dragon. I see that the dragons need to ride with their new riders to see if they are worthy. Any hint of fear or hesitation, you get roasted!

Consider this: This is the first time Rhaenyra has ever been affirmed as Viserys' heir. Folks are either talking at her or around her; nobody seemed to just sit with her and say to her, "You'd make a splendid Queen." The hug was cool, but putting her tongue down Mysaria's throat seemed a bit... desperate, perhaps? I'm all for Girl Power, but I don't think that Rhaenyra should poop where she eats. Mysaria's idea was a roaring success in King's Landing. She should just be Rhaenyra's strategist only. I will admit that Rhaenyra looked a bit silly with the sword. I guess she is trying to become more like Visenya. I knew Ser Darklyn was toast the minute they summoned Seasmoke. Seasmoke already had a rider in mind! He was probably miffed that they tried to put that palm colored man on him. Heh. Seeing that Addam also suffers from ignored second bastard son syndrome, it was an enormous win to be chosen (by the dragon, no less) to be a dragonrider! While taking after their mother, Addam still has enough Valyrian blood to claim Seasmoke. I wonder why Alyn doesn't want to go to sea with his father? Addam was chomping at the bit just to get Corlys to acknowledge him, and he just marvels at the fact that Alyn has their father's attention. Poor Aegon. So there is a dragon running around the Vale? Was Lady Jane wondering if Rhaena could possibly tame it? Is Rhaena going to try to claim it? She really isn't interested in going to Pentos. Alicent just can't win; Aemond kicks her off the Small Council, she very nearly got married off, and now she can't go to the Sept anymore. Now she is thinking of the son she sent away? A small spoiler ask: Jacerys is getting a bit too big for his britches. Now he has an attitude when Rhaenyra runs off to see who this new rider is...

That was fitting for Jacerys to bring the Dragonseed conversation to light; after all, he is only half Targaryen and has a dragon. The thing about Driftmark is that Corlys never even considered giving his titles and seas to his Targaryen granddaughters. For him to backhandedly offer Driftmark to Baela after Rhaenys had begged him to pass it down to his daughter Laena first, then to Rhaena wasn't right. Corlys only bonded with Lucerys out of all of Laenor's "children", and expected to pass everything to him. Lucerys' death blew up all of Corlys' hopes and dreams. I fully expected Baela to turn down Driftmark, because Corlys never imparted to the Targaryen girls the importance of Salt and Sea; he left them to Rhaenys, who wasn't too cool with Driftmark herself. Plus Baela is supposed to be Queen of the Realm eventually; why settle for something that wasn't supposed to go to her in the first place? She could have said to Corlys "What about my sister?", but the show hasn't shown how close the sisters are. The show also shows that Daemon doesn't give a damn about his girls, either. The claiming dragons debate should have been discussed more. We should have seen at least one of Rhaena's attempts for a dragon on Dragonstone so we can feel for her not being able to claim one. Hell, Vhagar might not have cottoned to Rhaena as she had to Laena. It was a throwaway line from Rhaenyra that let us know that Rhaena attempted to claim a dragon nearly at the cost of her life. Even having Targaryen/Old Valyrian blood still won't guarantee a dragon to ride if the dragon won't bond with you.

No.

True, considering that it probably took some effort to cut Meleys' head off. The handwave explanation could be that Vhagar brought Aegon back to King's Landing...

Finally Crispy got too much dip on his chip. Poor Meleys; and dare I ask what happened to Rhaenys' body? (Having flashbacks of what happened to Rob and his direwolf... shudder) I really could have done without watching the maesters peel Valyrian steel off of Aegon. Now Alicent wants to play the Game of Thrones? Too bad she is female. Rhaenyra had no real choice but to make Corlys her Hand. He does have reason to be salty about all the losses he endured; but he should take Rhaenyra's offer. That backhanded offering of Driftmark to Baela? That wasn't right. He needs to stop disrespecting Rhaena! Speaking of Rhaena, she appears to be having a time in the Vale. Jayne Arryn is a spitfire, but alas, she also suffers from that pesky female condition. I'm glad that Rhaena at least let her know not to talk crazy to her. Yes, Rhaenyra knew she wanted a fighting dragon, but what could she do? I don't think that Rhaena is going to Pentos anytime soon, so hopefully she and the boys will be relatively safe for now. At least Ser Alfred respects his Queen a little. I wonder how successful he will be in getting Daemon back into the game. So Daemon does want to claim King's Landing for himself. And yet again, he doesn't give clear instructions. Simon Strong made me snort laugh when he told Daemon of the "complications" of his mission in the Riverlands. I have to admit. Jace was a bit slick, but not slick enough to keep his mother from knowing where he went. Now, the dragonseeds have been introduced into the storyline (spoiled by book readers, of course); since Rhaenyra can't go out and make war, she can research to strengthen her advantage. While Aemond certainly doesn't have the temperament to be a good leader, he certainly is the smartest of Team Green at the moment. He cut down the ratcatchers, only to seal King's Landing up to keep the smallfolk from leaving...