House of the Dragon Season 2 episode 7 recap: Dragonseed riders

Lord Oscar Tully calls the River Lords to meet Daemon at Harrenhal, and makes Daemon behead Lord Willem Blackwood for his house’s atrocities against the Brackens. Rhaenyra sends a secret message and a fleet of small boats to King’s Landing, where they pick up all the illegitimate Targaryen offspring, the Dragonseeds, that they can lay their hands on, to take back to Dragonstone and try their luck at bonding with the dragons. In a deadly feast of burning, stomping, and chomping of the unlucky, the dragons Vermithor and Silverwing choose their new riders. And at King’s Landing, Larys does his utmost to undermine Aemond, while urging King Aegon to step up his rehab.

What happened in House of the Dragon Season 2, episode 6

Seasmoke burned Ser Steffon Darklyn to death and chose Addam of Hull to be his new rider, and Corlys appointed his illegitimate son, Addam’s brother Alyn, to be his new First Mate. Aemond fired Alicent from the Green Council, ordered Tyland Lannister to make a deal with the Free Cities to crush the Velaryons’ blockade of The Gullet, dismissed Ser Criston Cole as Hand of the King and told Larys Strong to bring back Lord Otto Hightower. But nobody could contact Lord Otto thanks to war breaking out in The Reach after the Beesburys found out about Ser Criston murdering Lord Lyman Beesbury (Bill Paterson) in HOTD Season 1, episode 9. Daemon and Viserys had brother bonding time at haunted Harrenhal while Alys Rivers secretly killed Lord Grover Tully, making Lord Oscar Tully the new chief Lord of the Riverlands. And Alicent and Helaena were caught in the chaos as the starving smallfolk of King’s Landing rioted against the Greens.

Need a refresher? Read the full House of the Dragon Season 2 recaps for: episode 1, episode 2, episode 3, episode 4, episode 5, and episode 6. Also read the House of the Dragon Season 1 recap and a House of the Dragon Season 2 Who’s Who

Stream House of the Dragon Season 1-2 on Showmax now. New episodes Mondays, express from the US.

Episode 7: Rhaenyra calls the Dragonseeds to battle

Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) meets Seasmoke’s new rider, Addam of Hull (Clinton Liberty), who kneels to her but doesn't tell her that Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) is his biological father. While the Black Council huffs and puffs over Seasmoke choosing a peasant rider, Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno) privately advises Rhaenyra to seek out more illegitimate Targaryens in King's Landing and Dragonstone, pointing out to Rhaenyra that she can’t expect loyalty from noble houses for loyalty when her own half-brothers are waging war against her. Rhaenyra is forced to admit she has a point and tells Mysaria, "For twenty years the lords of this realm laid an insult at my sons behind my back. Well, then. Let us raise an army of bastards". 

Prince Jacaerys (Harry Collett) seems miffed by Rhaenyra turning to Mysaria for council. He has more serious concerns, too, and urges Rhaenyra to think about what it’ll mean for him as her heir since his legitimacy to succeed her has always hinged on him being a dragonrider: "House Targaryen is the blood of the dragon. If any may lay claim to it, what are we then? ... What if one of your base-born silver-haired dragonriders decides he wants to rule the Seven Kingdoms?" But Rhaenyra tells him that they have only two choices: fight to the last man in certain defeat, or beat Vhagar, end the war, and sort out the mess later. 

Backstabbing on the Green Council

Following the riot in King’s Landing, Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) has the knights of the Kingsguard who attacked citizens during the riot – surprise, surprise, the same knights who were Aegon's (Tom Glynn-Carney) drinking buddies – sent to the Wall. But Larys (Matthew Needham), who’s already working to undermine Aemond, advises Lord Jasper Wylde (Paul Kennedy) not to bring Aemond the rumour that Seasmoke has a new rider. And behind the scenes, even with King Aegon screaming in agony as he's put back into bed after taking a few shaking steps, Larys tells him that he's going to have to work harder than he has ever worked in his life. And he urges Maester Orwyle (Kurt Egyiawan) to keep pushing Aegon. 

Daemon brought to heel at Harrenhal

Lord Oscar Tully (Archie Barnes) brings the River Lords to Harrenhal but warns King Consort Daemon (Matt Smith) that while the Tullys are loyal to Queen Rhaenyra, Daemon has made a huge mess. Lord Oscar knows that he will practically have to spit in Daemon's face to get the River Lords on his side, and finally manages to make Daemon realise that he's insulting him to do him a favour, winning Daemon's begrudging respect. 

Lord Willem Blackwood (Jack Parry-Jones) is keen to sweep his recent atrocities under the rug and lays his sword at Lord Oscar's feet, but Lord Oscar tells him that while Daemon "made clear his base desires," Lord Willem didn't have to go that route; he chose to because he wanted to. And he points out that if Daemon wants his army, he'll have to denounce the Blackwoods' crimes against the Brackens and dispense justice. Daemon’s face is a study in conflicting emotions (possibly even shame, which is unheard of) as he beheads Lord Blackwood to get his army. After the execution, Daemon has a new vision of King Viserys (Paddy Considine), this time old, sick and frail. Viserys tells him that he never wanted the crown, or all the pain it caused. He offers the crown to Daemon one last time, and asks whether he still wants it. Hearing King Aegon screaming, we’d think twice.

Calling the Dragonseeds

At the docks in Driftmark, Lord Corlys gives his First Mate Alyn of Hull (Abubakar Salim) two messages – one, to prepare boats for King's Landing, where they'll go on a secret mission from Queen Rhaenyra. Two, to tell him that his brother, Addam, is Seasmoke's new rider. Lord Corlys asks Addam whether his mother's bloodline came from old Valyria, to which Alyn gives him a non-committal answer. Mysaria also gives Addam a message for Rhaenyra’s spy and handmaid, Elina Massey (Jordon Stevens), who rounds up the illegitimate Targareyn offspring, including boastful bar drinker – and Viserys and Daemon's illegitimate half-brother – Ulf the White (Tom Bennett) and Hugh Hammer the blacksmith (Kieran Bew), who recently lost his sick daughter.

Hugh admits to his wife Kat (Ellora Torchia) that his mother was Viserys and Daemon's half-sister, who was born, raised and exploited in a brothel. As the Dragonseeds set out on their dangerous mission, in the Vale, Rhaena (Phoebe Campbell) is leaving the Eyrie with Rhaenyra's two younger children to head for Pentos, when she decides to go looking for the wild dragon, nicknamed Sheepstealer. 

Trial by fire: two new dragonriders

At Dragonstone, Rhaenyra faces the physical reminder of how many children the men of her family abandoned to lives of poverty, sexual exploitation, and abuse as she addresses the Dragonseeds. The Dragonkeeper Elder (Kieron Jecchinis) wants no part of her plan and tells Rhaenyra, "The dragons are sacred. They are the last magic of Old Valyria in this sad world. They are not playthings for the games of men. The Order will take no part in this.” But Rhaenyra tells the Dragonseeds that what they thought they knew about claiming a dragon has become ash in the wind. 

Inside the Dragonmont, Rhaenyra calls to and calms Vermithor the Bronze Fury, the second largest dragon in the world, without any pomp and ceremony. From then, though, "it must be the dragon who speaks,” Rhaenyra says, as she goes up to the lookout point to watch. When the wrong Dragonseed steps forward, Vermithor incinerates swathes of Dragonseeds, and stomps on and devours others until Hugh is brave enough to turn and defy the great dragon. While this is happening, Ulf is fleeing for his life through the Dragonmont when he stumbles across another great dragon, who gives him some playful nuzzles, sending him rolling across the room. This big, purring baby is Silverwing, the third largest Dragon in Westeros.

Later at King's Landing, as Lord Jasper catches Aemond up on the battle with the Beesburys, the Green Council is distracted by an uproar as they spot a strange dragon in the skies. It's Silverwing, going for a joyride with Ulf. Aemond rushes out to mount Vhagar, and follows Silverwing until he sees him landing at Dragonstone, where Rhaenyra stands with two great dragons and Syrax (considered a large dragon) at her side.

Stream House of the Dragon Season 1-2 on Showmax now. New episodes Mondays, express from the US.