The following contains spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 1, Episode 2, "The Rogue Prince," which debuted Sunday, Aug. 28 on HBO.
House of the Dragon's second episode, "The Rogue Prince," goes deeper into who Daemon is and, more importantly, what role he'll come to play in this story. Matt Smith perfectly plays a Daemon Targaryen that is infuriatingly hard to like and, at the same time, impossible to hate, but even on an episode titled after the man who would be heir (or King), it's Rhaenyra -- still played by Milly Alcock -- who steals the show, and the dragon egg. There's no comparison to future Targaryens needed for her to shine, even if the comparisons are inevitable.
Much less happens in the second episode than in the first one, but the plot still moves along at a pretty decent pace. It's been six months since the death of Queen Aemma, and both King Viserys and Princess Rhaenyra are grieving but finding it very hard to come together in their grief. Otto, meanwhile, continues to try to move his chess pieces so his daughter, Alicent, becomes the next Queen. He isn't the only one, though, as Corlys Velaryon has exactly the same plan. Meanwhile, Rhaenyra is taking every chance to prove she is a worthy heir, even if that means staring down her uncle Daemon, daring him to attempt the blow that would leave him as the sole heir.
Daemon, of course, doesn't take the bait. It's hard to say if that's because he's smart enough not to or because he's just so taken by his niece at that moment. Daemon already seemed to have a soft spot for Rhaenyra in "Heirs of the Dragon," but in "The Rogue Prince," it almost feels like he respects Rhaenyra more for her show of power. If there is something Daemon admires, it's strength, which is why he's always looked down on his brother Viserys, and why he considers himself the best choice for King. The confrontation is charged and almost uncomfortably hypnotic. Daemon doesn't push harder, but neither does Rhaenyra. There's a level of mutual respect and even affection in the words they exchange. They might be at cross purposes for now, but something about the two of them recognizes a kindred spirit in the other. It's clearly not the end of their story, not even close.
For all of what Rhaenyra does in "The Rogue Prince" to earn her father's respect and the realm's respect, there's still a sense that she will never truly get to where she needs to be -- at least not with anyone other than Daemon. This is made clear by Rhaenys Velaryon herself, who has been in the same shoes Rhaenyra is now and has come to understand what it means to be who she is. Not that the young princess is in the right state of mind to heed the warning. Rhaenys does have her own agenda, as does everyone around her. Rhaenyra Targaryen trusts no one, and that's probably for the best.
The echoes of Daenerys Targaryen are hard to escape and, to be fair, House of the Dragon invites the comparison. But this is a different story than that of Daenerys, and though fans of the books are already aware of where the major players will end up, that doesn't mean the show has no surprises up its sleeve. Perhaps the first and most important of which is how easy it is to relate to characters whose fates most already know or only have to turn to the source material to find out.
Credit goes to a stellar cast that absolutely draws you in. Has a Targaryen King ever been as relatable as Paddy Considine's Viserys? There's nothing in him of the Viserys fans will know, the one from Game of Thrones. Whereas Viserys was just someone viewers loved to hate, the name now belongs to a king fans can see struggling to do the right thing in a world where the right choice is infinitely more complicated than it seems. Matt Smith and Milly Alcock shine brighter than the rest, but Emily Carey, Rhys Ifans, Steve Toussaint, and Eve Best do all they can to elevate every moment they get on screen.
How should viewers invest in a story that already has a written ending? House of the Dragon isn't the only property attempting to get fans to do so -- the upcoming Andor will do the same when it premieres next month. If House of the Dragon is going to succeed, it needs to continue what the first two episodes have done: establish complex, interesting characters, put them in morally dubious situations, and then let the strength of the cast lead the way. The ending is something fans will worry about when it's time. For now, all that matters is that the show provides entertainment -- hopefully without the amount of violence against women Game of Thrones was known for -- and takes these characters, the ones fans have already learned to care about, through a worthy journey.
The second episode of House of the Dragon aired Sunday, Aug. 28 on HBO. The first two episodes are now streaming exclusively on HBO Max.