House of the Dragon delivered what may be the best action sequence in the Westeros setting since the Battle of the Bastards in season six. Audience members waiting for this war to actually kick off certainly got their wish in this episode, with clashing armies, dragons, and some high-stakes outcomes.

The Red Dragon and the Gold was front-loaded by political and character-driven scenes, but we’re going to jump to the back half of the episode and get to the real juicy stuff. I pondered last week if we’d be seeing Rook’s Rest this week and showrunner Ryan Condal, taking on this week’s writing duties, and director Alan Taylor (who directed Ned Stark losing his head) brought us there. First things first. Huge shoutout to the costume department. The armour on display here, whether it be on background extras, principal actors, or Cole’s horse, was immensely detailed. Everyone felt like they were suited up in heavy plates of metal, but with all of the heraldry with the various houses, it was also quite colourful and vibrant. As I mentioned, the new filming locations are doing wonders for the outdoor shoots; even something as bleak as an execution is given a wondrous backdrop against hills and lakes. This season just feels really rich with detail.

This episode marks the first time we’ve seen some proper dragon-on-dragon action in this series and it was wildly entertaining and incredibly cinematic. I would’ve paid to have watched this on the big screen. The VFX were on par with many Hollywood movies these days and the cinematography knew how to frame the action to keep things exciting and clear. Many of the shots in this episode looked like paintings, with plenty of majestic wides filling up the screen. Also, thank goodness it was shot in the daytime, I’m pretty tired of big VFX scenes being shot at night to mask the effects; this one being in the middle of the day only made the horror of these dragons, which are effectively nukes when you think about the scale of their destruction, that much more impactful.

It also showcased the scale of these three dragons, with each one appearing larger than the previous. Aegon, fed up with not being respected, elected to defy orders and expectations and fly himself to the battle on his dragon Sunfyre, which is the first time we’ve seen his dragon if I’m not mistaken. He arrives just as Rhaenys and her much larger Meleys are burning Cole’s army to the ground and the two dragons engage in battle; only for Aemond, Cole’s secret weapon, to join the fray with the behemoth Vhaegar. Instead of saving the day, however, Aemond elects to make a power play for the throne and attack his own brother, sending both Aegon and Sunfyre crashing down. I really liked how Rhaenys could’ve left the battle, the King was downed and the army was seriously devastated, but she elected to go back and try and finish Aemond off, whether that be for pride or honour (definitely not glory, unlike Aegon or Armond). Vhaegar then proceeds to chomp down on Meleys’ neck, killing Rhaenys in the process. It’s a lot to take in, but it was pretty damn entertaining; action that sinks its fiery teeth in you because we’re so invested in the characters and the stories around them. Now, Rhaenyra is short a dragon, an experienced warrior, and most crucially, a key advisor.

I really liked the aftermath of the battle as well, with Cole surveying the destruction in his wake. He’s a seasoned veteran but has never seen what dragons can do on a battlefield and he was utterly shaken by the implications of how bad this war can be. He orders a soldier once he gains composure, only for the soldier to crumble; he was nothing more than petrified ash and bone. Great shot.

Prior to the battle, Aegon found himself second-guessed and dismissed by everyone from his brother, the Small Council, and even his own mother, who tells her own son, the King, that the best thing he can do now on the cusp of battle is to do nothing at all. So of course, Aegon elects to go to battle without telling anyone, which ultimately plays out differently than how it does in the book. Alicent, studying the histories, seems pretty sure that her son was never meant to ascend the Iron Throne, but she also won’t try changing anyone’s mind on the topic.

I particularly like that Aemond was schooling him in front of the Council and then opted to speak fluent Valyrian, which ended up highlighting that Aegon can’t speak his ancestral language fluently, further showcasing that while Aegon may like the idea of being king, he actually has no idea what he’s doing and never expressed much interest to learn when he was growing up. Whereas Aemond, constantly bullied by his brother, worked hard to make sure he was the best version of himself; one that may be a better fit for the Throne perhaps. So you have to wonder if Aemond unleashed his dragon on Aegon out of revenge, spite, or for the sake of the realm. A lot to chew on, especially for book readers since this turn of events is slightly different, with Aemond’s attack on Aegon appearing much more deliberate this time around. Now, with his brother lying on the ground, Aemond is now the custodian of the Valyrian dagger, which normally stays with the Targaryen monarch.

Elsewhere in the episode, we also caught up with Daemon in Harrenhal and Alys Rivers, who notes that the apparent curse on the castle is affecting Daemon’s sleep. He once again dreams of Rhaenyra, played again by Milly Alcock, and fumbles with his war council, appearing lost and delirious, to the point where he sees his dead wife as an illusion. I did find this part of the episode did drag a bit, especially knowing what was to come.

We also caught up briefly with Corlys and Rhaenys, who finally met up with Alyn of Hull and she put two and two together that he’s her husband’s bastard son. Considering Corlys has no legitimate heirs, the seed is planted now for the Hull brothers to become Valaryons at Rhaenys’ own suggestion, despite a tinge of sadness due to the implications. Rhaenyra also returns to Dragonstone to a council divided and pretty frustrated with her; it’s only when she agrees to unleash a dragon that she seems to get her side back in line. But considering her first act of war resulted in her walking right into a trap and losing Rhaenys and Meleys, I wonder how her Council will look at her now, especially Corlys.

The midseason episode of House of the Dragon’s second season was pretty damn exciting and entertaining. There was a massive action sequence that had more than one big outcome, but the show made sure to incorporate important character scenes, especially for Aegon and Aemond. The war is definitely a hot one now. Farewell, the Queen Who Never Was.