House of the Dragon returns this week with yet another solid episode that really put the emphasis on one character. This episode, if you think about it, is the true debut of the third season, as the last two episodes were originally scripted to be part of the second season. Does it create a jarring sense of disconnect, or does it keep the momentum going from the beginning of the season?

Rhaenyra has claimed the Iron Throne relatively easily, but of course, the responsibilities of the throne are anything but. With the exception of the cold open intro before the title sequence, this was a rather unique episode for House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones, in that we followed one point of view for the whole runtime. I think the closest we’ve gotten to this was The Watchers on the Wall in Thrones, but we never followed only Jon for that episode. There were a lot of cutaways to the battle.

The episode makes a compelling point that the bigger problems of rule aren’t clashing armies and rebellion, but the thousands of tiny requests and administration duties that consume a leader. Rhaenyra hasn’t even had a coronation yet, something she very much covets, but is being bombarded left, right, and center from her subjects and allies with requests. She quickly becomes sympathetic towards the starvation of the small folk, learning that the lesser nobles have been hoarding food in their homes while the rest of the city starves. She’s able to remedy this by having all of their homes raided while she hosts a special banquet for the nobles: roasted rat. While I’m sure the small folk are grateful, the nobles will likely hold onto this insult.

But she stumbled further this week with her decision-making. She’s promised a lot of things to her allies for helping her in her campaign. Estates and title for the Dragonseeds, and the one who needs that favour to be called in the soonest is Hugh, who has a wife and child and thus, has different needs. His family has fled the starvation of King’s Landing, and he would like to house them, something Rhaenyra says she’ll do…just not right now. She also pretty much picks a fight with the Septon, who implies that he rejects her rule as the body of Aegon has yet to be found, implying that he’s still alive and thus, Rhaenyra is a pretender with dragons, which are nothing more than abominations. The biggest shock is the open rejection of Corlys’s request to legitimize his two bastard children. Citing the rumours around her own “strong” children, she denied him, at least for now, she says, until things calm down. Corlys, in turn, channels his late brother Vaemond, decrying that her children, including the one living “Velaryon” left from her bloodline, are indeed bastards. Way to make an enemy of your staunchest ally. And just to put a cherry on the cake, she tasks Daemon with finding Sheepstealer in the Vale, which of course will result in him learning that the rider is none other than his daughter. As the episode is titled Rhaenyra Triumphant, there’s certainly a sense of irony that things aren’t as glorious as one might expect.

The biggest betrayal, that said, came from the Hightowers, who once again deceived Rhaenyra. Ormund Hightower fakes a surrender to Daemon and presents Daeron Targaryen, his ward and the youngest son of Alicent and Viserys, as a hostage. But Ormund had no intention of formally surrendering, instead slinking away only to capture Tumbleton, the town where Hugh’s family just so happens to be hiding out in. Talk about a spot of bad luck for him and surely a point of contention to come. What’s more is that the hostage isn’t Daeron. All episode, Daemon was goading his wife and queen to behead the boy, as he was a claimant to the throne. It was only when she presented him to Alicent as a gesture before exiling him to the wall that she learned the boy was an imposter, thanks to her confused reaction at seeing the child. I have to wonder if this imposter is a wink to what happens later in the book, after the Dance. That’s as vague as I’ll keep it, but I don’t think the show is going to go that far down the thread.

As this was a Rhaenyra-focused episode, Emma D’Arcy once again gets ample time to flex their acting chops. Rhaenyra exhibits confusion, doubt, resentment, and even perhaps a hint of madness as the weight of the throne bears down on her for the first time. Ramin Djawadi also composes some masterful pieces of music this week, tapping into a sense of anxiety and paranoia with frantic motifs and a perpetual ring of the gong that only helps create a sense of urgency and chaos. Great stuff, both being the standouts this week.

Hopefully, House of the Dragon can keep the momentum it’s earned this season as it heads into the midseason next week!