What happened in the new episode?
Following the brutal death of little Jaehaerys, King Aegon erupts with rage. He shouts threats of war, shattering his father’s model of Old Valyria in a fit of fury. Aemond recalls the room from the day before and realizes he misses the killers who came for him. Otto Hightower supports Alicent, vowing to demand justice from those responsible, hinting that the gods may be punishing them. The gravity of the moment sinks in as the self-flagellation becomes clear: Lord Commander of the Royal Guard Criston Cole, the man who ordered his grandson’s execution, lies in the king’s bed after the act.
The Council retrieves the captured killer, Jaehaerys’s head secured in a bag, while the king suggests that anyone in the room could be a conspirator. He resists public disclosure to avoid showing weakness; the prince died in the cradle, at the heart of the Red Keep. Otto warns that Aegon already appears weak, and during the coronation a dragon drops from the sky. El persuades the king to honor the funeral according to Targaryen custom, complete with an open casket procession.
It is decided that Alicent and Queen Helaine will lead the mourning public relations effort. Alicent probes yesterday’s events, recalling how Helaine carried her daughter after their own child’s death and found Kohl in the room. The queen, unsettled and grieving, brushes off the attempt to discuss it.
The funeral procession begins in King’s Landing, while Laris Strong interrogates the captured guard in the dungeon. A cunning move—Tom hires Damon Targaryen and pays upfront with a promise of more to come, all under a guise of simple pest control and political meddling. Aegon enters the cell, freed from attending his son’s funeral, as the gathering learns everything needed to escalate into further torture. The procession travels through the streets, announced by a herald who proclaims Reenira as a pretender to the throne and a king-killer.
Back at Dragonstone, Reynirra reports to the queen by emergency council. The denial of involvement in Jaehaerys’s death is issued to Westeros, though some doubt lingers. The council understands the reputational damage done to the Blacks is immense. Reyenirra studies Daemon’s grin and senses that there is more beneath the surface. After a private exchange, Damon reassures the queen that he ordered Eeymond’s death decisively. Reyenirra admits she never fully trusted him, questioning whether his love is genuine or a strategic mask. Damon claims his late brother Viserys I elevated Reyenirra as heir to replace him, but the execution plot spiraled out of control. Reyenirra frames the argument and labels her uncle as pitiful.
Later, the queen accepts Damon’s daughter Bail Targaryen. Reyenirra directs the child to fly to King’s Landing with Moondancer, a dragon not yet seen on screen, and to observe what unfolds there. Meanwhile, Damon dons armor and rides Caraxes away from Dragonstone. Kohl watches with a heavy conscience as Jaehaerys’s belongings are cleared from the nursery. He then goes to Arrick Cargill and orders him to travel to Dragonstone with a mission: to kill Rhaenyra, and to do so by posing as his own twin, Errick, among the Blacks.
Nearby, Jacaerys Velaryon and Beila discuss their father and the path of Damon, Harvin Strong, and Baelin Velaryon. Jacaerys remembers Luceris, who died at the hands of Eeymond, and laments his brother’s fate. The world of loyalties and losses feels heavy as the siblings navigate the shadows of belief, duty, and revenge. In a separate thread, new characters and tensions surface, including Corly’s Sea Serpent and the toll of a long naval blockade caused by Velaryon influence. Their daughter’s illness underscores the cost of conflict as the drama widens.
Across the water, Sailor Aline from Hull reconnects with Addam as battles and betrayals swirl around the harbor. The Sea Mist, Laenor Velaryon’s dragon, is glimpsed in the air as Addam watches from the shore. The tension between Damon and his allies intensifies as Reenira interrogates the spy Misaria about his role in Jaehaerys’s death. Misaria admits to naming possible mercenaries in exchange for freedom, while Reyenirra cautions that releasing the White Leech will do the queen little good.
The streets of King’s Landing overflow with the bodies of rat catchers, a brutal symbol of the crackdown. Otto presses to execute all the mice catchers, a move meant to reclaim public sympathy before it can slip away. Aegon sees the politics clearly, advising his grandfather on Arrick’s dispatch to Dragonstone and the risk of further manipulation. Otto exits the room, stepping down as hand while Criston takes the reins.
Arrick reaches his goal and is spotted by a White Leech on the shore. Reyenirra decides to let him go, and he enters the castle, encountering his brother. The two collide; one triumphs, then immediately dies, the survivor offering a poignant apology before ending his own life.
In King’s Landing, Otto tells Alicent of his retirement plans and a move to Oldtown to care for Daeron. Alicent begins to reveal her own sins, but Otto shuts her down, making it clear he does not want to hear more. He then confronts Aegon, who is found in tears. The night ends with Alicent retreating to her room, where a tense moment ends with a charged kiss when Kolya is confronted.
How was it?
The pacing slows a touch in the second half, yet the episode remains a breathless mission narrative. The intrigue around Reyenirra remains sharp, and the reveal of a new dragon adds a striking visual. The emotional charge is high, and the action remains focused on the shifting loyalties that define this world.
What comes next?
Expect the next installment to continue in much the same vein, with the most thrilling developments likely to unfold in the fourth episode, which is teased to be titled A Dance with Dragons.