This week, at least for now, it is Jim and Me. Chris is in Florida, so he’s in Hurricane Hell. We wish him well. This week’s episode, “The Princess and the Queen”, concludes the time jump, for the foreseeable future. We have new actors playing Rhaenyra, Alicent, Laena, and Laenor. We have 7 children of various ages, some of whom, we don’t even get a name for yet. We also got 3 relatively big deaths with big consequences. It was a packed episode with questionable pacing, and even more questionable explanations. Anything written in BOLD is from me. Chris and I also recorded our companion podcast, Kenter At Your Own Risk, prior to the hurricane unleashing its wrath, so you can check that out too.
1. Tell me how you feel about the new actors playing the “older” versions of various characters such as Rhaenyra, Alicent, and Laenor. Would you have been happier if the character were played by the original actors and just aged?
Jim: While I think it was necessary, it does make a distinct separation of the first 5 episodes from the rest. Almost like a prequel (as a wise man told me) of the prequel, but it makes it hard as it undoes the emotional attachment we have for the two characters. I can at least say that I had a little pity for each of the two characters in the first half of the season, but seeing new actors after the time jump, it felt like a “blank slate” to which I did not feel any pity. Laenor barely affected me, because he had so little screen time prior to this. If there was a way to age down the current actors, that may have been better, but at this point, we can just move forward as is.
Kent: I think that they could have stuck with the original actors. This is TV, we often have people older playing younger roles. Milly Alcock, who played younger Rhaenerya was born in 2000. She was playing a teen and would be playing maybe 5 or 6 years older. I see no reason they couldn’t have kept her. Emily Carey played young Alicent, and she was born in 2003. Even then, I feel like they could have kept her. I don’t mind the older version of Al, I don’t like older Rhaen. I know, it’s just one episode, but our job is to be overly nitpicky at the moment and have a short memory. Laenor was the one who made the biggest difference that made logical sense to me.
2. Were they a little too kill-happy in this episode or was this all necessary to move the show along at a reasonable pace? Did you think that everything was explained and executed well?
Jim: I think that they were kill starved the first 5 episodes, which makes a normal amount now seem excessive. While I don’t believe every death was well explained (I can go from the delivery room to a distant cliff to die by dragon-assisted [firearm?] suicide), they were well done and set the tone for what should be an exciting back half of the season. I know we will cover in another question Larys’ decision to kill his family which was “better explained” than Laena’s death. However, Family Strong’s death was well executed, and I feel that Laena’s death will also set things in motion.
Kent: I will counter something that Jim said here because why not? 3 deaths in an episode may actually be a good average number. But if we’re running Westerosi analytics, 3 “core” character deaths are a high number. You could make the argument that those 3 characters composed the core 15 characters in this show, so to wipe out 20% in one episode is a bit much. The kids now add more characters, so that alleviates it a bit. Still, I’m not sure Laena needed to die this week. Okay, let’s face it, Harwin was my second favorite character, Laena was my fourth, and Lyonel was my seventh. I may be a bit annoyed. Lyonel didn’t even get a proper death scene. First Crab Feeder, now this. Do a better job with your death scenes because they matter so so much. I am fairly certain I know why Laena died, to get the uncle and niece duo as a couple, but I hated it. I really liked her and Daemon together. Now Daemon gets to be a single girl dad, and if any major character had to be the girl dad, it had to be Daemon, right?
3. Did it make sense for Larys to just scheme to kill his father and brother without providing the viewers with much insight?
Jim: In the world of Westeros and the 7 kingdoms, a poorly explained motive is a vehicle for a future storyline. So while I will admit that Larys decision, which at face value was just to trap the queen into an IOU was poorly explained, I withhold judgment until I see the full outcome. It could transition into the best power grab or chaos-spreading action ever. Furthermore, I do appreciate the unexplained decisions a little bit, because it gives us time to speculate during the week about the reasons for it and potential outcomes.
Kent: I like where Jim’s mind is, but I have one issue with it. I lack faith in the writers to fully explain the story. They have shown ineptitude, at times, with explaining things that fans would like explained. This seems important, so they really should do it. In theory, Jim is right. In execution, I really have a feeling that they will, at best, half-ass it. I hope that I’m wrong and that Jim is right.
4. Which character’s death from this episode will have the greatest impact on this series moving forward: Lyonel Strong, Harwin Strong, or Lady Laena?
Jim: It is really a toss-up. Lady Laena’s death has the potential to make Daemon go unhinged, however, I think the greater impact will be Team Strong’s death. Rhaenyra could see the death of her consort and baby-daddy as a direct attack by Alicent, and Viserys can see the death of his hand as an attack by outside forces and can start a conflict based upon faulty information. Additionally, the deaths create an IOU for Alicent to Larys for some unknown reason or scheme, but I assume he is up to no good. Additionally, his symbols of the scarab, which has been used as a symbol of pestilence, could mean that his plans involve the bringing of disease (dragonscale), which I just feel should be coming out in this series. I know I keep coming back to that point, but it is so stuck in my head.
Kent: I 100% agree with Jim, except the answer is Laena, if my theory is correct. Everything Jim said is right. I am all in on the dragonscale desire too. If I take what Jim said and then say, there’s your motivation for Daemon and Rhaenyra to form the power couple in Westeros, I then feel that Laena’s death opened that door. Lyonel and Harwin didn’t have to die for Rhaen and Daem to get together for reasons. Laena did, well kind of.
5. Should they have done a 5 episode run for season 1 and then this be the beginning of season 2?
Jim: It doesn’t matter how they structured it, it’s just how it feels. This week’s episode felt like an episode 1 in so many ways, other than the lack of backstory of tension between certain characters. As I mentioned prior, changing actors mid-season breaks any emotional attachment to the characters, and you start with a clean slate. Additionally, it is a convenient way to change someone’s demeanor mid-story (see next answer, *cough* Ser Criston). I no longer feel even the littlest bit bad for either Alicent or Rhaenyra for their situation or setting, and judge them solely on their actions now and moving forward, in which new Rhaenyra seems entitled and distant from the family (her idea of fortifying the Step Stones was not even talked about by the King), and Alicent is very harshly worded and schemey, more and more like her father.
Kent: Yes. Do I need to elaborate further? Just give us a 5 episode first season. So many shows give a truncated season 1. The Walking Dead and the Fear version of it did 6. Tales From the Crypt did 6 episodes. I think that this feels like a season 2. By the official season 2, none of this will matter. This is just a discussion to get us through the week to week, but it felt like a new season. I would say that Jim’s point about emotional attachment is the biggest thing. In this episode, I genuinely ask, who did you feel an attachment to? Daemon and Viserys. I think the fans perhaps felt closer to Harwin, but not many felt close to him through the first 5 episodes. Were the changes in Rhaen and Al all that remarkable or just the expected evolution? No matter how you answer that, the Stark change in characters made both of them unpleasant, but not in a way that Cersei was unpleasant.
This went from the cool chick you know on social media, you check out her pictures, maybe talk to her once in a while, to the girl that airs all of her and her family’s dirty laundry online, often complaining and making it all about her, until you unfriend/unfollow, or intentionally pretend to not see any of their messages. Okay, that may be the best analysis that I’ve ever offered in this space.
Bonus – I want to steal a gimmick from my The Walking Dead blogs. I called it the Glenn Memorial award. We should probably name it after a dead character in this series, so if you have a character in mind to name it after, please let me know. Anyway, tell me what the best moment of this episode was for you, and the most ridiculous moment. This gives us a chance to have some laughs while bringing up anything that wasn’t talked about prior.
Jim: I have mentioned this before, but this should be the “Willem Blackwood Award for Momentary Brilliance.” I don’t know if he’s dead, but the scene of him murdering a much older heckler after his failed marriage proposal will never die (makes him an honorary Greyjoy). Anyway, my most ridiculous moment would be the fight between Ser Criston and Harwin Strong. First off, the time jump made Ser Criston’s heel turn seem quick (save the hidden 10 years of pining). Secondly, I’m not sure that I’ve seen another member of the King’s Guard at any royal training sessions before, so his presence is seemingly forced. Third, you would assume with the 10 years of rumors, Harwin would be a little better at keeping his emotions closer to his vest. So the fight, and the actions that were put in motion seemed a little forced. A close runner-up was Aegon masturbating out a window, and being caught by mom, without even addressing it. It was ridiculous but unimpactful, so didn’t get my final call.
Kent: I was going to show this as a finished product, but I love how this evolved over the course of 24 hours from when I asked this to the point that I got a final response. I loved Jim’s initial response to this in our group chat.
“If it’s an absurd moment, it has to be the Willem Blackwood Award for Random Excellence, or the “Hey why don’t you have her marry her infant half-brother” moment of excellence”
But he cleaned it up, and I am all in on the “Willem Blackwood Award for Momentary Brilliance.” With Chris stuck in Hurricane Hell, I have to believe that he will approve of this name. I suppose he could properly challenge the name, but I think we all like this.
Let’s face it, I wanted to have a good laugh at the Aegon masturbation scene. It’s not that his mom caught him playing a rousing game of 5 against 1. The devil is in the details. First off, he was doing the fully nude flogging of the hog. He was doing this while standing in the window opening, presumably looking down on King’s Landing. If that isn’t the “Because now I got the world swinging from my nuts, and damn it feels good to be a gangster” moment of this series, I don’t know what will. Were people walking by and looking up and just like “Hey, the Prince is cuffing the carrot again.” Do they mock him? But the more important aspect of this scene is Alicent’s reaction. Not horrified or embarrassed. It was the most normal thing in the world. She has walked in on him evicting the testicular squatters in the past…..numerous times. It was nonchalant. She just cared about him being the challenge. One final thought. Does he consider a princely blessing if he makes it rain on a maiden’s head? Is that like catching a bouquet at a wedding?