Season 2-Episode 07

The Red Sowing

I never wanted it. I was right not to. All the pain it caused. It crushes whoever wears it. You always wanted it Daemon, do you want it still?

Daemon’s vision of Viserys Targaryen

Major Plot Points: Jace acts like a real bastard about being a bastard. Rhaenyra inducts peasants into her dragon pyramid scheme. Daemon gets bullied by a child. Aegon goes for a walk while Aemond gets some new bodyguards. Alicent goes for a swim?

Observations from a Book Reader

1. Addam Velaryon was one of the smallfolk who answered Jace’s call to come to Dragonstone to attempt to claim a dragon. Once he did, he was immediately accepted as a dragonrider, there was no confrontation between him and Rhaenyra as there was in this episode. Most believed he was the son of Laenor, but those who knew about Laenor’s love for dudes believed him to be the son of Corlys. Corlys did claim Addam and Alyn to be Laenor’s bastards and used this to get Rhaenyra to legitimize them as Velaryons.
2. Corlys mentioned how his blood had a lot of Targaryen in it from past generations of Velaryon/Targaryen pairings. The show went a different route and through Corlys’ statement made it sound like Addam’s Targaryen blood and ability to fly a dragon comes from his unknown mother’s side. Unless the show-runners are implying that any random person can become a dragon rider this entire time. But hearing about Hugh’s mother being one of the daughters of King Jaehaerys makes me think Targaryen blood is still necessary.
3. As I have mentioned before, using smallfolk who may be Targaryen bastards, or dragonseeds as they are called in Fire and Blood, was entirely Jace’s idea. He is vehemently against it in the show, due to some personal angst at being a bastard himself. His reasoning does make sense, as it makes other dragonriders who are also bastards just as legitimate of successors as him, but the book version of this character was bolder and never considered anyone could challenge him.
4. Hugh’s mother is heavily alluded to be Saera Targaryen. She was the problem child of Jaehaerys and Alysanne Targaryen. By the age of 18 she was forced to join the Faith of the Seven as punishment for several affairs and subsequent scandals in the Red Keep she was involved in. She escaped from the Faith’s control and eventually opened a pleasure house across the Narrow Sea in Lys, where she remained for the rest of her life. When Jaehaerys was on his deathbed he often mistook Alicent Hightower as his daughter Saera, returned from across the sea.
5. When the dragonseeds attempted to claim dragons, there were 5 that were available. Vermithor, Silverwing, Sheepstealer, Cannibal, and Grey Ghost. This episode only had Vermithor and Silverwing living at Dragonstone. Sheepstealer we can assume is in the show, and is currently being pursued by Rhaena in the Vale, instead of being claimed by Nettles (a mysterious common born girl with dark skin). Alyn of Hull, Addam’s brother, was injured trying to claim Sheepstealer, but his show counterpart does not seem to be interested in dragon riding. Grey Ghost was a small dragon that was extremely skittish and no one was ever able to find or claim him. Cannibal was a gigantic feral dragon that some believed to be nearly as old as Vhagar, and every attempt to claim him was met with death. He was infamous in Dragonstone for eating other baby dragons and generally being an evil menace. Unfortunately it appears that Cannibal and Grey Ghost will not be shown on television.

Other Points to Notice

1. Although it is never said, I would have to assume that when Rhaenyra heard about Seasmoke flying with a rider, she must have thought it was her husband Laenor returned from Essos. The show never addresses it, but at this point we can assume Laenor is dead, since his dragon is accepting a new rider, and we know the relationship between dragon and rider is magical by nature.
2. Alicent’s scar on her wrist is located in almost the exact same spot as the cut she inflicted upon Rhaenyra in season 1. This was when she was in a rage because her son Aemond had just lost an eye and she demanded recompense.
3. Larys withholding information from Aemond regarding the new rider of Seasmoke is almost certainly a case of him trying to sabotage Aemond’s reign. Later in the episode we see him encouraging Aegon to heal quickly, because he knows Aegon favors him but Aemond does not. When Aemond flies after Silverwing at the end of the episode, he could have easily walked into an ambush, and if he knew Seasmoke had a rider as well the chances of that ambush happening would be even lower.
4. I don’t have many notes on Oscar Tully’s meeting with Daemon and the riverlords, other than it was the type of scene that reminds you how great these shows can be. Oscar fully played on the riverlord’s sense of honor, and knew Daemon was completely at his mercy. Something else at play here was the fact that Daemon acquiesced, even after being called Prince. All of the visions he has had of his past regrets and guilt are potentially making him change as a person for the better. This would at least justify the amount of time we have spent viewing his flashbacks
5. Alicent seems to be going on a vacation to clear her mind? This whole season she has had themes around her about being cleansed of her sins, like when they show her and her constant baths. Her swim this episode is definitely in line with that motif, but I struggle to find it relevant or of any real import.
6. The books never mention any cult of dragon caretakers but their existence is a cool addition to the lore of the universe. It definitely makes sense that the original Targaryens who fled Valyria would bring a large retinue of people who knew how to raise and feed dragons. Rhaenyra losing their support could be looked at as a really bad sign for the future.
7. The last shot of the episode, as shown below, has Rhaenyra and Syrax standing in front of Vermithor and Silverwing. Syrax is the offspring of these 2 dragons, so we get a nice little family reunion.

Stray Observations:

1. The title “The Red Sowing” is a direct homage to the book, as this was the name given to the massacre of dragonseeds when they attempted to claim dragons.
2. I loved that Addam wanted help learning High Valyrian from Rhaenyra. How could anyone control a dragon without being able to say Dohaeris?
3. It seems unfair to blame the Kingsguard for the riot started last episode. I interpreted this as just an excuse for Aemond to remove Kingsguard members who were loyal to his brother.
4. Corlys had to work quickly to assuage the rest of the council on Addam’s loyalty as a dragonrider. If only he just mentioned he was his father.
5. Simon Strong’s facial expressions to Daemon as Oscar gave his speech were incredible. “Please don’t kill everyone here buddy”
6. The detail of the fish scales on Oscar’s armor were fantastic. Appropriate since the sigil of the Tullys is a fish.
7. Alyn saying he is “of salt and sea” is the exact phrasing used by Baela a few episodes back to Corlys when he asked her to be his heir. Very subtle foreshadowing here.
8. Poor Ulf, it isn’t fair he has to go to Dragonstone with his leg injury.
9. The scene of Alicent walking to the water and swimming felt very Lord of the Rings-esque to me, especially the sore.
10. Rhaenyra’s speech to the dragonseeds came off as extremely culty.
11. Huge difference in the way Hugh and Ulf claimed their dragons. One by showing strength, the other by showing pure submission.

RIP: Ser Willem Blackwood. A lot of peasants that thought they had Targaryen blood