House of the Dragon Episode 8 is titled ‘The Lord of the Tides’ and has a runtime of about 1 hour and 8 minutes long. The synopsis of the episode reads, “Six years later. With the Driftmark succession suddenly critical, Rhaenyra attempts to strike a bargain with Rhaenys.” It is directed by Geeta Vasant Patel, and the teleplay is written by Ellen Shim.
Set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, this epic series tells the story of House Targaryen. Starring Paddy Considine as King Viserys I Targaryen, Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen, Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole, Olivia Cooke as Queen Alicent Hightower, Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, Wil Johnson as Ser Vaemond Velaryon, Harry Collett as Prince Jacaerys Velaryon, Tom Glynn-Carney as Prince Aegon Targaryen, Ewan Mitchell as Prince Aemond Targaryen and Elliot Grihault as Prince Lucerys Velaryon.
-House of the Dragon Episode 8 Review Contains Some Spoilers-
In the previous episode, King Viserys and his court attend Lady Laena’s funeral in Driftmark, where Rhaenyra and Daemon reunite and are physically intimate. However, Viserys fails to reconcile with Daemon. Prince Aemond claims Vhagar as his dragon, causing an altercation with his cousins and nephews in which Lucerys slashes Aemond’s eye with a knife.
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Wanting retribution, Queen Alicent lunges at Lucerys with Viserys’ Valyrian steel dagger to gouge out his eye. Rhaenyra blocks Alicent but her arm is wounded. After claims that Rhaenyra’s children are bastards, Viserys decrees anyone questioning their legitimacy will be silenced. Hand of the King, Otto Hightower later tells Alicent they will prevail, while Rhaenyra and Daemon unite against Alicent and her supporters.
To continue the true Valaryon lineage, Princess Rhaenys urges that Lord Corlys pass his title through their granddaughter, Baela, claiming Laenor did not sire Rhaenyra’s children. Ser Qarl appears to murder Laenor, with Rhaenys and Corlys believing a charred body is their son’s. Meanwhile, Daemon and Rhaenyra privately marry in the Old Valyrian tradition to perpetuate the pure Targaryen bloodline. After faking his death, Laenor secretly flees Driftmark with Ser Qarl.
In the latest episode, we take another leap of a few years, where the young lineage of both houses has grown up to the 17 to 21 age range. And the most concerning matter right from the start is the ill health of Lord Corlys Velaryon and who will take the throne of Driftmark, in case he loses his battle with death.
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While Corlys had decided to pass it on to Lucerys, presumably dead Laenor Velaryon’s son; opposition from Ser Vaemond Velaryon, Corlys’ brother arises. This matter leads everyone to the King’s landing, so they can settle the matter at once. But on reaching King’s landing they realise how King Viserys I is hanging on to his life, while the Hightowers run the court.
In all sense, this episode is run by King Viserys I, as soon as he emerges, in his disfigured health. The dramatic tension of this episode does not happen until Viserys shows up in that throne room. One of the issues with his leadership throughout the series is a refusal to step up and intervene.
To speak with clarity and lay down the law, and stand by the choices that he makes. For the first time, certainly, in Rhaenyra’s life, she really watches him do it in this episode and as he even stands by both sides of the family in the supper scene. The supper also holds significance as this is the moment where Viserys and Rhaenyra find some sort of resolution and closure.
Summing Up: House of the Dragon Episode 8
The eighth episode is by far the longest and a significant episode in the series. The character of the King truly comes out and shows the humanly figure he is, to everyone. It’s like his last amends to make everything right and leave them with good wishes. While he may or may not be completely successful in that, is another matter.
The real battle and the politics for the throne will start now. And as the creators re-introduced the character of Lady Mysaria, it will be interesting to see, what kind of role she is playing amidst all this family tension and on whose side is she really on.
HoTD Episode 8 is now streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.