After every episode of Home of the Dragon, Slate writers will collect to reply an important query: Who’s the worst particular person in Westeros? This week: senior editor Jenny G. Zhang and senior author Rebecca Onion reply the decision.
Jenny G. Zhang: Hey, Rebecca! I’m happy to be again right here chatting all issues Home of the Dragon with you. I’m additionally surprisingly happy by how this season is popping out to date, with a jam-packed premiere (aka the Season 2 Finale That By no means Was) and an equally jam-packed second episode this week.
We leap proper into the aftermath of the Battle of the Gullet: corpses galore, the query of Lord Corlys’ destiny, Baela bringing Jacaerys’ physique again to Rhaenyra, who meets her (second!) lifeless son with preliminary denial and subsequent wild grief so nicely portrayed, I’ve to commend Emma D’Arcy for his or her efficiency. Rhaenyra turns an accusatory eye to all of her family, together with her Queensguard member Ser Lorent (Max Wrottesley), who conspired with Jace to lock her up, however I believe we will forgive a devastated mom for this show.
Additionally within the aftermath: Rhaena turns up within the Vale once more, begging for asylum from Woman Jeyne Arryn (Amanda Collin), since she did simply inadvertently trigger the loss of life of the Crown Prince by using a wild dragon right into a battle she had no enterprise being close to. Jeyne, ever the pragmatic, refuses, however does clarify that she’ll flip a blind eye if Rhaena and Sheepstealer occur to inhabit some unseen nook of her territory. Preserve that in thoughts, going ahead …
Daemon, in the meantime, is a busy bee this episode, gadding concerning the Riverlands together with his males, returning to Rhaenyra’s aspect when he hears the information of Jace’s loss of life, coping with the dragonseeds’ insubordination, tussling together with his former lover turned present rival Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno), so on and so forth. There are some things he does that make me increase him as an admittedly distant chance for Worst Particular person in Westeros. For one, he mainly laughs at Alys Rivers (Gayle Rankin) when the witch asks for Harrenhal in return for gathering the Rivermen, saying that the crown isn’t within the behavior of doling out castles (even ruined ones, I suppose) to midwives—I’m positive that received’t come again to chunk the Blacks within the ass. Second, when he’s again at Rhaenyra’s aspect, he forces a little bit of powerful love on her and tells her, roughly, that she has to cease moping and resume motion within the struggle, lest she let her sons “die in useless.” Was he incorrect to interrupt a mom in her grief, or was he proper to ask a monarch to do what she has to do?
Rebecca Onion: Hey, Jenny, and thanks for setting this desk, which is totally laden with corpses. The second time I watched the episode I needed to fast-forward previous the second when Rhaenyra first sees Jace’s physique. Emma D’Arcy wrecked me a couple of instances on this episode, first at this second, then when Rhaenyra is mendacity in her mattress weeping, eager about how the 2 boys who “hid their little faces” in her skirts are each gone. Daemon, who is available in and appears virtually irritated to must console his niece-wife, is much from the very best particular person to accompany Rhaneyra by means of these moments. These weren’t his organic kids, however I’ve the sensation that even when they had been, he would instantly start scheming for the higher hand in no matter unfolds subsequent.
However Daemon’s callousness (regular, by Daemon requirements) pales compared to what occurs again in King’s Touchdown, the place Alicent finds herself accosted in her chamber by Lord Jasper Wylde (Paul Kennedy), who’s the Grasp of Legal guidelines on Aegon’s small council. Alicent is out on a limb, having gone to the Metropolis Watch’s locker room (very Hannah Wells of her) to talk with the Gold Cloaks’ commander, Ser Luthor Largent (Tom Cullen), to warn him that Rhaenyra will return to King’s Touchdown, and (by implication) ask for him to permit Rhaenyra to take the throne. After, she’s again in her chamber, packing issues up in a rush, when Lord Jasper is available in, speaking all creepy about the way in which Alicent “snaked her means into the halls of energy” at a younger age and “discovered a lot enjoyment” with Ser Criston. Ramping up, Lord Jasper lets Alicent know that, because of a traitorous Kingsguard member, he is aware of that she was sneaking about, secretly assembly with the Metropolis Watch. A tussle ensues and Jasper has Alicent pinned on the bottom, till her screams lastly carry Grand Maester Orwyle (Kurt Egyiawan) into the chamber. Fortunately, the maester sides with Alicent, exerting his authority to place Lord Jasper in custody.
That is fairly dangerous. Not solely was this man making an attempt to rape Alicent, he additionally was so able to do it the second he heard something irregular about her conduct. It felt like he’d been rehearsing these strains in his thoughts at each small council assembly, each time he bristled at a lady being current. Gross! What do you suppose, can we identify Jasper the Worst?
Jenny: This was a disturbing scene to look at, even for a franchise that’s infamous for (each gratuitously and non-gratuitously) dipping into sexual violence. The best way the Grasp of Legal guidelines’ predatory lust ramps up all through the course of the interplay, even getting turned on by Alicent’s pleas to not cross this unforgivable line, made my pores and skin crawl. I believe it’s secure to say that this intercourse pest is most positively one of many vilest characters round.
However earlier than we mete out his acceptable sentence, there are a pair different names I wish to carry up for dialogue. There’s a perennial Worst Particular person in Westeros candidate: ol’ one-eyed Aemond. After taking an Oedipal flip in Episode 1, Aemond lastly heeds his mom’s recommendation and flees King’s Touchdown, flying Vhagar to Harrenhal, which has been left unguarded by the dragonseeds. He burns the garrison of Rivermen and singlehandedly storms the fortress, discovering an unarmed Ser Simon Sturdy (Simon Russell Beale) eating together with his household. Sturdy is a little bit of a fan favourite, partly for his jolly demeanor and partly for his pragmatism within the face of threatening presences like Daemon’s and Aemond’s. Nicely, sorry to his followers, as a result of Ser Simon lastly meets his finish right here, slain by Aemond even because the chastellan makes an attempt to give up with out bloodshed. Aemond then kills Simon’s sons, however not earlier than receiving a nasty stab wound from considered one of them. It looks like instant karma for Aemond to be severely injured, beseeching a watchful Alys Rivers for assist, simply moments after he needlessly killed everybody’s favourite remaining Sturdy. What do you make of that little bit of rudeness, Rebecca?
Rebecca: I fear Aemond is in peril of changing into a “so evil he’s not fascinating” character. His brother Aegon was in the identical boat, till he obtained his burns—now he’s nonetheless dangerous, however missing energy, which makes him fascinating once more. And Daemon is evil, however his wiliness is entertaining, and he typically does the suitable factor for the incorrect cause, which softens up the viewer. (Perhaps simply this viewer.) Daemon can also be fairly competent on the subject of homicide, whereas Aemond coasts on his sociopathy—and his dragon. The killing of Ser Sturdy, an previous man in an virtually empty fortress, was such baby’s play for Aemond, it was horrible to look at. However possibly the wound the prince obtained within the course of will push his character in a unique path. Compared, I do suppose Lord Jasper’s tried rape trumps this cold-blooded homicide, which did have political import—even when it didn’t must be carried out in fairly that merciless of a means.
There’s yet another candidate, and that’s Rhaenyra, who flies to King’s Touchdown with Daemon, able to take the Iron Throne with the assistance of the Gold Cloaks, who’re loyal to their former commander Daemon. She continues to be misty-eyed and trembling from Jace’s loss of life, however not a lot in order that she will be able to’t get it collectively to take the sword from Daemon and chop off Lord Otto Hightower’s (Rhys Ifans) head when he fees her to take action for the sake of publicly solidifying her takeover. (It takes her two chops, which is frankly disgusting.) For a couple of days, Rhaenyra had second ideas about the price of her campaign, however when it comes right down to it, she’ll kill for energy, like we at all times knew she would.
What do you suppose, Jenny—does Rhaenyra have an opportunity, or is Lord Jasper our No. 1?
Jenny: Sure, that is the day Rhaenyra lastly turns into queen, in a way. I used to be admittedly tickled by Otto Hightower’s reemergence and the offender accountable: Larys Sturdy, that sly Grasp of Whisperers. Absolutely ready for both state of affairs—Aegon profitable or Rhaenyra profitable—he imprisoned Otto, which we caught a tantalizing glimpse of within the earlier season. Daemon’s sheer delight upon discovering his previous rival within the dungeons was additionally amusing, partly for these causes you articulated about Daemon’s enchantment: He’s not a great particular person, however he makes no pretenses to be, and he retains issues entertaining. (Plus, Matt Smith is simply charismatic as hell.)
Rhaenyra’s preliminary reluctance to kill her father’s Hand, adopted by her resolution to take action anyway, adopted by her incapacity to land a clear reduce (which, ouch, this is the reason Otto requested for Daemon to behead him, so he wouldn’t must undergo being “hacked” at), sums up lots of Rhaenyra’s flaws as a frontrunner: She could be indecisive, not but able to pay the complete prices of energy—and even when she commits to a plan of action, her wavering nonetheless brings avoidable messiness.
I’m positive, when she sees Alicent—apprehended, together with Helaena and Jaehaera, by the Metropolis Watch as they attempt to escape King’s Touchdown—enter the room and spy her childhood pal sitting on a throne above her father’s decapitated head, Rhaenyra could really feel like one of many worst folks in Westeros. (Hey, that’s being a ruler for you!) However this was, in principle, a crucial step to ending the bigger battle. Lord Jasper Wylde, then again, was going to assault Alicent purely for his personal twisted pleasure. He finally will get what’s coming to him: a swift beheading by the hands of Daemon, and, now, our bequeathing of this week’s Worst Particular person in Westeros title. RIP, ya filthy animal.
