“House of Dragons” - Episode 5 Review
Weddings have become infamous to any fan of “Game of Thrones” and as soon as it was announced that Rhaenyra was going to be betrothed, audiences were expecting carnage, and no one was left disappointed.
“We Light the Way”, the fifth episode, was an incredible episode of the show that featured a ton of incredibly important conversations, many minor character deaths, and a shocking ending.
Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey) and Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock) shine in this episode. Both characters have truly grown throughout these first five episodes and have both crafted plans in order to gain power and be happy.
The best friends have certainly drifted, yet they have yet to face off in a final showdown many viewers will be anticipating for the remainder of the season.
This episode definitely rushed a ton of things, like the quick introduction and then death of Daemon’s (Matt Smith) wife and the quick introduction and death of ser Laenor Velaryon’s (Theo Nate) romantic partner.
Since the introductions and subsequent demise of these two characters are pretty important to the plot, the writers should have spent a little bit more time establishing them as characters. Daemon is such a fascinating character that it is a shame they rushed through an important moment of his life.
Other than the rushed moments, this episode was top tier. The directing in this episode was quite sensational, as well as the fascinating dialogue scenes between many characters.
This episode was filled with a ton of plotting. Many characters have their own schemes that have already created a ton of tension that will only grow as the season continues.
The gore in this episode was also shocking. It felt like a true game of thrones episode, filled with a ton of bloodshed, as well as a fair share of romance. Rhaenyra and Ser Criston (Fabien Frankle) have remarkable chemistry which is why their turmoil throughout this episode is so tragic to the audience.
This episode is also sadly the last episode before the big time jump. Milly Alcock and Emily Carey have been absolute standouts in this series. Both are magnificent actors that have truly brought to life these characters.
They will be incredibly missed and Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke have large shoes to fill. Olivia Cooke especially, has an incredible resume, and has proven to be a phenomenal actress. So there are high hopes that these two actors will do an incredible job filling these roles.
This was a fantastic episode that gave a lot of great set up for the rest of the season. This episode featured great action, a ton of amazing dialogue, and beautiful set design. The episode may have been a bit rushed, but audiences will find out next week whether the massive time jump pays off or not.
Rating: 4.5/5
Jack Freiser is a third-year majoring in telecommunications. To contact him, email jef5614@psu.edu.
