“House of Dragons” - Episode 7 Review
“House of Dragons” Episode 7, entitled “Driftmark” is without a doubt the best episode of this series so far. This episode felt like a true return to the form of the franchise.
From the amazing character development to shocking action, this episode had everything any fan of “Game of Thrones” would love.
The acting in this episode was nothing less than remarkable. Olivia Cooke’s portrayal of Alicent Hightower is outstanding. She stole the show as the volatile queen, who is trying to maintain her power, while navigating her relationship with her former best friend Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy).
Cooke’s performance was filled with a ton of emotion and she was very reminiscent of Cersei from the original series. Although Cooke has only appeared in two episodes she has become a standout in the series.
Emma D’Arcy, the new Rhaenyra is also a great addition to the series. Rhaenyra has transformed into a confident princess, who is continuously dealing with familial problems. She is very protective over her kids, which is why the climax of this episode is so powerful.
Rhaenyra and Alicent’s fight is quite powerful, and an incredible arc for both of these characters. Both are protective of their children, however they are both trying to navigate this turmoil, while keeping the maintenance of power in mind.
It is an incredibly acted scene that also included a ton of tense action, and shocking moments that all viewers would enjoy.
Matt Smith, who portrays Daemon Targaryen continues to be a standout in this series. He is quite manipulative and diabolical, yet he is also very charismatic and has a good heart.
Daemon and Rhaenyra’s relationship is the only thing that is a bit uncomfortable in this episode. Their romance is quite shocking, especially since Daemon is Rhaenyra’s uncle.
Their romance is uncomfortable, yet it makes sense within the story. They both are interested in maintaining power and protecting their family, which is why their romance is not totally unbelievable, however uncomfortable it may be.
The character relationships in this series are without a doubt the best part. Every character is written incredibly well, and within seven episodes everyone has had interesting, and captivating arcs.
“Game of Thrones” has always prioritized their characters, and this series maintains superb writing and dialogue.
As mentioned earlier, this episode also features some very captivating action sequences. Although there are no major battles, the more subdued action is quite impactful.
This episode was a beautiful culmination of the different relationships introduced throughout the series. It was an incredibly engaging episode that had some of the best acting of the series so far.
D’Arcy, along with Cooke and Smith all delivered powerful performances, however Cooke is without a doubt the actress to keep an eye out for. Alicent Hightower is such a complex character, and Cooke is able to capture all of Hightower’s emotions perfectly.
This episode is definitely worth a watch, and should make all audiences hopeful for the future of this series.
Rating: 5/5
Jack Freiser is a third-year majoring in telecommunications. To contact him, email jef5614@psu.edu.
