1.
First of all, it’s been about 10 years since the end of the last episode.
2.
The opening credits have been updated! We see Daemon’s symbol (his helmet), with his bloodline splitting off into two different directions.
We follow one to where it joins with Laena’s cog, then splits off again to lead us to the dragon-egg symbols for Daemon and Laena’s twins, Baela and Rhaena.
Back to Rhaenyra’s symbol, and we follow her bloodline into a different direction toward three new cogs — her sons: Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey.
3.
Speaking of which, it feels significant to open the episode with a close focus on Rhaenyra in childbirth — her battlefield, as her mother called it, and the one that, considering her mother’s death, she was particularly afraid of.
4.
The battle isn’t over for Rhaenyra with the birth — she then has the psychological battle with Alicent, which she fights in a very physical way by taking Joffrey to the queen herself, leaving a trail of blood behind her as she walks.
5.
When Lord Caswell greets Rhaenyra, Laenor, and the baby on the stairs and offers them “any service,” Rhaenyra says, “The day may come yet, my lord,” hinting at the alliances Rhaenyra needs in the brewing conflict.
Caswell: If I may be of any service? 🥴
Nyra: That day may yet come, my lord. 😏
#HouseOfTheDragon
Twitter: @NymsShadow
6.
Many things have changed over the 10 years — including the decor in Alicent’s chamber.
7.
Joffrey is, of course, named after Laenor’s lover who was murdered the day of his wedding to Rhaenyra — by Criston Cole, the very man who is watching as Rhaenyra and Laenor discuss the name.
8.
In case you didn’t quite catch the dragon situation, Viserys and Alicent’s eldest, Aegon, is fully bonded to a dragon called Sunfyre, while Rhaenyra’s oldest son, Jacaerys, is working on his bond with his dragon, Vermax.
As we see in the episode, Aemond doesn’t have a dragon — the “Pink Dread” prank the other boys pull on him is a play on Balerion the Black Dread’s nickname. Meanwhile, it’s Dreamfyre who breathes fire at him in the Dragonpit.
We also see that Laena is now bonded with Vhagar — the dragon she was all excited about when she was a kid, back in Episode 2.
9.
When Alicent tells Aemond he’ll have a dragon one day, Helaena says, “He’ll have to lose an eye” for it, which is foreshadowing the eye patch we saw an adult Aemond wearing in the original show trailer.
10.
Not only is Alicent still wearing green after her dramatic costume change last episode, but her sons wear green, too — highlighting her influence over them and the allegiance she’s bringing them up with.
11.
Rhaenyra’s sons, meanwhile, wear the red and black of House Targaryen, reinforcing that, whoever their father is (*cough* Harwin *cough*), they are blood of the dragon.
12.
Alicent’s talk with Aegon echoes the one Otto had with her last week — it was a huuuuge turning point for her character, so it will be interesting to see if her conversation has a similar effect on her son.
13.
Laena says she wants to die a dragonrider’s death, and she makes sure it happens — although she probably wasn’t expecting it to be quite so soon.
14.
Laenor mentions a giant Tyroshi general who dyes his beard purple and wears women’s clothes, which is a reference to Racallio Ryndoon, who is now leading the Triarchy’s army after the Crabfeeder’s death.
15.
The Small Council has seen some changes during the 10 years we’ve missed. Most notably, Alicent now has a seat at the table, and Grand Maester Mellos has been replaced by Grand Maester Orwyle.
16.
The Small Council discusses a dispute between the Brackens and the Blackwoods — the same families whom we saw fight when Rhaenyra was searching for suitors earlier in the season.
17.
When Larys says, “I took the liberty of beginning without you, your grace” about his dinner with Alicent, he foreshadows how he acts later in the episode, having his brother and father killed in response to the “wish” he projects onto the queen.
18.
Finally, there’s a brief shot of Viserys crying while kissing a ring — this is Aemma’s, revealing that he still loves and mourns his first wife.
Did you enjoy Episode 6? Let me know in the comments section below!
Source: https://www.buzzfeed.com/jennaguillaume/house-of-the-dragon-episode-6-interesting-details