House of the Dragon 1x5 Reaction: We Call It a Fantastic, Layered Episode With a 'Mini Red Wedding'

Watching House of the Dragon season 1 episode 5, our overall verdict is that this was a fantastic, densely packed hour of television. As we put it during the reaction, "So much is going on in this episode though, like it's really layered. For it not having a lot of action, it's surprising how much is going on in this episode."

This episode matters because it sets multiple storylines in motion at once, from a murder to a royal betrothal to a killing at a wedding feast, and we spent much of our reaction trying to untangle who is really pulling the strings.

Daemon Killing Lady Rhea Royce Struck Us as Diabolical

The opening sequence, where Daemon confronts his wife Lady Rhea and she taunts him before he strikes her down, hit us hard. Our reaction was blunt: "Disgusting character. Disgusting. Just the way he did it." We noted Daemon then stands to inherit her lands at Runestone, calling it diabolical that he benefits from her death.

Corlys and Rhaenys Negotiate a Betrothal With Real Terms

We appreciated the succession negotiation between King Viserys and Lord Corlys and Princess Rhaenys over the proposed marriage between Rhaenyra and Laenor, including the demand that any child born to the couple carry the Targaryen name. We called the outcome "an equitable compromise." We also read Corlys refusing to personally greet the king on arrival as a deliberate power play, and praised Viserys's blunt, no patience mood in that scene.

Ser Criston Cole's Wedding Rampage Left Us Debating His Psychology

The episode's most intense moment for us was Ser Criston Cole beating Joffrey Lonmouth to death at the wedding feast. We went back and forth on his motivations, connecting it to his broken vow, his rejected plan to run away with Rhaenyra, and his feeling of powerlessness. The argument was that it stemmed from love turned violent, but that drew hard pushback: "That's not love. That's immaturity." We also praised the direction of the scene itself, saying "That was excellent filmmaking because I felt like I was part of that scene and frustrated," comparing the disorienting framing to the helplessness felt by King Viserys watching from the crowd.

We're Suspicious of Ser Lyonel and Expect Alicent and Criston to Grow Closer

We floated a theory that new Hand Ser Lyonel might not be as noble as he appears, given how calmly he reacted while the king seemed to be getting sicker. We also praised Paddy Considine's performance as Viserys, especially his monologue about wanting to be remembered. Finally, we predicted that after Alicent saved Criston Cole's life twice in this episode, some kind of relationship between them feels inevitable.

Do you think Daemon was somehow connected to what happened to Joffrey Lonmouth?