Yet the show’s decision to utilize the Ice and Fire prophecy to once again weaponize Alicent against Rhaenyra, mere hours after they reconcile, is a much tougher sell. It’s possible Alicent is just hearing what she wants to, deliberately ignoring her dying husband’s obvious confusion and dementia because his garbled words match what she still desires. But if it turns out that she sincerely believes she and her son are the chosen ones, it replaces so much of the show’s careful character work with the blunt force of fantasy, a shaky foundation for the divided House. We’ll steer clear of issuing our own prophecies on the matter, though, preferring instead to just stay tuned.
I reviewed tonight’s episode of House of the Dragon for Rolling Stone.
Tags: A Song of Ice and Fire, asoiaf, books, fantasy, fire & blood, Game of Thrones, George R.R. Martin, house of the dragon, reviews, Rolling Stone, TV, TV reviews