House of the Dragon: Daemon crowns himself King of the Stepstones and the Narrow Sea

After defeating The Crabfeeder himself – after essentially refusing any help his brother King Viserys (Paddy Considine) sent – Prince Daemon (Matt Smith) crowned himself King of the Stepstones and the Narrow Sea in Sunday night’s episode of House of the Dragon.

Daemon and Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) waged war on The Crabfeeder without the blessing of King Viserys, though when he finally agreed to send help, an angered Daemon took matters into his own hands and slayed the Crabfeeder himself.

Sunday night’s new episode – entitled King of the Narrow Sea – finds Daemon returning to King’s Landing, informing him that Corlys a.k.a. The Sea Snake – has crowned him King of the Stepstones and the Narrow Sea.

Viserys: Daemon and Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) waged war on The Crabfeeder without the blessing of King Viserys, though when he finally agreed to send help, an angered Daemon took matters into his own hands and slayed the Crabfeeder himself

The episode begins with Rhaenyra trying to focus during an official ceremony of some sort, with Criston Cole (Fabian Frankel) by her side.

It’s revealed that she is going through potential suitors, and it is not going too well, it seems.

She is approached by a boy nearly her own age, who claims he can protect her, though one of her men calls him ‘dumb cunt.’

The boy takes offense to it and takes out his sword, killing the offending man. 

Rhaenyra and Criston are sailing back to King’s Landing, when Daemon’s sdragon nearly clips their ship.

Rhaenyra returns to her father King Viserys when Daemon arrives, wearing a new crown upon his head.

One of the Kingsguard takes out his sword as Daemon tosses the Crabfeeder’s sword, telling him to add it to the throne.

He reveals that he has been crowed King of the Narrow Sea, but he says he only knows one true king, and kneels before Viserys.

Daemon hands the crude crown to his brother as everyone lowers their swords, waiting for Viserys’ reaction.

Viserys tells Daemon to rise and gives his brother a hug, as the crowd applauds.

‘The realm owes you a great debt, brother,’ Viserys tells Daemon as they leave together.

They head outside for a feast as Rhaenyra congratulates Daemon on his victory, as Alicent suggests a tour of the gallery, which causes them both to laugh.

Rhaenyra says she would like to see them and walks off on her own and sits by herself, before Alicent joins her.

Alicent asks Rhaenyra about her ‘tour’ and says says she’d be lucky to find at least two good suitors.

Alicent thinks the process of having suitors is romantic but Rhaenyra says it’s just to ‘squeeze out heirs.’

Rhaenyra asks how her father is and Alicent says she is glad Rhaenyra is home because she’s one of the few friends she has left.

‘I’ve missed you too,’ Rhaenyra says as they hold hands.

Rhaenyra goes to speak with Daemon, saying there is surely more to his return than ‘taunting my father.’

She asks what he wants and he just says, ‘the comforts of home,’ though Rhaenyra isn’t buying it. 

It seems there has been another time jump of a year, since Daemon says she has grown over the past four years.

Rhaenyra says her mother’s job was to produce heirs until she died and she clearly isn’t thrilled with doing that herself.

She says she doesn’t want to live in fear, only solitude.

They are having another small council meeting, as Corlyss has negotiated with the Sea Lord of Bravos, intending to wed his daughter with him.

Otto (Rhys Ifans) says if they marry they will need to seek out a marriage pact to strengthen the kingdom.

Ser Criston is guarding Rhaenyra’s chambers, telling her to ‘sleep well’  as she dumps out clothes from her bag.

She finds a small scroll in her bag which she reads intently, which is a map to her own chambers revealing a secret passage.

She sees it leads into the Sept and finds Daemon waiting for her, asking where they’re going.

Daemon wears a hood and Rhaenyra a winter cap to disguise themselves as they see what’s happening in King’s Landing, with hundreds of people out in the city.

Meanwhile, the King is being bathed as Alicent insists on washing him as chambermaids look on, before she tells them to leave.

Alicent continues to wash him as Viserys says she has a far kinder touch than they do.

Meanwhile, outside in the city, Daemon and Rhaenyra watch a street performer, discussing Rhaenyra being named the heir, which many aren’t fans of.

They applaud when the King bears a son, as the performer wonders if Rhaenyra, Daemon or the ‘princeling of three’ will take the throne.

The performer wonders if she would be a powerful queen or feeble, as many think she would be feeble.

She tells Daemon that she wishes to be free of her inheritance for one night as she runs off and Daemon chases after her. 

She runs into an alley when she’s stopped by a knight, who says next time she’s out she might not be so lucky, as Daemon catches up with her.

Alicent is sleeping when she’s visited by a chambermaid who says the King requests her presence.

Back in the city, Rhaenyra is in a brothel while at home, Viserys has sex with Alicent, who seems quite uninterested. 

Rhaenyra asks what this place is and he says it’s where people seek pleasure… as he kisses Rhaenyra passionately… and she kisses him back.

He removes her undergarments and has sex with her before he suddenly leaves her and she goes chasing off after him… when a boy seems to notice her.

Rhaenyra returns to her chambers, storming past a confused Criston, asking if she is hurt and he says he will tell the watch commander but she tells him not to.

She takes his helmet and playfully runs around the room with it, before kissing him. 

She starts to remove her clothes but he tells her to stop, though she clearly wants him to stay, taking off his armor. 

She kisses him again as she keeps taking off his armor piece by piece before they start kissing again and go into her bedroom, taking off their clothes for each other.

He takes her on the bed as they make love for the first time. 

Meanwhile, the boy who spotted Rhaenyra in the brothel comes to speak to Otto.

Daemon is with Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno), who tells her she left the skin-trade behind because she knew it could only get so far.

Otto meets with Viserys, telling him the news from the boy, saying he has, ‘discomforting news.’

He says it concerns the princess and it is no easy thing to tell a father his daughter’s exploits.

‘The princess was spied last evening, beyond the walls of the Keep,’ which doesn’t bother Viserys.

‘She was carrying on with her uncle. They were engaged in behaviors unbecoming of a maiden… Of a Princess,’ Otto says, adding they were ‘coupling’ together.

Viserys says it’s a lie, asking who is responsible for this gossip, saying he will take their eyes.

Otto says the source of the information has never strayed him before, but Viserys thinks he’s trying to destroy her reputation.

‘You think yourself a cunning man? Your desires are obvious. Do you wish to have your blood on the Iron Throne so badly that you are willing to destroy mine own?”

Viserys tells Otto to leave, as we see Alicent is awake, seemingly have heard the whole exchange. 

Criston arrives in Rhaenyra’s chambers and says he has a message from the Queen, as Rhaenyra goes to meet her by the tree.

Alicent asks what happened last night, asking if she was with her uncle, and asking if she ‘f***ed Daemon in a pleasure house.’

‘That is a vile accusation,’ Rhaenyra says, insisting it’s a lie and an act of treason.

She says Otto reported it to the King and she overheard, saying she only wants to help her.

Rhaenyra says they drank at several taverns and she asked to go home but Daemon wished to continue and since he was her escort she had no choice.

She said she was only a spectator and she didn’t do anything, then Daemon ‘sank into his cups and he abandoned me for some whore.’ 

The trailer for Sunday night’s new episode teased new gossip that has seemingly spread through King’s Landing.

While the trailer doesn’t reveal exactly what the gossip is, it seemingly has something to do with the heir to the Iron Throne, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock).

She’s seen telling someone, ‘That is a vile accusation,’ while Viserys claims he will ‘take their eyes’ of whoever is responsible for the gossip.

Gossip: The trailer for Sunday night’s new episode teased new gossip that has seemingly spread through King’s Landing

Rhaenyra: While the trailer doesn’t reveal exactly what the gossip is, it seemingly has something to do with the heir to the Iron Throne, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock)

Alicent (Emily Carey) suggests that Daemon started the gossip, telling Viserys that Rhaenyra is not ‘deceitful by nature’… though Daemon is.

There is no indication that Daemon started this gossip, though it would not be surprising, given the contempt he has shown for his brother.

It also seems that there might not be a time jump in this episode, after significant time jumps in the first three episodes.

Alicent: Alicent (Emily Carey) suggests that Daemon started the gossip, telling Viserys that Rhaenyra is not ‘deceitful by nature’… though Daemon is

Gossip: There is no indication that Daemon started this gossip, though it would not be surprising, given the contempt he has shown for his brother

The second episode took place six months after the first, while the third episode took place three years after the second.

Queen Alicent was also expecting her second child with King Viserys, whose first wife, Aemma, dying in a gruesome childbirth scene in the premiere.

House of the Dragon was already renewed for a second season, following the record-breaking premiere that was viewed by over 10 million people, a new HBO record. 

Time jump: The second episode took place six months after the first, while the third episode took place three years after the second

Renewed: House of the Dragon was already renewed for a second season, following the record-breaking premiere that was viewed by over 10 million people, a new HBO record