TV SERIES | House of the Dragon, Season 2 - Episode 3: The Burning Mill

Alright, so for episode 3 of House of the Dragon, titled "The Burning Mill," which aired today, here are my thoughts. My initial reaction right after the episode ended was that it felt incredibly brief, like it just flew by. The story wasn't particularly gripping, but I found myself invested in how Rhaenyra would navigate her responsibilities to her house while trying to prevent the imminent war that is being foreshadowed in the narrative.

One amusing aspect of this episode was how the screenwriters had Rhaenyra go to King's Landing and disguise herself as a commoner, thinking no one would recognize her. This seemed a bit far-fetched, given her prominent status, and felt like questionable writing. It seems like an intentional choice by the writers, but the reasoning behind it isn't clear.

Regarding the episode's highlights, I'd say there were a few notable scenes:

Baela and Moondancer's Scene

Baela, the daughter of Rhaenys, riding Moondancer and chasing Ser Criston Cole and his party in the open field was intense. I was genuinely worried for Baela because she's such a likeable character, and the scene was filled with suspense.

Introduction of the Dragon Eggs

There was a scene involving the sending of dragon eggs to Pentos, or another location (I'm not entirely sure where). These eggs were sent with Rhaena, and it's implied that they are the same eggs that will eventually hatch into Daenerys's dragons. Interestingly, there were four eggs shown, which raises questions about their future significance.

Daemon at Harrenhal

Daemon’s arrival at Harrenhal was intriguing, especially when he stood in front of a tree reminiscent of the one Bran often stood by in Winterfell. Although it might not be the same tree, the visual parallel was striking. Daemon's flashback about his dark past, featuring a young Rhaenyra and the head of Jaehaerys, was haunting and added depth to his character.

People have pointed out that despite the episode being titled "The Burning Mill," there wasn't much burning depicted. This could be setting the stage for the upcoming dragon war in future episodes. With only eight episodes this season, we're already approaching the halfway mark, and it seems the series is building up to some significant events.

Overall, I'm excited for the next episode and curious to see how the story unfolds. Episode 4 is expected to feature the actual dragon war, which should be thrilling. Let's wait and see how it all plays out.