The latest trailer for House of the Dragon was released very early in the morning on May 6, 2022.
To say I’m excited is an understatement.
Let’s watch the teaser and then break it down.
Remember when, whatever you thought of her personally, Hillary Clinton was clearly a more qualified candidate to be President of the USA, but people instead decided to give their vote to arguably the least qualified candidate ever to run for President of the USA? A guy whose term ended with violence in the Capitol?
And remember, closer to home, when Julia Gillard was Prime Minister, and sure, the method of her ascension was not ideal, but perhaps not egregious enough to deserve regular pilloring by fellow politicians, media commentators and protestors too pleased with themselves for their ditch/witch rhymes?
And remember, well you probably won’t, because it happened to me, when I was flyering at the Edinburgh Fringe and met a nice Kiwi couple, and complimented them on their Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, noting that she seemed such a principled figure, and the gentleman of the couple remarked “Ugh, she should be shot”, just months after an actual mass shooting at a Christchurch mosque, with no justification beyond “I don’t like her”?
Remember that? Well, you probably won’t, but you’ll remember your own version of that, and so many other examples of baffling times when a half-competent woman should affront the senses so much more intensely than a half-competent man.
Well, the new House of the Dragon trailer has put that feeling squarely at its centre, delivered with world-weary bitterness by Rhaenys Targaryen aka “The Queen Who Never Was”:
“Men will sooner put the realm to the torch than see a woman ascend the Iron Throne.”
Sure, the trailer begins with a male voice intoning the importance of legacy as the only achievement that counts in life.
But coming as it has, just a few days after a likely rollback of America’s abortion protections was leaked, the idea that men could watch the world burn rather than let women make decisons just hits a bit harder.
This timing was probably unplanned (pun not intended but kept for emphasis).
But it gives both the history buff and rabid feminazi in me (I’m taking it back, Rush Limbaugh, you unmissed canker sore) a rush of energy and delight, because degustations on what constitutes female power are always delicious, and House of the Dragon looks set to be serving a feast of fabulous (and hopefully flawed!) femmes.
(Note: I have not read Fire & Blood, the book upon which the upcoming series is based, and to keep recaps fresh I am restricting myself from too much pre-reading, so my opinions here are formed from the trailer and associated character portraits released by HBO).
We’ve got the aforementioned Rhaenys, who clearly didn’t get the top job in years gone by but probably had a good claim. She’s warning young Rhaenyra, who is in line for it this time around as the daughter of King Viserys I. We see notable heads of familiar families - Stark and Baratheon - pledge allegiance, alongside the new and strikingly salty face of “Sea Snake” Corlys Valeryon.
Doctor Who, aka Matt Smith, aka Daemon Targaryen, ergo “Doctor Daemon” seems not at all happy with this development, storming about with slap-happy soldiers.
Rhaenyra is briefly seen at a GIANT TABLETOP GAMING MAP, and later dancing with the Sea Snake, so I’m very keen to see what alliances she makes in the Great Game of Thrones (that’s the name of the old series!)
The trailer also features the “butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth” Alicent Hightower, daughter of Otto, the Hand of the King. Between his piercing question “We play an ugly game - you have the determination to win it”, and her pointedly kissing King Viserys’ cheek, games of advantageous match-making may be afoot. Or better yet, intra-Westeros spycraft! There are, after all, big group shots in places that don’t look like the Throne Room of King’s Landing - possibly Dragonstone, possibly Harrenhal, either way ample opportunities for plots. And hopefully plot!
There’s shots of people being beaten up, blood running through hands, Doctor Daemon wielding a sword at what could be Mr Hightower, and Alicent running at Rhaenyra with a dagger that could possibly be the Valyrian steel one Arya used to kill the Night King back in the other series we don’t like to talk about anymore.
“No no no”
It ends with Doctor Daemon flashing a sonic torch - sorry, a regular fire torch - at a no-longer dormiens draco, with the words:
“History does not remember blood. It remembers names.”
My name is Mother of Kittens, kittens, and by the Old Gods and New, I hope you remember me.
Bring on August 21!