Funny / House of the Dragon

For Game of Thrones, see here.

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Season 1

1 - The Heirs of the Dragon

• Given the fear and awe the dragons were given in the original Game of Thrones, it's quite amusing to see Syrax majestically soaring over King's Landing and yet the townspeople below paying her no more attention than to a bird flying overhead.
• Ser Harrold Westerling the Kingsguard is relieved to see Rhaenyra return from her flight with Syrax safe and sound. Rhaenyra jokingly tells him not to look too relieved. Ser Westerling reaffirms that he is relieved, since every time Rhaenyra returns safety from her various antics, it saves his head from a spike.
• Aemma has a fairly sharp tongue, even when nine months pregnant:
  • On her in laws:
  Viserys: This family already has it's Visenya.
  Aemma: Has there been any word of your dear brother?
  • On the wisdom of the tourney:
  The tourney, to celebrate the firstborn son we do not presently have. You do understand that nothing will cause the babe to grow a cock if it does not already possess one?
• In the Small Council meeting about the City Watch massacre:
  Daemon: Our city should be safe for all its people.
  Viserys: I agree. I just hope you don't have to maim half of my city to achieve this.
  Daemon: Time will tell.
  (Beat as Viserys gives Daemon a slight Death Glare)
• Daemon Targaryen, upon being asked why he spends so little time with his wife, Rhea Royce, has this sour zinger:
  Daemon: In the Vale, the men are said to fuck sheep rather than women. I can assure you, the sheep are prettier.
  • Upon hearing his brother saying this, Viserys can only hang his head and sigh with no small amount of chagrin. He's clearly long since given up trying to get Daemon to filter himself while on the Council.
  • Even funnier is Lord Beesbury's reaction, a very pointed exclamation of "Dear me!".
• Speaking of Daemon having sex, the very first time we see him do so is with his paramour Mysaria—and for some reason (likely related to the Small Council's mounting dislike of him), he doesn't even finish. It does help undercut his manly presentation (especially since we saw his predisposition to violence and general coarseness just earlier).
  • Upon noticing his. . . performance problem, Mysaria offers to bring in another girl. Perhaps a silver-haired one. . . yeah, she knows what Targaryens like.
• By itself, much of The Tourney is mostly violence and low-key Gorn that can turn the stomach of the audience. However, the Deadpan Snarker commentary between the Velaryons (Lord Corlys and Princess Rhaenys) helps provide a dose of Black Comedy:
  Rhaenys: And the day grows ugly.
  Corlys: I wonder if this is how we should celebrate the birth of our future king. With wanton violence.
  Rhaenys: It's been seventy years since King Maegor's end. These knights are as green as summer grass. None have known real war. Their lords sent them to the tourney field with fists full of steel and balls full of seed, and we expect them to act with honor and grace. It's a marvel that war didn't break out at first blood.
• Daemon spends the start of the tournament trolling his rivals the Hightowers. He chooses Otto's son to joust with in the first round, unhorses him with a cheap shot, then rides his way to the royal box, and asks Alicent for her favor, an act that she likely can't refuse without committing a serious faux pas.
  • When Daemon appears to have beaten Criston Cole he's basking in the adulation of the crowd—and then Cole comes up from behind and nails him In the Back with his flail. Daemon ends up flat on his back with his dagger hand pinned under Cole's foot and has to surrender and spitefully refuses a hand up from Cole. To add insult to injury, Rhaenyra is charmed by Cole and gives him her favour.
  • The fact that this entire sequence is intercut with Queen Aemma's Death by Childbirth—plus leading to her and her baby's funeral—further piles on the potential Comedic Sociopathy (even if both are genuine Tear Jerkers). Lord Corlys's words (not to mention his general skepticism over the entire tourney in the previous Council meetings), ironically, rang true.
• While the Small Council meeting following Aemma's death is by all accounts a dramatic scene, there still are some minor moments that alleviate the tension:
  • On Daemon's status as heir:
    Viserys: Daemon is my brother. My blood. And he will have his place at my court.
    Mellos: Let him keep his place at court, Your Grace, but if the gods should visit further tragedy on you, either by design or acci-
    Viserys: (exacerbated sigh) "Design"? What are you saying? My brother would murder me, take my crown?
    (Beat)
    Viserys: Are you?!
    (more silence)
    Viserys: (scoffs) Please.
  • When Viserys later argues Daemon doesn't have the patience to rule, Otto shoots back with "The gods have yet to make a man who lacks the patience for absolute power, Your Grace." From that, Viserys doesn't even say anything except stare daggers straight at Otto enough to where he uncomfortably looks away.
• When Viserys confronts Daemon about his recent behavior, the latter quickly calls out how untrustworthy his councilors are, hence why he should be the one by his side as Hand of the King. Of course, Viserys defends Otto Hightower as his Hand when Daemon doubts his loyalty. What does the Commander of the City Watch and the heir apparent of the Iron Throne have to say about Otto?
  Daemon: I've only ever spoken the truth. I see Otto Hightower for what he is.
  Viserys: An unwavering and loyal Hand?
  Daemon: A cunt.
• While Daemon prepares to make his "Heir for a day" speech at the pleasure house, one of his guests pauses in the middle of having sex with a prostitute to turn around and listen to him.

2 - The Rogue Prince

• Viserys' incredulous look when he's encouraged to marry Lady Laena Velaryon, who at this point is only 12 years old.
  • Later on Viserys goes for a walk with Laena in the gardens. At first, she wants to talk about dragons more than anything else, and then clearly remembers what she's supposed to be doing and launches into an obviously pre-rehearsed speech about how she would be a good wife. Viserys asks her if her parents told her to say that. She admits that Corlys did, while Rhaenys told her the marriage wouldn't have to be consummated until she's at least fourteen. All Viserys can say after that is a heavy sigh.
  • Then when Viserys tries to consult with Lyonel Strong, the first topic he brings up is Corlys's proposal:
    Viserys: Laena Velaryon.
    Lyonel: Lord Corlys is your Master of Ships... and she is the eldest daughter of the wealthiest house in the realm. She comes from unimpeachable Valyrian stock. And she has Targaryen blood. What's to mislike?
    Viserys: She is 12.
• Otto’s attempts to "train" Rhaenyra in how to be a good little Puppet Queen when she’s in charge of selecting the next Kingsguard member, including trying to feed her which exact lines to say... only for her to swiftly take over, ignore his advice, and select the most competent knight on the field.
• Daemon continues to be the Troll towards Otto and his men. Everyone, including Lord Otto and Ser Harrold, are clutching their swords in anxiety, yet Daemon treats it as though it's a casual meeting in a tavern!
  Otto: To choose violence here is to declare war on your king!
  Daemon: Wonderful!
• Daemon and Criston Cole meeting again after their tourney.
  Daemon: Ser Crispen, wasn't it?
  Criston: Ser Criston Cole, my prince.
  Daemon: Ah, yes. Apologies, I couldn't recall.
  Criston: Perhaps my prince recalls when I knocked him off his horse?
  Daemon: (laughs) Very good!
• Caraxes' attempt at a Mighty Roar comes off instead as a comical, wheezing squeal quite like a dolphin. With that said, he still causes Otto's forces to have a massive Oh, Crap! moment, so it actually works.
• Criston Cole's looks of increasing horror when Caraxes and Syrax show up, especially when contrasted with his more experienced comrade Harrold Westerling's tense but stoic readiness. His first day on the job and the poor guy has already ended up in a Mexican Stand Off between two fire-breathing monsters.
• Otto's short but blunt orders to his men when Caraxes shows up, seemingly realizing that he has just challenged an extremely experienced Dragon Rider to combat without bringing a fellow rider to back him up.
  Otto: All of you! Sheathe the fucking steel.
  (everyone puts up their swords)
• While the entire incident at Dragonstone doubles as an Awesome Moment for Princess Rhaenyra, we have to admit the sheer hilarity of it. Essentially, two competing bands of armed men are raring at each others' throats due to perceived and actual provocations—and yet when Daemon's Morality Pet waltzes in, she undoes his resolve and defuses the whole stand-off in minutes.
  • Rhaenyra has to tell her acting-immature uncle to stand down (and show the prideful and stuck-up Otto Hightower how he should have been doing his negotiation job). Freeze-Frame Bonus also implies that the moment Daemon realises Syrax and Rhaenyra arrived to confront him, he won't be able to deny her.
  • There's also how Mysaria—the woman at the heart of controversy—realizes the ridiculousness of the situation (especially when Daemon casually reveals in Valyrian that the pregnancy was a ruse), choosing to go inside Dragonstone immediately after that.
  • Even Rhaenyra's ultimatum to Daemon can come across as this; a little dragonling biting her uncle of a dragon's tail, then daring him to kill her for it, just comes across as precocious. Especially when we saw in episode one that for all his violence and pride, he's an entirely more gentle and affectionate man in her presence and she well knows it. Matt even gives Daemon the tiniest of smiles for her audacity, while Milly plays Rhaenyra with a mixture of: I've maybe pushed him too far, and even some: he's reeeaaally tall and intimidating...
• Daemon casually tosses the dragon egg over to Rhaenyra who catches it like a ball. That poor unhatched baby dragon probably got shaken up a bit.

3 - Second of His Name

• Another case of Black Comedy doubling as a bit of a "Shaggy Dog" Story. As one very vocal Velaryon Red Shirt is being nailed to be fed to the crabs by Craghas Crabfeeder, Daemon swoops in with Caraxes raring for a fight. As this hapless soldier screams for Daemon to rescue him, Daemon is too preoccupied with his bloodlust that he doesn't see or hear him in the chaos, and ends up killing him via Giant Foot of Stomping.
• When Viserys wonders in frustration if anyone knows where Rhaenyra is, the episode immediately cuts to her sitting under the heart tree in the godswood, with a minstrel playing the same song on repeat. Doubly funny since it is basically the period equivalent of a Bratty Teenage Daughter who is wallowing in self-pity by listening to the same sad song on her phone over and over again.
  Minstrel: ...Perhaps the princess might like to hear something else?
  Rhaenyra: (without looking up from her book) She would not. Play it again.
  • The Minstrel's afternoon somehow gets even worse when Alicent turns up and the two most powerful women in the whole realm engage in Politeness Judo with the poor bard stuck squarely in the middle between contradictory orders. He eventually beats a retreat looking very relieved.
• After Ser Criston caught up with Rhaenyra after she took a horse and ran away from the camp, Rhaenyra admits to him that she's frustrated with how her father is planning to marry her off to Lord Jason Lannister. Ser Criston jokingly asks her if she wanted him to kill Jason for her, prompting Rhaenyra to smile a bit at the comment.
• Once again, Viserys is the only one disturbed by the Deliberate Values Dissonance when Otto proposes betrothing Rhaenyra to her infant brother Aegon.
  Viserys: Who do you have in mind [for Rhaenyra's betrothal]?
  Otto: Prince Aegon.
  (Beat as Viserys blankly stares at Aegon squirming in his nurse's arms)
  Viserys: The boy just turned two, Otto.
  Otto: Yes, but it would cease the endless proposals for Rhaenyra's hand. (Viserys is driven to wheezing laughing) Betroth them.
  Viserys: I came here to hunt... not to be suffocated by all this fucking politicking!
• There is both Dramatic Irony and hilarity in the fact that the entire royal hunting party wasted time, effort, and resources to track the White Hart—only to find a regular stag (with Viserys looking all but feeble killing it)—whereas Rhaenyra and Criston successfully kill a wild boar on their own and encounters the White Hart all by accident.
• Rhaenyra's return with the boar humorously highlights the Realm's dissonance about her in the two highlighted reactions to her bloodied look—Jason Lannister's barely-contained look of shock and disgust, and Harwin Strong's Establishing Character Moment of gleeful approval while skinning his own rabbits, with his smiling stare at Rhaenyra borderline Eating the Eye Candy.
• While it is pretty consistent with his character motivations, one cannot help but chuckle at the fact that Daemon, who has been losing a war for 3 years, spitefully decides to finish the war rather than allow Viserys to intervene and successfully give him aid. The level of pettiness contained in such an effective killing machine is both horrific and hilarious.
• When Daemon is facing the Crabfeeder and his minions during the climax, The Cavalry arrives in the form of Laenor Velaryon atop his dragon Seasmoke, the latter of whom proceeds to turn the enemy forces to charcoal—all while Laenor is whooping with glee and clearly having the time of his life.

4 - King of the Narrow Sea

• When Rhaenyra is entertaining a literal conga line of suitors in a Terrible Interviewees Montage, she's rather taken aback to see that Lord Blackwood seems to have barely hit puberty. Then when his proposal keeps getting insulted by a knight from House Bracken, the lad draws his sword on him. Rhaenyra decides she's had enough of this and tells Criston to ready her ship, starting to leave the chamber while the fight goes on in the background and Lord Baratheon tells them to "Sheathe the steel, you twats!!!" — then Blackwood guts his opponent like a fish and starts to gag as he comes out of his rage high and the Bracken knight coughs up blood. Meanwhile while most of the onlookers are horrified, a few are clearly enjoying the show.
  • The first suitor we see is, in Rhaenyra's own words, "older than [her] father." As he goes on and on about his estate and lands, he mentions her family having visited once. Rhaenyra, clearly done with this guy, interrrupts.
    Rhaenyra: Tell me, did you find my grandmother as beautiful as they say?
    (beat)
    Lord Dondarrion: This was half a century ago, Princess.
    Rhaenyra: Yes, it was.
    (the onlookers have a good chuckle)
• Viserys seems to be smiling and having fun for the first time in a long time when Daemon returns. That is, up until Rhaenyra shows up, having once again refused all offers for her hand and returned early to boot; at which point he takes a long sip of his wine glass.
• Viserys, soused to the gills, making jape of Alicent's feeble ice-breaking suggestion to show her good-brother, Daemon Targaryen the new wall hangings. Right after the brothers had been reminiscing about how divergent their differences in outlook and adventurism are. Paddy kills it with genuinely harsh mirth.
  Queen Alicent: Perhaps Prince Daemon would care for a tour of the gallery? He hasn't yet seen the new tapestries gifted to you by Norvos and Qohor.
  King Viserys: (mock musing to his wife) Oooh...! (then practically nose to nose with his younger sibling) Would you like to see... tHe TaPeStRiEs? (breaks into deep wheezing laugh, one of the brothers, we don't see which, even blows a farting raspberry off-screen as we cut to see poor Alicent's dismay at her suggestion being shot down) He has no interest in such things!
  • He also gets another gem when Rhaenyra tries to stick up for Alicent.
    Rhaenyra: I'd like to see [the tapestries].
    Viserys: Ah, well then you should not deprive yourself.
• Rhaenyra's attempts to heckle the mummer's performance hostile to her claim to the throne are rather lackluster. But adorable, considering her reactions and petulance make Daemon laugh genuinely for the first time in the series.
  Rhaenyra: Lies, slander! Booo!
• In case the Disney's Aladdin parallels of the scenario weren't too apparent yet, Daemon addresses his disguised niece as "street rat" when she tries to sample some street vendor's wares without paying. She promptly chucks the morsel at her uncle and Daemon, fearsome dragon-rider and survivor of a dozen battles flinches at her playfulness. Even better, Daemon tells the vendor to say put, he'll go catch the thief. Meaning he ran off to join up with Rhaenyra, presumably still holding what she'd stole. You'd think they planned that little con in advance.
• YMMV, but the shot of Rhaenyra with her breeches half pulled down, all hot and bothered, after Daemon turns her on only to suddenly leave her there among the clientele, is never not gonna be funny. She looks so lost and confused.
  • Daemon pulling back repeatedly as Rhaenyra tries to keep their tryst going. It could be interpreted as him realizing this is no time or place for the girl's first time. . . or that even his hot young niece can't help him with his. . . performance issues.
• Viserys seemingly nonplussed at first at Otto's news. When told that Rhaenyra was spotted at a brothel, Viserys' initial reaction is a dismissive, "What of it?"
  • It's darkly amusing how Viserys accepts no hints or tactful omissions from Otto and practically forces the poor man to spell it out that Rhaenyra and Daemon were "coupling".
    Otto: [Rhaenyra] was carrying on with her uncle. They were engaged in behaviors unbecoming of a maiden... of a princess.
    Viserys: (grimacing) What behaviors?...
    (Beat as Otto stares deadpan)
    Otto: Well, must I say it, Your Grace?
• Daemon, five sheets to the wind, stumbling back into the Red Keep in his mud-stained, untucked night shirt and being promptly "apprehended" by the Kingsguard. Easiest duty the White Cloaks ever performed.
  Lord Commander Harold Westerling: The King demands an audience, my prince.
  Prince Daemon Targaryen: (slurred) Take your fucking hands off me...
• The fact that Daemon is more concerned about finding the perfect piece of cold floor to rest his head on and nurse his monstrous hangover than defending himself to Viserys in any meaningful manner. He's so insensate from drink that the Kingsguard are completely fine leaving one of the realm's most formidable warriors alone with their ailing king.

King Viserys I: Won't you even deny it?

Prince Daemon: I need to understand the charge before I can attempt to discredit it...

• Just before that, when all Viserys can bear to say to his drunkard of a brother is: "My daughter." Daemon then groans blearily but it could also be construed as a murmuring of remembered pleasure for the lady in question. He's down bad.
• While Rhaenyra tries desperately to mitigate all the political damage to her reputation her family adventure has caused; denying, denying, denying. Daemon, chaos incarnate, digs the hole of supposedly deflowering his niece even deeper for the sheer fun of it, uncaring of any Westerosi convention.
  Daemon: Better her first experience be with me than some whore.
  Viserys: You fucking -- !
• In a bit of Black Humor, it seems like Daemon hasn't even been welcomed back to King's Landing for a whole twenty-four hours before he's banished yet again.

5 - We Light the Way

• As much as a truly horrific moment it is, there is some grim humour that Rhea Royce's last words to her awful husband Daemon was a Double Entendre attack on his masculinity. There's implication even amongst the creative staff that this is what triggered his Til Murder Do Us Part:
  Rhea: I knew you couldn't finish!
• Even bleaker on the tragicomic scale is the fact that Daemon was quite likely already searching for a suitable rock to bash her brains in with, while she believes he's going to leave her paralyzed and so accuses him of cowardice in order to receive euthanasia. After all, to be crippled in Westerosi society is seen as A Fate Worse Than Death. So in his mind, Daemon is performing a Mercy Kill.
  • Cue Smash Cut from a sobbing Rhea to a freshly caught fish being decapitated.
• Corlys and Rhaenys telling Viserys about the terrible, completely random accident that killed Rhea Royce. Viserys and Lyonel share a pointed glance as they wax about how ironic it is that she, a renowned horse rider and hunter, met her end falling off her horse.
  Viserys: Lady Rhea was a fine woman and a, uh...good wife to my brother.
• Let us count the ways Daemon does justice to this page during this particular episode.
  • He invites himself to Rhaenyra and Laenor's wedding, despite being banished from court. Walking in with a smug "my balls are too big" strut that would make Jaime Lannister at his most arrogant look positively humble by comparison.
  • He gives his brother (you know, the most powerful man in Westeros) an epic Troll Face when he stands before him at the high table. An encapsulation of no matter how many times he gets banished from court; he can turn up whenever he pleases or Viserys will need to risk showing the lords and ladies their division.
  • In a blink and you'll miss it moment, when Alicent walks into the wedding, everybody stands up. Well, everybody except Daemon, who, in the spirit of unbelievable pettiness, remains seated as if to say "Am I supposed to give a fuck?"
  • When Gerold Royce confronts Daemon on Rhea's departing, the rogue prince gives us this fantastic "oh no...! Anyway - " rejoinder that should really become as iconic as Clarkson's.
    Ser Gerold Royce: I am cousin to your late, lady wife.
    Prince Daemon Targaryen: Ah... Yes. Terrible thing. I'm positively bereft. Such a tragic accident.
  • He then lets Gerold know that he expects to receive his dead wife's inheritance and that he will soon go to the Vale with his dragon to claim it.
  • When Rhaenyra begins to dance with the other party guests, Daemon smiles as he watches her... while absently tapping and stroking the blade of his dinner knife.
• Ser Joffrey Lonmouth referring to Criston Cole as "cunt-struck" as he moons after Rhaenyra like a love-sick puppy at her wedding feast. What's even funnier is that he refers to her handsome paramour within a few feet of Daemon, who clearly picks up on Joffrey's gossiping even as he's flirting with Laena Velaryon. And in the end, Joff is wrong, just as much as Criston was. Daemon is the one the princess truly desires and Criston was just her side dish.
  • Rhaenyra evidently growing cross with jealousy as Daemon circles Laena and not her.
• When Daemon makes his move to tempt Rhaenyra away from the celebration and marry him instead, Viserys glances up from his meal; which he's fruitlessly trying to saw into more manageable pieces thanks to his rotting hand. It should elicit sympathy, but the way his chicken is bouncing around the plate just makes him look ludicrous.
• And when Daemon seizes his niece by the neck and has the temerity to lean in and smooch Rhaenyra in front of all the party guests, Viserys sees that his daughter is clearly head-over-heels for her uncle and gains a Thousand-Yard Stare that's a mixture of, "right in front of my salad?!" and: "oh gods, all that money spent on a week of celebrations wasted...! I've got to marry her to Laenor ASAP, or they'll elope like grandmother and grandfather did!"
• Rhaenyra trying to goad Daemon into carrying her off and making her his wife. Not only is she all but daring him to make like a cartoon villain and ride away with her like she's a Damsel in Distress and he finally has her in his clutches, when he grabs her, he seems on the verge of taking her right there on the dance floor before all the guests and the Iron Throne. . . and Rhaenyra seems okay with that.
• The moment the pre-wedding feast of Rhaenyra and Laenor breaks down into a brawl, Lyonel only needs to gesture to his son Harwin with a flick of his head for him to wade in, break up the fighting and rescue Rhaenyra on his shoulders. It also doubles as both Awesome and Heartwarming to see how well-coordinated father and son are. The fandom seems to have picked up on Harwin's sheer efficiency as essentially his father's Attack Animal.

6 - The Princess and the Queen

• Rhaenyra gives Laenor a witheringly great "ya think?!" expression to her husband when he asks whether her third birth was terribly painful.
  • He also, somewhat lamely, attempts to empathize with her by mentioning a jousting injury that was painful for him.
  Rhaenyra: My sincere sympathies.
• Poor Viserys appearing again after the ten year time-skip can elicit some sympathetic chuckles as he appears to wither more and more with every episode to the point of looking like the Crypt Keeper, or Melisandre's decrepit true form.
• Rhaenyra's go-to method for coping with the pains of childbirth.
  "I think I called the midwife a cunt."
• During Vermax's introduction scene we're shown that several of the Dragonpit beast tamers have quite a collection of burn and claw scars to the face. The pay to be one of these keepers must be worth the incredible risk.
• Aegon, Jacaerys and Lucerys make fun of Aemond for not binding a dragon yet by bringing him a pig with wings (and a tail) attached, who they dub: "The Pink Dread"! They then proceed to make ludicrous snorting and oinking sounds while the sow busies herself with munching on the reeds.
• Alicent walks into Aegon's room and finds him masturbating, completely starkers, while standing on his window-ledge overlooking the city.
  • We also later catch him leering at two scullery maids. King of the Dragons? King of the Goats, more like!
  • Alicent is also just standing there for an uncomfortably long time watching her firstborn crank his shaft.
    • Apparently, it's not the first time this has happened, as she's more concerned with the fact he's pranked his "twat" of a brother. And even then, Alicent doesn't mind if he "cuff(s) (Aemond) around at home"! Just don't do it in a public setting.
  • In a bit of Black Comedy, sharp-eyed viewers will note that this is the same window that the distraught teenage King Tommen will jump out of a few hundred years later after his mother burns down the Sept with his wife and her family inside. There is clearly no worse a place to stand in King's Landing than under that window...
• The reintroduction of Laena and Daemon atop their dragons is done with little to no words—that of two Thrill Seeker Dragon Riders very willing to give a show to their Pentoshi hosts.
  • Daemon and Caraxes coasts by Laena, posturing riding without touching his reins in a kind of "Look Darling, No Hands". Laena's response is to then blow fire on their way up, Vhagar tail-flicking a burning pall of propellant into Daemon and Caraxes' flight-path. (We should note, as shown later, that Laena is late-term pregnant too.
  • Daemon's expression of befuddlement and amusement as he races towards the fire is priceless. As if he's thinking: "my wife is insane... And I'm okay with that."
• In the Small Council meeting, when Tyland brings up more developments in the Stepstones:
  Viserys: (exhausted sigh) Will we ever be shut of that blasted place?...
• Age has started to take it's toll on Lyman Beesbury's wits. During the Small Council meeting, he starts to ramble about the Blackwood/Bracken feud only for Alicent, Tyland Lannister and the new Grand Maester Orwyle to quietly remind him they're talking about Dorne and the Triarchy causing trouble in the Stepstones.
• Laenor and his new boyfriend loudly singing while drunk as skunks. Followed by his falling into the chair opposite Nyra and rambling recollections of what Quarl has told him:
  "He says, there is a Tyroshi general there... A giant, they say, who dyes his beard purple and wears women's frocks!"
• Rhaenyra getting tired of Laenor's party-animal ways and giving us this Spit Take worthy line amidst a near Tear Jerker of a performance from Emma D'Arcy.
  "Are you mad? Do you know what's happened...? While you've been guzzling all the ale in Flea Bottom and gods know what besides?"
• Despite being hundreds of miles away in Pentos, even Daemon is not blind to the Strong boys’ parentage.
  Daemon: Did your brother mention if this one also bears a marked but entirely coincidental resemblance to the commander of the city watch?
• Daemon referring to the finest Pentoshi vintages he's been feted with as "this amber shit".
• The entire scene of Alicent and Larys after the burning of Harrenhal is genuine Nightmare Fuel, but there's a bit of Black Comedy when Larys nonchalantly rolls his eyes at Alicent's horrified reaction to his actions, as if he's saying "oh, don't delude yourself, you know you wanted this".

7 - Driftmark

• Daemon full on snickering, no giggling at Vaemond's pointed eulogy for Laena. What with the blowhard going on about Velaryon sea-salt blood purity while staring daggers at Luke, Jace and their mother.
• Aegon living his best as the teenage frat boy that he is, downing cup after cup of wine, thoroughly bored of the funeral proceedings.
  • His being fundamentally repulsed by his sister and her oddities when he could clearly go after anything else with a skirt and a pulse. There's humorous irony in how this seeming-wastrel of a Targaryen prince is the only one who's NOT hot on the incest of their family.
  • "She's an idiot!" / (chop-chop clap) "Wench! Another!"
  • "We do have one thing in common. . . we both like creatures with very long legs." (Goes chasing after a servant girl)
• Luke mutters this line to Corlys but there's no escaping it. For any of us.
  Lord Corlys Velaryon: Both my seat and High Tide will be yours one day, Lucerys —
  Prince Lucerys Velaryon: Sorry... I don't want it.
• Daemon more or less destroying Viserys for depriving him of what he desired. First making the ailing man totter over and pay his condolences to him; then throwing them back in his face.
  King Viserys I: The gods can be cruel.
  Prince Daemon: (raises his brows at his brother's state) It seems they've been especially cruel to you.
  Viserys: (grimacing, half huff of agreement) Yes.
• Otto finding Aegon sloshed on the stairs, surrounded by cups, quickly checking that no-one is watching over his shoulder... Then booting his teenage grandson awake, dragging him upright and hurling him off to bed. A task that's usually Aemond's responsibility from Aegon's reaction.
• While Aemond's claiming of Vhagar is a Moment of Awesome, we must admit that earning that privilege was not at all peanuts. Vhagar was being flat-out a Moody Mount (what with still just having buried her previous rider Laena), shaking itself around while he hasn't even properly saddled/strapped himself, and Vhagar basically flying at full tilt while Aemond is hanging just by the grooves of his saddle with his hands. They even storm straight into a flock of birds while Aemond is screaming his lungs out as Vhagar launches and dives alternately. All said, the view from Vhagar's back is just so breath-taking and empowering, no wonder Aemond thinks losing an eye afterwards was Worth It.
  • Vhagar's moodiness could be attributed to still mourning her last rider. . . or the fact that she was sound asleep when Aemond approached. Several of her rebuffs come off as "Go away, kid, I'm tired."
• Rhaenyra quite literally being ploughed senseless by Daemon to the point she's conked out. When she makes it to the main Hall of Driftmark, hair all askew and is confronted by Alicent on where her husband is at; all the princess can muster is the old chestnut. "I... Could not find sleep. I had gone out to walk." (cut to a cheeky Daemon)
• Even during a really serious scene of Aemond about to brain Luke, the fact that he starts to choke the smaller boy from a lying position almost seems to reference the Undertaker giving Randy Orton a wake-up call!
• Alicent slapping Aegon around the chops for being passed out in bed and not at his brother's side in the fracas. Hardly fair on the lad but still hilarious. Even the nearby maid who's helping the maester tend to Aemond has to visibly stop herself from laughing.
  Aegon: OW! What was that for?!
  Alicent: That was nothing compared to the abuse your brother suffered while you were drowning in your cups, you fool!
• When everything goes to hell in a hand-basket and the kids (plus Alicent) are all arguing and screaming amongst themselves while the rest of the adults are frozen in shock, Daemon just leans up against the door casually, arms crossed, drinking in the chaos. All he's missing is a tub of popcorn and to give an aside to the audience: "Kids today... so desensitized by tourneys and follies."
  • You can almost hear him thinking "none of this would be happening if I was still the heir. Just saying.''
• After Lucerys revealed that Aemond called him and Lucerys bastards, you can see a smile grow on Aemond's face even with him losing an eye just a short time earlier. He's definitely thinking to himself, "heh heh, that was almost worth losing the eye."
• When Viserys demands Aemond tell him who told him the rumors about Rhaenyra's children, the lad eventually decides to get some payback on Aegon. Who can't catch a break this episode.
  Aemond: ...It was Aegon.
  Aegon: Me?!
• Rhaenyra gets another great quip at Laenor's expense when he finally returns to find his wife's arm had been sliced deeply and sewn up with catgut and his boys are replete with bruises and broken noses.
  Ser Laenor Velaryon: I should have been there.
  Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen: Those should be our house words.
• It can be tragic for some but there's a definite undercurrent of hilarity in how quick Daemon and Rhaenyra are to throw every sense of proprietary away and have a secret marriage as soon as they return to Dragonstone. Six months in the book but it looks pretty imminent considering how unenthusiastic the kids look!◊
• Similar to the above, Laena's funeral cuts from tense and emotionally charged yet subtle moment, when Rhaenyra and Daemon lay eyes on each other for the first time in the years... to the hilarious disgusted face Alicent makes watching them from the crowd. While Alicent is often very judgy, especially towards Rhaenyra, considering how fast the two marry, and fact that Daemon and Rhaenyra are uncle and niece eyeing each other up at the funeral of and over still warm body of his wife and Rhaenyra's sister-in-law, it is not hard to imagine Alicent channeling some of audience's reactions, or imitating any judgy conservative aunt at the family gathering.

8 - Lord of the Tides

• Otto being a delightful bastard as he reminds Lord Commander Harold Westerling that the Crown Princess and her Prince Consort should be welcomed to the Red Keep, as befits their station. I.E. being completely snubbed and left out in the cold with no acknowledgement whatsoever. Worse, Ser Harold addresses said guests' arrival to Queen Alicent; so maybe she was responsible for the insult and Otto (always one for superficial politeness) is none the wiser!
• Even amidst the mass Tear Jerker that is Viserys's pitiful condition in bed. It's undercut somewhat by him being clad in a ridiculously gaudy (and frilled) gold nightshirt. It's less the exemplar of the decline of House Targaryen and more a cosplay of Supreme Leader Snoke.
• Aegon the Younger gets a back-seat view of his sickly grandsire. And his reaction compared to his younger brother's ("I really don't want to be any nearer to this bogey-man, mama,") is... Well, see for yourself.
• Daemon's catty remarks to Alicent as he contrasts his wife, Rhaenyra's sub-textual courtesies are to live for.
  Queen Alicent Hightower: It has been so long since we were granted the joy of your presence.
  Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen: Indeed, Your Grace.
  Prince Daemon Targaryen: Though not long enough to merit a greeting upon our arrival.
  Rhaenyra: I'm sure the queen had - pressing business, my love. What can either of us know of ruling a kingdom?
  Alicent: I do not rule, as you well know. My father and I are mere stewards of the king's will and wisdom.
  Daemon: And how exactly is that wisdom expressed? Hm? In blinks and wheezes? I'd be surprised if he could remember his own name. Or if you could.
  Alicent: King Viserys's condition has worsened since you saw him last.
  Daemon: (bone-dry, mirthless) Hah.
  Alicent: It subjects him to considerable pain, on the advice of the maesters—
  Rhaenyra: Ah, the maesters... Of course. It is they who keep him... addled on milk of the poppy while the Hightowers warm his throne.
  Alicent: Rhaenyra, if you would see him without it, almost blind with suffering.
  Daemon: (groans, then with withering sarcasm) Oh, Alicent, I have no doubt it was an act of... the purest mercy. But tell me, for the king's suffering, did the maesters also prescribe the removal of Targaryen heraldry and the installation in its stead of various statues and stars?
• The day of the petitions for the Driftmark seat, Otto goes to see Viserys, who says he wants some supper. There's a beat of silence and then Otto responds with a deadpan "It is the morning, Your Grace", to which Viserys clarifies that he wants some supper tonight.
• In a grotesque but humorous example of Bloody Hilarious, after Viserys gets up and tries to drag himself to Vaemond to cut his tongue out for calling his grandsons bastards and insulting Rhaenyra, Daemon beats him to the punch and swipes off the top part of Vaemond’s head - ironically, leaving Vaemond’s tongue flapping out of his now completely uncovered jaw. Daemon jauntily notes "He can keep his tongue" while the court - except the creepily interested Aemond - is freaking out.
  • Bonus points for his dreads being cleanly sliced off with the rest of his head: before just lightly and casually fluttering down a second late.
  • Daemon for that matter remains utterly casual even as Otto shouts for him to disarm, coolly saying there's no need to do so, as if he just swatted a fly. Just because Daemon's taken to fatherhood well doesn't mean he has gone soft in any way at all.
  • Aemond is wearing a ridiculously roguish, delightfully devilish smirk when Vaemond insults Jace, Luke and Joff.
• Before the family dinner begins, Aegon and Aemond can be seen off to the side and actually joking around about drinking. It's in murmurs and not the focus of the scene, but most of it can still be heard.
  Aegon: You do not drink enough!
  Aemond: You drink more than a Braavosi seahorse—
  Aegon: I drink just the right amount.
• The prayer for the green-black family dinner. While Alicent leads grace with an ode to the Seven, Daemon is clearly not participating, his distaste for the Andal gods apparent. Helaena is examining something in her hands, hyper-fixated. And Aemond, in sheer contrast to his uncle, is outwardly the most devout and solemn in his praying.
• Daemon's... expressive reaction to Alicent including the dearly-departed Vaemond in her prayer is destined to become a meme.
• When Alicent begins her speech to the family and says how Rhaenyra's graciousness of acknowledging how much she's given to Viserys has legitimately moved her, Daemon does a classic slow turn to the queen, as if he's proclaiming: "Say, whaaaa...t?" And needs to have his ears unblocked.
• Helaena's speech where she jauntily gives an account of the sad state of her marriage wherein her husband, seated right next to her, ignores her except when he's drunk. You can hear someone, probably Daemon, laugh in the background.
• In retaliation for Aegon "propositioning" his betrothed Baela in front of him, Jace asks Helaena for a dance, which she eagerly accepts. Aegon only has a dazed reaction to this. Aemond however watches like a hawk while they dance.
• When King Viserys finally leaves the dinner after the pain gets to him, it just so happens that a roasted pig is finally served to the table—and in front of Aemond too. Lucerys (clearly remembering their childhood prank—the Freudian Excuse which landed Aemond Vhagar and lost him his eye), can't help but snigger. Unfortunately, Aemond clearly is still stoking that resentment, and launches into his mocking toast that sends everything downhill.
  • The sheer passive-aggressiveness in the way he addresses them as "Strong boys" can be quite amusing as well, with the way it sounds like he's complementing them but with the Double Entendre of calling them Harwin Strong's bastard children.
  • Everyone in the room instantly fills with dread at the obvious subtext of what Aemond just said...except Helaena who cheerfully applauds her little brother for his lovely compliments.
    • In particular, Alicent has her face in her hands, probably thinking "goddamnit Aemond, why the hell did you have to bring that up right now?"
    • As Aemond begins his toast, Daemon is leaning forward with a hand on his chin, almost as if he's anticipating that things are about to explode.
  • Aemond then immediately undercuts how "strong" the lads are by tanking Jace's punch, then giving his signature smirk that would destroy even Ed Skrein's Daario; before shoving his nephew to the rug like he's an infant.
• Rhaena has to physically hold her sister back as Baela wants to get stuck in with the boys too.
• Daemon giving his stepsons the dad wag finger and sending them off to bed with just his mere presence. Then he does the same to his far more dangerous nephew. Before giving Nyra a smile that just says: "Did you see that, dear? Aw, how cute it is that my sweet nephew thought he was the Alpha here!"
  • Also the fact that Aemond was deliberately trying to start a fight with Rhaenyra's sons... But as soon as Daemon gets involved, he backs down without a single word. Just as his uncle was warning Jace and Luke that they couldn't possibly rival Aemond martially; so too does he silently communicate to his nephew that that disparity of experience is the same as or greater between them.
  • As he stares down Aemond, Daemon lets out a sigh as if he's thinking "What am I going to do with you?"

9 - The Green Council

• Aemond and Criston visit a brothel Aegon once took his brother to as a birthday present. After the madame informs them that Aegon hasn't been by in a while, it's heavily implied she was the prostitute Aemond slept with. It's hilarious and kind of adorable to see the Creepy Awesome Warrior Prince sheepishly brush off her flirtatious remark about how much he's grown.
  • Aemond and Criston being so out of their depth when it comes to Aegon's hedonistic habits, to the point that their first choice is to check a brothel that Aegon brought Aemond to when he was 13. They really put the only two men who aren't interested in sex in charge of finding the extremely depraved Aegon.
  • The fact that both teams looking for Aegon are not exactly well suited to do so discreetly: Aemond is immediately recognizable with his eye patch even when he covers his Targaryen hair, while the other search party is a pair of identical twins.
• Aemond shrugging his shoulders over tracking Aegon as he claims that he and Cole are both "decent men with no taste for depravity." The prince means that they won't slake their thirst on child-baiting but we as an audience know, both men's potential for resentment and a bit of the old ultra-violence is unlimited.
• Otto none-too-subtly telling Mysaria that he will remember her warnings and who allowed him to crown his grandson king; before that we nearly see the Lord Hand burst into laughter as the White Worm waxes eloquent on the power of the people to take back whatever authority the crown imposes. It's as if she's just told him the world's greatest joke.
• Cole and Aemond get into a fight with the Kingsguard brothers over Aegon, the former with orders to bring him to Alicent and the latter to Otto. While Cole and Arryk fight, Aemond chases a fleeing Aegon and takes a sadistic glee in rubbing in that Aegon is going to be crowned whether he wants it or not. As an additional cherry on top, when his brother wrestles him down, Aegon randomly gets the giggles as if they were in a tickle fight.
  Aegon: I have no wish to rule! No taste for duty! I’m not suited!
  Aemond: You'll get no argument from me.
• The creepy scene where Alicent lets Larys rub one out to her feet is made a little funny by the awkward implication that they had to have a conversation about how this arrangement would work at some point, since this clearly isn't the first time. Can you just imagine Alicent's reaction to Larys' request?
  • Alicent basically rolling her eyes at having to give Larys a show with her feet. It's the perfect combination of disgust, shame, and annoyance on her face that makes it extra funny.
• The smallfolk herded into the Dragonpit to witness Aegon's coronation react to the grand and poignant announcement of the passing of the beloved King Viserys the Peaceful with...mutters of polite indifference.

10 - The Black Queen

• While the scene of Luke fretting over being the heir to Driftmark is mostly Played for Drama, it is kind of funny how he lampshades that he is expected to take over the biggest navy in the nation despite being prone to seasickness.
• There's just something so adorable and Entertainingly Wrong about Lucerys describing his mother Rhaenyra as "perfect" and thus a Tough Act to Follow—considering how we essentially watched Rhaenyra for an entire season mess about throughout her life. It nevertheless is genuinely heartwarming to see how honest and open Rhaenyra turned to be at parenting. It is thus such as shame this scene essentially kicked off Lucerys's Death in the Limelight.
• As Daemon threatens the two knights to pledge loyalty to Rhaenyra, Caraxes shows up and menacingly climbs down toward them, only for his wing to slip and him to stumble a little before regaining his composure. He then snarls at the knights as if to say "You didn't see ANYTHING!"
• When Daemon gets into a tizz over not striking first against the Greens with Rhaneyra, Matt has a rather audible voice crack mid-sentence. Which makes him sound like he's arguing with his wife over who in their partnership is capable of changing a light-bulb.
  "What are yuuu gonna do about it?!"
• Mood Whiplash ahoy when Rhaenyra is attempting to appeal to peace and capitulation towards her husband and brings up what many in the GOT and HOTD fandom consider the weakest link to the original series.
  Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen: You know my oath extends beyond our personal ambitions.
  Prince Consort Daemon Targaryen: (perplexed, brow furrowed, hasn't the foggiest idea what she means)
  Rhaenyra: (meaningfully, whispering) The Song of Ice and Fire.
  Daemon: ... (Beat. Then with sotto voce of his own) What?
• When Lord Corlys learns the circumstances of his brother's death, his reaction is not one of outrage or grief. Just a resigned sigh, as if he's thinking, "Dumbass, you really had that coming."
• Vermax reappears in the flight off Dragonstone, now ten times bigger than his first appearance and almost as big as Meleys...yet amusingly, he still has the rounded, baby-proportioned head even as an adult.
  • Poor Lucerys and Arrax also look like cute babies compared to his older brother and grandmother.
• Super Black Comedy example but Aemond's scolding of Vhagar eating his nephew can come across as if his great dane slipped her leash and started mauling some rabbit or duck against the owner's wishes.
• A sad, tragic scene, the death of Lucerys and Arrax may be... but Aemond's face afterwards might elict a chuckle, since you can practically hear him thinking: "Oh fuuuuuuuuck."

Behind the Scenes

• By his own account, Paddy Considine took inspiration for his character from a different show featuring lots of opulent wigs&costumes, bickering and fighting for a crown: RuPaul's Drag Race! Not only did he and Emily Carey resolve some of the awkwardness of filming romantic scenes with a 30-year age gap through bonding over their shared love for the show, he also got into the habit of theatrically swaggering around on set while in costume, which got him nicknamed "Lucius" by Eve Best. Yaaas queen!
  Paddy: And with the sort of hair and all the clothes and everything I just couldn't resist serving a bit of Targaryen realness, you know.
• Steve Toussaint (Corlys) and Eve Best (Rhaenys) feature in an HBO Max YouTube promo, and talking about their characters' motivations just went a little bit south:
  Steve: Also, he would quite like the idea of having... backroom influence over the Throne, and...
  Eve: (suppresses a giggle)
  Steve: Don't do that when I talk about my influence!
• The VFX designers' description of Vhagar.
  "She's grumpy and sleeps a lot, just like an old cat."
• Wil Johnson (Vaemond Velaryon) shows that Rhea Royce isn't the only one who can throw a line back at Daemon:
  Wil: I have to say this, he did it from behind. Didn't come at me face, did he? Nah, mate couldn't do that!
  • His explanation for Vaemond's knowledge of his nephews' true paternity.
    Wil: They're white. They've got brown hair. Very obvious.
• In a promotional video, Emma D'Arcy describes their drink of choice as a Negroni Sbagliato and Olivia Cooke approving. This blew up online and eventually, a google search of the drink itself or either performer will result in an animated artwork◊ of Rhaenyra and Alicent clinking glasses, Rhaenyra with the Negroni and Alicent with a Martini (Cooke's favored drink).
• The actors' social media accounts have generated a plethora of delightfully anachronistic set pics, from Fabien Frankel (Criston) napping in full costume and headphones, Tom Glynn-Carney (Aegon II) doing the same while his Kingsguard is twerking next to him, the Hightowers eating takeout, Ewan Mitchell protecting his Aemond hair with '90s hairclips and many more. And no matter how bleak and tragic the stories of the Targaryen-Velaryon children might get, there will always be footage of the child actors doing Fortnite dances between takes.

Promotional Material

• To promote the show in Latin America, Argentine presenter, and former actress Mirtha Legrand, whose advanced age (born 1927) and long-running career (Her interview show has been aired consecutively for over 50 years, being a world record) became the center of many jokes placing her in historical events, got in on the joke by pretending the show was a documentary about her and her family
  Mirtha, as young Rhaenyra is shown at court and with Syrax: You'll get to see my childhood and meet those that were my companions. How I miss them...

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