Meanwhile, Alicent Hightower and Viserys are still hanging out too much. (I can almost hear Cersei Lannister saying, “Power is power” here.) She ignores the objections of Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King, who urges her to prioritize political allies or defensive strongholds. Though not high-born, Criston was a soldier in The Stormlands, and Rhaenyra believes a strong fighter like him is what her family needs for protection. Rhaenyra asks the important question: Which of these dudes has actual combat experience? That would be Ser Criston Cole, the hottie she met at the tournament last episode. A spot has opened up following Lord Commander Ser Ryam’s passing, and his successor, Ser Harrold Westerling, has gathered contenders from across the realm. Instead, Rhaenyra has the distinct pleasure of examining the new candidates for the Kingsguard. Why not send dragonriders to scare the pirates off? Sounds like a brilliant idea, but the council shoos her away so the big boys can talk business. Rhaenyra, the king’s daughter, heir, and cupbearer, interjects.
But King Viserys doesn’t want to start a war with the free cities (who are presumably funding these “pirates”).
He's had enough he wants to seize the Stepstones by force and get the Crabfeeder out of his territory. Four more ships have fallen to the Crabfeeder, including one of his own. The kingdom can’t afford to lose valuable trading ports to a foreign power, so Corlys storms into a meeting of the Small Council. The Crabfeeder’s latest move doesn’t bode well for the Seven Kingdoms, nor for House Velaryon, led by renowned and wealthy seafarer Lord Corlys, who wields one of the strongest navies in the realm. Craghas Drahar), and his men have taken over the area and reduced its inhabitants to fish bait.) The violent beginning to Dragon’s second entry in the Game of Thrones prequel’s universe sets the tone for the entire episode: foreboding and, well, disgusting. The visual is unappetizing, however: swarms of tiny crustaceans are feeding on dying and decaying bodies on the shores of the Stepstones, a set of rocky islands in the sea between Westeros and Essos. I hope you’re in the mood for seafood, because House of the Dragon’s second episode opens with a hefty serving of crab.