House of the Dragon Episode 2 Recap: A New Queen Is Chosen as Betrayal Seeds Are Sown

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Warning: This post contains spoilers for season 1, episode 2 of House of the Dragon.

House of the Dragon's second episode, titled "The Rogue Prince," takes place approximately six months after the events of the premiere and opened with a disturbing scene at the Stepstones where bodies on the shore were being feasted on by crabs, one man still alive as he was being picked apart.

From there, viewers were taken back to King's Landing, where it was revealed that Prince Daemon (Matt Smith) seized castle Dragonstone and fortified it with former members of his City Watch, aka "gold cloaks," after he was removed from succession consideration and ordered to the Vale by his brother, King Viserys I (Paddy Considine).

The king's small council discussed news of the Kingsguard's lord commander, who died in his sleep. A new knight must be appointed to the vital royal protection group, which is essentially the king's Secret Service. Princess Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock) is given the task of selecting the knight after she was outspoken about another matter during the council meeting and annoyed the members, especially the King's Hand, Ser Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans).

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Lord Corlys Velaryon, aka the "Sea Snake" (Steve Toussaint), pleaded with King Viserys to use force against an extremely creepy new character, Craghas Drahar, aka the "Crabfeeder," a prince admiral from Myr serving a sect of the Free Cities, the independent states located across the Narrow Sea from Westeros.

The Crabfeeder is apparently backed by powerful figures in the Free Cities and uses brutal tactics to disrupt the Stepstones' sailing and shipping routes, the channels from which Corlys draws his wealth and power as the master of ships. Viserys denied Corlys' request, saying he had no interest in starting a war with the Free Cities and the Crabfeeder matter would be dealt with — at some point — in another fashion. Corlys countered that with inaction against Daemon at Dragonstone and inaction against Crabfeeder, the crown appeared weak to those who would do it harm.

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Rhaenyra selected Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel), a low-born knight, to join the Kingsguard since he was the only candidate with actual combat experience among the lot presented. It also didn't hurt that he is handsome and both Rhaenyra and Otto's daughter, Lady Alicent (Emily Carey), were smitten with him in the premiere episode when he bested Daemon in a joust.

Alicent continued to spend private time with King Viserys at the behest of her father, in Otto's hope she might woo him after the queen died in childbirth and the line of succession became far too questionable for Otto. It is during their private time, Viserys told Alicent about the fabled city of Valyria, where Targaryens hailed from prior to its destruction. The king also noted to Alicent that he wished her best friend Rhaenyra, his only daughter and declared heir to the throne, was not so distant following the death of the queen. Alicent then suggested to Rhaenyra that she open up more to her father about her feelings and political ambitions, to which the princess seemingly agreed.

Lord Corlys and his wife, Princess Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Best), who is also Viserys' cousin, offered their 12-year-old daughter's hand in marriage to the king in order to better unite their Houses, thereby strengthening the crown and realm, they asserted. Viserys, still deeply mourning the death of his wife and distributed by the child's age, ultimately denied the offer and instead announced his plan to marry Alicent, which enraged Corlys, who stormed out of the council chambers upon hearing the news.

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In an attempt to provoke his brother into violence, Daemon snuck into King's Landing and stole a dragon egg — but not just any dragon egg. The outcast brother took the egg selected for Viserys' son, who died shortly after the queen. An outraged Viserys ordered a group — led by Otto with members of the Kingsguard, among others — to retrieve the egg and expel Daemon from Dragonstone. Just as it appeared there would be bloodshed with Daemon threatening the king's group with his gold cloaks and his dragon, Caraxes, Rhaenyra made a surprising appearance on the back of her dragon, Syrax. Equally matched, Rhaenyra told her uncle in order to get what he wanted, he would have to kill her then and there. Daemon balked, giving back the egg and retreating to the castle.

Back at King's Landing, a furious Viserys told Rhaenyra to never do something so dangerous ever again. He assured her that when he does remarry, even if he has a son, he will stand by his (unpopular with almost everyone else) decision that she will inherit the throne. While the king attends to his emotional wounds, he is dealing with yet another physical wound on his hand, after again cutting himself on the swords of the throne. And just like the first wound on his back, the new disgusting wound is infected.

The episode closed with Corlys seeking Daemon's help with Crabfeeder. Corlys sold his proposal as a way for the prince to undermine his brother while proving his worthiness to others for the throne. Daemon was intrigued.

House of the Dragon airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.