House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 6 recap: Dragonseeds, Daeron & plenty of pain

House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 6 sees Rhaenyra and Jace put their plan into action, but will these dragonseeds flop or fly?

Season 2 Episode 5 ended on a note of hope. Rhaenyra might not have the biggest army on their side, but Jace’s plan of enlisting more dragonriders might just give them an advantage. Even if their biggest asset, Daemon, is still rotting away in Harrenhal.

Elsewhere, Team Green are still reeling from Aegon’s near-death experience. While Aemond takes charge in an obviously evil manner, Alicent has to reap what she sows and deal with the fact that her anti-Rhaenyra campaign might have an effect on her, too.

Here’s everything that goes down in House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 6, with major spoilers ahead.

Alicent is belittled in the Small Council

Team Green is in full attack mode, forming alliances with the Lannister army, who prepare to invade Harrenhal. However, they won’t go ahead without Aemond and Vhagar on their side, especially with Riverrun being dragon central.

Aemond, however, is pissed that they’re demanding his presence. Indeed, the prince regent is fancying himself a bit of a dictator these days.

He tells the Small Council that he wants to form an alliance with the Triarchy, which they attempt to sway him from. They’re nothing better than pirates, they tell him. But he wants to get a leg-up on Harrenhal, so he sends Criston Cole forth to get the job done.

Throughout the meeting, Alicent is ignored and spoken over. At the end, Aemond holds her back and dismisses her from her chair in the council. (So she can focus on “domestic pursuits”, he bitingly tells her.) Clearly, it stings the queen dowager, who has served on the Small Council since her husband, King Viserys, was too sick to do so.

Rhaenyra pitches her plan

At Dragonstone, Corlys arrives to take on his new position as Hand of the Queen. When the Small Council begins their meeting, Rhaenyra finally lays out her and Jace’s plan of finding dragonriders through forgotten family lines.

One such contender is Ser Steffon Darklyn. It turns out, his grandmother’s grandmother was born a Targaryen princess. Evidently, if anyone can do it, he can. Right? Right?!

The council naturally protests this idea, but Steffon is more than willing to die to attempt it. He finds the request a great honor, and plans are made for him to try to bond with one of the dragons needing a rider.

Daemon is losing his mind

Spooky music? A dark, crumbling castle? The potential of incest in the air? It must be time for Daemon’s weekly Harrenhal adventure!

Clearly, the dreams and visions are starting to get to him. In a vision that takes place in the throne room at the Red Keep, Daemon encounters his brother Viserys (played once again by Paddy Considine.) He watches Viserys recite his disappointment in him, as he has done before.

When he breaks down in tears, Daemon makes a break for the door, but it won’t open. After frantically trying to get out, the fan-favorite diva known as Simon Strong pulls it open and brings Daemon back into the real world.

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Daemon flips out, accusing Strong of being behind all his strange visions. Once again, he calls himself “king,” and feels as though he’s being mocked and forcibly controlled.

He heads outside to Caraxes, where he finds Alys Rivers standing by the weirwood tree. He tells her of his woes, and she accuses him of running away from everything. Then, he pleads for her help, and after hinting that the Rivermen will never stand as one, she tells him to do nothing for now. “In three days, the winds will shift,” she tells him.

Steffon Darklyn gets roasted

It’s time for Steffon Darklyn to attempt a bond with Seasmoke, Laenor’s old dragon. In the lair underneath Dragonstone, Rhaenyra and Jace watch as he approaches the dragon.

At first, it looks as though Seasmoke is actually willing to submit to him, to the shock of everyone watching. However, he changes his mind, and quickly kills Steffon with dragonfire. Rhaenyra and Jace run from the room, harrowed by what they just witnessed.

At the Gullet, Corlys enlists Alyn of Hull to join him on his next outing on the ship as his First Mate. Alyn makes an attempt to refuse at first, but it’s soon decided. Addam, meanwhile, watches in amusement.

Things aren’t so jolly in King’s Landing. At a tavern, Ulf the White is lamenting about the poor food and even poorer quality of life. A random woman (who might not be so random) makes conversation about their lack of resources while the royals live on feasts and entertainment.

Clearly, she catches the ears of Ulf. She plants the seed that Rhaenyra was shoved aside in favor of Aegon, and that she might truly be the queen they need. And with that, she leaves.

The people of King’s Landing turn against Aemond

Rhaenyra is informed by a member of her Small Council that Seasmoke has now fled Dragonstone after the violent incident with Steffon. He’s forgetting his place, harassing her and speaking down to her until she turns around and slaps him across the face.

“It’s my fault I think, that you have forgotten to fear me,” she tells him. As she retreats to her room and practices with her sword, Lady Mysaria comes in and tells her that they have effectively planted the seed of hate in King’s Landing. She also makes it clear that she supports Rhaenyra in her dragonseed plan.

In the capital, Hugh Hammer‘s wife is desperate for food. But everyone has run out, and the sight of a cart of lambs being escorted to the Red Keep makes them grow angry. How can the royals feed their dragons, but not their people?

Larys informs Aemond of the growing unease in the city, but the prince regent doesn’t seem too concerned. On the back of the news, Larys attempts to sneak his way into serving as the new Hand of the King, but Aemond isn’t that stupid.

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Instead, he instructs Larys to send for Otto Hightower, who will serve as Hand for him. Just then, the Grand Maester comes in and informs them that Aegon is now awake, despite all odds.

Aemond then visits Aegon, who is in great pain. At the sight of his brother, Aegon cowers in fear. He attempts to convince Aemond that he doesn’t remember what happened at Rook’s Rest, but Aemond still forcibly (and painfully) tells his brother that he attempted to attack Meyles, which is what got him injured.

Rhaenyra’s sons are on the move

Over in the Eyrie, Rhaena is still caring for Rhaenyra’s younger sons. But on a walk with Joffrey, she spots a large patch of land scorched with dragonfire, as well as the carcasses of lambs.

When she returns, Jeyne Arryn informs her that Prince Reggio of Pentos has accepted responsibility of them, and they’ll be escorted on the ship Gay Abandon. (The Battle of the Gullet is coming, whether you want it to or not!)

Rhaena confronts Lady Arryn, who had previously said the Eyrie had no dragons. Arryn informs her that there have been rumors of a dragon roaming the land since the war, venturing out further for food. It is, however, wild and untamed.

In the Gullet, Alyn is shaving his white hair, hoping to keep his identity under wraps. Addam chastises him, telling him that he should be making moves to be on the good side of Corlys, since he might get something out of it. Alyn remains uninterested.

On Dragonstone, Jace compliments Rhaenyra for having made an attempt at their plan. But when he tries to convince her that they won’t win the war without Daemon, she gets angry. They’re interrupted by Mysaria, who gives Rhaenyra the cryptic message, “Our gift is sent.”

What gift could they mean? Well, on the shores of King’s Landing, a man spies an abandoned rowboat floating onto the sand. It carries Rhaenyra’s banner, and is filled with fresh fruit and other supplies. As he looks up, more boats filled with goods come to the shore.

Attack at King’s Landing

Alicent catches up with her brother Gwayne before he heads out to battle once again with Criston (a prospect he looks genuinely traumatized by.) She asks of her son Daeron, who has so far been missing in the show. Gwayne tells her that Daeron is clever, good with a sword, and admired by the girls. But most importantly, he’s kind.

She then fetches Helaena, telling her to come with her and light a candle for Aegon at the Sept. But on the streets, chaos breaks out when Hugh Hammer and others discover the food sent by Rhaenyra. They fight and run with their goods.

At the Sept, Alicent and Helaena are told they have to leave immediately, as a crowd is gathering outside. When they leave, they’re met with boos and food is thrown at them. Soon, things escalate when a man grabs Alicent’s arm and one of the Golden Cloaks cuts the perpetrator’s arm right off.

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Angered, the crowd attacks. Alicent and Helanea barely escape with their lives, but their guards aren’t so lucky. As the two queens leave, the crowd tears apart their protectors, all while yelling: “Long live Queen Rhaenyra!”

In Aegon’s chambers, Larys tries to talk him out of taking more milk of the poppy. With his body the way it is, he needs to keep his mind in tact, Larys advises. He then shares the story of his own deformed foot, telling Aegon that people will forever and always underestimate him from now on. He also warns him that his life might still be in danger.

At Harrenhal, Daemon receives news that Lord Grover Tully has died, and that his grandson, Oscar, is now Lord Paramount of the Riverlands. When Daemon asks how he died, Simon Strong tells him that he was ill. He also adds (with what looks like a cheeky little smile) that Alys Rivers attended to the Lord, but even she couldn’t help him.

Seasmoke finds a rider

At the Gullet, Addam is on the beach when a dragon (Seasmoke) approaches overhead. As Seasmoke turns and heads in his direction, Addam runs. He bolts into the forest, but even the trees cannot hide him after he falls.

Seasmoke descends upon him, and Addam his terrified. However, the dragon doesn’t hurt him. In fact, it seems intrigued by him.

Rhaenyra is back at Dragonstone, continuing to doubt herself. Mysaria tries to comfort her, telling her, “You have me,” and sharing the story of how she was impregnated by her own father. She tells her that there are few people who are steadfast, but she believes Rhaenyra is one of them.

Rhaenyra hugs her. But as she pulls back, something else enters the atmosphere, and the two soon embrace in a passionate kiss. Quickly, they’re interrupted by Rhaenyra’s Queensguard, telling her that Seasmoke has been spotted flying over Spicetown with a rider on his back.

Determined to see for herself, Rhaenyra mounts Syrax and takes off into the sky, headed to find this new rider.

That’s House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 6! For more, check out our guide to the House of the Dragon Season 2 release schedule. You can also see our breakdown of all the House of the Dragon dragons. Or, learn which book the show is based on.