The specter of open warfare has loomed over the entirety of the second season of House of the Dragon, and while we haven’t seen full-on battles between armies crashing together on the field, we’ve gotten a taste of what’s to come. At the close of the season finale, war is still looming (no big battles in this episode), but decisive, bloody combat is closer than it’s ever been now that all the main Houses of Westeros have declared for one side of the other, and one of our main gals has been pressured to make an unthinkable sacrifice.

After weeks of bouncing back and forth between King’s Landing, Dragonstone, Harrenhal, and The Shipyard Where Nothing Ever Happens, we’ve finally unlocked a new location! Tyland Lannister (Jefferson Hall) is on a diplomatic mission to the Free Cities to ask the Triarchy for help in breaking the trade blockade against King’s Landing. Patterned rugs, palm trees, servants wielding straw fans… there’s that Thrones-ian soft Orientalism we were missing.

After chatting with representatives from the three islands (nice to finally see one of those blue-bearded Tyroshi), Tyland nearly buckles under the sheer aura of Shararo Lohar (Abigail Thorn), admiral of the Free Cities’ fleet, but ultimately wins a bout of mud-wrestling, gaining her ships and the opportunity to sleep with her harem of wives. Good for Tyland, finally catching a break after dealing with Aemond all season.

Speaking of which, Larys (Matthew Needham) finally says the quiet part out loud during his visit to a still recuperating........

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