Unsettling Detail You Probably Missed in That Gory HoTD Episode 8 Scene
House of the Dragon fans are so used to gore that little creepy details are more likely to send chills down their spines than an actual full-on violent scene.
One of the episode 8 highlights, arguably, was the Iron Throne room scene that gathered Westerosi lords, along with the Targaryens and the Hightowers, in order for the crown to hear the petition on the Driftmark succession.
The highlight itself was Daemon Targaryen's reaction to Lord Vaemond Velaryon accusing Rhaenyra of being "a whore", and her sons "bastards". It almost looked like the rogue prince was craving for Vaemond to say that — he literally urged him to do it — as Daemon clearly enjoyed slicing half of the lord's face after these words.
He notably kept Vaemond's tongue in place even though Viserys threatened to have it after the accusations.
However, albeit gory enough, the scene had another detail that could have gone unnoticed if it wasn't for some eagle-eyed fans. While Vaemond was speaking, we can see Daemon giving Rhaenyra a quick glance — and she appears to respond with a slight nod.
Seriously, was it her greenlighting a murder that was going to be commited a couple of moments later?
One fan has even come up with a translation of what seemed to be a silent dialogue.
The exchange was a pleasant detail for the fans who managed to spot it, given that Daemon could have easily do the deed without Rhaenyra's approval.
"This episode was soooo rich in detail. I caught that exchange and it made me smile. Daemon already acting with respect to Rhaenyra. He could pull a patriarchal "I am your Uncle/Husband and I don't need your permission." This is my favorite episode of any show I have watched," Twitter user NoOne85905596 said.
Many people have also jokingly compared the House of the Dragon scene to the notorious Chris Rock vs Will Smith exchange that happened during this year's Oscar ceremony — even though the fictional scene ended up being way more violent.
House of the Dragon is streaming on HBO Max, with new episodes arriving every Sunday. Season 1 is set to end in two episodes, with the finale scheduled for October 23.