The Burning Mill

"The Burning Mill"
House of the Dragon episode
Episode no.	Season 2 Episode 3
Directed by	Geeta Vasant Patel
Written by	David Hancock
Featured music	Ramin Djawadi
Cinematography by	Catherine Goldschmidt
Editing by	Adam Bosman
Original air date	June 30, 2024 (2024-06-30)
Running time	66 minutes
Guest appearance
Milly Alcock as Young Rhaenyra Targaryen

"The Burning Mill" is the third episode of the second season of the HBO fantasy drama television series House of the Dragon. Written by David Hancock and directed by Geeta Vasant Patel, it first aired on June 30, 2024.

The episode introduced several new cast members, including Freddie Fox as Ser Gwayne Hightower, Gayle Rankin as Alys Rivers, and Simon Russell Beale as Ser Simon Strong.

Plot

Battle in the Riverlands

In the Riverlands, a minor territorial dispute escalates into a bloody battle in which the Brackens and Blackwoods slaughter each other. A mill is burned.

In King's Landing

Helaena says she forgives Alicent, and empathizes with the smallfolk also losing children. Criston proposes a bold plan to take Harrenhal. He organizes a scouting party, which Alicent's brother, Gwayne Hightower, unexpectedly joins. Aegon appoints Larys as his Master of Whispers, after Larys dissuades him from riding a dragon and joining Criston. In a brothel, a man claims to be a Dragonseed and bastard half-brother of the late King Viserys and Prince Daemon. When Aegon and his retinue bring a new squire to the brothel to lose his virginity, he encounters a naked Aemond there with Sylvi and jeers him; Aemond angrily leaves.

In Harrenhal

Daemon, dragonriding, reaches Harrenhal before Ser Criston, storms in, and secures the loyalty of its castellan, Ser Simon Strong, who denounces his grand-nephew Lord Larys. By an ancient tree, Daemon has a vision of a young Rhaenyra sewing Jaehaerys' head back onto his body. He awakens and an unknown woman standing nearby predicts his death there.

At Dragonstone

The Cargyll brothers are buried together. Rhaenys suggests to Rhaenyra that Alicent might be persuaded against war. Rhaenyra sends youngest sons, Joffrey, Aegon, and Viserys, to the Arryns for protection and to continue House Targaryen should the Blacks fall. Rhaena Targaryen, who has no dragon, is to accompany them. She feels demoted having to tend small children, but is mollified when dragon eggs are entrusted to her care. En route to Harrenhal, Gwayne and a few soldiers recklessly head to a small village seeking amusement. Criston angrily races after them on horseback. Baela, patrolling the area on Moondancer, spots the men, who escape into the trees. She reports it to Rhaenyra's councilors, who propose a war using their dragons. As a reward for her warning about Arryk Cargyll, Rhaenyra gives Mysaria a place at court. Mysaria advises Rhaenyra on how she can meet with Alicent in King's Landing. Rhaenyra looks over a small parchment Alicent sent her.

In King's Landing

Rhaenyra sneaks into King's Landing on a fishing boat, disguised as a septa; a bodyguard waits for her. She speaks to Alicent, who claims that nothing will resolve the conflict or avoid war. Rhaenyra realizes that Alicent has misunderstood King Viserys' dying words about the Song of Ice and Fire prophecy; Alicent has mistaken her son Aegon for the prophesied Aegon the Conqueror.

Production

Writing and filming

"The Burning Mill" was written by David Hancock and directed by Geeta Vasant Patel, marking the former's first time as writer for the series and the latter's second directorial credit, following "The Lord of the Tides".

Casting

Freddie Fox and Simon Russell Beale made their first appearances as Gwayne Hightower and Simon Strong.

The episode stars Matt Smith, Emma D'Arcy, Olivia Cooke, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Fabien Frankel, Matthew Needham, Sonoya Mizuno, Tom Glynn-Carney, Ewan Mitchell, Phia Saban, Harry Collett, Bethany Antonia, Phoebe Campbell, Jefferson Hall, Freddie Fox, Gayle Rankin, Tom Bennett, and Simon Russell Beale. It marks the first appearance of Fox as Ser Gwayne Hightower, Rankin as Alys Rivers, and Beale as Ser Simon Strong. Their casting was announced in April 2023. Gwayne Hightower previously appeared in the series premiere, portrayed by an uncredited actor.

Milly Alcock guest-starred to reprise her role as young Rhaenyra Targaryen. Despite their characters' death in the previous episode, Elliott and Luke Tittensor remained included in the end credits of the episode for appearing as Erryk and Arryk's corpse, respectively, marking their final appearance in the series.

Reception

Critical response

On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the episode holds an approval rating of 92% based on 12 reviews, with an average rating of 7.7/10.

Haley Whitmire White of TV Fanatic rated the episode 4.75 out of 5 stars. Alec Bojalad of Den of Geek gave it 4 out of 5 stars and said, "[the episode] is a narratively chaotic installment that features a logistically challenging ending. Thankfully, The Battle of The Burning Mill at episode's beginning keeps everything on a strong thematic track." James Hunt of Screen Rant also rated it with 4 out of 5 stars and singled out Alicent and Rhaenyra's reunion, Alcock's return as young Rhaenyra, the scenes in Harrenhal, Daemon's character development, and Aemond and Aegon's brothel scene as the highlights of the episode.

External links

• "The Burning Mill" at HBO
• "The Burning Mill" at IMDb