‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 Episode 8 Review - Ulf the Unreliable

With Daemon and his army—and his dragon, Caraxes—at the doorstep of Tumbleton, a panicky Ormund desperately searches for Ulf. Where is he now? And it's not just Ormund; even Daemon's men are looking for Ulf, which is probably the most "VIP experience" this character has received this season (everybody wants Ulf). And what do you know? Ulf is finally found, passed out with his pants down! Should anybody be surprised by his conduct? Time and again, he has proven himself to be a man of his own whims and alcoholic desires. Ulf is like a kid who needs to be constantly consoled and praised as a "good boy" if you really want his commitment. It's wealth, women, and wine—not responsibilities—that appeal to him. And he has also had enough of men telling him what he can and cannot do. Hence, when even Ormund begins to slap him and berate him for being passed out drunk while Tumbleton is under attack by enemy soldiers, Ulf finally decides that enough is enough. He mounts his dragon and first burns Daemon's men. Then, he takes a U-turn and sets Ormund's army on fire. I think the time has come to rechristen Ulf the White. A more appropriate title would be Ulf the Unreliable. It has a nice ring to it; it also makes sense, at least from the perspective of the other characters.

This "betrayal" on Ulf's part elicits mild chuckles. You have much the same reaction to the scene in which a knife penetrates Ormund's buttocks. "That's a proper fucking. By the North," says Roderick to Ormund before both are incinerated by Ulf's dragon. For once, I would have liked to see Ormund survive the bloodbath, especially after being stabbed in the ass. It would have been quite satisfying—and hilarious—to watch him go through his daily routines with a discomforting rear. It's the kind of punishment apt for someone who puts children's lives at risk by stationing them at the walls like a coward. Ormund and Roderick are, of course, not the only characters who meet their makers in this season finale. The High Septon is killed by Alyn on Rhaenyra's orders when he refuses to anoint her. Rhaenyra then gives a speech to her people, in which she essentially calls herself "Rhaenyra the Chosen." She screams that she is "the Prince That Was Promised," though her position has never looked as shaky as it does here. Rhaenyra is rightly called out by Baela for exploiting her men, for cherishing them only as long as they are useful to her. And she only further shoots herself in the foot by damaging her relationship with Mysaria, forcing her into exile in Pentos. But that never happens, as Mysaria sees her chance in the crowd and slips away.

As if all this weren't enough, Helaena, as I rightly predicted, commits suicide, which will only create a wide, unmendable rift between Rhaenyra and Alicent. And to think the latter betrayed her sons for her friend so that she could rule the Seven Kingdoms. Things surely don't look promising for this "Prince That Was Promised." She might as well kiss her throne goodbye, which might well be the case, given the embroidery Helaena leaves behind. Let her downfall begin.

Final Score - [5.5/10]