House of the Dragon Episode 8 Review - A well-paced and engaging setup for the war to come

In this episode, the series goes through another time jump, this time by six years as Rhaenyra returns to the capital after her son's inheritance overbrutal the throne of Driftmark is challenged.

While not as brtual as the last episode, the eighth episode titled "The Lord of the Tides" and directed by Geeta Vasant Patel does a great job setting up what feels like an unavoidable conflict.

Emma D'Arcy finally gets her chance to really shine, especially in her scenes with her father King Viserys where she pleads for his help.

Another standout is Paddy Considine, the weak yet determined king who desperately tries to keep the peace in the family before his time runs out.

The relationship between the Queen played by Olivia Cooke who once again gives a solid performance and the princess is the central conflict of the show and the heart of the series.

There is a moment towards the end of the episode we see the two share a brief yet tender moment a remnider of their lost friendship.

With just two more episodes to the season House of the Dragon is a solid watcha and deserves all the praise it gets.

The first eight episodes of the show are currently streaming on Disney+, with new episodes every Monday.