House Of The Dragon Episode Seven Review - 7 Ups & 3 Downs

Fans who have not read Fire and Blood were likely taken by surprise by the sheer psychopathy exhibited by Aemond Targaryen last night.

It has been enthralling watching the origin story of one of Martin's richest characters and most dastardly villains develop. A sullen little boy, mercilessly bullied by his obnoxious elder brother, appeared to be a sympathetic character in the making - unless one is familiar with Martin's canon and the cruel, one-eyed warrior and dragon rider that the King's second son morphs into.

The child version of said villain reared his head for the first time last night. Upon claiming the recently deceased Laena's dragon Vhagar, Aemond spews vile insults at Jacaerys, Lucerys and the Velaryon girls, plumbing almost inexplicably despicable new depths when he mocks them in the same manner his brother did to him before losing his eye to Lucerys' dagger - foreshadowing the bitter hatred between the two young men.

This was a shocking first insight into an adolescent villain who may yet put Joffrey and Ramsay to shame by the time he reaches adulthood. The thrilling nature of Aemond's abrupt U-turn to mercurial villain is evident already at this young age; most young boys would be screaming inconsolably but the Prince considers the loss of an eye to be a fair trade for Vhagar. Such an enigmatic force atop the largest living dragon in the world sounds like a perfect recipe for otherworldly onscreen results.

And while Aemond may have accepted the loss of his eye, he certainly has not forgiven it.