WARNING This article contains spoilers for "House of the Dragon" Season 2!

A while back, I began to worry that "House of the Dragon" Season 2 was losing momentum. That's because "Dance of the Dragon" always seemed so close to starting in earnest, and the battles seemed out of reach.

The long battle in episode 4 put my fears to rest. Chaos reigned in the skies above Rook's resting place, and the first dragon battle of the season put Aegon out of action for the time being, taking the lives of Princess Rhaenys and her dragon, Meryth. It was absolute carnage and left me wanting more action.

But "House of Dragons," Season 2, Episode 5, struck me with emotion as it opened with a beautiful sunrise shot of Driftmark, followed by a sequence of Corliss sitting on her throne, tears streaming down her face, and a grieving Lenila gazing out at the Dragonstone horizon. Even in episode 5, moments of stillness, absence, and silence have a devastating effect.

We are back to the lack of over-the-top staging, but the change feels very striking. Subtle glances and lingering shots have become the norm, giving us room for interpretation and emotion. For example, the focus from Alicent's point of view, where Aemon discovers Aegon already has Aegon's dagger in his belt as Mérèse's head is paraded through the streets. And a slow zoom of her face after Aemon is named temporary leader at the small council meeting. Aemon and his co-leaders talk around her, and she ruminates on how the council ousted her.

The silence and absence manifests itself in various ways. When the maesters accompany Aegon, there is little conversation, which makes the horror that Vager has inflicted on Aegon all the more striking. Aside from the exchange of concern about his health, the most prominent aspect of this scene is the sight and horrific sound of flesh peeling and metal clanging as Aegon's charred Valyrian armor is ripped from his body.

Elsewhere, there is a noticeable change in Christon Cole's demeanor. Having experienced the raw power of dragon fire at Rook's resting place, his former bravado has all but disappeared, and he does not appear to be as fire-bitten as he once was. Likewise, Aegon's removal from duty has had a tangible effect on the atmosphere. Yes, he was petty and unworthy of a ruler, but without his arrogant presence, the Red Keep becomes colder and more sinister. The shot of Aemon kneeling before the empty iron throne is chilling and effectively balanced by Aegon's anguished cry of "mummy" as Alicent leaves his bedside.

Across the sea, at Dragonstone, the daemons' absence is felt. Rainaila's allies are moved by Rainaila's death, but they urge her to act, and she herself is unwilling to do so. She eventually accepts Mysalia's offer and sends Ser Alfred to Harrenhal to find out exactly what her husband is up to (a failed attempt to rally an army to march on King's Landing, not necessarily to support his wife's claim to the Iron Throne).

The desire to do something is also felt in the episode's final moments. This is because Rainaila has read through the history books and attempts once again to gain the upper hand by joining the war for her own ascension while Vhagar recovers. But Jacaelis offers a cunning alternative. He seeks out potential dragon seeds and tries to obtain adult dragons. Will this really turn the tide of the war?

"House of the Dragon" Season 2 Episode 5 returns to a slower, more sedate pace, but after the battle for Luc's rest, I find this particular space to be very effective. Having just delivered a great deal of fiery action, episode 5 effectively re-centers the core cast and ruminates carefully on the consequences of the ongoing war.