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Opens in a new window Credit: BitMar BitMar Streaming Platform & Content Finder: Lifetime Subscription $29.99 at The Mashable ShopFinding someone who you like enough to hang out with on a regular basis is hard enough. But finding someone who you like enough to smoke with regularly? That's a different ball game, and the best 420-friendly dating apps can help you find someone to share your next joint with.
"I don't care that you're a stoner" are words any weed enthusiast would love to hear during a hangout sesh — ideally from Chappell Roan herself's mouth during an a cappella serenade of Red Wine Supernova, but from any old date works, too. And while it may or may not be a tricky subject to bring up on a blind date or otherwise serendipitous meeting, putting the feelers out on a dating app can help prevent any awkward run-ins with someone who's not about that life.
SEE ALSO: Dating predictions for the rest of 2024Past that, if ingesting weed in your preferred form comes to mind when listing off your hobbies, it's completely valid to prefer that a potential match who also considers Netflix, the couch, and a laser bong as a date.
Is there a dating app for weed users?Finding a weed-friendly partner doesn't require a weed-centric dating app, though a few of those technically do exist. High There! and 420 Singles would probably be considered the two "main" ones, though "main" is a bit of a stretch when the lack of an active user base or name recognition come into play. While it would be nice to guarantee that every single person on your feed is down to get high, a good number of user reviews point back to the same issues: of the few profiles that aren't dead or bots, said apps are often used just to buy and sell weed.
SEE ALSO: The major dating apps are collapsing into each otherIn many cases, you'll simply fare better on a general dating app that happens to be weed-friendly, like most of the ones we're suggesting in this list. Regardless of whether or not recreational weed has been legalized and/or decriminalized in your state, many top dating apps allow you to disclose your usage directly on your profile or and weed out the non-believers through filters.
However, it's worth mentioning that not all of these advanced matchmaking features that would be helpful for fellow stoner seekers are free. On Hinge, for example, you can't filter based on marijuana stance (or height, political views, or religion) unless you're a paid subscriber.
Below, we've pulled the best 420-friendly dating apps out there in 2024 — one specifically designed just for stoners, and the rest more broad, popular options where you can bond over more than leaf emoji things — while high, of course.
The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.
With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.
So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.
SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for August 5 SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer hints for August 5Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Monday, August 5, 2024:
AcrossBit of romantic potentialThe answer is spark.
The answer is human.
The answer is amino.
The answer is magic.
The answer is sank.
The answer is sham.
The answer is pumas.
The answer is amiga.
The answer is ranin.
The answer is knock.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.
By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.
SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer hints for August 5 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for August 5If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.
NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Rolling in itThe hint for the theme is the words are often sought descriptors.
Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explainedThe answers are related to describing a person's wealth.
NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.
NYT Strands spangram answer todayToday's spangram is ThatsRich.
NYT Strands word list for August 5Moneyed
Wealthy
Affluent
Prosperous
ThatsRich
Opulent
Looking for other daily online games? Find one you might like – or hints for another game you're already playing – on Mashable's Games page.
Hurricane Debby is on track to make landfall in Florida early Monday morning.
The storm which formed rapidly and raced up the Gulf of Mexico late last week, intensified to hurricane strength as it neared landfall in the Big Bend area of Florida, the National Hurricane Center confirmed.
Tweet may have been deletedAs of 2 a.m. ET, the hurricane has maximum sustained winds of 80 mph and is expected to move inland through Georgia after landfall, reaching the Atlantic and crawling north along the coast of South Carolina for several days as a tropical storm, dumping large amounts of rainfall on the state.
Credit: National Hurricane CenterThe National Hurricane Center is tracking the storm, and you can follow the NHC reports on X and on its website, which includes forecast maps showing the predicted path of the storm.
Ser Simon Strong's probably the most patient man in the Seven Kingdoms. But this week, he made the call.
The stealth MVP of House of the Dragon Season 2, the super-chill and always fashionable Strong (Simon Russell Beale) has done nothing but put up with Daemon Targaryen's (Matt Smith) crap all season. While the King ✨CONSORT✨ (don't forget it) has been offending the Rivermen and tripping balls nightly since he arrived at the largest castle in Westeros in episode 3, Strong has been a constant source of fireproofed diplomacy for Daemon.
SEE ALSO: How 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 is different from George R.R. Martin's 'Fire and Blood'But in the season finale, with treachery on the table, Strong has finally had enough. And thanks to one strongly worded raven from Strong, Queen Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) makes it to Harrenhal at last, paying a surprise visit to the potentially treasonous boy with all the toys.
What happens in the season finale with Daemon and that guy Rhaenyra sent?In the last episode of House of the Dragon Season 2, Daemon has an important but not entirely private conversation with Ser Alfred Broome (Jamie Kenna), an emissary sent by Rhaenyra from Dragonstone to see what the hell her husband has been up to. During this exchange, Broome declares his disdain for a woman on the Iron Throne, having openly showed his disdain for a woman on the Iron Throne all season. The turncloak pledges allegiance to Daemon as "a leader of men," and slinks off, probably to blog about it on 4chan.
Featured Video For You Sorry to break it to you, the dragons in 'House of the Dragon' are actually wyvernsBut they're overheard by Strong, who has seen his fair share of Daemon's political bungles this season. Strong pledged fealty to Rhaenyra of House Targaryen, First of Her Name, by the old gods and the new, during supper when Daemon first arrived at Harrenhal, and he's not wavering in that loyalty for the Julian Assange of houseguests.
Worst guest. Credit: Ollie Upton / HBOSo, he does the one thing he's been avoiding: He sends a raven to Dragonstone, telling Rhaenyra of Daemon's army and that he "fears treachery." Noice.
Why does Rhaenyra coming to Harrenhal matter?Ditching the feast of dragonriders at Dragonstone to answer Strong's call, Rhaenyra jumps on Caraxes and heads to Harrenhal. Having let Daemon "find his own path" or some garbage all season, she's not about to let him gather his own damn army to challenge her throne; she has enough of that drama with Team Green.
When she arrives, led by a nervous Strong, Rhaenyra discovers Daemon's built quite the large army for himself — and hasn't told anyone at Dragonstone about it. "I wasn't expecting you" is the first thing Daemon says to his wife, whom he hasn't seen for months. He's wearing the face of a man who said he'd be home soon and just started another Warhammer campaign.
"That seems rather a lapse in foresight," Rhaenyra retorts. Yeah, dude.
We'll never know if Daemon would have fully turned on Rhaenyra if she hadn't showed up, but thanks to Strong, she does. Don't call it snitching when there's treason afoot.
Send up that flare, Ser Simon! Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO So, why does Daemon (re)swear allegiance to Rhaenyra?Despite marrying Rhaenyra and brutally killing everyone who doesn't bend the knee to her, Daemon's really made no secret of his yearning to be king instead of King ✨CONSORT✨ (don't forget it). Strong himself has refused to call Daemon so, despite his insistence.
But it seems that after five episodes of nightly visions, the last of which showed Daemon the legendary prophecy of "A Song of Ice and Fire" and "The Prince That Was Promised," Daemon finds a moment of inspired reason beyond his misogyny and ambition. While the army is sworn to Daemon, Rhaenyra's very public demand for Daemon to declare his own allegiance means he has a choice — and he bends the knee.
FINALLY. Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO"The realm's only hope is a leader who can unite it, and my brother chose you," he says. "You are the true Queen Rhaenyra, First of Her Name, Protector of the Realm. I am meant to serve you, and all of these with me, until death or the end of our story."
"Leave me again at your peril," she replies, and girl, yes.
Daemon's army is a crucial piece for Team Black, as until now, Rhaenyra's strength has remained in sea and sky, with her many dragons and mighty Velaryon fleet. But now, and absolutely thanks to Ser Simon Strong, she has strength on land too.
And the look on Strong's face when the entire army bends behind Daemon, for the queen? That little grin? That's all your work, king. To the Castellan of Harrenhal!
The Season 2 finale of House of the Dragon airs Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max.
A lot happened in the House of the Dragon Season 2 finale, from visions and prophecies to that final standoff between Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) and Alicent (Olivia Cooke).
But in the off-to-battle montage that take place before the end credits, we're finally given a glimpse of a character we haven't seen in a while: Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), who was fired from his position of Hand of the King by his grandson, King Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney), back in episode 2.
SEE ALSO: How 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 is different from George R.R. Martin's 'Fire and Blood' How does Otto Hightower feature in the finale?Very briefly. We get one shot of Otto, and for many it might come as a bit of a surprise. He isn't down in Oldtown with the other Hightowers or in Highgarden with the Tyrells, but in what looks like a fairly cramped jail cell. Otto is sitting down, looking dishevelled. We see the light shift and pour in through the bars and Otto raises his head and squints, appearing confused.
The clip is very brief and it's impossible to tell where exactly he is, or if he's in a typical jail cell in a building or in a cage that's moving on the back of a wagon.
Why is Otto Hightower in a jail cell?This is the main question, isn't it? Who's taken Otto prisoner, and how long has he been held captive?
First, a quick recap: After he's fired by Aegon II back in episode 2, Otto decides to leave King's Landing altogether and head south to the Hightowers' main base.
"I'll return to Oldtown," he tells Alicent (Olivia Cooke). "The Hightowers still have strength, and you have a son there who'll take more kindly to instruction. Daeron may yet help us in the weeks to come."
"Go rather to Highgarden," responds Alicent. "The Tyrells must be taken in hand — their bannermen are wavering."
Featured Video For You Sorry to break it to you, the dragons in 'House of the Dragon' are actually wyvernsThis is the last time we see Otto until the shot of him in the cell in the finale, and the last time we hear from him, too. Later in the season Alicent reveals that her letters to him have gone unanswered; later, Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) asks Larys (Matthew Needham) to track Otto down so he can resume his position of Hand. So the question is, what happened to him?
Well given that he hasn't been communicating with Alicent, who he left on good terms with, the implication is that he never made it to Highgarden. We find out later in the season that House Beesbury is waging war against the Hightowers, so it seems most likely that Otto was captured by them – or someone allied to them – en route. That would explain why he's been AWOL, and impossible to reach, throughout Season 2.
The only other option? Maybe Larys is involved in his kidnap somehow. He's closely allied to Aegon II, so it's not impossible to think that he could have arranged for Otto to be captured rather than carrying out Aemond's order to have him brought to King's Landing. Maybe the cell Otto is in at the end is even a cage, travelling with the same convoy that Larys and Aegon II are riding on to Essos?
This whole season of House of the Dragon has been filled with visions and prophecies, but the finale really doubled down.
As well as Daemon's (Matt Smith's) weirwood tree-assisted glimpse into the future, we also had another prophecy from Helaena (Phia Saban) — and it could have some major implications for her brothers Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) and Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney).
So what exactly does Helaena say to Aemond, and what does it mean?
SEE ALSO: How 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 is different from George R.R. Martin's 'Fire and Blood' What does Helaena say to Aemond?After he comes to the Red Keep's balcony to ask her to fly with him to Harrenhal, Helaena tells Aemond she saw him burning Aegon II during the battle at Rook's Rest. He tells her she's lying but she doubles down, then makes the following prediction:
"Aegon will be king again. He's yet to see victory. He sits on a wooden throne. And you...you will be dead. You are swallowed up in the God's Eye, and you are never seen again."
"I could have you killed," responds Aemond.
"It wouldn't change anything," comes Helaena's reply.
Given that Helaena has already made several correct predictions in the show, there's no reason to think this one won't also come true. But what exactly does it mean?
Credit: Ollie Upton/HBO What is the God's Eye?The first part of Helaena's prophecy is simply enough: she's saying Aegon II, who is healing from his injuries slowly, will be king again one day. The wooden throne could refer to the carriage he's seen taking with Larys Strong (Matthew Needham) en route to Essos in the episode's final montage, although this isn't entirely clear.
But what about the God's Eye? Well, this isn't nearly as cryptic as it sounds. If we hop over to the official Westeros map and click Harrenhal, we can see that God's Eye is the name of the large lake directly south of the castle (it's called God's Eye because of the island in the middle, which looks like a pupil from above). Helaena is literally telling Aemond how he's going to die: by disappearing (and presumably drowning) in the lake next to Harrenhal. Just to underline this point, pay close attention to the scene directly after their conversation that shows Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) flying towards Harrenhal on her dragon alongside Addam of Hull (Clinton Liberty). That body of water they're soaring over? That's God's Eye.
Given that Aemond is currently planning a dragon excursion to Harrenhal, Helaena's prophecy is even more ominous. Is it possible that he'll die while battling Daemon there? And could Aemond's death even occur during the same battle that Daemons sees in his vision, where he presumably drowns too? We'll have to wait until Season 3 to find out.
It's almost impressive how little Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) has actually done this season of House of the Dragon, but he's certainly seen some things.
Ever since he arrived at Harrenhal for what has to have been the easiest conquest ever, Daemon has been having some pretty strange hallucinations — including a young Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock), a sex dream about his dead mother Alyssa (Emeline Lambert), and glimpses of his half-rotten brother Viserys (Paddy Considine).
In the finale, though, Daemon has a different type of vision — a glimpse into the future, rather than the past. So what exactly does he see, and what does it mean?
SEE ALSO: How 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 is different from George R.R. Martin's 'Fire and Blood' What does Daemon see in his vision?When Daemon touches Harrenhal's weirwood tree, he sees a fast cut of images that will be familiar to Game of Thrones fans: Brynden Rivers, also known as Bloodraven, the Targaryen bastard and greenseer who acts as Bran Stark's mentor; a shot of the White Walkers standing in the woods; a glimpse of a dead dragon (possibly Daemon's own Caraxes?) on a battlefield littered with bodies; Daemon himself falling into a body of dark water; and finally everyone's favourite Targaryen conqueror Daenerys (Emilia Clarke), sat covered in ash and holding her dragons in a flash back (or, in the timeline of the story, a flash forward) to the Game of Thrones moment where she becomes a literal Mother of Dragons (a moment foreshadowed in episode 3, when Rhaena Targaryen (Phoebe Campbell) is sent away with the dragon eggs that Daenerys will come into possession of over a century later).
After this quick-cut, Daemon walks into the throne room and sees Rhaenyra sitting on the Iron Throne. Helaena (Phia Saban) then appears behind him. "It's all a story," she says, "and you're but one part in it. You know your part."
Daemon, on his way to finally bend the knee. Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO So what does Daemon's vision mean?Given that we're armed with the knowledge of what happens in Game of Thrones, it's pretty clear that Daemon is being shown a glimpse of what Aegon I saw in his much-discussed "Song of Ice and Fire" dream: the threat of the White Walkers in the north, and the need for Westeros to unite behind a Targaryen ruler on the Iron Throne to stop them.
Interestingly, Daemon also appears to have been given a glimpse of how he fits in to this picture. Harrenhal witch Alys Rivers (Gayle Ranking) has already told him that he'll die at Harrenhal — could the vision he sees of the battlefield and the dead dragon, followed by the shot of himself falling into water, be a vision of his own death? If so, Daemon's vision also makes it clear who he'll be dying for when he's shown a glimpse of Rhaenyra on the Iron Throne.
This seems to be why he ultimately decides to take the knee before Rhaenyra when she shows up at Harrenhal, and put his own desires aside — he's been scared by what he saw in the vision and, as Helaena says, he now knows his part in the story.
TL;DR: Through Aug. 18, jump on end-of-summer savings and get a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Pro 2021, giving you unlimited access to Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more for only £35.12 (reg. £171.79).
Opens in a new window Credit: Retail King Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License £35.12 at the Mashable ShopIt's not just that PowerPoint, Excel, Word, and all their mates are popular. They're also incredibly useful. The downside is that normally, Microsoft 365 isn't something you just buy once. Paying for a subscription just means you're renting your productivity monthly or annually. If you want to own it, you have to get a license that doesn't expire.
Microsoft Office Pro 2021 for Windows has a few years on it, so this version might not have all tricks of the latest Microsoft 365 update, but you also don't have to pay for it every year. Once it's activated on your device, your device license never expires. And for a limited time, it only costs £35.12. That price is actually marked down a little extra, so get it before it's gone.
How to avoid paying yearly for MS OfficeHere's what you get with this Office license: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher, Access, and the free version of Teams. You can use these apps however you want, whether it's at work or at home.
If you're used to Microsoft 365, Office's look may be different, but the important parts are all there. Word still has some great templates and Publisher is still an easy way to make flyers and posters. The big difference is you don't have to pay for them every year, so there's finally time to figure out what all the functions in Excel do.
Just remember that once your apps are installed, that's where they live. This license only allows you one installation on one computer, but then it's yours for life. That's what makes this such a good gift for office workers and students. The software you buy today could still be useful for years to come.
Don't miss your chance to get lifetime access to essential productivity programs at a discount.
You only have until Aug. 18 to get this lifetime license to Microsoft Office Pro 2021 for Windows for just £35.12 (reg. £171.79). Just remember the lifetime license covers your device, not your Microsoft account.
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TL;DR: Live stream the men's 5,000m final at Paris 2024 for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
There's something special about the 5,000m. Maybe it's because so many amateur runners compete over this distance, so fans have an idea of what elite athletes go through in this event. Whatever the reason, the men's 5,000m final at Paris 2024 is one of the biggest and best events to follow on the track.
And here's how you can stream the men's 5,000m final at Paris 2024 for free.
When is the men's 5,000m final at Paris 2024?The men's 5,000m final at Paris 2024 takes place at 2 p.m. ET on Aug. 10. The event is hosted by the Stade de France.
How to watch the men's 5,000m final at Paris 2024 for freeThe men's 5,000m final at Paris 2024 is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.
BBC iPlayer is geo-blocked to the UK, but anyone can access this platform with a VPN. VPNs can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, which helps you sidestep restrictions and gain access to BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.
Unblock BBC iPlayer for free by following this simple process:
Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK
Visit BBC iPlayer
Live stream the men's 5,000m final at Paris 2024 from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. You can leverage these offers to unblock BBC iPlayer without actually spending anything. It's a short-term solution, but it gives you enough time to stream the men's 5,000m final at Paris 2024 (plus the events that follow) before reclaiming your investment.
What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?ExpressVPN is the best service for streaming live sport on BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including the UK
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95, saving you 49% on list price. The plan also gives you a bonus three months for free, plus a whole year of unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.
Live stream the men's 5,000m final at Paris 2024 for free with ExpressVPN.
TL;DR: Live stream the men's marathon at Paris 2024 for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
There's a long list of incredible events to keep track of at Paris 2024, including the marathon events.
The men's marathon takes place first, and is something you won't want to miss. The event will feature none other than the GOAT himself, Eliud Kipoche, as the Kenyan runner will be aiming to win his third consecutive marathon gold. If successful, he'll make history as the first marathoner to achieve this. However, competition will be fierce, as Ethiopian athlete Kenenisa Bekele will also be racing the 26.2 mile course, after placing second in this year's London Marathon.
It's going to be a fantastic race, so if you want to watch the men's marathon at Paris 2024 for free from anywhere in the world, keep on reading because we have all the information you need.
When is the men's marathon at Paris 2024?The men's marathon at Paris 2024 begins at 2 a.m. ET on Aug. 10.
How to watch the men's marathon at Paris 2024 for freeThe men's marathon at Paris 2024 is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.
BBC iPlayer is technically geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone who wants to watch can access this streaming platform with a VPN. VPNs are tools that hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock free streaming sites like BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.
Unblock BBC iPlayer for free by following this simple process:
Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK
Visit BBC iPlayer
Live stream the men's marathon at Paris 2024 from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming often charge a small fee, but most do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. If you take advantage of these offers, you can unblock free streaming services such as BBC iPlayer without spending any cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it gives you time to stream the men's marathon at Paris 2024 (plus all your favorite events) before recovering your investment.
What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?ExpressVPN is the best service for streaming live sport on BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including the UK
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.
Live stream the men's marathon at Paris 2024 for free with ExpressVPN.
This season on House of the Dragon, we endured the horrors of Blood and Cheese, witnessed the pivotal battle of Rook's Rest, and welcomed new dragonriders following the fiery Red Sowing. Now, we come to the finale, and the results are... a tad underwhelming.
Don't get me wrong, the Season 2 finale is by no means a bad episode of House of the Dragon. That emotional reunion between Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) and Alicent (Olivia Cooke) alone is worth heaps and heaps of praise. Plus, there are plenty of juicy lore tidbits that hint at big things ahead for the show.
SEE ALSO: How 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 is different from George R.R. Martin's 'Fire and Blood'Unfortunately, in terms of ending Season 2 with a bang, this finale fails to deliver. It plays more like a mid-season episode or a "next-on" trailer for Season 3 than a satisfying conclusion to Season 2.
It doesn't help that the most exciting footage from the finale's trailer, including marching armies, naval action, and our first glimpse at Prince Daeron's dragon Tessarion, have very little bearing on the finale itself. They're the definition of trailer fodder, and while they may have set expectations for an action-filled finale, the reality — like much of House of the Dragon Season 2 — is a much slower, more dialogue-driven affair. Quite a bit of it lands, while other parts drag the momentum of what should have been a more propulsive episode of TV.
Still, it's clear from this finale that House of the Dragon is maneuvering itself into place for several key battles in the future. (But would any of them have worked better as closers to Season 2? Absolutely.) From new political alliances to mysterious visions, let's break down what happens in House of the Dragon's Season 2 finale — and what it could mean for the future.
Tyland Lannister has the worst time of his life in Essos.Tyland Lannister (Jefferson Hall) is no stranger to bullying. Remember his short-lived beef with baby Jaehaerys in Season 2's first episode, when the two dueled over his precious Small Council ball? But House of the Dragon's Season 2 finale takes Tyland's tough times up a notch with a visit to Essos, where he hopes to secure an alliance with the Triarchy on Aemond's (Ewan Mitchell) orders.
Members of the Triarchy — representing the Free Cities of Lys, Tyrosh, and Myr — dog walk Tyland during their negotiations. They get him to cede the Stepstones to them in exchange for their naval support. It's certainly not the tradeoff Tyland would have wanted, but at least the Triarchy's fleet can go break up the Velaryon blockade in the Gullet now, right? Right?
SEE ALSO: The new 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 intro shows the history of House TargaryenNot so fast! First, Tyland has to prove himself to Lysene commander Sharako Lohar (Abigail Thorn). His trials — or really, Lysene hazing — include mud wrestling and singing for Lohar's entertainment. Don't worry, though: Lohar takes a real liking to Tyland, enough to ask him to impregnate his own wives and pledge his navy to King's Landing.
"To the Gullet on the morrow!" Lohar crows to his men. Unfortunately, the "morrow" for these characters is looking more like 2026 (or whenever Season 3 comes out) for us, as we don't see any naval clashing this episode.
Tensions rise on Dragonstone and Driftmark. Clinton Liberty, Harry Collett, Emma D’Arcy, Bethany Antonia, Kieran Bew, and Tom Bennett in "House of the Dragons." Credit: Ollie Upton/HBOSpeaking of the Gullet, let's pop over to Dragonstone and Driftmark, where war is in the air. (But when is it not?)
On Driftmark, Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) is ready to join the blockade on his mended warship the Sea Snake, which he's renamed the Queen Who Never Was in honor of Princess Rhaenys (Eve Best). Joining him is his first mate and bastard son Alyn of Hull (Abubakar Salim). Yet Alyn remains unenthused about his promotion.
In one of the finale's best scenes, he breaks his characteristically stoic countenance to give Corlys a heartbreaking dressing-down. He details the struggles he and his brother Addam (Clinton Liberty) faced in their youth, especially when compared to the cushy life of Corlys's trueborn son Laenor. The fact that Corlys only turned to Alyn once his legitimate heirs were dead is also not lost on Alyn, who spurns any further help or favor from his father as they head off to war.
SEE ALSO: 'House of the Dragon's Abubakar Salim on Alyn's relationship with Corlys: 'He's haunted by him'Bastard tensions linger in Dragonstone as well. Freshly minted dragonrider Ulf the White (Tom Bennett) is a little too comfortable in his new role. He's putting his feet up on Dragonstone's famed Painted Table, ordering servants around, poking at Jacaerys' (Harry Collett) illegitimacy — in short, he's acting like he's king of the castle. Last I checked, that was still Rhaenyra, Ulf! His fellow new dragonriders Addam and Hugh Hammer (Kieran Bew) are far more respectful of Rhaenyra, but Ulf's attitude already spells trouble for the next stages of Rhaenyra's plan.
What is that plan, exactly? Well, now that Rhaenyra has far more dragons at her disposal than Aemond, she plans to face him head-on and take the Iron Throne. However, an attack on King's Landing would kill thousands of innocents, sowing discord and fear across Westeros instead of uniting the realm. This tension between striking for victory and risking needless murder is the dilemma Rhaenyra has been facing all season. It's why she didn't retaliate further after Jaehaerys's death, and why she waited so long to unleash a dragon in combat.
Now she has all the firepower needed to end the war — but does she have the cruel streak to do it?
Aemond has a temper tantrum, and Alicent and Helaena want no part of it. Ewan Mitchell and Phia Saban in "House of the Dragon." Credit: Ollie Upton/HBOAs Team Black rejoices in their three new dragonriders, Aemond is in shambles. He takes Vhagar on a joyride, with a little side helping of death and destruction along the way. The victims of Aemond's rage? The entire town of Sharp Point, burned to a crisp, with no thought for the people who live within. (Or how the realm will react when they find out of this slaughter.)
Aemond's next step to rally his dragonriders does not go according to plan. He turns to Helaena (Phia Saban), ordering her to fly Dreamfyre into battle. But as Rhaenyra said earlier in the episode, Helaena has no taste for dragonriding. She refuses to burn people, and Alicent doesn't want the best and most gentle member of her family to face any more pain.
Not even threats from Aemond can change Helaena's mind. Instead, she hits him with a one-two punch courtesy of her prescient dreaming ability. First, she tells him that she knows he burned Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) at Rook's Rest. Then, she delivers a knockout in the form of a prophecy: Aegon will be king again in the future, while Aemond will die. "You are swallowed up in the Gods Eye," she tells him, referring to the large lake besides Harrenhal.
Helaena's words are consistent with Aegon and Aemond's fates in George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood, so unless House of the Dragon makes some surprising moves, Helaena just told us exactly what will happen in the show's next seasons. If Aemond wants to survive, maybe he should heed his sister's spoiler warning — although as she says when he threatens to kill her, it wouldn't change anything.
Daemon has one last Harrenhal vision — of Daenerys Targaryen herself. Matt Smith in "House of the Dragon." Credit: Ollie Upton/HBOHelaena's dreaming powers are working overtime in this finale, as she also appears in a weirwood vision Daemon (Matt Smith) has at Harrenhal. But unlike Daemon's other visions, which he experienced involuntarily, this is a vision he chooses.
Witch Alys Rivers (Gayle Rankin) guides him to Harrenhal's weirwood tree in the middle of the night, telling him how being at Harrenhal has opened him up, and how he's realized he can't simply bend the world to his will. Now, she offers him the choice to see the omens the world wishes to give him. He accepts, and launches into the last — and trippiest — of his Season 2 visions.
Here, he sees visions of war and doom, including the White Walkers leading an army of death. He also sees a pale-haired man (Joshua Ben-Tovim) sitting in a weirwood tree. A birthmark on his face morphs into a three-eyed raven, implying that this man is Brynden Rivers, aka Bloodraven. A Targaryen bastard and former Commander of the Night's Watch, Brynden is most known to Game of Thrones fans as the Three-Eyed Raven, Bran's greenseer mentor.
SEE ALSO: 'House of the Dragon' Season 2, episode 3 has a literal Daenerys Easter eggBut by far the buzziest Game of Thrones reference in Daemon's vision is the appearance of none other than Daenerys Targaryen herself, just after the birth of her three dragons. Her presence here proves that House Targaryen will persevere and stand against the threat of the Long Night, even if Daemon is unaware of the decades of tragedy that will befall his House between now and her birth.
One last vision of Rhaenyra on the Iron Throne and a helpful nudge from Helaena push Daemon to do what he should have done from the beginning of the war: bend the knee to Rhaenyra. The choice is a product of all the ghostly visits that came before this, in which young Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock), Laena Velaryon (Nanna Blondell), and Viserys (Paddy Considine) forced him to question his desire for the crown. Now, knowing that Westeros needs someone to unite the realm in the face of death and destruction, Daemon is more than ready to stand behind Rhaenyra. I'm sure Willem Blackwood (Jack Parry-Jones) and the members of House Bracken who suffered at his hands would have loved for this decision to come sooner, but better late than never!
Alicent comes to Rhaenyra with a game-changing proposal. Olivia Cooke in "House of the Dragon." Credit: Ollie Upton/HBOThere are no big battles in House of the Dragon's Season 2 finale, but this final confrontation between Rhaenyra and Alicent cuts deeper than any knife.
After a season of being belittled and pushed to the side, Alicent has finally realized the folly in the order that she fought so hard to uphold for all of her life. She never knew anything but the duty Otto (Rhys Ifans) and the realm forced upon her — what would she have chosen to do had she been able to live her life any differently? She attempts to make a bold new choice now, meeting Rhaenyra on Dragonstone to propose a deal that could end the war.
At first, Rhaenyra doesn't want to hear it, rightfully pointing out Alicent's hypocrisy. Alicent slandered Rhaenyra's virtue, then later chose to take a lover when it suited her. Alicent kickstarted the war by crowning Aegon and turned down Rhaenyra's attempt to sue for peace. Now she wants to do the same?
However, Alicent's proposal is too good for Rhaenyra to turn down outright. When Aemond flies to Harrenhal, Alicent says, she will surrender King's Landing to Rhaenyra. All she asks is that she and Helaena are able to go free. Rhaenyra accepts, on one condition: Alicent must surrender Aegon to Rhaenyra. Only his death will truly secure her claim to the throne.
SEE ALSO: 'House of the Dragon' Season 2, episode 7: What's the deal with that Alicent lake scene?What follows is a heartbreaking silence as Alicent weighs her own life, Helaena's life, and the future of the realm against the life of her eldest son. She tearfully nods, unable to even voice the agreement. The choice comes as somewhat of a surprise to Rhaenyra. "History will paint you a villain," she tells Alicent. Yet Alicent doesn't care, hoping to truly live as herself for the first time since her youth.
The entire scene is a full circle moment for Rhaenyra and Alicent, who may have agreed on a course of action but who may also never be farther apart in terms of their relationship to power and their places in this war. Alicent is at peace with giving up any of the power she thought she once held: Gone are her signature dark green wardrobe and any symbols of the Faith of the Seven. Instead, she wears a new, lighter shade of blue, consistent with the idea of rebirth we saw when she swam in a lake in episode 7. In a nice detail, we also see her nervously biting her nails, just as young Alicent (Emily Carey) did in the first few episodes of House of the Dragon, suggesting that Alicent has reverted in some ways to her younger self.
Meanwhile, Rhaenyra remains squarely focused on taking the Iron Throne, with her insistence that Alicent choose Aegon's fate acting as the ultimate power play. It also calls to mind Jaehaerys's murder, especially with the brutal return of the line, "a son for a son." And while Alicent gladly relinquishes her spot in the history books, even asking Rhaenyra to come with her, Rhaenyra remains firmly on the warpath. "Whether I will it or no," she tells Alicent. The line suggests a reversal between the two: Now it's Rhaenyra who's given up choice, while Alicent is choosing to walk away.
Still, despite all their differences, there's a warmth between the two as they part ways, proof of the love they've always had for one another. Unfortunately, given the other many moving pieces at play here, it's quite likely this duo's plan towards peace will fall apart right at the start of Season 3.
The board is set. The pieces are moving. We just have to wait until Season 3. Tom Glynn-Carney and Matthew Needham in "House of the Dragon." Credit: Liam Daniel/HBOThe first problem with Alicent's plan? Aegon is no longer in King's Landing. Larys Strong (Matthew Needham) is smuggling him to Braavos, so there's no way she can give him up to Rhaenyra. There's no way Rhaenyra sees Aegon's departure as anything but a betrayal from Alicent, so consider that alliance toastier than one of Vermithor's Red Sowing victims come Season 3.
Aegon and Larys's road trip reveal is just one of many that comes in the montage that closes out House of the Dragon Season 2. We also see various armies marching towards the Riverlands for battle: the Hightower host rides with Daeron and his dragon Tessarion from Oldtown, the Winter Wolves cross the Twins on their way south, and the Lannisters are now within eyeshot of Harrenhal. On the naval side of things, Tyland and Lohar sail towards the Gullet — presumably to break the blockade "on the morrow" — while Corlys and Alyn ride out to join the fight. Oh, and Otto's in jail! And Rhaena (Phoebe Campbell) has found the wild dragon in the Vale! And the new dragonriders are suiting up for the first time!
It's a jam-packed montage that certainly teases big things to come in Season 3, but as an ending, it feels overstuffed and underdeveloped. Why couldn't Rhaena have gone on her dragon camping trip in episode 7, right after she left on her quest? Why aren't we getting any action concerning the blockade, especially since that's a confrontation that's been teased since the very first episode of Season 2? Why do none of these arcs feel fully completed?
Only Daemon's return to Rhaenyra and Rhaenyra's relationship with Alicent feel like they've reached their natural conclusion this season, and the finale chooses to focus on the latter as its final image. Just as it's been doing since the very start of Season 2, House of the Dragon places Rhaenyra and Alicent in parallel. We see similar shots of them both from behind. Rhaenyra is framed by the shelves holding the many historical scrolls and family records of House Targaryen, while Alicent stands on a cliff edge at Dragonstone, watching the sun rise. One is now forever held within the framework of her House and its great history, while the other hopes for freedom.
Of course, that could all change on the morrow. (Or in Season 3.)
Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.
If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for August 5's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.
What's the best Wordle starting word?The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles used to be available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it. Unfortunately, it has since been taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times.
Is Wordle getting harder?It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.
SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for August 2 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:Happen or occur afterward or as a result.
Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?The letter E appears twice.
Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...Today's Wordle starts with the letter E.
SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today's Wordle is...
ENSUE.
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
Reporting by Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
Connections is the latest New York Times word game that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for August 5's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
What is Connections?The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
Tweet may have been deletedEach puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer. If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.
Tweet may have been deletedPlayers can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for August 5 Here's a hint for today's Connections categoriesWant a hit about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: Making ends meet
Green: Something you get on a special occasion
Blue: Without ambiguity
Purple: Words involving "eye"
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Survive
Green: Kinds of Greeting Cards
Blue: Are We Clear?
Purple: Words After "Eye"
Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.
Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.
Drumroll, please!
The solution to today's Connections #421 is...
What is the answer to Connections todaySurvive: GET BY, HACK IT, MAKE DO, MANAGE
Kinds of Greeting Cards: BIRTHDAY, CONGRATULATIONS, GET WELL, THANK YOU
Are We Clear?: CAPISCE, GET IT, SEE, UNDERSTAND
Words After "Eye": CANDY, CONTACT, SHADOW, WITNESS
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Is this not the Connections game you were looking for? Here are the hints and answers to yesterday's Connections.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
Apple is finally paying out a $50 million settlement over its defective MacBook butterfly keyboards.
Keyboard owners with approved claims will receive checks of up to $395 depending on the extent of the repairs necessary. 9to5Mac’s Michael Burkhardt reported that he already received two payout checks.
SEE ALSO: Bought a MacBook between 2015 and 2019? You may soon get a settlement payout up to $395As soon as the keyboard debuted in 2015, customers reported that the keyboards often got stuck or completely broke, becoming unresponsive. Additionally, users complained that small pieces of dust or debris would become caught in the keys and that they were unable to remove the pieces, rendering keys unusable. In 2019, Apple moved from the butterfly keyboard design to a "scissor-switch" design.
To deal with the issue, Apple launched a repair program, but it only replaced butterfly keyboards with other butterfly keyboards, which didn't solve the issue.
The class action lawsuit was filed in 2018 and claimed Apple knew that the keyboard design was defective and concealed it from customers. Apple agreed to settle the class action lawsuit in 2022, but as part of the settlement, Apple denied the lawsuit's claims.
According to the settlement's website, people who received two or more topcase replacements within four years of purchasing an affected MacBook will get between $300 and $395. If an owner only got one replacement, they could receive up to $125. If only a keycap replacement was needed, owners will get a maximum of $50. Only Apple customers in California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, and Washington who needed repairs were eligible for payouts.
The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.
With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.
So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.
SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for August 4 SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer hints for August 4Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Sunday, August 4, 2024:
AcrossThe first blank in this phrase: From ___ to ___The answer is Head.
The answer is Bilbo.
The answer is Upset.
The answer is Spite.
The answer is Toe.
The answer is Hippo.
The answer is Elsie.
The answer is Abet.
The answer is Dote.
The answer is Bust.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
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