House of the Dragon – Season 2, Episode 5

Thoughts, feelings and interpretations for this episode.

At the start of the episode we witness the grievances of Rhaenys Targaryen for team black, with Corlys Velayron collapsing into the driftmark throne and Rhaenyra staring off in Dragonstone. Rhaenys’s death is the first major loss for Team Black as the Dance of the Dragon commences; they have lost a powerful ally and now everyone must come to terms with the fact that this war will cost the lives of people the love dearest.

Kings Landing

In Kings Landing, we see Sir Criston Cole parading the street with the head of Rhaenys’s dragon Meleys – ‘the traitor dragon Meleys’ with the intention of demonstrating King Aegon’s strength and hence reinforcing Team Green’s higher standing within this war. I would argue this is one of Team Greens biggest mistakes. House Targaryen’s power is reinforced throughout the Seven Kingdoms because of their dragons; the concept that they are closer to gods than men, but now they have introduced the notion that dragons aren’t invincible and as a consequence, neither is House Targaryen, that dragons ‘are just meat’. They have been defiled – the creatures that were once worshipped are being dragged across the streets like wastage and people are disgusted by this, seeing it as ‘a bad omen’. Team Green have underestimated the influence of the small folk, news will spread throughout the capital of this treachery and everyone will begin to sway to opposite sides. What was thought to be a victory has played out to be a loss.

Aegon’s suffered vast injuries during the battle at Rook’s Rest, as we see him concealed within a barren box, covered in rags and dressing’s. Team Green are being articulate about how they return Aegon to the red keep. The don’t want him to be seen as weak or damage their position in this war; having the realm question their power and opening up the thought that maybe Rhaenyra is the better ally. Given Aegon’s state, someone else will have to rule in his stead and we already see Aemond striving for his claim. Alicent questions Aemond’s intentions, and when she confronts Cole on the battle he stays silent.

Dragonstone

Again we see Rhaenyra struggling with the pressures exerted on her by the council. The loss at Rook’s Rest has caused members to doubt Rhaenyra and her abilities to lead within this war. Ser Alfred has determined this to be because of her sex and the fact that she ‘has not been privy to the strategies of battle’. After hearing of Aegon’s depleted state, the council urges her to charge at King’s Landing, but are subjective to Rhaenyra doing it herself – she is without an army and now Daemon’s success at Harrenhal has become that more important to Team Black. She must now look to other methods to strengthen her position. And later in the episode with the support of her son Jace she turns to the Dragons unclaimed in Dragonstone – Vermithor and Silverwing. But who will ride them? ‘A dragon will only accept a dragon lord to ride it’ and the blood of the dragon has thinned through generations, but Jace believes there is hope and those who have fallen out of their line and that they can become dragon riders. If this plan succeeds, Team Black would have gained two large dragons that could challenge Vhagar.

Next we see Jace talking with Baela. He has grown frustrated with his lack of contribution in this war and since hearing the tale ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ its clear he is taking his position as heir more seriously and feels obliged to fight for his claim. He seeks reassurance from Baela as she tries to comfort Jace in letting him know that Rhaenyra is only doing this to protect her son, but Jace is torn and must rely on his instincts to proceed in this war. He turns to house Frey for their support as they control the crossing at the twins, meaning that if Daemon fails to put together an army, Cregan Stark and his men will be able to reach South. He intends to keep this from his mother, but how will this effect their relationship? How was Rhaenyra respond to this secrecy? His visit with The Frey’s was successful and he has now won his Queen another ally.

Throughout Season 2 we see Rhaenyra’s relationship with Mysaria grow, the path she’s walked ‘has never been trod’ and she is unsure of her part. Mysaria offers a different kind of council, one that counts on the influence of the small folk. She knows they are scared, the king has fallen and ‘they whisper to each other that when Viserys lived, there was peace’. They have been forgotten for too long and Mysaria sees this as an opportunity to win the favour of the small folk for Rhaenyra. ‘What you cannot do, let others do for you’ and so Rhaenyra sends one of her trusted servants to Kings Landing. ‘There is more than one way to fight a war’.

The Eyre

Moving to the Eyre, we meet a new character Jeyne Arryn who is maiden of the Vale and an ally to Team Black. She talks with Rhaena who has sought sanctuary there for the protection of herself and Rhaenyra’s son Joffery. Despite being miles away, Rhaena continues to fight for her queen and confronts Lady Arryn about the 15,000 swords she has pledged Queen Rhaenyra but is faced with conflict due to absence of a dragon. Rhaena ensures Lady Arryn that the dragons she has been gifted will grow and that she is not powerless within this war.

Harrenhal

We now move to Harrenhal, and see that Daemon is still fighting the demons of his past, entrapped within vissions framed around the women he loved most. First Rhaenyra, then Laena, and now we see his mother Alyssa. She feeds into his ambitions, saying that he was fit to wear the crown, her favourite son but he is soon faced with the reality of her death with her blood on his hands. We suspect that Alys Rivers is responsible for Deamons visions, perhaps she is trying to show Daemon the consequences of his actions, both his mother and wife endured horrendous labour leading to the death of their child and while Rhaenyra survives and Alyssa dies, Alys may be opening Daemon up to the possibility that if he continues down this path, it may cost Rhaenya her life. He stays at Harrnehal, haunted, and Alys continues to hold up that mirror in the hope of showing Daemon the error of his ways. But will Daemon let go of his ambitions? Will he reestablish his loyalty to Rhaenyra, his Queen?

Back to Kings Landing

Returning to Kings Landing, we see the council discussing the implantation of a Reagent in Aegon’s stead. While Alicent believes herself to be the best candidate in mind due to her experience of ruling before the death of King Viserys, but her council rejects her claiming Aemond to be the most suitable choice. He is Aegon’s heir, and his standing will reinforce the stability of the crown. Alicent now becomes subjected to the same prejudice Rhaenyra experienced as a women before the death of her farther. The realm will always rely on a man to lead them and now Alicent has been exposed to this same notion and is silenced by members of her own council. Aemond prides himself on this decision and ascends his role as Reagent. It is then later in The Red Keep we see Aemond looking upon the Iron Throne, the apple of his eye, his prize possession now in his grasp, he has succeeded his ambitions. But he turns around to his sister Helaena who asks him ‘if it was worth it’. We have seen very little of Helaena and Aemond throughout this season so I’m curious how the directors will explore this dynamic and how both characters will feed into the storyline.

Lord Corlys can no longer reside at High Tide, Baela looks for him with a message from her Queen, but he now sees his castle as a tomb and his sorrow for Rhaenys’s death has driven him into despair and he fails to see the honour in her death. ‘She was a Targaryen princess’, ‘the Queen who never was’ and Baela understands that she flew to Rook’s Rest of her own will to fight for Rhaenyra and her claim. Baela now looks to the future and she will see Rhaenyra ascend the Iron Throne as her grandmother wanted. Lord Corlys must now do the same. Though he would name her heir to Driftmark, she is blood and fire.

Let us know your thoughts on the episode below.