‘House of the Dragon’ Episode 9 Breakdown: Go Green or Back Black? - The Ringer

1 year ago 44

The king is dead, agelong unrecorded the king … oregon queen. With Viserys yet having succumbed to his long-running illness, the Iron Throne is up for grabs, and galore successful Westeros volition request to determine whether they enactment Aegon II oregon Rhaenyra. As Episode 9 of House of the Dragon, “The Green Council,” conveyed, the Dance of the Dragons is beginning.

But a civilian warfare volition impact much than conscionable the Targaryens and Hightowers astatine the bosom of the conflict. Will the remainder of the realm align with the greens (as Alicent’s contingent is known, for Hightower green) oregon the blacks (Rhaenyra’s faction, for House Targaryen’s achromatic color)? Let’s interruption it down:

Deep Dive: Carving Up the Seven Kingdoms

House of the Dragon has kept its satellite small. Outside of a fewer little visits to Pentos, the Stepstones, the Vale of Arryn, and Storm’s End, we’ve spent our clip bouncing among 3 locations, each successful oregon connected Blackwater Bay: King’s Landing, Driftmark, and Dragonstone. But determination person been hints of the wider Westeros retired there, and with warfare seemingly connected the horizon, the satellite is astir to get a full batch bigger.

In Episode 9, immoderate lords crook the genu to Aegon II. Others—like Lady Fell and Allun Caswell—either garbage to bash truthful oregon don’t bash truthful credibly, and wage with their lives. This opus and creation is astir to beryllium repeated passim the realm, arsenic lords acold and wide volition soon beryllium pressured to prime a side: greenish oregon black. Let’s instrumentality a look, portion by region, astatine however Westeros could disagreement itself successful the coming civilian war:

The Crownlands

Outside of the Targaryens, the astir important household successful the Crownlands (the portion located astir wherever Aegon the Conqueror landed successful Westeros) is intelligibly the Velaryons. And arsenic Rhaenys made wide this week, she’s not aligning herself with the greens. But she besides had a accidental to pain them each astatine the tract of Aegon II’s coronation and didn’t due to the fact that … reasons. So possibly her bosom isn’t afloat connected the blacks’ broadside yet, either.

Still, determination are galore factors that should sway Rhaenys and House Velaryon to articulation Rhaenyra’s cause. The superior 1 is that each of Rhaenys and Corlys’s grandchildren are tied to the blacks: Baela and Rhaena done Daemon and Laena, and Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey done Rhaenyra and Laenor (at slightest connected paper). Plus, immoderate squabbles Rhaenys and Corlys whitethorn person implicit whether one’s humor oregon one’s sanction counts for much Westerosi bequest points, Baela is betrothed to Jace and Rhaena to Lucerys, which means that the children of those marriages volition transportation both the humor and sanction of House Velaryon.

And portion Rhaenys doesn’t look to person overmuch emotion oregon respect for Daemon, Corlys does, owing to his and Daemon’s occurrence successful the Stepstones galore years ago. Corlys is grievously wounded and has been AWOL for the past 2 episodes. But should helium recover, his presumption connected this brewing warfare seems beauteous clear: He’ll enactment Rhaenyra and his grandsons. Oh yeah, and 1 last crushed for the Velaryons to enactment the blacks: The greens started their courtship of Rhaenys by having her imprisoned successful her chambers. Not the champion mode to statesman an alliance!

That’s the Velaryons, but what of the different houses successful the Crownlands?

Most of the different houses successful this country haven’t risen to the level of prominence and power that we spot successful immoderate of Westeros’s different regions. One notable objection is House Bar Emmon, which supported Rhaenys astatine the Great Council of 101 AC and truthful would apt travel her (or conscionable mostly beryllium much unfastened to a pistillate claimant). House Celtigar (the lone different Valyrian-descended location successful Westeros) besides supported Rhaenys.

Another notable location from the portion is House Stokeworth—the aforesaid Stokeworths that Bronn marries into successful Thrones successful bid to summation a castle. Fire & Blood tells america that an unnamed “Lord Stokeworth” was 1 of the lords imprisoned successful the Red Keep for being deemed apt to defect to the blacks, arsenic was a Lord Rosby, different noble from the Crownlands. Also successful Fire & Blood, Otto reasons that the Masseys and Crabbs are apt to articulation Rhaenyra. Basically, astir everyone successful the Crownlands appears acceptable to enactment Viserys’s named heir. That could marque things tricky for the greens, whose King’s Landing office puts them close successful the midst of each these houses.

The Reach

The Hightowers volition basal with the greens; we cognize that much. House Hightower, which has an overlord successful the Tyrells, mightiness beryllium the strongest location successful the realm that doesn’t regularisation implicit its region. The Hightowers power Oldtown, which was the largest and astir almighty metropolis successful Westeros anterior to Aegon’s Conquest and the emergence of King’s Landing, and which inactive serves arsenic location basal for some the Faith of the Seven (at the Starry Sept) and the bid of the maesters (at the Citadel). Fire & Blood tells america that the Hightowers are “capable of raising ample caller armies rapidly from the streets of Oldtown, and with their ain warships and those of their adjacent kin, the Redwynes of the Arbor, they could interval a important fleet arsenic well.”

We’ve antecedently seen Hobert Hightower—Otto’s brother—leading this location (he’s the feline who tells Alicent that the Hightowers volition basal with her erstwhile Alicent wears greenish to Rhaenyra’s wedding), but that quality doesn’t beryllium successful the books and hasn’t been seen successful immoderate time. At this constituent successful Fire & Blood, Ormund Hightower, Otto’s nephew, is the lord of House Hightower. We whitethorn spot him soon. Another quality we whitethorn spot is Prince Daeron, the 4th kid of Alicent and Viserys, who’s been disconnected surface this play but who George R.R. Martin precocious confirmed exists. He’s successful Oldtown squiring for the Hightowers.

But the Hightowers aren’t adjacent the Reach’s ruling house. That would beryllium the Tyrells of Highgarden, whose existent lord is an infant, Lyonel Tyrell. His parent has the regency and rules the portion successful his name. The Tyrells are 1 of the astir almighty houses successful the realm, due to the fact that the Reach is the astir fertile portion successful Westeros and provides overmuch of the nutrient for the continent. As a amusement of strength, the Tyrells brought 500 men (the astir of immoderate house) to the Great Council of 101 AC.

There are a fig of different important houses successful the affluent Reach, including House Caswell (more connected Lord Caswell successful a minute!), House Oakheart, House Tarly, House Rowan, House Peake, and House Costayne, among others. In Fire & Blood, the greens expect the Tyrells to autumn successful enactment with their “over-mighty” bannermen, the Hightowers. If that happens, each of those lesser houses would surely follow, and the greens would person an unthinkable unit astatine their disposal. The blacks, by contrast, person nary existent connections to the Reach.

The Westerlands

Tyland Lannister has sat connected King Viserys’s Small Council arsenic the maestro of ships for much than a decennary now, and arsenic we saw successful “The Green Council,” helium was an progressive subordinate successful the scheming to enactment Aegon II connected the throne. His older duplicate brother, Jason Lannister, is the caput of the location and was the 1 who had truthful galore less-than-pleasant interactions with Rhaenyra erstwhile the second was a teenager. So it’s harmless to accidental that the Lannisters—who aft the Velaryons are Westeros’s second-wealthiest house—are breaking for the greens.

The Lannisters’ bannermen are not arsenic notable arsenic those from different regions successful Westeros, but 1 we person seen on-screen is House Westerling. The lord commandant of the Kingsguard since Episode 2 of House of the Dragon has been Harrold Westerling. While Harrold, who walks retired of the greenish council’s gathering successful protest, intelligibly doesn’t enactment the greens, helium has besides sworn oaths to service the crown and not instrumentality portion successful the authorities of the realm, truthful helium shouldn’t beryllium expected to publically propulsion his location to immoderate 1 side. But it’s just to wonderment whether his household volition find the greens’ usurpation of the throne arsenic unsavory arsenic helium does. (It’s besides just to wonderment wherever Harrold is, considering Criston Cole was named lord commandant successful this episode.)

The Riverlands

The Riverlands are the slightest unified portion successful the realm. The Tullys regularisation the country from Riverrun, but Harrenhal, controlled by Larys Strong, is the larger and arguably much almighty castle. We already saw that the Blackwoods and Brackens person a feud that goes backmost ages. The Freys of the Crossing besides clasp sizeable power.

Let’s commencement with the Tullys. The Lord Paramount of the Trident astatine this clip is Grover Tully. He has a notable grandson successful Elmo and 2 notable large grandsons successful Kermit and Oscar (yeah, really). Grover is aged capable that helium attended the Great Council of 101 AC, wherever helium spoke successful favour of Viserys. He’s a precise aged antheral now, but his enactment of the antheral claimant past could mean the Tullys volition instrumentality with Aegon II.

Whatever the Tullys decide, it shouldn’t beryllium expected to sway the different houses successful the fractured Riverlands. We cognize the Strongs and Harrenhal volition state allegiance to the greens. But what of the different houses?

The Twins is nether the purview of Forrest Frey, who successful Fire & Blood asked for Rhaenyra’s manus successful matrimony backmost erstwhile she was looking for a suitor. Rhaenyra didn’t person precise overmuch tact arsenic a teenager, and seemingly Forrest earned the sanction “Fool Frey” aft Rhaenyra spurned him. That could propulsion him toward the greens.

In Episode 4 of House of the Dragon, a Blackwood lad slew a Bracken erstwhile Rhaenyra was courting suitors astatine Storm’s End. The Blackwoods besides supported Rhaenys astatine the Great Council of 101 AC. Their erstwhile enactment of Rhaenys and the possibly blessed memories they person of cutting down a rival successful beforehand of Rhaenyra could pb them to supporting the blacks … but of people that would astir apt conscionable propulsion the Brackens to the greens successful response. Whichever mode these 2 houses break, it volition astir surely beryllium for other sides; let’s telephone this a wash.

There are a fig of different houses successful the Riverlands arsenic well, including the Mootons, Pipers, Rootes, Darrys, Mallisters, and Vances. But we cognize little astir them than the different houses we’ve already covered, and they’re surely little almighty and influential. Oh yeah, and lest you deliberation the Muppets Tully person the lone silly names successful the Riverlands, House Piper is led by a lord named Petyr.

The Vale

Remember the full concern with Daemon and his woman Rhea Royce? House Royce is 1 of the astir almighty families successful the Vale, and I deliberation it’s harmless to accidental that aft Gerold Royce’s words to Daemon backmost astatine Rhaenyra and Laenor’s wedding, the Royces volition interruption for Team Green. That whitethorn person been immoderate 16 years ago, but House Royce’s words are virtually “We Remember.”

The Royces are sworn to House Arryn, the lords of the Vale, and the Arryns whitethorn travel their bannermen successful positioning themselves against the blacks. At Rhaenyra and Laenor’s wedding, Daemon suggests that he’ll marque a assertion arsenic the heir to Runestone. He really does this successful Fire & Blood, and the Arryns fundamentally archer him to get lost:

Runestone passed alternatively to Lady Rhea’s nephew, and erstwhile Daemon made entreaty to the Eyrie, not lone was his assertion dismissed, but Lady Jeyne warned him that his beingness successful the Vale was unwelcome.

However, the Arryns’ loyalties whitethorn not beryllium truthful simple. While the Vale has nary emotion for Daemon, we should not hide who Rhaenyra’s parent is: Aemma Arryn. The information that Rhaenyra has Arryn humor from her parent could assistance her sway the Arryns to her cause.

Plus, the Vale is presently ruled by Lady Jeyne Arryn, known arsenic the Maiden of the Vale. She has nary hubby and rules the Vale successful her ain name, 1 of the few examples of a pistillate starring a portion of Westeros. Breaking for Aegon II implicit Rhaenyra would enactment Jeyne’s ain presumption astatine risk.

The Iron Islands

Pyke is presently ruled by Dalton Greyjoy, who is called the Red Kraken connected relationship of his bloodlust and daring quality (so he’s fundamentally similar each different Ironborn). While the Velaryons person the realm’s mightiest navy astatine this time, the Ironborn are a sizeable oversea powerfulness themselves. The occupation is they are each the mode connected the different broadside of Westeros—to get to Blackwater Bay and King’s Landing, they’ll request to sail southbound astir Dorne and backmost up. That’s not intolerable (Euron Greyjoy did it successful Game of Thrones), but it’ll instrumentality immoderate time.

The Ironborn are fickle, though. They similar to deliberation of themselves arsenic autarkic (before Aegon’s Conquest they adjacent controlled the Riverlands) and person a wont of declaring themselves arsenic specified whenever there’s unrest successful the realm. This is inactive evident successful the play starring up to and during A Song of Ice and Fire and Game of Thrones. Robert Baratheon has to enactment down Greyjoy’s Rebellion successful 289 AC, soon aft winning the crown and ending the Targaryen dynasty. Then, erstwhile the War of the Five Kings breaks out, Balon Greyjoy instantly declares himself “King of the Isles and the North,” and Euron Greyjoy calls himself king aft Balon dies. Aligning with the Ironborn is kinda similar warring with dragons: You amended beryllium acceptable to get burned.

Dorne

While Dorne is inactive an autarkic kingdom and mostly wants small to bash with Westeros (outside of occasionally raiding the Stormlands), the Dornish aren’t entirely isolated from the realm. They did nonstop observers to the Great Council of 101 AC to spot Viserys get crowned. And portion it wasn’t truly depicted successful the show, the Dornish joined forces with the Triarchy successful the warfare for the Stepstones. Since succession successful Dorne draws nary favoritism betwixt men and women, Dorne whitethorn beryllium partial to Rhaenyra’s assertion arsenic Viserys’s first-born kid and named heir. But the struggle successful the Stepstones means that Dorne was warring straight against Rhaenyra’s hubby Daemon successful the not-so-distant past, truthful determination whitethorn inactive beryllium immoderate atrocious humor there.

The North

Might we yet spot a Stark connected this amusement for much than 1 second? Well … maybe. Whoever earns the enactment of the North volition person to hold a portion to spot it travel to fruition. The North is astir arsenic ample arsenic the remainder of Westeros combined, truthful it takes a large woody of clip for the Starks to assemble their banners and march south. That’s 1 of the reasons we truthful seldom spot Starks successful King’s Landing.

The North astir apt prefers the isolation, but if the Starks bash get involved, they’d tentatively thin toward the blacks. House Stark was successful favour of Rhaenys astatine the Great Council of 101 AC, arsenic were their bannermen successful House Dustin of Barrowton and House Manderly of White Harbor. Another notable location from the North, House Cerwyn, is known to beryllium adjacent to Cregan Stark, the existent caput of the Starks. That’s 4 of the astir important houses successful the North close there, each seemingly leaning toward the blacks.

The Stormlands

House Baratheon is the large chaotic paper close now, which is wherefore they’re discussed successful this episode. The Stormlands are located conscionable southbound of the Crownlands, making their enactment important for the aboriginal portions of a warfare that volition apt beryllium centered successful that area. And they person the quality to rally a sizeable host; there’s a crushed it’s Robert Baratheon who ends the Targaryen dynasty, and not immoderate different lord.

We’ve antecedently seen Boremund Baratheon connected the show, some erstwhile helium helped to facilitate Rhaenyra’s hunt for suitors erstwhile she was a teen and erstwhile helium received Rhaenys’s favour astatine the tourney successful Episode 1. Boremund is Rhaenys’s relative (her parent was Jocelyn Baratheon), and helium was Rhaenys’s biggest protagonist astatine the Great Council of 101 AC. That’d marque the Baratheons shoo-ins for the blacks … but that Boremund is dead.

Now, Boremund’s lad Borros rules from Storm’s End. Borros whitethorn inactive travel his begetter and beryllium partial to Rhaenys and the blacks, but we shouldn’t beryllium truthful sure. Fire & Blood tells america that Borros is “even much belligerent than his father” and, somewhat conflictingly, that he’s similar “stone, hard and beardown and unmoving” arsenic good arsenic “the upwind that rages and howls and blows this mode and that.” So, he’s a Baratheon done and through. Fire & Blood besides tells america that “the lesser tempest lords would surely follow” wherever Borros leads them.

Outside of Westeros

I’m doubtful astir however consenting anyone extracurricular of Westeros would beryllium to get progressive successful a dragon-fueled warfare for a overseas continent. But to screen each our bases here, we could deliberation of the Triarchy—which, arsenic antecedently mentioned connected the show, has had a spot of a resurgence—as leaning toward the greens, arsenic they astir apt don’t privation to articulation up with aged foes Daemon and Corlys. The aforesaid mightiness beryllium said of Pentos aft Daemon declined to articulation them successful warring the Triarchy. As for everyplace other eastbound of the Narrow Sea … there’s truly nary telling which broadside they’d take. The reply is astir apt nary one’s.

Quick Hits

The value of crowns

Viserys is dead, but his crown—which was besides the crown of his predecessor, Jaehaerys—remains with his corpse. Instead of assuming his father’s headwear, Viserys’s lad dons the crown of his namesake, the Conqueror. And existent to the books, this crown is depicted arsenic a elemental Valyrian-steel circlet inlaid with reddish rubies (though the amusement went a small airy connected the rubies).

The plan of a crown tin nonstop a message. For example, erstwhile Joffrey ascends the throne successful A Game of Thrones, helium wears a aureate crown encrusted with reddish rubies and achromatic diamonds, symbolizing some House Lannister (whose colors are reddish and gold) and House Baratheon (black and yellow). Stannis wears a crown of “red golden with points fashioned successful the signifier of flames,” a wide homage to Melisandre and her Lord of Light (Melisandre besides wears a red-gold choker). Renly wears a crown with golden roses—symbolizing his closeness to the Tyrells—with a jade stag’s caput successful the center. Robb Stark’s crown is simply a bronze circlet inscribed with the runes of the First Men, and is said to look overmuch similar the crowns the past kings of the North wore. You get the idea.

With its agleam reddish rubies and astir achromatic steel, Aegon the Conqueror’s crown depicts the colors of House Targaryen. It’s a crown for a warrior, seeing arsenic it’s made with the aforesaid alloy that is typically reserved for the sharpest and astir precious blades successful Westeros. The crown features neither golden nor intricate detail—it’s meant to amusement powerfulness and strength. In wearing it, Aegon II not lone traces his assertion to the throne backmost to the originator of the Targaryen dynasty, but besides subtly suggests that he’s acceptable to instrumentality the throne by force—just arsenic Aegon the Conqueror did.

Viserys’s crown sends a antithetic message. It features the Targaryen sigil connected its front, with a fig of antithetic sigils astir its sides. In various shots throughout the series, I’ve identified the sigils of houses Lannister, Arryn, Tully, Martell, Tyrell, and Baratheon. There’s astir apt astatine slightest 1 more—House Stark?—to correspond the Seven Kingdoms, and possibly adjacent different one—House Greyjoy?—depending connected however we number “seven” (Westeros really consists of 9 provinces, not seven.) And portion it’s comic to see the Martell sigil erstwhile Dorne is inactive independent, the connection of this crown is clear: unity. This is simply a crown of peace. (It’s a small antithetic from the crown that Viserys wears successful the books, a elemental aureate set inset with 7 antithetic gemstones, but the connection of some crowns is mostly the same: The Seven Kingdoms person 1 king.)

Thus far, determination person been lone 3 crowns for the present six kings successful the Targaryen dynasty: the aforementioned two, positive the crown of King Aenys, a “crown of yellowish golden with the faces of the Seven inlaid successful jade and pearl.” Jaehaerys initially wore this crown earlier switching, and it’s not wide what became of it.

At immoderate rate, Rhaenyra volition request a crown if she wishes to proceed her pursuit of the Iron Throne. Her father’s crown would beryllium a cleanable acceptable for her—it would punctual the realm that she was her father’s named heir, arsenic good arsenic awesome her tendency for unity and bid arsenic opposed to war—but close present it’s stuck successful the Red Keep. She whitethorn request to person a caller 1 made. Pay attraction to what she chooses—it’ll nonstop a connection astir however she wants others to comprehend her.

Other symbols of legitimacy

The Conqueror’s crown isn’t the lone salient portion of hardware Aegon II is utilizing to lend legitimacy to his claim. As Alicent says successful this episode, “my lad volition instrumentality the crown of his namesake, the Conqueror, and transportation Blackfyre, his sword. Let the radical retrieve the past spot of House Targaryen.”

We covered Blackfyre, the Valyrian alloy sword wielded by the Conqueror, successful a erstwhile column. Aegon’s thrusting it into the aerial astatine the extremity of this occurrence sends overmuch the aforesaid connection arsenic the crown connected his head: He’s acceptable for a conquest. That apt was besides a crushed the greens chose the dragonpit arsenic the determination for Aegon II’s coronation. It’s larger than the throne room, truthful it holds a larger assemblage and besides projects the spot helium hopes volition assistance him backmost his claim.

The symbolism doesn’t extremity there. As Fire & Blood tells us: “Every disposable awesome of legitimacy belonged to Aegon. He sat the Iron Throne. He lived successful the Red Keep. He wore the Conqueror’s crown, wielded the Conqueror’s sword, and had been anointed by a septon of the Faith earlier the eyes of tens of thousands. Grand Maester Orwyle sat successful his councils, and the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard had placed the crown upon his princely head. And helium was male, which successful the eyes of galore made him the rightful king, his half-sister the usurper.”

Rhaenyra already faced an uphill ascent to power the Seven Kingdoms. Just by virtuousness of being a woman, a Rhaenyra reign ever would person represented a large displacement successful however monarchy works successful Westeros. Now she’s not lone been usurped by a man, but 1 who virtually carries the Conqueror’s sanction and each of his important objects, and who lives astatine the spot of powerfulness portion she is connected a stone successful the Narrow Sea. It’s a pugnacious presumption to beryllium in.

Who is Allun Caswell?

Let’s instrumentality to the Reach for a second. In “The Green Council,” we spot a lord crook the genu to Aegon II, past effort to flight the Red Keep. Larys catches him, and he’s hanged arsenic a result. Just who is this guy?

He’s Allun Caswell, the caput of House Caswell, who is named lone arsenic “Lord Caswell” successful Fire & Blood. There, helium is likewise killed upon Aegon II’s ascension (though it’s by beheading, not hanging). We’ve seen the briefest of glimpses of Allun successful the series—he runs into Rhaenyra and Laenor erstwhile they are carrying babe Joffrey to Queen Alicent, and helium greets Rhaenyra and Daemon erstwhile they get successful King’s Landing successful Episode 8—but it’s not truly wide wherefore he’s truthful loyal to Rhaenyra and the blacks. Fire & Blood offers nary different info to spell on. Perhaps helium has immoderate unexplored relationship with Rhaenyra, Daemon, oregon idiosyncratic other successful their sphere; possibly helium was adjacent to Viserys; possibly helium conscionable has a stubborn knowing of succession.

At immoderate rate, Allun’s decease should theoretically propulsion the Caswells toward Team Black. Bitterbridge isn’t a terribly beardown castle, but it is precise centrally located, lying on the Roseroad betwixt Highgarden and King’s Landing. That could marque it an important location—and the Caswells an important house—in a war.

RIP, Lyman Beesbury

The maestro of coin served connected Viserys’s assembly for astatine slightest 2 decades, if not longer. And portion helium was a spot of a doddering fool, the information that the greens statesman their regularisation by conscionable straight-up murdering a loyal (and presumably close?) confidant of Viserys is beauteous wild.

Yet the amusement moves past this alternatively rapidly compared to however it happened successful Fire & Blood. Beesbury begins with a akin benignant of protestation of what the assembly is planning. But past helium turns to permission the chamber, which is thing the greens can’t allow, arsenic they request clip to enactment their program successful question and cannot person Rhaenyra alerted to their intentions. Here’s what happens next:

Grand Maester Orwyle tells america that Lord Beesbury was seized astatine the doorway by the bid of Ser Otto Hightower and escorted to the dungeons. Confined to a achromatic cell, helium would successful clip perish of a chill whilst awaiting trial.

Septon Eustace tells it elsewise. In his account, Ser Criston Cole forced Lord Beesbury backmost into his spot and opened his pharynx with a dagger. Mushroom charges Ser Criston with his lordship’s decease arsenic well, but successful his mentation Cole grasped the aged antheral by the backmost of his collar and flung him retired a window, to dice impaled upon the robust spikes successful the adust moat below.

In House of the Dragon, Beesbury’s decease seems astir accidental, and his was the lone humor shed astatine the greenish council, which isn’t the lawsuit successful the book. Check retired this passage:

Lord Larys Strong, maestro of whisperers, past spoke for the archetypal and lone time. “Let america beryllium the archetypal to swear,” helium said, “lest determination beryllium traitors present amongst us.” Drawing his dagger, the Clubfoot drew it crossed his palm. “A humor oath,” helium urged, “to hindrance america each together, brothers unto death.” And truthful each of the conspirators slashed their palms and clasped hands with 1 another, swearing brotherhood. Queen Alicent unsocial amongst them was excused from the oath, connected relationship of her womanhood.

So the greenish assembly was a spot much intentional and convulsive successful the book. But 1 mode oregon another, the archetypal humor successful the Dance of the Dragons has been shed. RIP, Lyman Beesbury.

What does Helaena know?

After the greenish council, Alicent and Otto burst into Helaena’s chambers looking for Aegon. When Otto realizes Aegon isn’t there, helium leaves—presumably to look for Aegon elsewhere. Helaena asks her parent what’s happened, and conscionable arsenic Alicent starts to archer her astir Viserys, Helaena blurts out: “There is simply a beast beneath the boards.”

This punctuation astir precisely mirrors thing Helaena said past episode, erstwhile she muttered, “Beware the beast beneath the boards” nether her enactment astatine the meal betwixt the greens and the blacks. As previously elaborate successful this column, House of the Dragon has made Helaena 1 of the Targaryens who experiences prophetic dreams. Her imaginativeness that Aemond would person to “close an eye” to assertion a dragon came existent astir immediately. But the value of this latest prophecy is little clear.

A hunt of Fire & Blood shows that the connection “beast” is astir ever utilized successful transportation to dragons. Perhaps she meant this arsenic a notation to Rhaenys’s dragon Meleys, who burst done the level of the dragonpit this occurrence … but that level was made of stone, not woody boards, and Meleys’s large infinitesimal had nary existent effect connected immoderate large characters.

There are plentifulness of different beasts that unrecorded underneath floorboards: rats, worms, beetles, etc. Helaena could beryllium referring to thing here; lone clip volition archer precisely what. At immoderate rate, arsenic a dreamer, virtually everything she says is worthy listening to closely.

Aegon’s enactment of succession

When Aemond is searching for Aegon successful this episode, helium tells Criston, “I’m adjacent successful line. If they look for me, I mean to beryllium found.” Initially I was confused by this, arsenic Aegon has a antheral heir successful his lad Jaehaerys (and successful the books helium has a 2nd lad successful Maelor, though this quality whitethorn beryllium getting chopped from the show). Just arsenic Daemon fell down Rhaenyra erstwhile she was primitively named, Aemond surely comes aft Aegon II’s antheral children; that shouldn’t beryllium up for debate.

But Aemond says this before Aegon is crowned, which brings up an absorbing question: If Aegon had done much to garbage the throne, would the greens person crowned Aemond? Aemond himself intelligibly would person accepted the nomination, and I deliberation we tin spot that characters similar Otto would person had nary contented anointing a antithetic grandson successful bid to unafraid his house’s spot connected the Iron Throne. But Alicent’s full justification for crowning Aegon is that she thinks it was Viserys’s dying wish. Viserys didn’t accidental thing astir Aemond.

Alas, thing that Otto said successful Episode 1 proves prescient successful this episode: “The gods person yet to marque a antheral who lacks the patience for implicit power.” Aegon accepts the crown, and present his lad is surely adjacent successful enactment for the throne, with Aemond coming after.

Family Tree Watch

We had nary caller births oregon marriages this week, but we did person Martin confirming the beingness of Daeron, the 4th kid of Alicent and Viserys. That means Daeron gets a spot connected the household tree, adjacent if we won’t spot him until Season 2.

We besides got a glimpse of Aegon and Helaena’s children, Jaehaerys and Jaehaera. Only Maelor, their youngest child, was obscurity to beryllium found, truthful I’m removing him from the household histrion for now: