HBO’s House of the Dragon season two, episode five picks up with Lord Corlys Velaryon mourning the death of his beloved wife, Princess Rhaenys. The Queen Who Never Was chose to remain and fight rather than flee the battlefield. Rhaenys and Meleys died heroic deaths after engaging in battle with Prince Aemond’s Vhagar and King Aegon’s Sunfyre.
(Spoilers ahead!)
Meleys’ head is dragged through the streets of King’s Landing. The announcement that the traitor dragon was slain by King Aegon (she wasn’t) doesn’t have the desired effect among the townsfolk. They’re more frightened than impressed. If a dragon – thought to be a god – can fall, so can anyone.
King Aegon’s also carried through the streets but without any fanfare, hidden in a lidded container. His horribly injured body is carried to a bed where he’s immediately tended to by maesters. His skin has melted onto his Valyrian armor; removing the armor also removes the skin. He bleeds from multiple wounds, and Queen Dowager Alicent (Olivia Cooke) is told it’s impossible to say whether he’ll live.
Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) has broken bones from the fiery fall to earth on Sunfyre. His dragon was critically injured but clings to life at Rook’s Rest.
Alicent asks Ser Criston (Fabien Frankel) to explain what happened, and he confirms 900 men died, but they took the castle. A small garrison is quartered there to protect it. Criston refuses to be forthcoming when Alicent asks about Aegon. “His Grace fought valiantly,” says Criston.
Criston pauses sharpening his sword when asked about Aemond’s part in this battle. He finally lies and claims he cannot say.
At Dragonstone, Ser Alfred Broome (Jamie Kenna) Is furious their largest dragon is dead and Criston’s taken Rook’s Rest and Duskendale. Criston’s marching around the Crownlands unchallenged. Their hopes lie in Prince Daemon raising an army, but he continues to refuse to respond to ravens.
Ser Alfred still backs Queen Rhaenyra but claims the gentler sex is not made for war. Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) points out Alfred hasn’t any battle experience either. The Queen orders stores and weapons sent to Maidenpool and Crackclaw Point for their garrisons, but her council wants Duskendale and Rook’s Rest answered for first. A debate between council members follows, with some suggesting an immediate strike on King’s Landing while Vhagar is recovering from battle.
They’re speaking around Rhaenyra and not including her in the discussion until she declares she will take her dragon into battle. She’s told it’s out of the question; they can’t risk losing her.
Prince Jacaerys (Harry Collett) reacts to the meeting by taking matters into his own hands. Lady Baela (Bethany Antonia) stops him before he leaves and Jace reveals he’s on his way to Harrenhal to speak with Daemon. Jace hates being the “coddled princeling” and refuses to remain at Dragonstone. As they’re talking, Jace reconsiders his destination and decides his best course of action might be treating with the Freys. They control the crossing at the Twins – a direct route into the Riverlands. The men of Winterfell could use it, and it would mean Jace doesn’t need Daemon to act.
Speaking of Daemon (Matt Smith), he’s busy threatening Lord Amos Bracken and his men with a fiery death by dragon if they don’t submit. The threat fails and the Brackens remain committed to King Aegon, unwilling to throw in with the Blackwoods and their “hired” dragon. Ser Willem Blackwood (Jack Parry-Jones) believes the Brackens deserve to burn, but Daemon allows them to live.
Daemon confesses that wasn’t the outcome he expected. He also confesses men who’d rather burn are the sort of men he needs. He suggests that Ser Willem should try something other than fighting to get them to bend the knee. The Crown can’t act, but the Blackwoods can use other tactics to force the Brackens to submit.
Lady Jeyne Arryn (Amanda Collin) welcomes Lady Rhaena (Phoebe Campbell) to the Vale but is disappointed in the lack of dragons. The only way to attack the Eyrie is from the sky, and dragons are essential to its defense. Lady Jeyne promised Rhaenyra 15,000 men but only if Rhaenyra provided protection. The young dragons with Rhaena aren’t enough, but Rhaena begs to differ. Lady Jeyne never specified the size of the dragon she requested.
Queen Rhaenyra shares her thoughts with her new confidante, Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno), confessing she’s at a loss as to what her council expects of her. She wasn’t trained to fight growing up and instead was prepared for politics. Rhaenyra refuses to send for Daemon; that would make her look weak.
Mysaria shocks Rhaenyra when she declares that Criston Cole made a mistake. The townsfolk see it as a bad omen, and that, combined with the lack of food and an injured king, makes them anxious for peace. Mysaria suggests Rhaenyra shouldn’t underestimate those forgotten people living in the shadow of the Red Keep. Rumors need to be spread and Mysaria believes that’s something others can do on Rhaenyra’s behalf. “There is more than one way to fight a war,” says Mysaria.
Rhaenyra has a private conversation with Lady Baela, sharing memories of Princess Rhaenys. They recall the night Rhaenys claimed Meleys, and Rhaenyra describes her as fierce. She’s grateful for what Rhaenys did for her, for her support, and for her wisdom. Rhaenyra believes Baela is like Rhaenys and asks that she take a message to her grandsire, Lord Corlys.
Daemon has a vision of his naked mother praising him as the strongest one while they have sex. In the vision, she tells him that he, not Viserys, was made to wear the crown. He snaps out of the vision when Ser Simon Strong (Sir Simon Russell Beale) asks him about the duck that Daemon isn’t eating. Daemon claims he’s not hungry as Ser Strong discusses the battle of Rook’s Rest. Both sides suffered big losses, and what’s next is unknown.
Daemon’s convinced Ser Willem Blackwood is bringing the Brackens to heel and will change their allegiance. They’ll garrison at Harrenhal, but Ser Strong needs coin to continue to repair Harrenhal since Larys holds the purse strings. He hopes Queen Rhaenyra will send coin, but Daemon shuts that down. He personally will guarantee the payment.
They have a disagreement over Daemon’s proper title, which Daemon insists is king. Ser Strong believes he’s a prince or even king consort. “That last bit seems unnecessary, don’t you think?” replies Daemon, effectively ending the discussion.
Grand Maester Orwyle (Kurt Egyiawan) addresses the small council, reporting King Aegon suffered grievous burns, many broken bones, and internal injuries. He remains unconscious and his fate lies with the gods.
Queen Dowager Alicent wants the kingdom informed of Aegon’s great deeds and a regent publicly named to take his place for now. Alicent’s shocked when the small council, other than the Grand Maester, refuses to consider her as regent and instead sides with Prince Aemond. Even her sex partner, Criston, votes for Aemond as does Larys, pointing out they shouldn’t raise up their own woman to fight against Queen Rhaenyra.
Prince Regent Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) moves to King Aegon’s chair and takes over the meeting, asking for a current report of their armies. Alicent is lost in her own thoughts as Aemond orders Lord Lannister to tell his brother to march faster while the Riverlands are in disarray. Aemond’s informed the townsfolk are fleeing the city, and he orders the gates closed in response. No one can leave without permission.
He also orders the ratcatchers’ bodies cut down.
Hugh (Kieran Bow) and his wife, Kat (Ellora Torchia), care for their sick daughter without proper food or supplies. Kat wants to leave now before Rhaenyra reacts to Meleys and Rhaenys’ deaths by burning King’s Landing. Her brother in Tumbleton will take them in. She knows King Aegon will never pay Hugh for his work.
Alicent holds her nose as she walks past the ratcatchers’ decaying bodies to confront Criston Cole. She asks about Criston’s loyalty, and he recalls seeing men in melted armor and men on fire still walking. “We have given the war to the dragons,” says Cole, as if he wasn’t in any way responsible. “A dragonrider should lead us.”
Alicent believes she’s been cast aside, while Criston views it as sparing her the terrible things to come now that the dragons are unleashed.
A mass exodus is halted as the gates are shut so the townsfolk cannot leave. Hugh and Kat are now trapped in King’s Landing as everyone’s told to disperse by order of Prince Regent Aemond. The crowd reacts in shock at the announcement, unaware King Aegon is no longer in charge.
Prince Jace sits with Lord Forrest Frey (Kenneth Collard) and Lady Sabitha Frey (Sarah Woodward), his dragon perched nearby. Lord Grover Tully hasn’t declared for Rhaenyra so House Frey can’t raise arms against King Aegon’s army. Jace insists Jason Lannister needs to be met on the battlefield by Lord Cregan Stark’s men before he reaches Riverrun. Lady Frey reveals they don’t care about Lord Tully; their concern is with Vhagar. Jace offers the Freys his protection as well as the protection of Daemon, who will do as Queen Rhaenyra commands.
The Freys are comforted by this development, but Forrest wants to be named lord of Harrenhal. Jace agrees but only if they bend the knee to his mother.
Construction work is underway at Harrenhal with Daemon working alongside the men. Alys Rivers (Gayle Rankin) forces him to take a break while she shares rumors of women and children being taken from their homes. Daemon’s not surprised since he gave the Blackwoods permission to do whatever it takes to get the Brackens in line. Alys calls them crimes against the innocent, but Daemon disagrees. The Brackens were given the opportunity to pledge to him and refused.
Alys reminds him it’s the weak who are suffering. Daemon believes they’ll all suffer if Aemond One Eye rules.
Alys forces Aemond to admit he’s fighting for himself, not Rhaenyra. He believes the people won’t support her and she won’t win this war. Daemon insists he’s best suited to sit the Iron Throne. “When I take King’s Landing, Rhaenyra is welcome to join me there and take her place by my side. King and queen, ruling together,” says Daemon.
He turns to leave but is stopped in his tracks when Alys mentions his mother.
Ser Simon Strong delivers the news that Lord Amos Bracken has been forced to pledge his house to Daemon. Daemon orders Ser Simon to invite Ser Willem Blackwood to Harrenhal to congratulate him.
Lady Baela meets with Lord Corlys to deliver a message from Queen Rhaenyra. He describes his castle as a tomb, and Baela wishes she could have seen it in better times. She lists some of his many accomplishments, all of which were for his wife. Baela tells her grandsire that Rhaenyra wants to name him her Hand. He refuses, bitter that she’s already asked too much of his house. Being Hand won’t compensate for his loss.
Baela’s done with his anger and suggests that he go ahead and pledge to King Aegon. He’d rather sail away and get lost, and Baela reminds him he’s done it before at great cost to his loved ones. Baela says Rhaenys wasn’t just his wife, she was a Targaryen princess and heir to the throne. She entered the battle of her own will and died as she would have wished, by dragonfire. It was an honorable death. Baela hopes she’ll share a similar fate.
Baela’s determined to see Rhaenyra on the Iron Throne, just as Rhaenys wanted. She hands him the box with the Hands pin and Lord Corlys reacts by naming her his heir. “I am blood and fire. Driftmark must pass to salt and sea,” replies Baela.
Rhaenyra meets privately with Ser Alfred and admits she was wrong. She asks him to go to Harrenhal and speak with Daemon on her behalf. Ser Alfred thinks she’s removing him from her council, but she assures him she knows he’s loyal to her claim. Rhaenyra believes Alfred can reason with Daemon and determine his intentions.
Daemon continues to drink Alys’ concoction while not eating. He’s woken from his sleep by the arrival of the River lords, demanding an audience in the middle of the night. Daemon’s told the septs were burned, livestock stolen, and peasants put to death by the Blackwoods in his name. The Blackwoods rode with a Targaryen banner and performed atrocities not for their lord but in revenge for years of quarrels with the Brackens.
Daemon has a vision of his deceased wife asking if he’s looking after their daughters.
Daemon was unaware the Blackwoods were operating under the House Targaryen banner. He denies he ordered a child’s beheading, but the River lords have heard the rumors from half the kingdom. They will not raise their banners for a tyrant, with or without a dragon.
As they leave, Daemon places his hand on the fireplace mantel and looks into the flames. The scene transitions to a mirror image of Rhaenyra in the same position. Quick snippets of other events follow, with Rhaenyra’s handmaiden, Elinda (Jordon Stevens), convincing a guard to let her into King’s Landing by revealing she’s on an errand for Mysaria. Lord Corlys closes his fist around the Hand’s pin.
Prince Regent Aemond stares at the Iron Throne. Queen Helaena joins him and asks if it was worth the price, while Alicent sits by Aegon’s bedside, holding his hand. His raspy breath fills the air, and as Alicent’s leaving, she’s unaware that he says, “Mummy.”
Episode five ends with a pivotal meeting between mother and son. Rhaenyra is not only proud of Jace but also envious that he left Dragonstone to help their cause. However, Jace is confused as to why she still looks angry. Rhaenyra confesses she feels trapped and unable to help her own cause. Jace didn’t ask for her permission, and he insists he’ll continue to do what’s necessary. Rhaenyra is worried he will encounter Aemond and Vhagar and fall, just as his brother did.
Rhaenyra’s aware Aemond is now Prince Regent and believes he’ll press his advantage soon. They can’t count on Daemon for support, and it may come down to her and Syrax entering the fight. Syrax has speed going for her, and Rhaenyra can see no other option than joining her men in battle.
She needs dragons, and Jace reminds her they have dragons including two large enough (Vermithor and Silverwing) to fight Vhagar. What they need are dragonriders. And now Jace has his second epiphany of the episode. He suggests there are those of the Targaryen line who haven’t ruled but share dragon blood. It may be possible to place a Tarly or a Mallister on a dragon, even though Valyrian history indicates only a dragonlord can ride one.
Rhaenyra quickly warms to the idea. Any possible dragonriders would be recorded in the Targaryen history books, which are just an arms-length away.
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- House of the Dragon Season 1 Episode 10: “The Black Queen” Finale
- House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 1 “A Son for a Son” Recap
- House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 2 “Rhaenyra the Cruel” Recap
- House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 3 “The Burning Mill” Recap
- House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 4 “The Red Dragon and the Gold” Recap
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