Fans know very well not to ever expect anything good from a wedding that takes place in the GOT universe. House of the Dragon Episode 5 which depicts Rhaenyra and Laenor’s wedding feast is no different.
The air is heaving with tension and deaths alike, and we get a bunch of riveting plot developments.
The main events that place in HOTD Ep 5 are: Daemon murders his wife, Rhea Royce. Feeling betrayed by Rhaenyra, Alicent begins scheming against her with the intent of putting her son Aegon II on the throne. Sir Criston Cole beats Joffrey Lonmouth to death for making a comment about his affair with Rhaenyra.
I won’t blame you if you need a breather after Episode 5—that ending was something else. But if you can stomach getting back into it to understand why these events are important, then it’s time to read this detailed recap!
Alicent Waves the Green Flag
The beacon on the Hightower, do you know what color it glows when Oldtown calls its banners to war? Green?
Larys Strong and Harwin Strong
From wearing a green gown to arriving in the middle of Viserys’ speech, all of Alicent’s actions have been very calculated.
In this episode, she’s learned two things. One, besides soiling her honor, Rhaenyra has been blatantly lying to her. Two, Rhaenyra will always view Alicent’s kids as a threat that she needs to get rid of.
This has hardened Alicent’s resolve to no longer be a puppet in anyone’s games. Her small act of rebellion at the wedding is only the beginning of the crusade she’ll undertake to ensure that her son Aegon II will be the next king instead of Rhaenyra.
Alicent wears the Hightower green (as opposed to the Targaryen red or black) to show where her true alliance stands. “Greens” will also be the term that will be later associated with people who support Alicent and Aegon II and choose to fight against Rhaenyra.
Daemon’s New Antics
After shamelessly murdering his wife, Rhea Royce, Daemon makes yet another grand entry down the halls of the wedding feast. From the looks of it, he wasn’t exactly invited to the gathering, but Viserys swallows his disdain against the intrusion, as he always has, to keep face in front of the guests.
Here, Daemon is accused of murdering Rhea by her cousin Ser Gerold Royce, but he denies it and instead focuses on asking for his claim to Runestone. A little later, he manages to provoke Rhaenyra as they dance, and even flirts with Laena Velayron. The man sure knows how to keep himself busy.
Sir Criston Goes Ham
Saying that Criston is absolutely conflicted about sleeping with Rhaenyra is an understatement. At first, he believes he can fix his guilt over breaking his vows if he is able to marry Rhaenyra. But when the princess is asked to give up her throne for spices and oranges, we know what she chooses.
Although he tries to come clean to Alicent, her decision to keep mum also further agitates him. His breaking point is when Joffrey Lonmouth sneers at him with the fact that they’re both the future king and queen’s secret lovers—a dirty little secret they should both protect given their vested interests.
What Joffrey didn’t realize is that Criston never liked/loved Rhaenyra enough to smooth over the guilt and anger he felt for breaking his vows. This snarky comment is sadly what takes Joffrey to an early grave.
It was quite shocking to see Criston lose it all and literally mince Joffrey’s face, murdering him. It causes enough chaos for even the Gold Cloaks to not intervene, and we have Sir Harwin (keep a look out for him, he’s important!) coming to rescue Rhaenrya.
Criston certainly has a death wish, for after the whole debacle he tries to kill himself. Once again, he is stopped by Alicent, who has plans of her own for him.
The King Collapses
Rhaenyra and Laenor taking their actual marriage vows is a rather somber affair. Laenor is understandably distraught over his lover’s death, and the fight had shaken everyone. The two take each other as husband and wife, but it’s a happy occasion for none.
At the end of it, Viserys collapses to the ground, his crown falling off his head (a perfect allegory for the state of the realm). While he is not dead yet, it foreshadows that his end is not far away.
There is also a shot of a rat licking Joffrey’s spilled blood as the vows are happening in the background. This is not the first time a rat has been focused on during the series. The spoiler-free version is that the rat represents two important characters who will be introduced in HOTD S2. Till then, all you need to know is that the appearance of rats on screen is no good news.
About House Of The Dragon
House of the Dragon is the prequel series to HBO’s blockbuster Game of Thrones based on George R. R. Martin’s book Fire & Blood.
Set three hundred years before the events of Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon will show Westeros under the Targaryen family’s rule before the dragons went extinct. It will follow the Dance of the Dragons, the Targaryen civil war between siblings Aegon II and Rhaenyra, who fought for the throne after the death of their father, Viserys I.
Directed by Ryan Condall and Miguel Sapochnik, the show stars Paddy Considine as Viserys I Targaryen, Emma D’Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen, Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower, Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen, Tom Glynn-Craney as Aegon II Targaryen, Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower, Steve Toussaint as Corlys Velaryon, Eve Best as Rhaenys Velaryon, Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria, Fabien Frankel as Criston Cole, and Graham McTavish.
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