The fifth episode of House of the Dragon’s second season began sadly following the dramatic and depressing events at the Battle of Rook’s Rest. The episode, Regent, aired Monday, July 15, 2024, and depicted the aftermath of Rhaenys’ death. The audience was saddened by the loss of Corly’s wife, Rhaenyra’s best warrior and council member.
The episode functioned as the calm after the storm as it unfolded, planting seeds for what was to come in the second half of the season. Rhaenyra and Jacaerys Velaryon, in a strategic move, will now seek out people of Valyrian blood to ride the unclaimed dragons.
1. Book vs Series
I. The Generational Rivalry
The first change in episode five of House of the Dragon occurs when Ser Aemos Bracken, the Head of House Bracken, meets Willem Blackwood. Daemon Targaryen organized the meeting between the Brackens and the Blackwoods.
During the meeting, Wilem Blackwood instructed Ser Aemos to submit his house to Daemon and bend his knee. However, Ser Aemos Bracken died during the Battle of the Burning Mill in Fire & Blood. As a result, the show’s makers took creative liberties with this plot and scene.
II. Alys Rivers and Aemond Connection
In episode 5 of House of the Dragon, Alys Rivers observes Daemon working as a carpenter, attempting to repair Harrenhall. That’s when she learns Daemon isn’t very good at his job and confronts him, even mentioning Vhagar.
Alys also advises Daemon to act like a lord, not a woodsman. Daemon reacts by urging her to hope and pray that she will never meet Aemond, the one-eyed Targaryen.
According to the plot of Fire & Blood, Aemond has moved to Harrenhall and fallen in love with Alys Rivers, with whom he had a kid. On the other Hand, the show deviates from this subplot, as seen in Episode 5.
III. Lord Corlys as the hand of the Queen
In episode four, Lord Corlys and Rhaenyra grieve for Rhaenys and her Dragon Meleys, who died in the Battle of Rook’s Rest. The battle was the first Dance of the Dragons, and Lord Corlys told Baela about it in episode five. That’s when she told him that Rhaenys chose to fight in the battle.
The novel and series are comparable up to this point; the divergence occurs when Lord Corlys is designated the Queen’s Hand. In Episode 5, Rhaenyra requests that Baela designate Lord Corlys Velaryon as the Hand, although Jacaeys Velaryon does so in the book.
IV. Daemon’s character
In the recent episode, Daemon threatens the Brackens with Caraxes at his side, but the Brackens refuse to succumb to him. Daemon did not try and fail in the books, as depicted in the episode, because the conflict between the Blackwoods and the Brackens did not occur in Fire and Blood.
The episode also depicted Daemon having visions, primarily caused by the medicine Alys Rivers gave him.
However, in Fire & Blood, Daemon and his visions were mostly associated with the cursed Harrenhall, built of Weirwood trees. Furthermore, in the books, Alys Rivers had little to no relationship with Daemon and was a dedicated lover of Aemond, the one-eyed Targaryen.
2. Easter Eggs From Episode 5
I. Respecting a dead dragon’s skull
In the background of a talk between Rhaenyra Targaryen and Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno), the head of the dragon, Meraxes, is properly placed.
The shot occurs when Criston Cole (Fabian Frankel) parades the slain dragon Meleys around the streets of King’s Landing, infuriating the locals who revere dragons as gods.
Dead dragons are supposed to be respected and honored, and the Greens’ treatment of Meleys may have contributed to their downfall.
II. Keeping Alicent away from war
Criston Cole votes against Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) and chooses Aemond Targaryen as the Prince Regent. His rationale behind doing this is to keep Alicent away from all the destruction that will follow.
In ‘Fire and Blood,’ it does come true as Alicent’s involvement with the war decreases while she loses all her children to the war. She outlives all her children and survives the war to die from Winter Fever later eventually.
III. Royal food against the small folk’s food
The episode significantly compares the cuisine eaten by the royals and the ordinary people. The common people have very little to eat, whereas the royals, such as Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith), have plenty of options.
The frustrations of the tiny folk will play a significant role in the fall of King’s Landing when Rhaenyra becomes queen and later when Rhaenyra Targaryen’s reign falls as well.
IV. Eyrie
The show features Eyrie and Lady Jeyne Arryn (Amanda Collin) hosting Rhaena Targaryen (Phoebe Campbell). Eyrie is an important character in both the show and ‘Game of Thrones.’
The show features Eyrie and Lady Jeyne Arryn (Amanda Collin) hosting Rhaena Targaryen (Phoebe Campbell). Eyrie is an important character in both the show and ‘Game of Thrones.’
In George R R Martin’s world, the setting is crucial since Eyrie is where Robert Baratheon met Eddard Stark when they were both young and became friends. Later, they would launch a large uprising.
3. 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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