The air has grown tense in King’s Landing and major events are about to go down, as evident in the trailer for House of the Dragon Ep 6. What we’re now gearing up to is the arc known as the Dance of the Dragons.
You might have heard the phrase quite a few times. But what exactly is it, and when will we see it in HOTD?
The Dance of the Dragons is the name given to the Targaryen civil war fought between Rhaenyra Targaryen and her half-brother Aegon II Targaryen for the Iron Throne. It is expected to begin in either Ep 9 or 10 of House of the Dragon, following King Viserys I’s death.
The first five episodes have done a great job of depicting the history that preceded the Dance of the Dragons.
It all started off with how Rhaenys, a female prospect for the throne, was denied the position just because of her gender. Now, in the present, we have Rhaenyra who’s fighting off that very opposition once again. Unlike Rhaenys, she won’t go down without a fight.
Episode 5 was set somewhere around 114 AC, while Episode 6 will be set approximately 10 years later in 124-5 AC. This time jump means that the show will once again undergo a few changes. So this is what you need to know before watching HOTD Ep 6:
New Faces and New Characters
With the time jump, not only will there be “adult” versions of several characters, but we’ll be introduced to some newcomers as well.
Most notably, the characters of Rhaenyra Targaryen, Alicent Hightower, Laenor Velaryon, and Laena Velaryon will be recast.
In terms of new characters, Rhaenrya and Alicent’s kids will be there, namely Jacaerys and Lucerys Velaryon, and Aegon II, Helaena, and Aemond Targaryen, respectively. Don’t get too attached to these kids, because they will soon be recast as well to portray their young adult versions.
Dance of the Dragons Explained
According to Fire and Blood, at the time Viserys was on his deathbed, Rhaenrya was away at Dragonstone, giving birth to her sixth son. This is how when the King passes away, Alicent is able to crown her son, Aegon II, as the new King, defiling Viserys’ orders.
This news did not reach Rhaenyra in time, but when it finally did, she crowned herself Queen and formed a small council of her own picked from the Blacks. She also asked Aegon II and the Greens to bend the knee to her.
Alicent, Aegon II, and the Greens were willing to negotiate with Rhaenyra, “allowing” her to rule Dragonstone as long as she gave up the Iron Throne. Of course, Rhaenyra did not stand this insult of an offer and declared war on them.
Getting back to when the Dragon of the Dragons will begin, I would expect to see that Ep 8 would end with Viserys I’s death, while Ep 9 and 10 will have the two coronations. HOTD S1 is likely to conclude with Rhaenyra refusing the Greens’ conditions and declaring war.
Given how complex the Targaryen civil war is, the whole of House of The Dragon Season 2 might deal with its depiction. No spoilers on who wins it, but let’s just say that it’s not also called the Dying of the Dragons for no reason.
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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