In episode 5 of season 2 of “House of the Dragon”, each of the clans adapts following the battle of the Firerest. Recap with spoilers.
After the decisive episode 4 of season 2, House of the Dragon returns this week to a calmer episode that establishes the consequences of the Battle of Repos-des-Feux. This episode 5 was put online on the platform of streaming Max this Monday, July 15, 2024. Warning, the rest of this article contains spoilers if you have not yet seen this week’s episode.
In Season 2, Episode 5, Meleys’ head is paraded by Ser Criston Cole through the streets of King’s Landing. Rather than seeing it as a sign of victory, the people see it as a bad omen and are now terrified of remaining within the royal walls. Aegon’s body, burned but still alive and unconscious, is secretly taken back to the Red Keep. It is unclear when he will awaken, however, which raises questions about the governance of the realm. As a result, the entire council (including the Hand of the King) chooses to appoint Aemond as regent, over Alicent who has more experience having ruled in Viserys’s place.
The Daemon Fiasco
At Harrenhal, Daemon has very different plans. While he continues to have nightmares and visions (including one showing him having sex with his own mother…), his dreams of grandeur are beyond him. Already asking to be called King, he intends to gather a large army to take King’s Landing and the throne in the hope of ruling, with Rhaenyra at his side if she wishes. To do this, he plans to use the rivalries between the Blackwoods and the Brackens, who refuse to submit to him. Daemon then orders Ser Willem Blackwood to insidiously convince the Brackens to join his cause. He invites him to “do the worst” to persuade them.
But as a result, crimes are committed throughout the Riverlands under Rhaenyra’s banner. The Riverlords are furious and rebel against Daemon, promising him that they will never submit to a tyrant of his kind. He also does not know that Rhaenyra has sent one of her advisors to Harrenhal to find out if her husband is plotting against her.
Blacks counterattack
In Dragonpit, Rhaenyra’s clan is grieving the loss of Rhaenys. As Rhaenyra feels guilty about being powerless and having to wait for her allies to do the work for her, she decides to appoint Corlys Velaryon, devastated by the death of his wife, as her Hand. At the same time, Mysaria sends her emissaries to King’s Landing to rally the people, suffering from famine and imprisoned in the royal city, to Rhaenyra’s cause.
Finally, Jacaerys decides to act by going to the Twins, to convince House Frey to join their cause, without his mother’s advice. By promising them protection and Harrenhal, he gains new allies. When she learns this, Rhaenyra is nevertheless furious with her son who risked his life so soon after the death of Rhaenys and Lucerys, while Aemond is now King and could decide to attack them again. But she recognizes herself in her son’s need to act, and they both have an idea: they have dragons that have no masters. If legend has it that only a pure Targaryen can tame them, they make a bet that seems crazy but which could bring them victory: find bastard children of the Targaryen family to make them dragon masters, and thus attack the Greens.