The fifth episode of the second season ofHouse of the Dragonshowcased the repercussions of the Battle of Rook’s Rest. The conflict continues escalating as the Blacks and the Greens suffer significant losses on either side.Dragons have officially entered the war, and there’s no stopping what has been unleashed into the worldcreated by George R.R. Martin.
The outcome of the battle in Rook’s Rest sees King Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney) and Sunfyre severely injured, and Princess Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Best) and Meleys meet their end. Under the colossal miscalculation of the new Hand of the King, Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel), the Greens attempt to appeal to the smallfolk by parading Meleys' head, the largest dragon on Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen’s (Emma D’Arcy) side. It has the opposite effect,inciting unease among the common folk of King’s Landing.
House of the Dragon
Dragons are majestic beaststhat give House Targaryenthe power it has;everything they have is owed to them. The Targaryens believe themselves to be superior beings because of their ability to bind themselves to dragons. This belief is shared by people outside the family because they bear witness to the power that the Targaryens wield as dragonriders. Aegon I Targaryen (The Conqueror) and his sister wives were able to bring Westeros to its knees because of dragons, and the Targaryens have been able to keep Westeros under their control because theyunderstand and respect the dragonsthat have given them everything they own.
In Season 1, Episode 1, Rhaenrya mentions the idea that Targaryens are godlike beings, and she holds fast to this idea throughout the season, as she mentions it again in Episode 10.
Everyone says Targaryens are closer to gods than to men, but they say that because of our dragons. Without them, we’re just like everyone else.
The reality is that the Targaryens areno different from the other housesand the common folk without their dragons. The grandeur of the dragons is not lost on the smallfolk of King’s Landing; they’re both fearful and awestruck by these gorgeous creatures. With this perspective of dragons in mind, people believe them to be invincible, butCole’s attempt at showing the Greens' strength only indicates weakness in the power the Targaryen family wields. They now see that this indestructible power can be destroyed, damaging the reputation of House Targaryen.
A Dark Omen Follows the Death of a God in House of the Dragon
With dragons held in high esteem and believed to be gods, the fall of this great power is impactful on the people of the Red Keep. Rhaenyra is distraughtfollowing the loss of Rhaenys and Meleys, and Mysaria, the White Worm, informs her that the people in theRed Keep disapproved of Meleys' head being paraded down the streets. Their superstitions see this disrespect as a bad omen, one that Rhaenrya also sees. Dragons aren’t like other creatures. Therefore, they should be honored as their status dictates rather than mocked.
Game of Thrones Creator Calls Out ‘Sloppy’ Mistake in House of the Dragon: ‘A Little Knowledge is a Dangerous Thing’
George R.R. Martin has been full of praise for HBO’s House of the Dragon, but there is one mistake that he had to point out.
The mockery of parading a dragon’s head isn’t something the smallfolk take lightly. By witnessing the spectacle, they see the murder of a god, signifying thateveryone involved in the death and ridicule of Meleys will suffer the wrath of a greater power. Westerosi people are a religious bunch, and they believe in superstitions and omens, so what the Greens believed to be a victory has now become their demise.
What Does the Future Hold for House Targaryen?
Witnessing the House of the Dragonturn against itself with kin fighting kin, the smallfolk are disillusioned with the Targaryens, which isn’t something to be taken lightly. When the people of a kingdom turn against the crown, the monarch’s time is limited. The people of Westeros now know that the might of Targaryen’s power can be challenged, which sets up a pivotal event fromFire & Bloodto make its way onto the show. The veil of false power has fallen, and the smallfolk now see they can rise against the lords who rule them with the right weapons.
The Most Sympathetic Characters in House of the Dragon, Ranked
As blood, bones, and burials await, it wouldn’t hurt to get a greater understanding of these harbingers of war and their backstories.
After the war is over and the victor ascends the throne, the common folk are left angered by the tragedies of the war and see their lives as collateral to people far removed from their realities. The devastation of war included scarce food and higher taxes, which led to more anger from the monarch’s subjects.
In the novel, the smallfolk were left with uncertainty following several events throughout the war, buttheir resentment of dragons and the ruling monarch led to the storming of the dragon pit. Now that they know that the Targaryens and their dragons are breakable, fearlessness drives the slaying offour dragons in the pit. The book recounts that thousands lost their lives, but ordinary men managed to take down a great force once to have been believed to be unconquerable.House of the Dragonis streaming onMax.
