Last week’sHouse of the Dragonhit on the button the correct notes for a mid - season sequence , give ushuge , fiery actionanda devastating disaster . But as buff of both this show andGame of Throneswell live , controlling the Iron Throne requires more than battlefield victories . There are also the all - of import sneaky schemes , whispering campaigns , cultivation of worthful allies , and the ability to visualize what your opponent is planning — maybe before they themselves even realize it . sequence five , “ Regent , ” may not feature any dragon do , but it still offers an crucial perspective on state of war in Westeros as we move into season two ’s 2d half .
We unfold , as we must , with stirring reaction to the events oflast week ’s instalment . Corlys and Rhaenyra one by one express silent moments of heartache . The loss of Rhaenys is hard feel . And the fact that this conflict is now a full - blown warfare that ’s using dragons as weapons is also massive ; in King ’s Landing , athirst smallfolk are scramble for cherished intellectual nourishment when a jaw - dropping progress follow into view : it ’s “ the treasonist tartar Meleys”—just her elephantine cut off psyche , to be precise—”slain at Rook ’s balance by your tycoon ! ” We , of course , know that ’s a bit of misdirection , as does Ser Criston Cole , but he ’s more surprised by the crowd ’s shocked response to reckon a dead flying dragon in their midst . “ Do n’t they realize we acquire the engagement ? ” he mutters to Ser Gwayne , who says “ unusual triumph … if it was one .. ”
At the Red Keep , Alicent and Aemond peer down at the procession , zeroing in on a box so unremarkable that nobody else seems to discover it . It sure looks like it could be a coffin — a feeling that intensifies as it ’s cautiously carried into the castle while melancholy music swell on the soundtrack . It ’s actually a primitive ambulance hide Aegon ’s return ; the king , whose armor has literally melted into his flesh , is live “ for the minute , ” to quote the Grant Maester ’s gloomy prognosis . Alicent appear more stricken than Aemond — he , of track , has just one thing on his mind : in the end getting his own chance to prevail — and she ’s determined to find oneself out what really happened on that battlefield . Her ( correct ) suspicions that Aemond had a bridge player in things remain unconfirmed for now ; when she ask Cole full point - blank about it , he lie ( of class ) and says he does n’t have sex .
Olivia Cooke as Alicent on House of the Dragon. Photo: Ollie Upton/HBO
Meanwhile , on Dragonstone , Rhaenyra ’s Small Council is trying to pick up the piece , and it ’s going about as well as you ’d have a bun in the oven . Ser Alfred Broome assures Rhaenyra that he 100 % affirm her title to the commode — but he because she ’s of “ the docile gender , ” he thinks she ’s ill - fit out to rule during wartime . “ You ’ve seen no more engagement than I have , ” she reminds him . And in truth , nobody in the elbow room knows what the hell to do next , other than argue . sure absences ( the belated Rhaenys , along with Corlys and Daemon ) are pointedly find . Meanwhile , Jace , who ’s tired of being a “ cocker princeling , ” decides to go on his own mission without clearing it with Rhaenyra . His first instinct is to visit Harrenhal and see what the hell is keep Daemon away ; after Baela gently talks him out of that idea , he decides he ’ll instead head to the Twins and have a chat with House Frey , a nameGame of Thronesfans will pick up and think “ Red Wedding . ” If he can get House Frey on Team Black , thus ensuring Rhaenyra ’s army an easier path through the Riverlands , Daemon ’s inactiveness at Harrenhal wo n’t weigh as much .
But Daemon , for once , is n’t wandering around a tower old castle sipping witchy potions at the present moment . alternatively , he ’s issue threats to House Bracken while baby-sit atop a screeching Caraxes : “ The hour is former and my Draco is hungry . You have no choice but to put forward ! ” But when House Bracken ’s leaders makes it clear they have no intention of joining the same side as their hated enemy in House Blackwood , Daemon let them trot off unscathed . “ I came here to lift steel , not corps , ” he explains to an incredulous Ser Willem Blackwood , and the military personnel jibe to explore alternative methods of view , using off - the - books tactics that Daemon , as a congressman of the cap , ca n’t formally enlist in . They do n’t get into specifics , but as we all know , Daemon recently engineeredthe murder of a tot . Fear the worst !
In the Eyrie , Rhaena is trying to close Rhaenyra ’s mess with Lady Jeyne Arryn , who ’s not proud of that Team Black has sent a distich of wimpish short baby dragons and still expects an U. S. Army in return . “ I havehunting houndsthat are more fearful , ” Lady Arryn sneer . Rhaena does her best to oblige her own in this exchange , but she ’s in over her brain . ( This is the only scene in the Eyrie in this instalment ; it ’s abbreviated , but tell . )
Photo: Theo Whiteman/HBO
Rhaenyra , meanwhile , turns to her smart advisor : Mysaria . Of her Small Council , she say , “ they speakaroundme , not to me . ” But she acknowledge to her weaknesses . She does n’t sleep together anything about fighting , she ’s been hooked on Daemon for too long , and frankly she ’s feeling a little lost . Mysaria bring up Cole ’s stunt with the dragon head , and tells Rhaenyra the knight has made a big misreckoning ; or else of filling the people of King ’s Landing with victorious pride , he spook them .
“ They are afraid , ” she tell Rhaenyra . “ Bread is scarce . The baron has fall . They whisper to each other that when Viserys lived , there was peacefulness . ” She also remind Rhaenyra that the smallfolk have strength in number , and — in the 2d conversation this episode revolving around alternate methods of view — recite her that “ to the discontented , rumors are feed … what you may not do , permit others do for you . There is more than one way to fight a state of war . ” As the scene ends , we see one of Rhaenyra ’s maids , who ’d prominently barged into their conversation to begin with , heading away from the castle , a determined smell on her face .
Next , Rhaenyra and Baela share a supply ship vista remembering Rhaenys , a on-key badass , and Rhaenyra reaffirms that she ’ll require Baela ’s support — and through her , Corlys — in the fight forward : “ I do not like to support alone . ” Then we cut to the person who left her alone : Daemon , who ’s own a kinky vision - slice - phantasy involve a adult female so blonde she can only be a Targaryen . She praise him , says he ’d have been a better rule than Viserys , and calls him … her favorite son ? Wait , what ? Ser Simon Strong interrupt before that really sinks in , and we see that Daemon has drifted off into this bewitching waking dreaming while sit at the Harrenhal dining tabular array . He pulls it together though , as Alys Rivers peers at him suspiciously , and tell apart Ser Simon that “ Willem Blackwood is impart House Bracken to heel , ” and that they ’d better pop out prepare to receive a neat host .
Photo: Theo Whiteman/HBO
He seems awfully sure-footed about that , but Ser Simon is skeptical — and after he update Daemon on how the work ’s going with getting the dilapidated Harrenhal back in fiat , he awkwardly admits that he ’s not certain how they ’re go to yield all the workers . ( Ser Larys Strong channel all his family ’s riches to King ’s Landing after his convenient inheritance , because of course he did . ) Might Daemon be willing to , ah , ask Queen Rhaenyra to chip in ? From Daemon ’s chemical reaction we can secernate that ’s out of the interrogation , and apace says he ’ll cover the debt himself . Then , he instructs Ser Simon to deal him as “ My magnate ” rather than “ Your Grace . ” Not “ King Consort , ” but “ King . ” Seems like those royal psychotic belief are really begin to fester , are n’t they ? Surely that wo n’t cause any problems down the stock …
Back at King ’s Landing , the Grand Maester offers a gloomy update on Aegon to Alicent , Aemond , and the residuum of the Small Council . He ’s done all he can do , and the mogul ’s fate “ lies with the gods now . ” Alicent rises . The time has come to name a Regent to rule in Aegon ’s place . She nominates herself , which is a very Alicent affair to do — but sheisthe most experient , having kept Westeros peacefully play for years while King Viserys slow succumbed to his illness .
But just like Team Black , Team Green ’s Small Council has some mighty patronise ideas about women ruling , particularly during wartime . They think Aemond should get the gig , even when Alicent point out her Word has some well - demonstrated proceeds when it come to practise constraint . Larys points out that it would be a bad look if Team Green put a woman on the Iron Throne after blocking Rhaenyra ’s claim — then he point - dummy asks Cole what he thinks , because you recognize Larys loves the feeling that comes from putting people on the spot . Cole votes Aemond . And if looking at could belt down , he ’d overleap numb from Alicent ’s glare . Having suffer his way , Aemond moves to the head of the mesa and briskly starts asking the men for update on the war . Their conversations fade out and a single furious heartbeat vex louder ; the photographic camera moves in on Alicent and — in a fantastic Olivia Cooke moment — the strong craze boil up inside of her practically radiates through the lens system .
Photo: Ollie Upton/HBO
There ’s anger elsewhere in King ’s landing place , as Hugh the blacksmith and his wife , still tending to their sick minor , worry about the declining conditions in the city . She wants to go forth , and has serious question that Hugh will ever see any of the money Aegon promised him several episodes ago . We agree , candidly . But when the family — along with what look like lashings of other desperate citizen — tries to make their exit , they see that the fresh King Regent ( surprise ! Aemond ’s in charge now , everybody ! ) has rate the gates to King ’s Landing closed and locked . Nobody in , nobody out .
At the Red Keep , Cole is manage the removal of all those ratcatcher army corps ( incentive : one last second showcasingthe dog George R.R. Martin was so fond of ! ) when Alicent corners him . He ’s still a bit plate - shock from Rook ’s Rest , and explains his decisiveness to back Aemond over Alicent in that context : “ We have given the war to the dragons . A dragon rider should lead us . ” He also think that assign Aemond in explosive charge is dispense with Alicent from reign over a war that he knows , firsthand , is going to be truly hideous — but as she reminds him , she did n’t ask to be spared . ( She also crack at him not to come up to her so nonchalantly , using her first name . Oooh ! )
At the Twins , Lord and Lady Frey are taking a meeting with Jace , who ’s doing his good to follow across as confident even as nervously taps his fingerbreadth on his peg . He ’s cue that Lord Grover Tully , the region ’s maturate Lord Paramount , has n’t declared for Rhaenyra , and “ it means death to bear brand against your liege . ” Also , quite frankly , everyone ’s deathly afraid of Vhagar . Jace assures them he ’s there to protect them , with his own dragon — and pronounce he can guarantee the security of Daemon , too . He also tries to dicker with them , ask what they want in issue for their support . Turns out they want Harrenhal . “ For that , my mother will want more than your crossing , ” he says , and tells them they ’ll have to bend the knee to get it .
Photo: Ollie Upton/HBO
Speaking of Harrenhal , we go back to Daemon , who ’s chopping wood when he hears horrible screams … in his mind ! The timing ca n’t be coincidental as Alys saunters by for a confabulation . The shriek , she explains , reflect the torturesome pain echoing across the nearby Bracken lands as woman and children are being kidnapped , tortured , and bad . ( Now we get an idea of what Willem Blackwood meant by “ everyone has a failing . ” ) “ This is not war , ” Alys says . “ These are crimes against the innocent that any upright man would disown . ” demon points out that he ’s not an upright man , and besides — it ’s the fault of the Brackens , who should have just followed his lodge in the first place .
Their conversation continues , as she wonders why he ’d want to put forward an U. S. Army of men that detest him , and says “ the weak and the women ” are the ones bound to suffer the most from all this . He turns that around by telling her “ Aemond One - Eye ” will truly make the realm meet if he ’s reserve to stay on the Iron Throne . But Daemon has an equally frightening reputation , and Alys sustain him to allow in the verity we ’ve already been assume : he ’s plan to claim the Iron Throne for himself , not for Rhaenyra . “ The the great unwashed who support her will not be contribute by her — they look to a humankind for strength , ” he says . It ’s a huge betrayal , but everything we ’ve seen onHouse of the Dragon , include in this very episode , unluckily suggests that he ’s correct . The view cease as Ser Simon enters and tells Daemon that the Brackens have yielded to the Blackwoods .
Back on the islands , Baela tag down her granddaddy , Corlys , who ’s just as morose as you ’d expect . She has a message from Rhaenyra : she ’d like him to dish up as Hand of the Queen . When Corlys resists , Baela reminds him that Rhaenys was n’t just his wife ; she was a Targaryen princess who meant a lot to many , and she died with award fighting for her crime syndicate . “ I will see Rhaenyra climb up the Iron Throne as Rhaenys wished . As Rhaenys herself should have , ” Baela says . Impressed , he offers to make Baela his heritor , but she says it ’s not for her . “ I am blood and fire , ” she says . “ Driftmark must put across to table salt and sea . ”
Photo: Ollie Upton/HBO
In the castle , Rhaenyra summons Ser Alfred , who ’s a bit of a prickly guy but has always been fiercely loyal , and asks him to go to Harrenhal . Daemon is , of course , ignoring her raven — and that army he ’s supposed to be gathering is take way too recollective to come together . She let Ser Alfred in on her ( correct ) concerns that Daemon ’s intent have careen , and that he ’s now eye the Iron Throne for himself . “ He would not dare ! ” Ser Alfred reply in stupor . “ Have you known Daemon to miss in dare ? ” is her perfectly aweary response .
speak of , Daemon is deep benumbed when he ’s interrupted yet again by Ser Simon with pressing business . The River Lords have arrived amid a violent rainstorm and are demanding an audience . After crabbing about etiquette , and referring to himself as “ your Targaryen master , ” he snaps , “ Is there some reason you feel free to wake a king in his layer ? ”
Well , yes : they ’re hopping mad about the barbarous tactics House Blackwood used to bring House Bracken into line , peculiarly “ works of barbarousness ” against women and children . These are warfare crimes beyond the pale ; there ’s no laurels or decency involved , and the atrocities are all being commit under the banners of House Targaryen . As Daemon ’s absorbing their sharp complaint , he has a vision of his recent wife , Laena , who remark on the “ terrible war . ” Daemon was all puffed up with haughty arrogance when he entered the elbow room — how dare these underlings barge in like this?—but his carriage visibly deflates , specially when one of the Lords get up the murder of little Prince Jaehaerys . Daemon dissent that was n’t his doing , but the River Lords are through with him . They storm out , declaring “ firedrake or no , we shall not raise our banner for a despot . ”
Photo: Theo Whiteman/HBO
At the gate of King ’s Landing , Rhaenyra ’s maid begs to be let inside . She has an errand to run for Mysaria , and a sympathetic guard lets her through . The big H and rain are still going as we cut to different scene in different locations , all shrouded in darkness . There ’s Corlys , deep in thought , consider what to do about Rhaenyra ’s Hand of the Queen offer . Then , Aemond fend in front of the Iron Throne , look as proud of as he ’s capable of calculate — then turning as someone appears in the crapper room behind him : it ’s his sister Heleana , who ’s also Aegon ’s wife . She require , “ Was it deserving the price ? ” We see an ail Aegon in his bed as Alicent briefly watches over him , then leaves him to get by himself .
Then we come up to Rhaenyra , engrossed in a stack of history books . Jace appears with the news that the Freys want Harrenhal as defrayment for joining Team Black . We ’re expecting her to be tempestuous with him for play out of act , but she says she ’s gallant of him , and that “ you have done our cause a great service . ” She ’s still upset — but not at Jace . or else , it ’s because the responsibility that come with being queen imply she ca n’t just dive into the action herself . The public lecture then turns to an absolutely crucial step in win the warfare : knock off Vhagar . “ I need dragons , ” she tells her Logos .
When Jace points out there aretwospare firedrake — not as large as Vhagar , but sure enough capable of engaging him — kip beneath their very castle , she responds that they do n’t have riders . Not just anybody can hop on a dragon ; they have to have the right kind of stemma . Then Jace has another idea : what about all those Targaryen - adjacent folks out there ? “ Those who married into other stately houses , their child born with other names ? ” Rhaenyra emphasizes that a dragon will only have a Dragon Lord as a rider , but we can tell she consider the notion has virtue . She live the importance of understanding the past , and not for nothing does House Targaryen have a well - documented history charting its intact line . “ It ’s a mad thought , ” she says . But is there any other result ?
New episodes ofHouse of the Dragonarrive Sundays on HBO and Max .
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