Although the episode The Battle of Rooks Nest has its flaws, in general, it fulfilled its mission precisely in the most anticipated clash of House of the Dragon. And yes, there are significant changes from the book, but – in this case – ultra interesting.

Daemon’s difficulties

I know that if you support the blacks you have a washed-out feeling in the 1st half. She’s more real in the series than in the book, where the seven kingdoms were actually divided in their allegiance. And this change, with two entire episodes to show Daemon (Matt Smith) raving in Harrenhall, seemed like a waste of the actor’s talents.

The sequence that once again brought young Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock) makes it seem to me that Daemon really is a pedophile and only sees his wife as if she were 15 years old. By God, they’ve been married for over 10 at this point, seeing her once young, okay, straight? It’s disgusting. And see Daemon as Aemond? Awkward!

With an isolated Matt Smith struggling to co-opt forces to fight for Rhaenyra leaves us apprehensive. If the kingdom is in doubt, it seems to me that the Blacks are rebelling more than asserting what is right. And the worst thing is that we will still have more delusions…

Alicent, the bitter and bold

Well, in King’s Landing the big deal is that Alicent (Olivia Cooke) slept so much in bed with Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) that she got pregnant by the man. Nothing that a little abortive tea can’t solve, but it’s impossible that she now doesn’t see herself as being unfair to Rhaenyra. And you know what else? Alicent is like the broken dragon again that brought her and Viserys (Paddy Considine) together: beyond repair. And shameless!

Ser Larys Strong (Matthew Needham) made a point of showing that the Queen’s secret isn’t exactly a secret, but Alicent isn’t scared. Now that she knows for sure that she usurped the crown for her son, she notices that only she fell for the “King changed his mind” story. This is because the Council had already made it clear that she would act anyway, but she wanted to take that credit. Seeing how weak and unprepared Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carey) is, she now seems to want to leave the bill to her father.

The only person besides Rhaenyra who saw the real Alicent was Aegon, with whom she was always absent and aggressive. The King is insecure, equally realizing that everyone sees him as a fool and that nothing he says matters while Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) is everything he is not. The poisonous seed and Larys are germinating inside him and the truth is that Larys didn’t lie. Aemond envies Aegon and appears to be in tune with Ser Criston, excluding Aegon himself from the attack plans.

He opens his heart to his mother and main advisor, who takes the opportunity to make him even worse by saying that the best thing he can do is stay away from decisions. A drunk and frustrated Aegon obviously tries but fails.

Civil war has problems between siblings and couples

Still, on the side of the Greens, Ser Criston is being successful in his campaign, growing armies and castles taken along the way. To draw Rhaenyra into confrontation, he takes a smaller castle and will have the support of Aemond and the hated and hated Vhagar. This hallucinates Aegon, who, unlike what is reported in the book, is supposed to be out of the battle.

Outraged by Aemond’s growing leadership in the war, Aegon decides to surprise everyone and participate in the ambush, leaving late and disrupting the plans. We will return to it. The fact is that Aegon no longer trusts Aemond and Aemond nor does he disguise his desire to rule. If the Greens beat the blacks, there are still problems at home.

In Dragonstone, Rhaenyra is criticized for her advice and even more by Jaecaerys (Harry Collett), outraged by his mother’s absence and even more angry when he finds out what she is doing in hiding. Unlike in the book, Rhaenyra is now “resigned” to war, even if she still wants to avoid bloodshed. She falls into the trap created by Cole and Aemond, deciding to go to Rooks Nest, but her main advisor, Rhaenys (Eve Best) stops her, volunteering to go in the Queen’s place. The fact that Corlys (Steve Toussaint) was present and agreed with his wife will leave the fight he will have with Rhaenyra somewhat empty, but we will see.

Dance of Dragons

The Battle of Rooks Nest was always Rhaenys’s farewell and the build-up was incredible. First, the series confirmed for us that Addam and Allyn of Hull (Abubakar Salim and Clinton Liberty) are the same bastard children of Ser Corlys, but, unlike the book, Rhaenys knows and accepts it. With that, we just need to find out that Laenor (John McMillan) really died because Alyn will fly with Seasmoke.

Showing us that not only did Rhaenys know about Corlys’ infidelity but she understood it, without attacking his children, made her even greater in her final episode. She leaves for Rooks Nest with his heart torn, with an intimation that his sadness foreshadowed something bad in the air.

When we returned to the battlefield, everything was exactly as we wanted: tense, dramatic, and incredible. Aegon’s surprise arrival disrupted plans and made Aemond’s decision clearer. Rhaenys and Meleys had no problems in the confrontation with Aegon and Sunfyre, having a dangerous advantage. Aemond delayed his entry with Vhagar, but the “old bitch”, as she is called on the Internet, is always powerful and definitive.

Upon entering the circuit, Vhagar attacks both Meleys and Sunfyre, in a dubious order from Aemond to burn them both without thinking about the danger to Aegon. Obviously, Rhaenys frees herself, but the King falls to the ground, burned and possibly dead, to the shock and despair of Criston Cole.

There was a chance for Rhaenys to escape with her life, but she turned around and faced Vhagar, with difficulty, but with chances. That’s when once again the old dragon plays dirty and attacks sneakily after hiding. Just like what you did to Lucearys. Without a chance to defend herself, Meleys is mortally wounded and Rhaenys falls with her, dying heroically for Rhaenyra. It was beautiful.

And now?

Well, there are only three episodes left and we are uncertain if we will still have Jace’s deaths and the black turn, we’ll see. In the next episode, the Greens’ victory is overshadowed by Aegon’s condition.

Although the teaser still raises doubts as to whether he survived, the answer is yes, but just barely. Completely burned and broken, Aegon will never be the same again. While they try to cure and save him, the regency of Aemond Targaryen begins, which was still the King’s greatest fear of losing the crown to Rhaenyra. Yes, Aemond deliberately tried to kill Aegon and was going to let Rhaenys escape. Sibling hatred in House Targaryen is part of the family’s DNA.

Aligned with Ser Criston, Aemond is out for blood. The next battles will be no less violent than the one at Rooks Nest. Rhaenyra desperately needs Daemon to be present. Can he do it?

Rhaenys’ death leaves Rhaenyra without her greatest supporter, both in the question of what Rhaenyra should do and as the leader who gave credibility and endorsed the Queen of Black’s cause. Without The Queen That Never Was, Rhaenyra’s isolation is practically total, as neither Daemon nor Corlys can support her without thinking about themselves first. And as we know, a Targaryen alone is never a good thing…

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