In the penultimate episode of the second season of House of the Dragon, we realize that the civil war is confused on all sides, without leadership but full of followers. There is a goal, the Iron Throne, but there is no exact purpose. Let me explain better, the ambiguous definition is a reflection of the moment in history.

On the Greens’ side, so far winning the match because they effectively hold the throne, the crowned King recovers from his wounds in the only battle he participated in, completely destroyed inside and out and in constant pain, with Aemond waiting for the army that supports him to reach the next destination to fight and on the Blacks’ side, there are two sides: the one that Daemon has been struggling with in Harrenhal, which is to rally the Houses of Riverland to support Rhaenyra, and her side, which does not know what her uncle is doing, refuses to demand an answer and – influenced by the dubious Mysaria – will do anything to gain power over the dragons that are without riders in Dragonstone. An advanced recipe for disaster.

In King’s Landing, an incapacitated king and a regent without vision

Let’s start with the Greens, who have a much simpler part in the game: staying on the defensive.

I’m not one of those fans who counts the speed of travel in Westeros. Last season, traveling seemed faster – if someone was announced, they would show up at Court – but it must be because of the War since Otto Hightower has not yet returned to the capital. This has a greater impact because without the Hand of the King to decide what to do, Aemond can give orders, but who listens?

Alicent is in crisis with her Karma. She was officially dismissed from the Council, she has no connection with her children who prefer her far away, and instead of taking care of Aegon, she is licking her own wounds. She “earned” a scar like the one she gave Rhaenyra and experiences first-hand what her friend also faces: misogyny and oppression in a sexist society. She has no role, especially in times of War, and so she goes camping in the forest to rethink her life (and contemplate suicide?). She doesn’t stop Ser Larys Strong from taking care of her children or mentioning Rhaenyra’s visit. She is waiting for her father to return, as useless for now as expected of her.

Aemond is one-eyed, we know, and therefore does not have a complete view of the threatening scenario around him. By humiliating and opposing Larys, he reduced her regency in time and scope faster than her dreamed-of clash with Daemon, because the Master of Sighs is the greatest villain of House of the Dragon, without competition.

It is not out of empathy that Larys is working on Aegon’s recovery, being present and demanding, with the appearance of being attentive to the King. Aegon is literally in her hands and Larys is in a hurry to undermine Otto’s chances as Hand. Therefore, she leaves Aemond vulnerable to Rhaenyra’s strategy by omitting vital information.

The most malicious and important action of the entire episode was not the sowing of dragons, it was Larys’ decision to end Aemond. He is informed of what is happening in Dragonstone and lets it happen. Matthew Needham‘s gigantic performance is one of the highlights of House of the Dragon.

When Aemond finds out at the end of the episode, it is too late and now the Greens are at a military disadvantage: Rhaenyra has more dragons and people to use them.

Rhaenyra adopts the “Oprah strategy”: she distributes dragons

Look, Rhaenyra is having a hard time surrounded by men who defend her as Queen but do not respect her as a leader. Not even Jacaerys considers her doing a good job and he, unlike the others, knows about the prophecy and the diplomatic vision of his mother, who wants the throne because she has a moral responsibility that only official heirs are informed about. A tenuous argument, as fragile as a woman facing the structures of patriarchal society alone. In other words: Rhaenyra is doing everything they think she would do because she is a woman: nonsense.

Rhaenyra lost her main advisor, Rhaenys, and gave the position of Hand to Corlys as a consolation because his father-in-law arrived at Dragonstone all proud, but he hasn’t done anything, not even sought out his queen to talk. He’s more concerned with himself, restoring his fleet, and dealing with his bastard child(ren) than finding Rhaenyra and putting his house in order. What a mess!

The only one focused and effective in all his actions and ideas is Jace, who has gained allies in the North and the Riverlands, who has thought of an emergency plan for the Dragons, and who has seen his mother, influenced by her suspicious girlfriend, ruin everything in a desperate gesture. Poor Jace.

Jace gave Rhaenyra the idea of ​​seeking knights to use the available dragons, but he drew up a plan both to justify it and to ensure that only trustworthy people would rule them. It would be difficult, it was risky, but there was a plan to be made. Now, thanks to Mysaria’s advice, Rhaenyra was more immediate and obviously messed everything up.

Upon discovering that Seasmoke has chosen Addam of Hull as her knight (R.I.P. Laenor, wherever he was living), Rhaenyra sees the way out to shut up the men who questioned her and arm herself against Aemond. Under Mysaria’s encouragement, of course, both of them without the slightest notion of Government or War. Now, without questioning more deeply who Allyn is, the queen holds on to what she should already know: bastards can fly dragons as well as pure-blooded Targaryens. Her children were this proof and Jace is, justifiably, hurt by his mother for officially exposing him by improvising and expanding the proposal he made. It is a spectacular scene, by the way.

Jace always knew his father was Ser Harwin Strong, but he clung to what Rhaenyra explained in episode 6 of season 1: he was a Targaryen prince because of her and the dragons proved it. As my sister summarized: Rhaneyra won the war but lost the throne. She has more weapons to annihilate the Greens, which is what she thinks will earn her respect in the Council and in Westeros, but she has just destroyed the order of succession because, as Jace warns, literally anyone now – especially the bastards – can feel fit to be King, since she named him heir. A mess that she ended the discussion without grasping the danger, which makes her unfit to reign in my book. Rhaenyra wants the Crown for her ego, just like Daemon or Aegon, with none of the hypocritical speech of divine mission or concern to avoid bloodshed.

By ignoring Jace’s warning, not consulting Corlys or thinking twice, Rhaenyra feels powerful and validated, but just like Aemond, she has shortened her days.

The seed of betrayal sown on all sides

Rhaenyra is very poorly served. Ser Corlys has always wanted one thing, which was to rule in his wife’s name. As Hand, he could rule for Rhaenyra, but now that he knows his bastards can fly dragons, his loyalties become flexible again. He doesn’t need a Targaryen shield, he has the sea and the air, and Steve Touissant is another who perfectly captures the elegance and greed of his character.

His expression when he learns that Addam is with Seasmoke is a harbinger of his future: he doesn’t even need or want to question Rhaenyra’s decision to go around distributing dragons to bastards, with that she put one of his sons in the possible succession and that’s all he wants. Jace is so right!

Then we arrive at the long-awaited sowing sequence, where we see that Ulf the White and Hugh Hammer come out alive and armed with great dragons. Seeing so many dragons is what many want and are fascinated by.

We discover that Hugh is actually Viserys and Daemon’s uncle, a revelation that changes the entire perspective of what will happen until the end of House of the Dragon and a spectacular curiosity. Of course, if you haven’t read Fire & Blood you will be quite confused about how a Targaryen princess became a prostitute and the series doesn’t care. At least not for now. Now Hugh flies with Vermithor and Ulf with Silverwing and it is because Ulf is going to show off in King’s Landing that Aemond finally discovers what Rhaenyra did, without being able to use Vaghar to face Syrax, Vermax, and Moondancer. Vermithor and Silverwings together. And potentially, Caraxes. The aerial numerical advantage is with the Blacks and the War takes on new contours.

The moment of truth for Daemon

Harrenhal has become an intense, hallucinogenic, and harsh therapy for Daemon, whether in delusions or reality. He demands from everyone the recognition of King, not just consort, because he is not wrong in acknowledging that Rhaenyra has the title, but no House will follow her without a man like him by her side, so why keep up the formalities and not admit the truth?

What he realizes is that just as women cannot overcome prejudice, his unpopularity does not qualify him to be accepted either. Playing dirty has consequences and he plays dirty. After sleepless nights, and weeks without giving updates on how his mission to gather strength to fight for his wife is going, Daemon gets the numbers to fight, but he still has to understand what he really wants for himself.

In his constant delusions, we know that he feels bad about Jaehaerys’ death, that he wants to kill Rhaenyra and that he still sees her as a young girl, that he wants to feel special and better than Viserys (the scene with his mother) and now, remembering how the Crown destroyed his brother, he has to decide whether he wants her for himself or whether he will really fight for Rhaenyra.

The answer is somewhat obvious, the path was long and somewhat repetitive, but it allowed us to get to know Daemon from the inside in a way that is not even on the pages. The problem he did not anticipate was having left Mysaria in Dragonstone. As far as he knew, imprisoned, but when he returns, he will see that she has taken her place in Rhaenyra’s bed and ears, and reclaiming that place will be an even greater challenge than dealing with Aemond and Vhagar.

And now? How will we say goodbye?

The season finale episode of House of the Dragon will serve to reunite us with Otto Hightower, meet Daeron Targaryen, and understand the next steps. I know that those who hate Ser Criston Cole, are somewhat distanced now that Aemond is regent and preferred to bring his grandfather back. This estrangement between them may be due to double jealousy: Ser Criston defended Aegon when Aemond tried to get rid of him and it is clear that the prince knows what Alicent and Cole were doing in their spare time. In other words, he sent Ser Criston Cole to certain death and she may be the conclusion of the season.

My doubt is whether we will say goodbye to Ser Criston or Jace first, and, following the school of the previous season, I believe it will be goodbye to the bastard prince. Unfortunately.

Another relationship that promises to evolve is that of Aemond and Helaena, a popular theory that has not yet been explored. We see that Aemond asks her to fly with him into battle, will the series change the book that much?

Either way, we only have one Sunday before the long hiatus again. Can we dream of the Republic in Westeros?

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