July 17, 2024
Courtesy: HBO
Daemon has an unsettling dream about his mother; Alicent receives a wake-up call, and Rhaenyra and Jacaerys search for more dragon riders in "Regent," the fifth installment of House of the Dragon.
The episode begins with the aftermath of Rhaenys (Eve Best) and her dragon Meleys' crushing deaths, with Criston Cole parading the severed head of Meleys through the town of King's Landing as a symbolic victory of war. Ser Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) is needed because he would be furious at the spectacle. When Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) is brought in badly burnt to a crisp and at death's door (kudos to the make-up department and special effects), Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) wastes no time in seizing the opportunity to tell Alicent (Olivia Cooke) that someone needs to rule in his place.
The parallels of Aegon ending up just like his father on his deathbed, frail and clinging to life, were quite the visual. Alicent is naturally freaked out, and judging by her expression, she senses that Aemond is responsible and seeks Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) to find answers. However, Cole remains aloof and avoids her questions. Alicent knows she has no choice but to stay silent.
This leads to the Small Council wasting no time in appointing a Regent. Alicent makes a valiant proposal as to why it should be ber, but they (including Cole) dismissed her salient claims because she is a woman and unanimously appointed Aemond as Regent, much to his satisfaction. The direction of this entire scene was masterful, as the entire episode was about parallels. Alicent has been integral in colluding and taking advantage of the fact that Rhaenyra's failure to claim the throne is because she is a woman, and here, the same thing is being done to her. It seems like karmic justice.
Courtesy: HBO
Aemond, ever strategic, wastes no time accepting and plotting his next move. The editorial choice to intensely focus on Alicent's pain as Aemond's words became a blur, and we only heard her breathing, was incredibly effective and provided such a vivid picture of her emotional landscape. The show primarily focuses on Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy), but Cooke's Alicent is such a layered character that it is grossly overlooked.
Ser Alfred (Jamie Kenna) of Rhaenyra council questions her abilities to challenge Aemond because she is a woman. She does not even know how to wield a sword, but Rhaenyra counters that he is not prudent in battle either since they have inherited years of peace, thanks to Viserys (good point!) The councilmen argue that they should act now and send another dragon to enact vengeance over the events at Rook's Rest since Vhagar's energy is depleted. Rhaenyra argues it should be her leading the charge, and they disagree as she is Queen. Sir Alfred, while loyal to Rhaenyra, continually views her womanhood as a crutch, and the sexism continues.
Rhaenyra voices her frustrations to Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno), and they devise a plan to capitalize on the discontent of the commoners at King's Landing to sway their allegiance. It's interesting how Mysaria continues to be wiser and more effective than all the men of Rhaenyra's council. Food is scarce, and the King is not paying the laborers for their work, so money is low. With Viserys, there was peace. The people's discontent grows as Hugh Hammer (Kieran Bew), his wife and his sick daughter are seen trying to leave the city, but they are forced to stay as the guards place a barricade that prevents everyone from leaving, per Aemond's orders. Now that their illusions about the dragons being gods have been shattered, it's safe to assume that the people's confidence in Aegon and Aemond is weakening, and Rhaenyra has a chance.
Jacaerys (Harry Collett) decides to pay Daemon (Matt Smith) a visit at Harrenhal (since he seems stuck there. Seriously, why is he there so long? This feels like the longest visit in history) so he can reaffirm his loyalty to Rhaenyra, but Baela (Bethany Antonia) knows it is useless since not even Rhaenyra can tame Daemon. Jace expresses his frustrations that Rhaenyra keeps coddling him, but Baela argues she's only protecting him. He refuses to sit idly by and later devises a plan to meet with The Freys, who, in return, wants Harrenhal for their allegiance.
Courtesy: HBO
Speaking of Daemon, the moment he landed at Harrenhal, it's been one bad dream, vision, omen after another, and this time, he's having creepy sex with his mother, Alyssa (Emeline Lambert). Frankly, we're not sure why he's dreaming of having sex with his mother, as his psychological issues have only deepened since arriving at Harrenhal. The more time Daemon spends there, the creepier he becomes, and Alys Rivers (Gayle Rankin) has everything to do with it. When he suggests to Willem Blackwood to initiate war crimes in the form of sexual and physical torture upon House Bracken to force their allegiance to Rhaenyra, we're not surprised. He's at Harrenhal to raise an army for Rhaenyra, but that motivation is becoming more convoluted as he wants the throne for himself.
Rhaenyra offers the position of Hand of the Queen to Corlys (Steve Toussaint), who is grieving the loss of his wife, and I'm not sure if it was a genuine gesture or conciliatory. Why would Corlys want the position? His wife just died, and he's in mourning. It's safe to assume that he's angry at Rhaenyra, and justifiably so. More screen time should have been spent on Corlys in this episode, however, the moments he was given displayed his quiet anger and we felt his emotions. He offers heirship to Baela, but she refuses, and in a decisive moment for the character, she declares, "I am blood and fire. Driftmark must pass to salt and sea." It's always great when Corlys, Baela, and Rhaena (Phoebe Campbell) are given more screen time. Laena (Nanna Blondell, Daemeon's ex-wife, and mother of Baela and Rhaeana, also made another ghostly appearance.
Courtesy: HBO
Rhaenyra is down on her luck as nothing is going right to aid her cause to the throne, however, a strategic Jacaerys (who came into his own in this episode) surmises that even though a dragon needs to be ridden by a person of dragon blood, there are men and women who carry that blood but not the Targaryen name... distant relatives who have married and bred with other houses. He's not wrong; with all the incestual relationships paramount among their lineage, they just need to find them. The light bulb goes off in Rhaenyra's head and there is hope.
If everything goes according to plan, she will not only have dragon riders but an army in her name - that's if Daemon can be trusted.
Watch the all new preview for episode six below:
"House of The Dragon" airs on HBO and streams on MAX Sundays at 9 EST.
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