by “We’re off to battle again, old girl.”
-Rhaenys Targaryen, The Queen Who Never Was
The last episode of House of the Dragon, The Red Dragon and the Gold, has been the best since the Game of Thrones days. In this episode, viewers finally witnessed the epic battle they had been longing for, leaving them on the edge of their seats with racing heartbeats.
This episode is different from any other in House of the Dragon for many reasons. The visual effects of the dragons are impressive. They look incredibly realistic, their scales are staggering, and the dragon’s movements and attacks look like a perfectly choreographed dance. The dragons show psychological depth; we can see their personalities and behavior in detail. For example, in Sunfyre’s scene where he is cute and goofy with Aegon, almost like a dog. We can also see their emotional and physical pain. For example, when Meleys attacks and claws Sunfyre, the golden dragon screams in pain while fighting for his king; or when Meleys turns to look at Rhaenys after getting bit by Vhagar. The heart-breaking gaze they both when falling from the skies was filled with love, a way of bidding farewell and saying, “I’ve given all I can, forgive me”. A complicit look similar to those we share with a loved one on their deathbed.
AEMOND
This episode is also very different from the rest because Aemond had been presented “as loyal as a hound”, yet with the help of Ser Criston Cole, he plotted a military strategy to attack the Blacks, without Aegon’s permission. At first, I thought Aemond was strategizing for the good of his entire family or Team Green and because Aegon is clueless and ignorant. His council knows his lack of knowledge as well as his lack of interest. Hence the conversation he has with Alicent after she can’t find Viserys’ history books.
«Aegon tried to prove himself and he ended up proving the others.»
Alicent mentions his council earned their seat by studying, growing, and succeeding. She explains he is taking his responsibility for granted, as well as the efforts taken in place by others to put him on the throne. He either needs to contribute with valuable ideas or shut up and let others do the work. He then unexpectedly joined the battle led by Aemond and Ser Criston. Aegon tried to prove himself and he ended up proving the others.
The surprising element of the Targaryen brothers in this episode was Aemond’s loyalty to himself and no one else. This time we saw even a deeper, darker side of him. One of a traitor and a fratricide. After Rhaenys attacked Aegon with Meleys, the dance between the dragons biting and clawing one another seemed like Aegon’s end until Aemond appeared. It appeared to be a rescue from his brother, but nothing could have prepared audiences to see Aemond yell ‘Dracarys’ on Aegon and Sunfyre. If that wasn’t shameless enough, as soon as Aemond found his brother lying on the ground, he was going to kill him if Ser Criston Cole hadn’t asked him to put his sword away.
Aemond didn’t show remorse. He looked more regretful of Lucerys’ death than his brother’s, whom he started fighting for in the first place. Not even Daemon would dare to do that.
Why did Aemond do that? He always wanted to be king. Even in season 1 when everyone was looking for Aegon after Viserys’ passing, Aemond said if his brother went missing, he intended to be found. Even Aegon knew that, when Ser Arryk and Ser Erryk were looking for him, and then Aemond found him, he said: “I was hoping you disappeared”, and Aegon answered “I do not wish to rule. No taste for duty! I’m not suited… You let me go. I will find a ship and sail away, never to be found.”
Aemond’s ambition was always crystal clear and Aegon should’ve tread carefully. He should have avoided humiliating him in front of everyone at the brothel, but most importantly, he should’ve never fully trusted him. Yet another reason why Aegon is a complete idiot. He also should have waited for his return and expelled him from the council, but the Greens have never shown that much insight anyway. What did the council think was going to happen after intervening in a family feud that owns dragons? This is what Ser Criston Cole realized after gaining back his consciousness and looking at his surroundings. When he woke up all he saw were the ashes and the destruction from the fire.
Everyone is burned or severely injured. No mortal without a dragon can stand a chance. Why did the council and Otto Hightower think it would be a great idea to usurp the throne of a dragon rider with a dragon rider? Even though the Targaryens had been fighting since childhood, it was a dragon problem. Now everyone is defenseless, and they will burn with everything else. They should’ve let the Targaryens solve their issues like any other family at a good old Christmas. The worst part for Team Green is they no longer exist. Otto is exiled, Aegon has been brutally assaulted by his brother, Alicent has adopted a nihilistic attitude and she doesn’t care anymore, she has accepted everyone is going to die, someone will win, and eventually, there will be a new heir. If that’s not bad enough, Aegon is still alive, most likely disabled. Here we go again, repeating the family pattern: an ill king who can barely speak for himself with a council and relatives that rule for him. “The usurpers are usurping”.
RHAENYS
When Rhaenyra is told Ser Criston Cole and Ser Gwayne Hightower have raised their banners, she says they should send a dragon. Rhaenys then said she would be going and as soon as she arrived at the battle, she burned most of their soldiers. As mentioned before, Aegon appeared unexpectedly and Meleys attacked him. After Aegon and Sunfyre fall into the woods, Rhaenys could’ve escaped and gone back to Dragonstone, but she turned her dragon back to the battlefield and attacked Vhagar. Meleys and Rhaenys gave everything they had until their last breath, giving audiences the toughest watch so far. Why did she return to attack Aemond if he rides the fiercest dragon? Vhagar is the biggest and oldest dragon, she is around 180 years old, and she was first ridden by Visenya when she arrived along with her brother, Aegon The Conqueror.
«It was a suicidal mission for the greater good. To weaken Vhagar enough for upcoming battles.»
On one side, the dragons don’t have to be used to carry the entire battle. They could be seen as a weapon and not the complete strategy because that risks their life and their riders. Especially knowing some dragons are much bigger than others, like Vhagar compared to Arrax or Sunfyre. The possibility of Rhaenys and Meleys’ deaths was very high considering they were already hurt and exhausted. Rhaenys attacked with all her strength until her last breath, determined to give everything she had to end the war responsible for the deaths of Lucerys, Laenor, and Laena. Having lost everything and grieved for years, it was her pain that drove her to stop a violent and pointless conflict. She sought to defend herself and put respect for the crown and justice, especially as the Queen Who Never Was. Her actions also intended to prevent the same fate for Rhaenyra and ensure the respect for Rhaenyra, Baela, Rhaena, and herself was recognized, despite being women.
It was a suicidal mission for the greater good. To weaken Vhagar enough for the upcoming battles. Her deep bond with Meleys has been the best dragon-rider dynamic representation on-screen in the GOT Universe. We can see how they understand each other as one, she barely speaks and Meleys follows. They dance with ferocity, love, and understanding. As painful as their death was, it was freeing. As they fell from the skies, they were getting freed from the violence, the struggle, the fury, and the impotence. Almost a nirvana-like moment: fully present in one another, letting go of all the hurdles and pains.
She knew this was her last ride and this time she went back and burned everything as much as she could because it was her last opportunity to do so. The last time she faced the Greens, rising from the ground, she didn’t burn them because she didn’t want to start the war. However, at Rooks Rest, she took the matter into her own hands. She’s undoubtedly a true queen who gave everything, putting respect to her legacy and her family’s, fighting with fire and blood.
