The king is lifeless, lengthy stay the king … or queen. With Viserys lastly having succumbed to his long-running sickness, the Iron Throne is up for grabs, and lots of in Westeros might want to resolve whether or not they help Aegon II or Rhaenyra. As Episode 9 of Home of the Dragon, “The Inexperienced Council,” conveyed, the Dance of the Dragons is starting.

However a civil warfare will contain extra than simply the Targaryens and Hightowers on the coronary heart of the battle. Will the remainder of the realm align with the greens (as Alicent’s contingent is thought, for Hightower inexperienced) or the blacks (Rhaenyra’s faction, for Home Targaryen’s black shade)? Let’s break it down:

Deep Dive: Carving Up the Seven Kingdoms

Home of the Dragon has saved its world small. Exterior of some temporary visits to Pentos, the Stepstones, the Vale of Arryn, and Storm’s Finish, we’ve spent our time bouncing amongst three areas, all in or on Blackwater Bay: King’s Touchdown, Driftmark, and Dragonstone. However there have been hints of the broader Westeros on the market, and with warfare seemingly on the horizon, the world is about to get an entire lot larger.

In Episode 9, some lords bend the knee to Aegon II. Others—like Girl Fell and Allun Caswell—both refuse to take action or don’t accomplish that credibly, and pay with their lives. This music and dance is about to be repeated all through the realm, as lords far and huge will quickly be pressured to choose a aspect: inexperienced or black. Let’s have a look, area by area, at how Westeros might divide itself within the coming civil warfare:

The Crownlands

Exterior of the Targaryens, a very powerful household within the Crownlands (the area situated round the place Aegon the Conqueror landed in Westeros) is clearly the Velaryons. And as Rhaenys made clear this week, she’s not aligning herself with the greens. However she additionally had an opportunity to burn all of them on the website of Aegon II’s coronation and didn’t as a result of … causes. So perhaps her coronary heart isn’t totally on the blacks’ aspect but, both.

Nonetheless, there are various components that ought to sway Rhaenys and Home Velaryon to hitch Rhaenyra’s trigger. The first one is that each one of Rhaenys and Corlys’s grandchildren are tied to the blacks: Baela and Rhaena by Daemon and Laena, and Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey by Rhaenyra and Laenor (no less than on paper). Plus, no matter squabbles Rhaenys and Corlys could have over whether or not one’s blood or one’s identify counts for extra Westerosi legacy factors, Baela is betrothed to Jace and Rhaena to Lucerys, which implies that the youngsters of these marriages will carry each the blood and identify of Home Velaryon.

And whereas Rhaenys doesn’t appear to have a lot love or respect for Daemon, Corlys does, owing to his and Daemon’s success within the Stepstones a few years in the past. Corlys is grievously wounded and has been AWOL for the previous two episodes. However ought to he get better, his place on this brewing warfare appears fairly clear: He’ll help Rhaenyra and his grandsons. Oh yeah, and one remaining cause for the Velaryons to help the blacks: The greens began their courtship of Rhaenys by having her imprisoned in her chambers. Not one of the simplest ways to start an alliance!

That’s the Velaryons, however what of the opposite homes within the Crownlands?

Many of the different homes on this space haven’t risen to the extent of prominence and affect that we see in a few of Westeros’s different areas. One notable exception is Home Bar Emmon, which supported Rhaenys on the Nice Council of 101 AC and subsequently would possible comply with her (or simply typically be extra open to a feminine claimant). Home Celtigar (the one different Valyrian-descended home in Westeros) additionally supported Rhaenys.

One other notable home from the area is Home Stokeworth—the identical Stokeworths that Bronn marries into in Thrones with a view to acquire a fort. Hearth & Blood tells us that an unnamed “Lord Stokeworth” was one of many lords imprisoned within the Crimson Preserve for being deemed more likely to defect to the blacks, as was a Lord Rosby, one other noble from the Crownlands. Additionally in Hearth & Blood, Otto causes that the Masseys and Crabbs are more likely to be part of Rhaenyra. Principally, virtually everybody within the Crownlands seems set to help Viserys’s named inheritor. That might make issues difficult for the greens, whose King’s Touchdown headquarters places them proper within the midst of all these homes.

The Attain

The Hightowers will stand with the greens; we all know that a lot. Home Hightower, which has an overlord within the Tyrells, is likely to be the strongest home within the realm that doesn’t rule over its area. The Hightowers management Oldtown, which was the biggest and strongest metropolis in Westeros previous to Aegon’s Conquest and the rise of King’s Touchdown, and which nonetheless serves as dwelling base for each the Religion of the Seven (on the Starry Sept) and the order of the maesters (on the Citadel). Hearth & Blood tells us that the Hightowers are “able to elevating giant new armies rapidly from the streets of Oldtown, and with their very own warships and people of their shut kin, the Redwynes of the Arbor, they might float a big fleet as nicely.”

We’ve beforehand seen Hobert Hightower—Otto’s brother—main this home (he’s the man who tells Alicent that the Hightowers will stand along with her when Alicent wears inexperienced to Rhaenyra’s wedding ceremony), however that character doesn’t exist within the books and hasn’t been seen in a while. At this level in Hearth & Blood, Ormund Hightower, Otto’s nephew, is the lord of Home Hightower. We might even see him quickly. One other character we might even see is Prince Daeron, the fourth baby of Alicent and Viserys, who’s been off display screen this season however who George R.R. Martin just lately confirmed exists. He’s in Oldtown squiring for the Hightowers.

However the Hightowers aren’t even the Attain’s ruling home. That might be the Tyrells of Highgarden, whose present lord is an toddler, Lyonel Tyrell. His mom has the regency and guidelines the area in his identify. The Tyrells are one of the vital highly effective homes within the realm, as a result of the Attain is probably the most fertile area in Westeros and supplies a lot of the meals for the continent. As a present of power, the Tyrells introduced 500 males (probably the most of any home) to the Nice Council of 101 AC.

There are a variety of different important homes within the rich Attain, together with Home Caswell (extra on Lord Caswell in a minute!), Home Oakheart, Home Tarly, Home Rowan, Home Peake, and Home Costayne, amongst others. In Hearth & Blood, the greens count on the Tyrells to fall according to their “over-mighty” bannermen, the Hightowers. If that occurs, all of these lesser homes would certainly comply with, and the greens would have an unbelievable power at their disposal. The blacks, against this, haven’t any actual connections to the Attain.

The Westerlands

Tyland Lannister has sat on King Viserys’s Small Council because the grasp of ships for greater than a decade now, and as we noticed in “The Inexperienced Council,” he was an lively participant within the scheming to place Aegon II on the throne. His older twin brother, Jason Lannister, is the top of the home and was the one who had so many less-than-pleasant interactions with Rhaenyra when the latter was a teen. So it’s protected to say that the Lannisters—who after the Velaryons are Westeros’s second-wealthiest home—are breaking for the greens.

The Lannisters’ bannermen usually are not as notable as these from different areas in Westeros, however one now we have seen on-screen is Home Westerling. The lord commander of the Kingsguard since Episode 2 of Home of the Dragon has been Harrold Westerling. Whereas Harrold, who walks out of the inexperienced council’s assembly in protest, clearly doesn’t help the greens, he has additionally sworn oaths to serve the crown and never participate within the politics of the realm, so he shouldn’t be anticipated to publicly push his home to anyone aspect. However it’s honest to wonder if his household will discover the greens’ usurpation of the throne as unsavory as he does. (It’s additionally honest to surprise the place Harrold is, contemplating Criston Cole was named lord commander on this episode.)

The Riverlands

The Riverlands are the least unified area within the realm. The Tullys rule the world from Riverrun, however Harrenhal, managed by Larys Robust, is the bigger and arguably extra highly effective fort. We already noticed that the Blackwoods and Brackens have a feud that goes again ages. The Freys of the Crossing additionally maintain appreciable energy.

Let’s begin with the Tullys. The Lord Paramount of the Trident at the moment is Grover Tully. He has a notable grandson in Elmo and two notable nice grandsons in Kermit and Oscar (yeah, actually). Grover is sufficiently old that he attended the Nice Council of 101 AC, the place he spoke in favor of Viserys. He’s a really outdated man now, however his help of the male claimant then might imply the Tullys will keep on with Aegon II.

Regardless of the Tullys resolve, it shouldn’t be anticipated to sway the opposite homes within the fractured Riverlands. We all know the Strongs and Harrenhal will declare allegiance to the greens. However what of the opposite homes?

The Twins is below the purview of Forrest Frey, who in Hearth & Blood requested for Rhaenyra’s hand in marriage again when she was searching for a suitor. Rhaenyra didn’t have very a lot tact as a teen, and apparently Forrest earned the identify “Idiot Frey” after Rhaenyra spurned him. That might push him towards the greens.

In Episode 4 of Home of the Dragon, a Blackwood boy slew a Bracken when Rhaenyra was courting suitors at Storm’s Finish. The Blackwoods additionally supported Rhaenys on the Nice Council of 101 AC. Their earlier help of Rhaenys and the maybe joyful reminiscences they’ve of reducing down a rival in entrance of Rhaenyra might make them supporting the blacks … however in fact that will in all probability simply push the Brackens to the greens in response. Whichever manner these two homes break, it is going to virtually certainly be for reverse sides; let’s name this a wash.

There are a variety of different homes within the Riverlands as nicely, together with the Mootons, Pipers, Rootes, Darrys, Mallisters, and Vances. However we all know much less about them than the opposite homes we’ve already coated, they usually’re certainly much less highly effective and influential. Oh yeah, and lest you assume the Muppets Tully have the one foolish names within the Riverlands, Home Piper is led by a lord named Petyr.

The Vale

Bear in mind the entire enterprise with Daemon and his spouse Rhea Royce? Home Royce is without doubt one of the strongest households within the Vale, and I feel it’s protected to say that after Gerold Royce’s phrases to Daemon again at Rhaenyra and Laenor’s wedding ceremony, the Royces will break for Workforce Inexperienced. Which will have been some 16 years in the past, however Home Royce’s phrases are actually “We Bear in mind.”

The Royces are sworn to Home Arryn, the lords of the Vale, and the Arryns could comply with their bannermen in positioning themselves towards the blacks. At Rhaenyra and Laenor’s wedding ceremony, Daemon means that he’ll make a declare because the inheritor to Runestone. He really does this in Hearth & Blood, and the Arryns primarily inform him to get misplaced:

Runestone handed as an alternative to Girl Rhea’s nephew, and when Daemon made attraction to the Eyrie, not solely was his declare dismissed, however Girl Jeyne warned him that his presence within the Vale was unwelcome.

Nonetheless, the Arryns’ loyalties is probably not so easy. Whereas the Vale has no love for Daemon, we must always not neglect who Rhaenyra’s mom is: Aemma Arryn. The truth that Rhaenyra has Arryn blood from her mom might assist her sway the Arryns to her trigger.

Plus, the Vale is at the moment dominated by Girl Jeyne Arryn, often known as the Maiden of the Vale. She has no husband and guidelines the Vale in her personal identify, one of many few examples of a girl main a area of Westeros. Breaking for Aegon II over Rhaenyra would put Jeyne’s personal place in danger.

The Iron Islands

Pyke is at the moment dominated by Dalton Greyjoy, who is known as the Crimson Kraken on account of his bloodlust and daring nature (so he’s primarily like each different Ironborn). Whereas the Velaryons have the realm’s mightiest navy at the moment, the Ironborn are a substantial sea energy themselves. The issue is they’re all the way in which on the opposite aspect of Westeros—to get to Blackwater Bay and King’s Touchdown, they’ll must sail south round Dorne and again up. That’s not unimaginable (Euron Greyjoy did it in Sport of Thrones), but it surely’ll take a while.

The Ironborn are fickle, although. They like to consider themselves as unbiased (earlier than Aegon’s Conquest they even managed the Riverlands) and have a behavior of declaring themselves as such at any time when there’s unrest within the realm. That is nonetheless obvious within the interval main as much as and through A Tune of Ice and Hearth and Sport of Thrones. Robert Baratheon has to place down Greyjoy’s Riot in 289 AC, shortly after successful the crown and ending the Targaryen dynasty. Then, as soon as the Warfare of the 5 Kings breaks out, Balon Greyjoy instantly declares himself “King of the Isles and the North,” and Euron Greyjoy calls himself king after Balon dies. Aligning with the Ironborn is kinda like preventing with dragons: You higher be able to get burned.

Dorne

Whereas Dorne remains to be an unbiased kingdom and customarily desires little to do with Westeros (exterior of sometimes raiding the Stormlands), the Dornish aren’t totally remoted from the realm. They did ship observers to the Nice Council of 101 AC to see Viserys get topped. And whereas it wasn’t actually depicted within the present, the Dornish joined forces with the Triarchy within the warfare for the Stepstones. Since succession in Dorne attracts no distinction between women and men, Dorne could also be keen on Rhaenyra’s declare as Viserys’s first-born baby and named inheritor. However the battle within the Stepstones implies that Dorne was preventing straight towards Rhaenyra’s husband Daemon within the not-so-distant previous, so there should still be some unhealthy blood there.

The North

May we lastly see a Stark on this present for multiple second? Properly … perhaps. Whoever earns the help of the North must wait some time to see it come to fruition. The North is sort of as giant as the remainder of Westeros mixed, so it takes quite a lot of time for the Starks to assemble their banners and march south. That’s one of many causes we so not often see Starks in King’s Touchdown.

The North in all probability prefers the isolation, but when the Starks do get entangled, they’d tentatively lean towards the blacks. Home Stark was in favor of Rhaenys on the Nice Council of 101 AC, as have been their bannermen in Home Dustin of Barrowton and Home Manderly of White Harbor. One other notable home from the North, Home Cerwyn, is thought to be near Cregan Stark, the present head of the Starks. That’s 4 of a very powerful homes within the North proper there, all seemingly leaning towards the blacks.

The Stormlands

Home Baratheon is the massive wild card proper now, which is why they’re mentioned on this episode. The Stormlands are situated simply south of the Crownlands, making their help essential for the early parts of a warfare that may possible be centered in that space. They usually have the power to rally a substantial host; there’s a cause it’s Robert Baratheon who ends the Targaryen dynasty, and never another lord.

We’ve beforehand seen Boremund Baratheon on the present, each when he helped to facilitate Rhaenyra’s seek for suitors when she was a teen and when he acquired Rhaenys’s favor on the match in Episode 1. Boremund is Rhaenys’s cousin (her mom was Jocelyn Baratheon), and he was Rhaenys’s greatest supporter on the Nice Council of 101 AC. That’d make the Baratheons shoo-ins for the blacks … besides that Boremund is lifeless.

Now, Boremund’s son Borros guidelines from Storm’s Finish. Borros should still comply with his father and be keen on Rhaenys and the blacks, however we shouldn’t be so certain. Hearth & Blood tells us that Borros is “much more belligerent than his father” and, considerably conflictingly, that he’s like “stone, laborious and robust and unmoving” in addition to “the wind that rages and howls and blows this manner and that.” So, he’s a Baratheon by and thru. Hearth & Blood additionally tells us that “the lesser storm lords would certainly comply with” the place Borros leads them.

Exterior of Westeros

I’m uncertain about how prepared anybody exterior of Westeros could be to get entangled in a dragon-fueled warfare for a overseas continent. However to cowl all our bases right here, we might consider the Triarchy—which, as beforehand talked about on the present, has had a little bit of a resurgence—as leaning towards the greens, as they in all probability don’t need to be part of up with outdated foes Daemon and Corlys. The identical is likely to be mentioned of Pentos after Daemon declined to hitch them in preventing the Triarchy. As for all over the place else east of the Slender Sea … there’s actually no telling which aspect they’d take. The reply might be nobody’s.

Fast Hits

The significance of crowns

Viserys is lifeless, however his crown—which was additionally the crown of his predecessor, Jaehaerys—stays along with his corpse. As a substitute of assuming his father’s headwear, Viserys’s son dons the crown of his namesake, the Conqueror. And true to the books, this crown is depicted as a easy Valyrian-steel circlet inlaid with pink rubies (although the present went a little bit gentle on the rubies).

The design of a crown can ship a message. For instance, when Joffrey ascends the throne in A Sport of Thrones, he wears a golden crown encrusted with pink rubies and black diamonds, symbolizing each Home Lannister (whose colours are pink and gold) and Home Baratheon (black and yellow). Stannis wears a crown of “pink gold with factors common within the form of flames,” a transparent homage to Melisandre and her Lord of Mild (Melisandre additionally wears a red-gold choker). Renly wears a crown with gold roses—symbolizing his closeness to the Tyrells—with a jade stag’s head within the middle. Robb Stark’s crown is a bronze circlet inscribed with the runes of the First Males, and is claimed to look very like the crowns the traditional kings of the North wore. You get the thought.

With its brilliant pink rubies and practically black metal, Aegon the Conqueror’s crown depicts the colours of Home Targaryen. It’s a crown for a warrior, seeing because it’s made with the identical metal that’s sometimes reserved for the sharpest and most valuable blades in Westeros. The crown options neither gold nor intricate element—it’s meant to indicate energy and power. In carrying it, Aegon II not solely traces his declare to the throne again to the originator of the Targaryen dynasty, but additionally subtly means that he’s able to take the throne by power—simply as Aegon the Conqueror did.

Viserys’s crown sends a distinct message. It options the Targaryen sigil on its entrance, with numerous completely different sigils round its sides. In numerous pictures all through the collection, I’ve recognized the sigils of homes Lannister, Arryn, Tully, Martell, Tyrell, and Baratheon. There’s in all probability no less than yet one more—Home Stark?—to signify the Seven Kingdoms, and perhaps even one other one—Home Greyjoy?—relying on how we rely “seven” (Westeros really consists of 9 provinces, not seven.) And whereas it’s humorous to incorporate the Martell sigil when Dorne remains to be unbiased, the message of this crown is evident: unity. It is a crown of peace. (It’s a little bit completely different from the crown that Viserys wears within the books, a easy golden band inset with seven completely different gems, however the message of each crowns is basically the identical: The Seven Kingdoms have one king.)

So far, there have been solely three crowns for the now six kings within the Targaryen dynasty: the aforementioned two, plus the crown of King Aenys, a “crown of yellow gold with the faces of the Seven inlaid in jade and pearl.” Jaehaerys initially wore this crown earlier than switching, and it’s not clear what grew to become of it.

At any fee, Rhaenyra will want a crown if she needs to proceed her pursuit of the Iron Throne. Her father’s crown could be an ideal match for her—it will remind the realm that she was her father’s named inheritor, in addition to sign her want for unity and peace versus warfare—however proper now it’s caught within the Crimson Preserve. She could must have a brand new one made. Take note of what she chooses—it’ll ship a message about how she desires others to understand her.

Different symbols of legitimacy

The Conqueror’s crown isn’t the one salient piece of {hardware} Aegon II is utilizing to lend legitimacy to his declare. As Alicent says on this episode, “my son will take the crown of his namesake, the Conqueror, and carry Blackfyre, his sword. Let the folks keep in mind the traditional power of Home Targaryen.”

We coated Blackfyre, the Valyrian metal sword wielded by the Conqueror, in a earlier column. Aegon’s thrusting it into the air on the finish of this episode sends a lot the identical message because the crown on his head: He’s prepared for a conquest. That possible was additionally a cause the greens selected the dragonpit as the situation for Aegon II’s coronation. It’s bigger than the throne room, so it holds a bigger viewers and likewise initiatives the power he hopes will assist him again his declare.

The symbolism doesn’t finish there. As Hearth & Blood tells us: “Each seen image of legitimacy belonged to Aegon. He sat the Iron Throne. He lived within the Crimson Preserve. He wore the Conqueror’s crown, wielded the Conqueror’s sword, and had been anointed by a septon of the Religion earlier than the eyes of tens of hundreds. Grand Maester Orwyle sat in his councils, and the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard had positioned the crown upon his princely head. And he was male, which within the eyes of many made him the rightful king, his half-sister the usurper.”

Rhaenyra already confronted an uphill climb to regulate the Seven Kingdoms. Simply by advantage of being a girl, a Rhaenyra reign at all times would have represented a giant shift in how monarchy works in Westeros. Now she’s not solely been usurped by a person, however one who actually carries the Conqueror’s identify and all of his vital objects, and who lives on the seat of energy whereas she is on a rock within the Slender Sea. It’s a tricky place to be in.

Who’s Allun Caswell?

Let’s return to the Attain for a second. In “The Inexperienced Council,” we see a lord bend the knee to Aegon II, then attempt to escape the Crimson Preserve. Larys catches him, and he’s hanged because of this. Simply who is that this man?

He’s Allun Caswell, the top of Home Caswell, who is called solely as “Lord Caswell” in Hearth & Blood. There, he’s equally killed upon Aegon II’s ascension (although it’s by beheading, not hanging). We’ve seen the briefest of glimpses of Allun within the collection—he runs into Rhaenyra and Laenor when they’re carrying child Joffrey to Queen Alicent, and he greets Rhaenyra and Daemon after they arrive in King’s Touchdown in Episode 8—but it surely’s probably not clear why he’s so loyal to Rhaenyra and the blacks. Hearth & Blood provides no different data to go on. Maybe he has some unexplored friendship with Rhaenyra, Daemon, or another person of their sphere; maybe he was near Viserys; maybe he simply has a cussed understanding of succession.

At any fee, Allun’s demise ought to theoretically push the Caswells towards Workforce Black. Bitterbridge isn’t a really robust fort, however it is rather centrally situated, mendacity alongside the Roseroad between Highgarden and King’s Touchdown. That might make it an vital location—and the Caswells an vital home—in a warfare.

RIP, Lyman Beesbury

The grasp of coin served on Viserys’s council for no less than 20 years, if not longer. And whereas he was a little bit of a doddering idiot, the truth that the greens start their rule by simply straight-up murdering a loyal (and presumably shut?) confidant of Viserys is fairly wild.

But the present strikes previous this fairly rapidly in comparison with the way it occurred in Hearth & Blood. Beesbury begins with the same type of protest of what the council is planning. However then he turns to depart the chamber, which is one thing the greens can’t enable, as they want time to place their plan in movement and can’t have Rhaenyra alerted to their intentions. Right here’s what occurs subsequent:

Grand Maester Orwyle tells us that Lord Beesbury was seized on the door by the command of Ser Otto Hightower and escorted to the dungeons. Confined to a black cell, he would in time perish of a chill while awaiting trial.

Septon Eustace tells it elsewise. In his account, Ser Criston Cole pressured Lord Beesbury again into his seat and opened his throat with a dagger. Mushroom costs Ser Criston along with his lordship’s demise as nicely, however in his model Cole grasped the outdated man by the again of his collar and flung him out a window, to die impaled upon the iron spikes within the dry moat under.

In Home of the Dragon, Beesbury’s demise appears virtually unintended, and his was the one blood shed on the inexperienced council, which isn’t the case within the guide. Take a look at this passage:

Lord Larys Robust, grasp of whisperers, then spoke for the primary and solely time. “Allow us to be the primary to swear,” he mentioned, “lest there be traitors right here amongst us.” Drawing his dagger, the Clubfoot drew it throughout his palm. “A blood oath,” he urged, “to bind us all collectively, brothers unto demise.” And so every of the conspirators slashed their palms and clasped palms with each other, swearing brotherhood. Queen Alicent alone amongst them was excused from the oath, on account of her womanhood.

So the inexperienced council was a bit extra intentional and violent within the guide. However a technique or one other, the primary blood within the Dance of the Dragons has been shed. RIP, Lyman Beesbury.

What does Helaena know?

After the inexperienced council, Alicent and Otto burst into Helaena’s chambers searching for Aegon. When Otto realizes Aegon isn’t there, he leaves—presumably to search for Aegon elsewhere. Helaena asks her mom what’s occurred, and simply as Alicent begins to inform her about Viserys, Helaena blurts out: “There’s a beast beneath the boards.”

This quote virtually precisely mirrors one thing Helaena mentioned final episode, when she muttered, “Beware the beast beneath the boards” below her breath on the dinner between the greens and the blacks. As beforehand detailed on this column, Home of the Dragon has made Helaena one of many Targaryens who experiences prophetic goals. Her imaginative and prescient that Aemond must “shut a watch” to say a dragon got here true virtually instantly. However the significance of this newest prophecy is much less clear.

A search of Hearth & Blood reveals that the phrase “beast” is sort of at all times utilized in connection to dragons. Maybe she meant this as a reference to Rhaenys’s dragon Meleys, who burst by the ground of the dragonpit this episode … however that flooring was fabricated from stone, not wood boards, and Meleys’s huge second had no actual impact on any main characters.

There are many different beasts that stay beneath floorboards: rats, worms, beetles, and many others. Helaena may very well be referring to something right here; solely time will inform precisely what. At any fee, as a dreamer, nearly every part she says is value listening to carefully.

Aegon’s line of succession

When Aemond is looking for Aegon on this episode, he tells Criston, “I’m subsequent in line. In the event that they search for me, I intend to be discovered.” Initially I used to be confused by this, as Aegon has a male inheritor in his son Jaehaerys (and within the books he has a second son in Maelor, although this character could also be getting reduce from the present). Simply as Daemon fell behind Rhaenyra when she was initially named, Aemond certainly comes after Aegon II’s male youngsters; that shouldn’t be up for debate.

However Aemond says this earlier than Aegon is topped, which brings up an fascinating query: If Aegon had finished extra to refuse the throne, would the greens have topped Aemond? Aemond himself clearly would have accepted the nomination, and I feel we will see that characters like Otto would have had no situation anointing a distinct grandson with a view to safe his home’s place on the Iron Throne. However Alicent’s complete justification for crowning Aegon is that she thinks it was Viserys’s dying want. Viserys didn’t say something about Aemond.

Alas, one thing that Otto mentioned in Episode 1 proves prescient on this episode: “The gods have but to make a person who lacks the persistence for absolute energy.” Aegon accepts the crown, and now his son is unquestionably subsequent in line for the throne, with Aemond coming after.

Household Tree Watch

We had no new births or marriages this week, however we did have Martin confirming the existence of Daeron, the fourth baby of Alicent and Viserys. Meaning Daeron will get a spot on the household tree, even when we received’t see him till Season 2.

We additionally bought a glimpse of Aegon and Helaena’s youngsters, Jaehaerys and Jaehaera. Solely Maelor, their youngest baby, was nowhere to be discovered, so I’m eradicating him from the household tree for now:

Subsequent Time On …

Subsequent week is the finale, and the preview guarantees we’ll get solutions to a whole lot of questions, together with:

• What’s going to Rhaenyra do?
• Who will aspect with whom?
• How will the dragons be deployed?

And most significantly:

• What’s below Aemond’s eyepatch?