This article from the HBO series House of the Dragon (2024) Season 2 Episode 5 contains significant spoilers.
We had a monumental episode of House of the Dragon where we watched the war begin and Princess Rhaenys and her dragon’s lives taken. The biggest question is whether or not King Aegon is still alive after his brother Prince Aemond shot fire at him and his dragon, leaving him to fall high from the sky. If it follows the books, Aegon is still alive, but we recap all the big things that happened in House of the Dragon season 2, episode 5.
House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 5 Recap and Spoiler Review
We see Criston and his crew returning home, announcing that the Queen had slain the King and his dragon, Meleys. The soldiers carry King Aegon to his bed, where Queen Alicent looks over as they tell her he is alive but clinging on. As the doctors attempt to remove the shield from his body, Prince Aemond walks in and says someone will have to step in his place to be the King.
While mourning the loss of his wife, Rhaenys, Corlys Velaryon gets visited by his granddaughter, Baela. She informs him that Queen Rhaeryna offers him to be her Hand of the King. Queen Rhaenrya is attempting to figure out her next move in this war when Mysaria explains that they made the mistake of parading around the dragon’s head in front of everyone. She tells her she must allow others to do for her what she cannot and says there is more than one way to fight a war.
Who will take over as King for King Aegon?
Queen Alicent fights for herself to be the new King, while everyone else suggests it must be Prince Aemond. Alicent fights because she has experienced this because she stepped up during her husband, King Viserys’ sickness. Lord Larys Strong asks Criston who he thinks she should step, and he concurs that it should be Prince Aemond. So, it is determined that Prince Aemond will be the King.
Prince Daemon is still at Harrenhal, where he continues to lose his mind. While at the dinner table, he visualizes sleeping with his mother, and a voice says, “If only you would’ve been born first.” Daemon plans to take King’s Landing and will allow Rhaenrya to be by his side, King and Queen. Moments later, news gets back to Daemon that House Bracken will stand next to Daemon.
Who does Jace make a deal with to help his mother?
Jace decides to go behind his mother’s back to get more people on her side. So we see him head to the House Frey to secure the crossing of The Twins. In their negotiations, Jace promises the protection of the house by the Queen, along with Prince Daemon’s protection. House Frey wants Harrenhal in return for the deal, which Jace gives them, but they must bend their knee to the Queen.
Queen Rhaenrya has asked Ser Alfred to head to Harrenhal to speak to Prince Daemon to find out where his head is out. She wants Alfred to see if Daemon will stand by her side or his own while also informing him she wants to finish their last conversation. At Harrenhal, the Riverlands stormed the castle to inform Daemon that they would not support him as their King.
Newly crowned King Aemond stares at the Iron Throne, and his sister approaches, asking him, “Was it worth the price?” We transition to Alicent standing over King Aegon, who is breathing awkwardly. As she walks away, he says, “Mommy.”
HBO’s House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 5 Ending Explained: Queen Rhaenyra and Jace formulate their next moves.
Jace and Queen Rhaenrya discuss the next steps in the plan. Rhaenyra talks about how they don’t have an answer for Vhagar, and Jace brings up Daemon, but she shuts it down. Of course, not anyone can ride the dragons, but Jace brings up the idea of finding someone within their lineage who has their blood within them to ride. Rhaenyra likes the idea and says they have the records of their line within the castle and those who fell out of it.
In the aftermath of the Battle of Rook’s Rest, both sides go back to the drawing board for their next moves. While the episode does a great job of advancing the pieces for the next battle, I wish we would’ve gotten more of Corlys Velaryon within this episode of House of the Dragon. His wife dying was a big deal, and the series doesn’t do enough to show him and his emotions to allow us to feel the pain of that death. Outside of that, season 2, episode 5 of House of the Dragon is another strong episode in setting up what’s next.
What did you think of House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 5? Comment below.
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