Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Season 2 Episode 4 of House of the Dragon.
House of the Dragonhas many fascinating characters, but asGame of Thronestaught us, no one in Westeros is safe for long. With the war officially begun,House of the Dragonwill only grow more bloody. In its first episodes, Season 2 set the tone withthe brutal death of young Jaehaerys, but many will follow. The story has entered the conflict known asthe Dance of the Dragons, and with those creatures flying around, no one is safe. The latest loss is a particularly significant blow to the Blacks.Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Best), the Queen Who Never Was, goes down in Episode 4 in a fiery burst of courage. The scene is tragic in a number of ways, but it gives the character a heroic death.
Rhaenys stole scenes throughout the first two seasons, quickly gaining appreciation from the fans, making her death especially sad as Best’s talent will no longer be around. Yet, just because she is gone, Rhaenys will not cease to be important to the story.Rhaenys' death will have lasting repercussionson her family and the side of the war she fought for. While Rhaenys may never have gotten the Iron Throne (though she should have), she was a dragonrider, a politically savvy advisor, and a beloved wife to Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint). Rhaenys' tragic loss not only shows the challenge the Blacks will face as they are forced to fightVhagar, but it will create a rift between Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) and her most valuable ally, Corlys.
House of the Dragon
The reign of House Targaryen begins with this prequel to the popular HBO seriesGame of Thrones.Based on George R.R. Martin’sFire & Blood,House of the Dragonis set nearly 200 years beforeGame of Thrones, telling the story of the Targaryen civil war with King Viserys.
Rhaenys Goes Out in Style in ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2, Episode 4
WhenCriston Cole’s (Fabien Frankel) attackon Rook’s Rest becomes evident, Rhaenyra finally accepts the inevitability of a dragon battle, but one question remains: who will go? Rhaenyra cannot risk herself, but Daemon (Matt Smith) is gone, and Jacaerys (Harry Collett) and Baela (Bethany Antonia) are young and ride inexperienced dragons. Rhaenys volunteers herself, noting her dragon’s size and experience. So, she flies out, but she doesn’t know the danger she faces. The Blacks have been watching Cole’s army traveling without a dragon, yet Cole has a plan.When Rhaenys arrives, she turns the tide of the battle, incinerating her opponents with dragonfire, but her victory is short-lived.
Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) and Sunfyre challenge her first. Though she didn’t anticipate fighting a dragon, Rhaenys unflinchingly orders Meleys to attack. Meleys and Rhaenys prove themselves against Sunfyre, quickly wounding the other dragon and unrelentingly attacking. But the appearance ofAemond (Ewan Mitchell)and Vhagar takes away her advantage. Several times the size of Meleys, Vhagar is a more substantial threat. Seeing Vhagar, Rhaenys understands what will happen, but she valiantly fights until the end, even when the battle looks hopeless. Turning around to face Aemond and Vhagar, Rhaenys straps herself in, intending to go down with the ship, or in this case, the dragon. Though the battle is stacked against them, Rhaenys pushes Meleys to inflict damage, clawing at Vhagar and forcing the beast to crash into the Greens' army before being defeated. BothMeleys and Rhaenys die as heroes for the Blacks, and though they cannot win the Battle of Rook’s Rest, they cause serious damage to the Greens' army.
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Rhaenys' sacrifice for the cause may not have won the battle, but it reveals just how precarious of a situation the Blacks are in. It is a terrifying realization for them, as they not only lost one of their precious dragonriders but the largest dragon on their side.This shows the immense power they are facing with Vhagar, who remains a threat. Vhagar taking out Lucerys (Elliot Grihault) and Arrax in theSeason 1finale was an emotional loss and continues to be as Rhaenyra mourns her son. But that tragedy didn’t spell ruin for their cause. Arrax was so young and small that he stood no chance in battle. Yet Meleys is different. Little can defeat Meleys, and Rhaenys has much more experience as a dragonrider, but Vhagar manages it with relative ease.
The Blacks have the advantage when it comes to the number of dragons they control, with five in use, while the Greens have only mobilized two, so far. However, Vhagar’s size evens the scale.If Meleys cannot defeat Vhagar, then the others don’t stand a chance. Rhaenys and Meleys' deaths serve as a warning to the Blacks, showing them what they are facing. The Blacks have been counting on their dragon advantage,which is not as powerful as they believed it to be, at least not as long as Vhagar is around.
Rhaenyra Has Also Lost a Trusted Counselor Who Ensured Her Greatest Ally
But Rhaenys is more than just a dragonrider.She is the voice of reason for Rhaenyra and is the only person to advise peace. Only Rhaenys saw Rhaenyra’s concerns andconvinced her to seek a peaceful resolutionwith Alicent (Olivia Cooke). Rhaenys also loyally worked to hold the council together in Rhaenyra’s absence whenJacaerys and Baelawere in over their heads. Throughout her time on the show, Rhaenys has demonstrated a vital understanding of Westeros' politics, and she advises Rhaenyra unselfishly, a rare quality. Her wisdom will be missed as much as her dragon.
Not only does Rhaenys' death take her away as a valuable ally, but it also threatens the support of another Rhaenyra relies on.Corlys Velaryon, Rhaenys' husband, controls the sea and has proven an important asset for Rhaenyra as he mans the blockade that cuts off King’s Landing’s trade routes. Corlys was always hesitant about Rhaenyra but listened to Rhaenys as she pushed for him to support the queen, and Corlys' backing is invaluable to the Blacks. Even during Rhaenyra’s absence, Corlys was the one to finally get the council under control.Rhaenyra needs Corlys, but with the death of his beloved wife, Corlys' loyalty may waver,especially if he blames Rhaenyra, as he does inFire & Blood. To maintain his support, Rhaenyra will have to make compromises for the proud man because she cannot afford to lose the Velaryons. There are many reasons it’s hard to say goodbye to Rhaenys, especially after her great courage in the Battle at Rook’s Rest. But, though she is gone, she leaves behind a considerable impact.
House of the Dragonis currentlystreaming on Max in the U.S. with new episodes airing every Sunday.
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