House of the Dragon Recap, Season 1 Episode 5: We Light the Way

If you’d been waiting for things to really accelerate this season, We Light the Way is the episode for you. The episode is bookended by deaths of royal-adjacents, but the middle has plenty of intrigue to sift through. With the biggest time jump yet seeming imminent, let’s make sure we know where we stand after Episode 5.

The Vale

Daemon with a perfect “I’m not here to kill you” look

Riding through the Vale, Rhea Royce comes across a hooded figure she quickly recognizes as her husband, Daemon Targaryen. After a few well-placed barbs, she notices an unsettling look in his eyes, but before she can draw her bow or back away, the Rogue Prince causes her horse to rear. Paralyzed when her horse lands on her, Rhea goads Daemon into killing her rather than leaving her to suffer.

Minor business first: Daemon was really complaining about Rhea Royce? PHOTO Rhea. This woman looks like she would be a great partner for the adventuring type, and she’s more attractive than all the sheep I’ve met. It’s probably wise not to delve too deeply into the tastes of Daemon (or any other Targaryen, for that matter). Her armor kicks all kinds of ass, but she fell victim to one of the classic blunders: wielding a ranged weapon but getting up close with your enemy. Less screentime but more lines than the Crabfeeder; rest in peace Lady Royce, you will be missed…
…except by Daemon, who has now removed Viserys’ largest concern with arranging a new marriage for his brother.

King’s Landing, before Rhaenyra’s Return

Otto Hightower is the human embodiment of “I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed”

As Otto Hightower prepares to return to Oldtown, he gives some parting guidance to his daughter, telling her the politics of the situation will force Alicent to either see her children forcibly removed from the line of succession or throw her family on the mercy of Rhaenyra when she becomes queen. After he departs, Alicent’s reflection time in the godswood is interrupted by Larys Strong. The youngest Strong son asks after Rhaenyra’s health after seeing the Grand Maester deliver a tea to her in the middle of the night. The Queen starts to reconsider Rhaenyra’s claims from her night out on the town with this new information.

Beware strangers bearing secrets. Even (especially?) if they’re juicy ones.

Otto gives his advice in his trademark creepy and manipulative way, but he isn’t wrong. A quick solution to a realm divided on who should inherit the throne is killing whoever your opponents support. There might have been a time when Alicent could rely on her friendship with Rhaenyra to protect her and her children, but she certainly hasn’t seen enough flashes of affection or compassion recently to make her confident. Larys’s involvement here is even more interesting, as we haven’t heard him say much until now. It wasn’t as subtle as you might expect from someone who enjoys collecting information on the fringes, but letting Alicent know about the Moon Tea delivered to Rhaenyra’s room is a sure path to discord. Of course, at this point, Alicent assumes Daemon was the only man Rhaenyra spent time with that night.

The Narrow Sea and Driftmark

Fun fact: the relatively new (during Corlys’s lifetime) castle of High Tide is only accessible by road when the tide is low. I pity the folks responsible for road maintenance, but it’s a cool defensive trait

Rhaenyra and Viserys, along with Ser Criston Cole and new Hand of the King Lyonel Strong, arrive at High Tide to a welcome party conspicuously short one Corlys Velaryon. Laenor and Laena Velaryon lead Viserys and Lyonel to the throne room, where Corlys and Rhaenys meet them to discuss the terms of their children’s engagement. The Lord of Driftmark shoots his shot and comes away with an agreement that Rhaenyra’s children will use the Velaryon name until the time they ascend to the throne. Rhaenyra, meanwhile, lets Laenor know during a walk on the beach that she’s aware of his sexuality and is happy to let him continue seeing his paramour, Joffrey Lonmouth, as long as she can pursue other partners as well. As the Targaryen entourage heads home, Rhaenys and Corlys discuss the new level of stakes they’re entering into and whether it’s worth pursuing for the sleights Rhaenys suffered decades ago. On the trip back to King’s Landing, Criston Cole proposes to Rhaenyra that they run away together. Whether from a sense of obligation to the Targaryen dreams or a preference for the royal lifestyle, the Princess turns him down. Criston is clearly upset to have forsaken his vows for the future he now faces.

“This is what you get for not marrying my 12-year old daughter, Viserys. You can walk all the way up here to beg.”

That was a busy one! Rhaenyra seems to have taken her uncle’s advice to heart, and is starting to think strategically in a way that could allow her to succeed politically without sacrificing her own wants. Laenor is seeing the value in the arrangement as well, though his hesitance makes sense given the conversation his parents have. Life has been pretty good for the Velaryons on Driftmark, but it’s easier to enjoy yourself as the heir to a wealthy-but-secondary house than as the partner of the most powerful figure in the realm. King Viserys’ deteriorating health might have led him to sacrifice more than he needed to, another misstep in a long line of them. He knows the realm is going to make things difficult for his daughter, and her children wearing a non-Targaryen name while an Aegon Targaryen lives in King’s Landing will muddle the situation further.

His offer doesn’t stand much of a chance, but in a way he’s asking her to give up everything much the way he did when he broke his vows

I like to think Rhaenyra’s decision to remain stems from Viserys’ repeated lessons about duty and the prophecy of the Prince Who Was Promised more than her Targy interest in her uncle. It’s hard to be certain with how much time has passed, but this is the same person who was seen in Episode 1 expressing a desire to ride her dragon and eat cake far away from royal duties. Criston, to some extent, knew what he was getting into from the jump, but it always hurts when it’s finally laid out clearly. Getting to continue a romantic but hidden relationship with the Queen is the best outcome he could have hoped for once he set down his white cloak in her room.

King’s Landing, after Rhaenyra’s Return

Grand Maester Mellos is lending credence to the Grand Maester Conspiracy theory (suggesting the order of Maesters have been sabotaging Targaryens for years) every episode

The Targaryens return to King’s Landing, and King Viserys collapses soon after. As he recovers with the help(?) of the maesters and discusses his legacy with Lyonel, he asks about his Queen. Rather than attending to him as we’ve seen in past episodes, Alicent is questioning Criston Cole on the events of last episode. Thinking she already knows the truth, Criston comes clean; Alicent seems to assure him she’ll keep it secret rather than putting him to the sword or gelding him like some of his predecessors who have broken their vows of chastity.

LORE: LUCAMORE THE LUSTY

Perhaps the most blatant forsaking of vows in the history of the Kingsguard (at least until Jaime Lannister killed the Mad King Aerys) took place 28 years before the Great Council named King Viserys heir, in 73 A.C. Ser Lucamore of House Strong (yes, that House Strong) was discovered by Lord Commander Ryam Redwyne (of Episode 1 fame) to have married three different women and fathered sixteen children with them. As punishment, "Lucamore the Lusty" was gelded by his fellow Kingsguard members and sent to the Wall by King Jaehaerys.

CRISTON ASK FOR YOUR LAWYER BEFORE YOU GIVE ANY ANSWERS!

It’s getting hard to picture Viserys reigning much longer with his health and the healthcare available to him, but the most interesting bit of this segment is Alicent’s reaction to Criston’s confession. She was clearly expecting to hear a story about Daemon, which would have outed Rhaenyra as a liar. This development doesn’t necessarily prove she lied, but it could be even worse with time to consider it. Way back in Episode 1, both Alicent and Rhaenyra were visibly interested in Criston Cole when he removed his helmet at the tourney. Since then, their lives have diverged dramatically, with Alicent devoted to duty and the desires of others and Rhaenyra consistently avoiding her responsibilities in the pursuit of fun. Knowing she’s forced a seemingly good man to break his vows for what can’t be more than a dalliance won’t improve the Princess’s image in the eyes of the Queen one bit.

King’s Landing, Wedding Festivities

The royal family prepares to welcome Westerosi nobility for the wedding of Rhaenyra and Laenor, but Alicent is scarce. After the Lannisters arrive and a member of House Royce introduces himself out of turn, the Velaryon family makes their grand entrance with a host of attendants including Laenor’s lover, Joffrey Lonmouth. Daemon arrives dramatically and seats himself at the head table, and as King Viserys begins a speech to kick off a week of celebration, Queen Alicent enters alone, in green. Her impact is felt throughout the hall, with ??? remarking on the color of the Hightower’s beacon in times of war matching the dress.

Looks like the holidays are going to be really uncomfortable this year

Viserys finishes his speech and the guests begin to dance; Joffrey notices Criston’s eyes tracking Rhaenyra and approaches him about their shared circumstances. Daemon takes a turn on the floor with Laena Velaryon before moving on to Rhaenyra; a scream is heard and the crowd parts to reveal Criston Cole beating Joffrey Lonmouth to death. In the confusion, Lyonel Strong signals to his son Harwin to retrieve the Princess, which he quickly does.

Put the Queen on my back like Marshawn Lynch

Clearly losing control, Criston goes to the godswood where he prepares to take his own life. Alicent interrupts and asks him to continue his duties.

Forgoing the rest of the festivities, Rhaenyra and Laenor are married that night with Joffrey’s blood still on the floor.

Okay, that went south VERY quickly. Let’s try to break it down development by development, because a lot of track is laid for what we’ll see next week some ten years in the future.
Least consequential is Gerold Royce’s accusations against Daemon Targaryen. He surely wants vengeance, but there’s no evidence to call for a trial, and even if there was, no one wants to challenge Daemon directly.
The Lannisters are as annoying as ever, but Rhaenyra’s response to Jason’s smarminess indicates she hasn’t taken lessons of statecraft to heart. He’s obnoxious, but there’s nothing to gain from antagonizing the very houses you might need to continue supporting your claim soon.

Alicent’s arrival is the most profound moment of the episode, which is impressive given the state of Joffrey Lonmouth’s face soon after. Entering the hall alone, and in green, sends a clear message to her house and anyone well-versed in Westeros: I am still the Queen, and I am a Hightower. A green flame in House Hightower’s beacon calls their vassal houses to war, which is why we see numerous men affirming their loyalty to Alicent soon after. Less intentional but still noteworthy, her youthful appearance can’t make Viserys feel any more confident in his own failing body. It’s not a true declaration of war, but it’s a carefully orchestrated political move that makes clear to everyone a split in the royal family.

I don’t want to stereotype, but Harwin doesn’t look like he knows

Criston’s brutal killing of the groom’s paramour would seem to be a fast track to an execution or a dismissal from service, but the Kingsguard is a bit above the law in Westeros. He can very easily say Joffrey threatened Rhaenyra’s safety, and with Alicent’s backing there won’t be anyone to contradict his story. It makes the wedding arrangement less desirable to Laenor Velaryon, but he can’t come out and say I want to bail on this wedding because my male lover was just murdered in front of me; Westeros definitely isn’t progressive enough.
We haven’t spent much time with Harwin Strong, but his reputation as the strongest knight in the Seven Kingdoms seems to have some backing. He very easily pushed his way through the chaotic crowd without a weapon and safely retrieved Princess Rhaenyra at his father’s nod. I’m a little sad we haven’t seen Breakbones break any bones yet, but it must be coming eventually.
Based on the teaser for next episode, we’ll be jumping ahead to a time when Rhaenyra and Alicent both have multiple children. I wish we’d had a bit more time with the younger versions of the characters, perhaps seeing more of their deteriorating relationship or learning more about the Strongs, the Velaryons, or other big players. Heck, maybe we could have even met Lady Rhaenys Velaryon’s dragon instead of the tiny glimpse we received.

Rhaenys’s dragon Meleys was nicknamed the Red Queen, and originally ridden by Viserys’s mother Alyssa Targaryen. Though we don’t know much about where Meleys has flown with either of her riders, she’s regarded as one of the fastest dragons in the realm and has experience in battle.

So, Where do We Stand?

If, in fact, this was our final episode with the younger versions of Rhaenyra and Alicent, it’s probably worth looking around the realm to see where things stand:

The Targaryens are obviously on top. We haven’t seen any indication Viserys is reconsidering his commitment to Rhaenyra as heir, and he doesn’t seem likely to give in to pressure from Alicent after dismissing her father as Hand of the King. If anything, he might finally heed Daemon’s advice and rely more on his immediate family. They’ve also mended fences and married into a new alliance with House Velaryon, the richest house and premiere naval force in the realm. Every known dragon in Westeros is partnered with a member of the Targaryen-Velaryon alliance. House Strong appears to be another formidable ally with a large castle in the Riverlands. Lyonel and Harwin seem close with King Viserys even if Larys seems to be acting more independently. If you want to dig into the Larys Strong enigma a bit further with risk of minor spoilers, this video is a fun way to spend nearly thirty minutes.
Should Alicent and the Hightowers try to carve out their own path, they won’t be short on support. Along with their own liege lords, Viserys, Rhaenyra, and Daemon have disappointed or outright offended House Lannister in the Westerlands (second richest house in the realm), House Redwyne in the Reach (second largest navy in the realm), House Royce in the Vale, and House Baratheon in the Stormlands. Along with Dorne, that would be five of the Seven Kingdoms when that term made sense. Of course, you never know if you’ll get an entire province on your side, and zero dragons is a big disadvantage; good thing the Hightowers are already raising their youngest generation with Targaryen blood, eh?
We haven’t heard anything from the North, the Iron Islands, or Essos yet. Whether the Triarchy returns in some form or Laena goes through with her proposed marriage to the Sealord of Braavos remains to be seen. The other piece currently missing from the board is Chekhov’s dragon, Vhagar, and any other dragons-at-large. We haven’t heard others mentioned by name, but we know the Dragonpit has been active, and if Vhagar is just hanging out near Driftmark with little supervision there could be other adults out there.

If you thought the Crabfeeder and the destruction of one Joffrey Lonmouth’s face by the fists of Criston Cole was messy, wait until children get involved. The season is only halfway over, but we’ll be here to ease the transition after tonight’s episode!