House of the Dragon Recap Season 1 Episode 6: The Princess and the Queen

I’m not saying it’s impossible to manage a story spanning so many years, but jumping ahead another ten years from Episode 5 was jarring. While it’s tough to adjust to new actresses playing Rhaenyra and Alicent and Criston Cole looking the exact same, the content of the episode itself was fascinating. Let’s dive into what happened in Episode 6 of House of the Dragon, The Princess and the Queen.

King’s Landing, Rhaenyra

The Princess of Petty strikes again! I really love this character, aside from the little monarch-y/incest-y bits

Rhaenyra is giving birth to what we learn is her third son and is immediately informed the Queen would like to see the child. She makes the long walk to Alicent’s chambers with Laenor, passing by Criston Cole standing watch outside. King Viserys is thrilled to see his newest grandchild, but Alicent is only interested in checking the hair of the baby. Laenor says they’ll name the baby Joffrey, and Alicent tells him to keep trying to maybe get a child who looks like him. Viserys shares a moment of genuine pride and affection with his daughter.

They return to the Princess’s chambers, where Harwin is waiting with their two older sons Lucaerys (Luke) and Jacaerys (Jace) and a dragon’s egg they chose for their new brother. Laenor and Harwin greet each other warmly, and Harwin and the Princess get to share a quiet moment together with their newborn baby.

It’s plain enough to see that ten years hasn’t done anything to bridge the gap between Rhaenyra and Alicent, and the Queen’s behavior in this case is downright cruel. The King’s vision seems to be failing, but his acceptance of Rhaenyra’s children regardless of appearance is more willful than accidental. Outside of Queen Alicent’s judgment and other murmurs at court, Rhaenyra seems to have set up a pretty happy family unit, with Laenor and Harwin getting along well and the older sons excitedly preparing for the arrival of their newest sibling. It’s a rare glimpse of happiness, which in this world must be punished.

In the Dragonpit

Vermax looking regal AF even in his youth

Aegon, Jace, Aemond, and Luke are taking training from the Dragonkeepers. Jace is working to form a bond with Vermax, who seems to be taking directions without too much hesitation. The Dragonkeepers mention that Prince Aegon has already demonstrated mastery over his dragon, Sunfyre. After Jace successfully orders Vermax to burn and eat a goat, Aegon tells his brother Aemond they’ve found a dragon for him. “The Pink Dread” emerges from the depths of the Dragonpit, and the other three boys share a laugh at the dragonless Aemond’s expense.

Aemond walks further into the Dragonpit and comes face-to-face with some of the older dragons before ultimately running away when one breathes fire.

This was our first proper introduction to these versions (more time jumps to come, Vermax here is too small to be part of any type of “Dance”) of Alicent’s and Rhaenyra’s children. It’s also our first glimpse at the bonding process between a dragon and its rider; the Dragonkeeper’s emphasis that once bonded a dragon will not take orders from anyone else seemed noteworthy. In classic Thrones fashion, the dynamics between the children showed how it’s the political machinations and prejudices of the parents that often create divides rather than anything inherent. At this point, it really seems like Aemond is the only child in conflict, as his inability to bond with a dragon has left him ostracized.
Not to condone bullying, but “The Pink Dread” was pretty damn funny, and only got better with Viserys’s response to the prank that Aemond “shouldn’t have been so credulous” to believe the boys “happened upon some wild unnamed dragon and lured it to the Dragonpit”.

King’s Landing, Alicent

It’s important to support your children even if they’re in a “bugs are awesome” phase, isn’t it?

Alicent is sitting with her daughter, Helaena, who is analyzing a large bug in great detail. A member of the Kingsguard bring Aemond to the room, where his mother admonishes him for sneaking through the Dragonpit again. Alicent brings the news of the joke to King Viserys and lays the blame on Jace and Luke, but the King asks if it was Aegon’s idea. The Queen continues and says Rhaenyra’s clearly not-Valyrian children are an offense to the realm, and Viserys responds with a story about the mysterious outcomes of genetics among horses. Alicent wants some form of action taken, but Viserys forbids her from talking about such allegations further.

Walking with Criston Cole, Alicent complains about Rhaenyra’s ability to get away with such actions. Arriving at Aegon’s room, the Queen finds her son soloing (going to use this as the singular form of Otto’s “coupling”) in the window of his chambers. Not to be turned away from her mission, she enters the room where Aegon has scrambled to cover himself in blankets and explains to him that he should sit the Iron Throne and will be at risk when Rhaenyra’s children ascend.

It’s a fair defense for making fun of your siblings!

This might have quietly been the most interesting part of the episode, and definitely led me down the most rabbit holes. It seems pretty clear that Helaena is a dreamer like her father, King Viserys; Alicent’s dispassionate observations of what Helaena says makes me think she doesn’t put much stock in the Targaryen dragon dreams. Two comments from the girl stood out to me: regarding the millipede, (I think, I’m not an entomologist) “the last ring has no legs at all”, and regarding Aemond’s pursuit of a dragon, “he’ll have to close an eye”. I know a bit about what the latter means and won’t be spoiling anything, but the first comment seems odd. Also regarding the bug, she says “it has eyes…though…I don’t believe it can see.” The first connection in my mind was to Bloodraven and Bran, who shared an inability to walk (no legs at all) and eyes more suited for seeing through weirwoods than anything else.
Alicent’s interactions with Aegon help to reinforce the “sins of the father” concept, especially when he suggests just not challenging Rhaenyra and Jacaerys for the throne. The Queen’s words could have come directly from her father’s mouth, and while some level of concern is understandable, she’s clearly the one pushing the throne on her son despite her husband’s decision to pass rule down through Rhaenyra. I’d also like to call her out on a very odd comment to Aemond.

Doesn’t say much for Alicent’s “understanding” proficiency

The obsession is pretty easy to understand, Alicent. You’re obsessed with preserving your family and sitting your son on the Iron Throne in a move that will certainly cause civil war; Aemond is stuck as the only person in his peer group who doesn’t get to hang out with a flying, fire-breathing creature for funsies. Even if he didn’t want it for military or self-preservation purposes, most people in his shoes would feel like they were at least missing out on a really good time.

Pentos

It’s a cute date idea, but you probably have to yell throughout the whole conversation. 3.5/5 stars

Daemon and Laena are performing on the backs of Caraxes and Vhagar for a Pentoshi noble who has been housing them for some time. Together at a feast they toast to Aegon the Conqueror before moving on to a business proposal: Daemon, Laena, and their daughters Baela and Rhaena can live a life of luxury in Pentos in exchange for the dragonriders’ support in wars against the Triarchy and Dorne. A very pregnant Laena later visits Daemon to encourage him to head back to Westeros with their family. Daemon seems hesitant to return to the world of politics and schemes, but Laena isn’t interested in staying.

Laena pays a visit to her daughter Rhaena who is hoping to help her dragon’s egg hatch. Her twin sister has already claimed a dragon, but Laena explains to her that many eggs never hatch and she may want to find another way to claim a dragon instead of waiting on this egg; after all, she claimed the world’s oldest and largest known dragon, Vhagar.

Some time later, Laena is in labor and the Maester or doctor overseeing the process tells Daemon she won’t be able to deliver the child. Daemon seems to turn down the idea of performing surgery to attempt to save the child, but before he can talk to Laena she has made her way outside to Vhagar. She commands her dragon to burn her by saying “Dracarys”, and after some clear hesitation, Vhagar does.

Nothing here to be obsessed with, at all. Just a flippin’ adorable dragon snoot!

Another visit to a character I wish we had spent more time with, much like Daemon’s first wife, Rhea Royce. Adult Laena seems very badass, and even tamed the dragon she asked Viserys about way back in Episode 2, Vhagar. I’m also sad we didn’t get a better shot of Vhagar in this episode, especially in relation to Caraxes; based on some of the secondary sources, she was about twice his size. It was sad to see her go, but I guess we only spent a few scenes in one episode with her as an adult anyway.
Rhaena’s parallels to Aemond were compelling as well, as she’s clearly struggling to see how she fits in a family where everyone else is riding dragons. There’s certainly hope for both of them, with Laena’s example and Daemon’s somewhat-late bonding (he may have been in his 20s) with Caraxes to look to. There’s a lot of time throughout the episode spent worrying about just how Targaryen everyone is, from Rhaenyra’s children (the same 50% as Alicent’s) to Rhaena and Baela (75%) to whether the blood matters as much as what you’re able to do (riding dragons or being a Dreamer). Even Daemon seems to be spending a lot of time reading through Targaryen and Valyrian histories, which might put him in a more authoritative mindset as he prepares to return to Westeros. Getting amped on stories of your ancestors’ triumphs probably doesn’t make you more open to negotiations and politicking.

King’s Landing

I get the feeling we’ll be back in the training yard at least a couple more times with (most) of these characters

Criston Cole is overseeing the training of all four boys as Viserys and Lyonel Strong look on. Aegon, as the oldest, is clearly the most advanced, but there’s some tension between Aemond and Rhaenyra’s children. Criston challenges Alicent’s children to land a blow against him, and Harwin arrives with some criticism of the apparently favoritism. Criston has Aegon and Jace face off, and encourages Aegon to press his advantage when he’s clearly taken control of the situation. Harwin intercedes and pulls Aegon away from Jace, prompting Criston to take note of Harwin’s keen interest in Rhaenyra’s children’s training. Criston openly suggests Harwin’s concern resembles that of a father, and Harwin takes the bait, punching Cole and knocking him to the ground where he’s able to land a few more blows before being pulled off by other members of the Kingsguard.

“He’s a twat” is also a great defense for many of the actions in this scene

Hearing of the news, Rhaenyra sneaks through the Red Keep and overhears Lyonel Strong admonishing Harwin for giving credence to the accusations around Jace and Luke’s parentage. Returning to her chambers, a very inebriated Laenor returns expressing enthusiasm for joining the new war in the Stepstones. Realizing how bad it would look for her children’s proper father to take off for adventure, Rhaenyra is forced to order Laenor to remain by her side in King’s Landing.

I’m tired of doing whatever I want all the time, I just want to go risk my life! #royalproblems

At a meeting of the Small Council, Rhaenyra advocates for action in both the Blackwood-Bracken rivalry and the happenings in the Stepstones, contradicting the advice of Alicent and other members of the council. Before the meeting ends, Rhaenyra proposes marrying Jace to Alicent’s daughter Helaena and fixing the rifts that have arisen between their families. She also offers a dragon egg for Aemond, and before the Queen can be forced to answer, she points out Rhaenyra’s lactation marks and leaves the room.

Again, a scene that probably could have used some more background. Seeing an increasingly biased Criston Cole train the four boys was interesting, but his favoritism towards Aegon and Aemond didn’t seem wildly blatant in the short stretch we were watching. Somehow that plus one oblique comment about Harwin’s affection for Jace and Luke was enough to make the oldest Strong child blow his top and lend credence to any realm-shattering rumors already swirling about. If we had seen this type of tension building over time it might have made more sense, but based solely on what the show has given us, it seems remarkable Harwin didn’t accidentally call Jace or Luke “my son” in the hallways one day and reveal everything. At least we got to see him drop the increasingly-annoying Criston with one solid punch and land a few more blows on his face before being escorted out.
As for the Small Council, Rhaenyra’s increased interest in politics and the state of the realm is an encouraging sign for what her leadership might look like. She may not be all the way to caring what the smallfolk think, but she at least seems concerned with doing the right things for the long-term benefit of Westeros. The same can’t be said of Alicent, who disagrees with her on most points and, most importantly, dodges the proposal of marrying Helaena to Jace. If Alicent’s primary concern really was the safety of her children rather than their ascension to the throne, the match would take care of it. Avoiding the idea and changing the subject to embarrass Rhaenyra makes clear her interest in power and moral righteousness beyond just protecting her kids.

King’s Landing, Continued

As Viserys and Alicent leave the room, the King is very much in support of Rhaenyra’s proposal. Alicent refuses to entertain the idea, and their discussion is interrupted by the arrival of the Hand. Lyonel Strong attempts to resign his position and return to Harrenhal with Harwin, but Viserys refuses; instead, Harwin will return to manage affairs at the family home Harrenhal while Lyonel returns to King’s Landing to continue acting as Hand. Clearly upset, Alicent refuses to help Viserys get comfortable and storms off to join Larys Strong in her chambers.

Just a little more empathy and a little less kinslaying and I think I might have really gotten along with Larys

As they eat, Alicent lets Larys know about his father’s attempted resignation and openly wishes for the return of her father to King’s Landing.

Larys descends into the Black Cells and finds criminals destined for execution willing to give themselves over to his cause. The condition is the loss of their tongues.

Harwin and Lyonel return to Harrenhal and Jace expresses some understanding of the controversy around his parentage. With little left to hold her interest, Rhaenyra tells Laenor they’ll head back to Dragonstone and that he’s welcome to bring his companion, Qarl.

It now seems clear that Larys has been positioned as the unofficial Master of Whisperers for Queen Alicent for some time, though it’s hard to know what his station has entailed for the past ten years. It’s not like she needed any help figuring out Laenor wasn’t contributing genetically to her step-nephews, but whatever he’s provided has put him in an extremely trusted position. Cutting out the tongues of the people in your employ is a classic way to keep secrets from getting out, but we’ll need to dock Larys some secrecy points later.
I can’t entirely blame Rhaenyra for wanting to get back to Dragonstone, but it seems a bit hasty to do so without pushing harder on the marriage proposal she made. Leaving King’s Landing now really lets Alicent off the hook on a deal she would have a very hard time disparaging publicly.

Harrenhal

Lyonel and Harwin awake in the middle of the night to find their chambers ablaze, and both die in the fire set by Larys’s tongueless recruits. When news reaches King’s Landing, Alicent confronts Larys and insists she wouldn’t support such an act, to which the last remaining Strong rolls his eyes.

Ahh, so he’s truly just a lunatic. Again, some info on what’s been happening to bring Larys to this point would be nice. I don’t know if we’ll ever have a reveal of his motivations, but we’ve only ever seen him having positive interactions with his brother and father, so revenge doesn’t seem a likely candidate. His position and his father’s give them plenty of access to and influence on power, so this double homicide would also be a strange move in pursuit of that end. It’s possible he views himself like Varys in Thrones and thinks Alicent’s priorities would be better for the realm, or that he’s just a psychopath who enjoys chaos and disorder. My favorite view is that he actually has a general anti-Targaryen agenda and sees the growing unrest within their house as a prime opportunity to weaken them from within.
Also, weird move to cut out the tongues of your dudes and then put your new sigil on their clothes.