This week’s episode of House of the Dragon season 3 is another eventful one, as Team Black and Team Green make moves on the chessboard that is the Dance of the Dragons. Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) sits the Iron Throne, but her claim is being challenged by more than one cause now.
Sure, Aegon Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney) is nowhere to be found, but his supporters are still willing to fight for him. And now, Ormund Hightower (James Norton) has launched a campaign for Daeron Targaryen (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) to become the king, which complicates matters even further. In season 3 episode 6, we see Rhaenyra struggle with her next move, as Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) grapples with the death and desertion of his Gold Cloaks.
Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) and her daughter Helaena Targaryen (Phia Saban) have been prisoners of Rhaenyra’s since she took King’s Landing earlier in the season, but the queen is forced to crack down on their security after the mother-daughter duo tried to escape last episode. Rhaenyra doesn’t know what to do with Alicent, but she knows she can’t let her go free yet.
Rhaenyra is sending Alicent to Harrenhal
Towards the end of tonight’s episode, Rhaenyra hatches up a plan — one that doesn’t seem that well thought-out — to get something out of Alicent. After Alicent learns that her son Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell) is in Harrenhal, as proven by a scene Helaena sews into a blanket, she’s quick to tell Rhaenyra. But what Alicent doesn’t anticipate is that she’ll demand her to go to Harrenhal to get her son, and possibly kill him.
This plan, understandably, shocks Alicent, who is adamant she needs to stay in King’s Landing with her pregnant daughter. But Rhaenyra believes if she sends multiple guards or even knights to Harrenhal, Aemond will hide or flee. If it’s someone who Aemond trusts, he’ll be much more likely to stay.
But what does Rhaenyra expect Alicent to do then, exactly? While she doesn’t explicitly say, it’s sort of implied that she wants her to kill her own son. On the other hand, she could just want to use Alicent to lure Aemond out to be taken back to King’s Landing. In any case, I’m certain it won’t be as simple as Rhaenyra sees it.
What could happen at Harrenhal?
Rhaenyra’s scheme for Alicent is not part of the source material, George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, so all we can do is speculate on what’s coming next here. We know Aemond and Alys Rivers (Gayle Rankin) have begun a romance of some kind out in Harrenhal, as shown in tonight’s episode, with Alys trying to persuade the prince to start a new life with her there. Though he seems confused at first, she presents him with dragon eggs, which is something that could very well change his tune.
Though the castle is not highly guarded, Alys and Aemond have proven they can hold their own when intruders show up — but what if that intruder is Aemond’s mom? We know he has a very deep love for his mother, although he shows it in bizarre ways, and has only ever wanted acceptance from her. I could very well see Aemond doing whatever his mom asks of him, but would he really retreat to King’s Landing just like that? Or would he be that easy to kill?
On the other hand, though Aemond is misguided, he’s very smart, and if he’s got a new life plan brewing with Alys, he might not be so obedient to his mother anymore.
Something else has got to happen between Alicent’s departure from King’s Landing to her arrival in Harrenhal to make things a bit more interesting. Otherwise, would she just show up at the cursed castle to… have a conversation with her son? It seems very anticlimactic. What would be worse is Alicent showing up and killing him as if it’s an easy thing to do.
Another reason this writing decision could be an epic fail is the logistics of it. Alicent traveling to Harrenhal — basically on her own — could be very dangerous. Plus, if Rhaenyra actually expects Alicent to kill her own son, that would be so unbelievable. As much as she’s disturbed by Aemond, I can’t believe she’d be able to do it. Not only would she be against it in her heart, but how would she even know how to murder someone?
And, of course, book readers are eager to see Aemond live on to the highly anticipated Battle Above the Gods Eye, which won’t happen until season 4. There’s no way Aemond can die here.
Yes, Alicent was willing to give up Aegon to Rhaenyra, but nowhere in that equation was Alicent being the one to do the deed. Of course, a couple of guards could be accompanying Alicent to carry out the kill, but that doesn’t take away the strangeness of it all.
House of the Dragon has a track record of writing ridiculous point points between Rhaenyra and Alicent that aren’t from the book (remember the Sister Act meetup?) so I’m fearful that’s what this will turn into. We only have two episodes of season 3 left, so let’s cross our fingers the writers stick the landing.
Stream new episodes of House of the Dragon season 3 every Sunday night on HBO and HBO Max.
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