The Blacks vs. The Greens: The moral mud battle heats up on House of the Dragon

Season 2 of House of the Dragon is hot, hot, hot, and that's even without all the dragonfire we were exposed to in the latest episode, "The Red Dragon and the Gold."

The war between the Blacks and the Greens continues to get bigger and uglier, and there's still so much more to come. If anything is to be learned here, it's how easily one can venture into the dark side of morality while trying to get justice or, in this case, plant their butts on a chair made of very pointy swords.

As we continue to discuss which faction is the most morally dubious, please keep in mind that we'll be revealing SPOILERS exist below, so read at your own risk.

Last time we visited this subject, the Greens came out on top. With Queen Alicent’s refusal to try and end this bloody war, Criston Cole and Aemond Targaryen’s plans, Aegon being Aegon, and Larys Strong's creepy manipulations, it's easy to see why the Greens continually win the title of "Most Morally Sketchy Faction in Westeros." The Blacks are no saints, far from it, but comparing their misdoings to the Greens' can sometimes feel like comparing apples to oranges.

Surprising no one, the latest episode doesn't do anything to paint the Greens in a better light. Let's into specifics:

The Blacks: Daemon is on the verge of snapping

Daemon, the rogue prince with older brother issues, is having creepy visions during his stay in the castle of Harrenhal. The visions seem to hit him where it hurts: young Rhaenyra gives him a stern talking-to about wanting to steal her throne, his dead wife Laena fills cups during a council meeting, and he sees himself as his nephew Aemond. I'm torn between saying these are things he needs to address with professional help (but where does one get professional help from in wartime Westeros?) and that he had this coming. In his dream, Daemon decapitates young Rhaenyra, which means he's killing yet another child, even if it is just a vision. That definitely gives the Blacks a dubious point right there.

Happily, the Blacks get that point subtracted on account of just how amazing Rhaenys is. Rhaenys, the Queen Who Never Was, found in herself the strength to meet her husband's bastard son, Alyn of Hull, and give us all a lesson in forgiveness and compassion. She understands that Alyn is innocent and had no part to play in Lord Corlys' affair with his mother, and says he should be celebrated for saving Corlys' life. Catelyn Stark, take notes.

The Greens: A new moral low

And then, there are the Greens.

Ser Criston Cole and Prince Aemond crafted a sneaky plan: lure the Blacks into defending the castle of Rook’s Rest with a dragon and then ambush them with Vhagar, ridden by Aemond. But of course, things went sideways, with King Aegon II crashing the party, drunk and reckless on his dragon Sunfyre.

As soon as Aemond spots Sunfyre flying over him and Vhagar (and with a twinkle of very deadly sibling rivalry) he makes a point to wait for Aegon make a botch of things before joining the battle himself. Since he's fighting Rhaenys Targaryen on her dragon Meleys, there's even a chance Aegon could die, which seems to be what Aemond wants. This lack of brotherly love is going to cost the Greens some morality points.

As Aemond joins the fight, he doesn't seem to care if he blasts his brother with dragonfire while trying to take down Meleys. Was it a mistake? Doubtful. In the end, Sunfyre gets scorched, and Aegon takes a nasty fall. Adding to Aemond's dubiousness, Criston Cole spots him wandering Aegon's crash site with his sword drawn. Was Aemond trying to finish things? Was he actually considering killing his own brother in an attempt to steal the throne?

Aegon is badly hurt, but still alive, at least if we go by George R.R. Martin's book Fire & Blood. This chaotic mess just adds another layer to the Greens' stack of moral missteps: attempted fratricide out in the open, Aemond? Really?!

That's not even to mention what happened to Rhaenys, our fierce and beloved Queen Who Never Was, who soared into battle on Meleys with all the bravery and grace we expected. But then tragedy hit hard. Ordered by Aemond, grandma Vhagar ultimately snapped and bit off Meley's neck, sending Rhaenys and Meleys back down to the ground with a devastating fall. Because of the Greens (mainly Aemond and Cole's plan), Rhaenys is gone, leaving a massive hole not just in the storyline but in our hearts.

This tragic loss just adds to the Greens' moral dubiousness. Aemond’s ruthless actions in using Vhagar to attack both Aegon and Rhaenys highlight the Greens' willingness to obliterate any opposition, no matter the cost. Their relentless pursuit of power is leading to heartbreaking consequences, showing just how far they're willing to go to secure their claim to the throne.

The Verdict: The Greens remain the most morally dubious faction

Things just get messier and messier. In "The Red Dragon and the Gold," Aemond's ruthless attack on Aegon and Sunfyre and Rhaenys and Meleys took the Greens' moral ambiguity to a whole new level. Aemond's willingness to incinerate any opposition, including his own brother and king, shows just how low he (and by extension, the Greens) can go. And let’s not forget Alicent’s stubborn refusal to fix her colossal mistake and her continuous manipulation of Aegon; she’s steering this morally dubious ship with no intention of changing course, one gulp of moon tea at a time.

But hey, in the wild world of Westeros, anything can happen. With Daemon dealing with his insomnia and nightmarish visions and as we wait for the fallout from Rhaenys' death, the moral scales can tip at any moment. The Dance of the Dragons is far from over, and the chaos is just beginning to show through.

Make sure you tune in to HBO, Max, or Hulu next Sunday at 9:00 p.m. EST, you won’t want to miss a single moment of what's coming next in House of the Dragon.

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