‘House of the Dragon’ Episode 9: Dear Alicent, Rhaenys Was Not Born Yesterday

Last week’s episode of House of the Dragon was an emotional one. Not only did we join in King Viserys’ final moments, but we witnessed somewhat of a mending of fences between Alicent and Rhaenyra. Then, as one tear rolls down his cheek, King Viserys took his final breath, but not before he uttered his last wish that Aegon inherits the Iron Throne.

Naturally, or perhaps willfully thinking, Alicent took this to mean her son Aegon instead of Rhaenyra’s son Aegon — an understandable mistake as they recycle names like people recycle cans. Episode 9 opens on a beautifully solemn note. Alicent (Olivia Cooke) is informed that the king is dead and —with no time to grieve— quickly leaps into action to convene a council before the news spreads. While people are searching for Aegon to quickly get him appointed as king, Alicent takes this opportunity to pull Rhaenys (Eve Best) aside and persuade her to pledge her allegiance to “her” Aegon.

In her conversation with Alicent, Rhaenys is initially impressed by the queen’s wisdom. Alicent does the smart thing by appealing to Rhaenys as a mother. Being caught off guard by her words, Rhaenys praises the queen admitting that she has underestimated her. Alicent responds by stating that it’s a queen’s duty to think about all of her people. It’s at this moment that Rhaenys hits Alicent with some hard truth by saying,

“And yet you toil still in service to men — your father, your husband, your son. You desire not to be free but to make a window in the wall of your prison. Have you never imagined yourself on the Iron Throne?”

Rhaenys Targaryen

Rhaenys is then left alone in her room with her thoughts but is later rescued by a member of the king’s guard. Before she can leave King’s Landing, she’s engulfed by the crowd being shepherded to the coronation of the new king. It’s here, during the coronation, that Rhaenys decides to make her decision known to Alicent and the rest of team Green in true Targaryen fashion — on the back of Meleys, her dragon.

As she makes her escape, Rhaenys could’ve easily wiped out Alicent, her offspring, and all those loyal to her — which I definitely hope would’ve been Ser Criston Cole because it’s time for him to go. Instead, Rhaenys demonstrated greater strength by showing restraint which could’ve been due to a few reasons.

1. Now that Aegon has been crowned king, had Rhaenys killed him, she would’ve been a kingslayer. You probably remember the term from Game of Thrones used often when describing Jamie Lannister who killed the Mad King, Aerys II Targaryen. Anyone dubbed a kingslayer is believed to be cursed forever.
2. It wasn’t her fight to finish. As much as we all wanted to hear “Dracarys”, doing so would not have allowed Rhaenyra a say in how she wanted to proceed in claiming her throne.
3. It would have been a poor move politically. There’s no mystery that there are still those loyal to Rhaenyra. Had Rhaenys set the dragon pits aflame, those loyalties might have shifted, leaving Rhaenyra with little to no allies.
4. Rhaenys, to her knowledge, has lost both of her children and is currently awaiting her husband’s return to see what condition his recent injury has left him in. When Alicent stood in front of her freshly crowned son Aegon, a mother’s love for her child could’ve given Rhaenys pause.

Whatever the full reasons are, one thing is certain — Rhaenys is not for play-play. She is a Targaryen! And, though the “Queen Who Never Was” may have been forced into the shadows, she learned to see in the dark. Unlike Alicent, she is not just a pawn, but more of a silent player and she demonstrated her power and position.

The House of the Dragon season finale airs this Sunday at 9PM PT/ET on HBO (West Coast viewers can watch it at 6PM PT on HBO Max).