While we deal with the theme of incest and political marriages in “House of the Dragon” episode 4, we would not have known that man-to-man sexual pleasures – just call it homosexuality – would be part of the theme for episode 5. But we all want every bit of the cake, right?
“I have always feared the day you would have to marry a woman, and now it comes,” Laenor‘s likely male sexual partner (because they share a kiss) says after his mother Rhaenrys tells his father, Lord Corlys, that the latter should remember their son’s true nature.
It is likely his orientation is not in question in the inner circle, the reason Princess Rhaenrya struck a deal with him to continue acting his true nature.
“I know that whatever deal is struck up there will not change your appetites, nor will it change mine.”
She later proposes that they (Rhaenyra and Laenor) perform their duties to their parents and afterwards, “each of us dines as we see fit.”
All this is during King Viserys‘ – now shown to be critically ill – visit to Lord Corlys to propose the marriage of their children and join blood relations. This means that we may be seeing the recurring theme of political marriages until maybe King Viserys is dead.
Rhaenyra confirms this thought when she tells Ser Criston Cole that she won’t flee the worries of succession and kingship with him as he proposed and “Ser Laenor will make a fine husband.”
Besides, “marriage is only a political arrangement, I hear,” Rhaenyra says to Daemon at the start of her wedding celebrations to Laenor. She intends to make Ser Criston her sexual partner.
Up to this point, there is more inclination toward sexual content than drawn swords and dragon fire. So…15+
But then, the king slumps at the official consummation of Laenor and Rhaenyra, which was hastened after a bloody incident, and the pressure of war is likely to become fierce from now on – except the king lives.
House of the Dragon (ep. 5): We Light the Way
This week has another talk talk episode, but one that further exposes the rupture in the Targaryen clan. The more they try to project togetherness, the more separateness is shown.
It’s been all talk and more talk to this point, with some good heart-to-hearts between Alicent and Otto (sacked King’s Hand), for instance, and between Rhaenyra and Laenor.
Though we experience an eventful final 20 minutes from when the drums of House Velaryon announce the arrival of Lord Corlys to Rhaenyra and Laenor’s pre-wedding feast.
At a feast that has the Targaryens, Velaryons, Coles, Hightowers, etc., we saw knights unsheathing swords, throwing punches and accusations around, committing murder, declaring war, and even dancing a little.
Ser Criston, as a true knight and nobleman, showed us some guilt in a bloody way. He doesn’t agree with Ser Joffrey‘s talk of keeping each other’s secret, not to mention his rage from Rhaenyra‘s refusal to elope with him. So, Ser Criston smashes Joffrey’s head right in the middle of the dance floor, putting an end to the celebrations and leaving behind a young Laenor Valeryon in tears.
“We Light the Way” begins with a pretty shocking scene: the murder of Lady Rhea Royce – who had not been in the picture except in words.
She was Daemon‘s estranged wife and died for nothing because while he was trying to get her off the picture at The Vale (having proposed to marry Rhaenyra in episode 4), Viserys was already visiting Lord Corlys to propose Rhaenyra‘s marriage to Laenor.
Daemon then becomes an unwanted guest at the wedding feast and tells Rhaenyra that the marriage is not what she wants.
This episode also ends on an interesting assumption: that the first war may be between Alicent (who is now gathering her own army) and the duo of Rhaenyra and Daemon.
In silent whispers…we hope the king dies, so we can begin to see dragon fire in House of the Dragon episode 6. What would have replaced that is a dialogue that is as interesting and is not unnecessary in so many instances.
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