The Dance of Dragons effectively begins in this week’s episode of House of the Dragon, “The Red Dragon and the Gold,” and it’s with a bang. The Battle at Rook’s Rest is a crucial moment in the season, but its setup says a lot about the players on both the Black and Green sides, especially their rulers. Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) and Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney) start the episode having their abilities as rulers contested, but deal with it in completely different ways. Tragedy hits both of them just the same at Rook’s Rest, though, so it begs the question: are they both fit to rule at all?
Both Rhaenyra and Aegon Have Been Absent Rulers Until the Battle at Rook’s Rest
The matter of Viserys’ (Paddy Considine) succession is still at the center of things in this first half of House of the Dragon Season 2, especially after Rhaenyra meets with Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) in King’s Landing. It’s now becoming clear even to the Greens that Aegon isn’t really king material, while, on the other side of Blackwater Bay, the Blacks have also been wondering whether Rhaenyra is really committed to waging war for the Iron Throne. They have both been absent rulers so far, but for different reasons.
Season 2 begins with Rhaenyra being away from her headquarters in Dragonstone. She spends most of the premiere on the shores of Shipbreaker Bay looking for her son’s remains. Prince Lucerys Velaryon (Elliott Grihault) and his dragon, Arrax, had just been victims of an attack by Prince Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell) and Vhagar. The Black council seemed to understand that, at that moment, Rhaenyra needed time to mourn her child. But just a few days later, she suddenly vanishes again, suddenly coming back claiming to have met with Alicent in King’s Landing, and is now willing to fly into battle herself with Syrax. From her council’s perspective, it isn’t a very wise move. Although Princess Rhaenys (Eve Best) tried her best to manage things in Rhaenyra’s absence, it isn’t the same. Even Prince Jacaerys (Harry Collett) was annoyed by his mother’s absence this time.
In King’s Landing, Aegon is running things as expected — by claiming to be bored and wanting to jump headfirst into battle. His council is aware of his temper and lack of knowledge, and Aemond is completely passing him by, devising military strategy directly with Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) and keeping Aegon out of the loop entirely. This happens because Aegon has also been frequently absent from his appointments, choosing to hold court with his buddies of the Kingsguard during the day and going to taverns at night — and occasionally bullying Aemond in brothels, too. A much different approach than Rhaenyra’s. It doesn’t even seem like he has also just lost a child.
As Important as Being Present Is, Rhaenyra’s Absence Was Justified
It’s clear that there is a huge difference between Rhaenyra and Aegon in terms of political skill and responsibility. Being present at the day-to-day appointments of a monarch is crucial, of course, but so is what they do outside of it. These matters may be just as important as what happens in a Small Council meeting, for example, so Rhaenyra’s commitment can’t really be compared to Aegon’s. Even while mourning Lucerys, she kept her head in the game, and her covert trip to King’s Landing wasn’t about sightseeing, too.
When Rhaenyra tells her council that she has been in King’s Landing to try and broker peace with Alicent, she says something that is key to understanding how she thinks: “I inherited 80 years of peace from my father. Before I was to end it, I needed to know that there was no other path.” This is more important than any throne or crown and is really what ruling is about. Keeping the realm united and at peace is the most important task any ruler can aspire to accomplish, and, truth be told, between Aegon and Rhaenyra, only the latter has been committed to it. This thought doesn’t even cross Aegon’s mind, and only after meeting Rhaenyra does Alicent herself start to understand the consequences of what she has done by crowning Aegon after Viserys dies. So Rhaenyra’s absence because of her trip to King’s Landing is perfectly justified.
When Alicent is talking to Aegon in “The Red Dragon and the Gold,” she mentions how he discarded her council and banished Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), whom she describes as “as cunning a statesman as ever lived,” but this word is thrown around a lot nowadays by people who think it describes a politically able individual. This is part of what being a statesman is, yes, but not all. A statesman is someone who is actually able to view the whole of the realm and uses their political skills to act in its best interest, according to the need. Otto Hightower helped Viserys maintain peace, but he did so to consolidate his family’s position as indispensable to the Crown, not out of love for the realm. Aegon, of course, is doing nothing in this sense. Rhaenyra, on the other hand, risks her life by attempting topersonally treat with Alicent to avoid dragon warfare. It may have been somewhat imprudent of her to do so, but her absence from Dragonstone at that particular moment actually served the realm’s best interest – it just wasn’t successful.
Rhaenyra and Aegon Have Different Approaches Toward Their Respective Councils
When Rhaenyra finally reappears on Dragonstone after her trip to King’s Landing, she is comfortable with the idea of going to war. She understands there is no way around it, so she is now committed to it, and wants to fly to Rook’s Rest herself with Syrax. It even makes a little sense, given that she is the queen and the war is personal business for her, but, strategically, it’s not a good idea. Her council immediately talks her out of it, and she also forbids Jacaerys from going. He is her heir, so his position is as vulnerable as hers. It’s decided then that Rhaenys is the one who will fly into the Dance of Dragons’ first battle.
In King’s Landing, Aegon faces a similar predicament to Rhaenyra’s. He has been expressing his will to fly into battle for two episodes, and his council strictly forbids him, but doesn’t oppose Aemond going. In Aegon’s head, it isn’t about strategy, ruling, or anything like it; he thinks he is being forbidden for not being fierce enough. So, of course, he defies his council and Alicent’s advice and flies to Rook’s Rest anyway. As a result, he is burnt by Aemond and Vhagar, and Sunfyre is crippled by Rhaenys and Meleys. Not wise, nor prudent.
Although they both wear crowns and claim the same throne, there is a huge gap between Rhaenyra and Aegon in terms of being fit to rule. Ruling is a burden and a responsibility, and Rhaenyra is aware of it, while Aegon uses it to pay for drinks in taverns and prove to himself that he is fierce and strong. Not even Alicent, the daughter of the “statesman” Otto Hightower, really understands what ruling is about. Rhaenyra may barely have ruled at all, but displays a better grasp on what it really is about.