House of the Dragon transformed Laenor’s destiny

Photo: Ollie Upton/HBO

House of the Dragon’s game of succession is ultimately playing out in earnest, and also as one could anticipate, heads are mosting likely to roll — a minimum of metaphorically (though it being a Game of Thrones joint, most likely additionally actually). In episode 7, Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) and also Daemon (Matt Smith) make a solid play to, uh, ally themselves, and also it comes with the price of Laenor Velaryon (John MacMillan).

But as Macbethian as the entire plan is, it’s inevitably even more type than virtually any type of various other Game of Thrones story we’ve seen — though wonderfully it’s a little vague that precisely is in charge of completion outcome.

[Ed. note: This story contains spoilers for House of the Dragon through episode 7.]

After Rhaenyra suggests to Daemon, recommending that they do as their ancestors did and also joined to much better support her insurance claim to the throne, he instantly explains that the strategy would certainly suggest obtaining Laenor off the beaten track. The episode moves right into mosaic setting as the strategy revives: Daemon consults with Ser Qarl Correy (Arty Froushan) and also deal to spend for a life overseas if he carries out a murder with witnesses. Laenor locates Qarl in the excellent hall of High Tide. Daemon eliminates an individual on the staircases. Princess Rhaenys (Eve Best) and Ser Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) discover the charred remains of what seems their boy in the fire place.

In this game of thrones, Laenor shows up to have actually paid the most awful cost — a minimum of till we see he is, as a matter of fact, to life and also well, camouflaged (by slashing off his trademark platinum locs) and also cruising right into the symbolic sundown with his fan, Qarl.

Photo: Ollie Upton/HBO

While Rhaenyra and also Daemon’s puzzling commentary explains the intent of obtaining Laenor off the beaten track so they can (re)combine their families, the real implementation of the story is left a little bit open up to analysis: Do Rhaenyra and also Daemon really conspire to eliminate Laenor just for him to be conserved by his potential assassin (and also bedmate)? Or do they want to not just extra him, yet provide him a risk-free life far from what they understand will be a bloody and also tiresome battle?

The “objective truth” below will certainly tint the coming battle, which is not mosting likely to establish any person up as an ideal hero. (If that seems like a looter… have you been viewing the program?) Rhaenyra’s tale may be (so far) much better outlined than Daenerys’ descent right into insanity. But even if her activities — both thus far and also ahead — are easy to understand doesn’t make them a lot easier to take. And in some way scheduling your cousin-husband to be out of the photo so you can wed your uncle is currently rather near the line. It appears not likely that she would certainly have her brand-new beloved (I cannot overemphasize this: her uncle) get the aid of her spouse’s fan for a murder effort, yet unfamiliar person points have actually taken place.

If any person appears looking excellent it’s Mushroom, among the 3 storytellers in George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, the “historical” source product for the HBO collection. Though his account is frequently taken much less seriously as he is a court fool, House of the Dragon’s dedication to a solitary, real timeline for the occasions of the unique it’s based upon has actually validated components of his account.

And below Mushroom’s testament substantiates: In guide, he claims Qarl eliminated Laenor in behalf of Daemon, while Martin’s in-universe writer adheres to up to state there’s no proof of that whatsoever. Sure, some information obtained transformed (in Fire & Blood Qarl eliminated Laenor in a quarrel at a reasonable, for factors unidentified, and also he left forever). But if episode 7 of House of the Dragon instructs us anything it’s that most of us should have to commemorate a partial success, also if it’s simply deserting your life and also your title so you can live throughout the slim sea in tranquility.

 

Source: Polygon