The violent new mystery in House of the Dragon is part of a much larger plot

Image: HBO

Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) faces a constant stream of logistical headaches during her small council sessions. Her advisors are perpetually at odds over the realm’s most pressing vulnerabilities: the depleted treasury, the looming shadow of Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) and his behemoth dragon Vhagar, Ormund Hightower’s (James Norton) strategic maneuvers in Tumbleton, or the bubbling unrest among the common folk. In the latest episode of House of the Dragon, Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) introduces a visceral new threat that strikes directly at the heart of their defense: someone is systematically slaughtering the Gold Cloaks. But who is behind these executions?

[Editor’s note: The following contains spoilers for House of the Dragon season 3, episode 5.]

“Two of our city watchmen were discovered dead in the streets this morning, dispatched by an anonymous blade,” Daemon informs the council, noting the murders occurred within the dangerous confines of Flea Bottom. Ser Torrhen Manderly (Dan Fogler), the Master of Coin, dismisses the district as a lawless cesspit of “undesirables.” While Rhaenyra pushes for Daemon to counter Criston Cole’s disruptive guerrilla tactics, Daemon refuses to budge until he secures the capital.

Image: HBO

“They are my men,” Daemon retorts, “and our stability relies on them, especially while their wages remain unpaid.” The divide between Rhaenyra and Daemon widens as they debate priorities: the Queen demands Aemond’s head, while the Rogue Prince insists on purging the rot within King’s Landing first.

Later, patrolling with commander Ser Luthor Largent (Tom Cullen), Daemon expresses frustration over the city watch’s brutal methods in investigating anti-Rhaenyra graffiti. Ser Luthor notes the grisly nature of the recent murders—the victims were found with their throats and bowels opened. “Good men, dying in agony,” he laments.

The pair soon stumbles upon another crime scene, but not before a young girl is seen fleeing the area. She later delivers a coded message to a group of men, which is subsequently relayed to Ormund Hightower. The cryptic missive, “Gold blood spilled. Three marked in the tally,” confirms that Ormund is coordinating these operations from the shadows.

Image: HBO

In a discussion with his ward, Daeron Targaryen (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth), Ormund recounts the legend of Meria Martell, who famously utilized guerrilla warfare and sabotage against the Targaryen conquest. By poisoning wells and striking under the cover of night, she turned the tide against a superior force. It is evident that Ormund is adopting these subversive tactics, choosing to chip away at Rhaenyra’s authority from within rather than engaging in a suicidal direct confrontation with her dragons.

Daemon eventually reports these deaths to Rhaenyra, highlighting the deliberate, surgical nature of the attacks. Given the Hightowers’ deep ties to the Faith of the Seven and their desire to restore religious piety to the throne, it is highly probable that these killings are being carried out by religious zealots loyal to the Hightower cause, rather than traditional soldiers.

The episode culminates in a horrifying revelation: Daemon discovers nine members of the City Watch—including Ser Luthor—butchered and arranged at a banquet table. A taunting message scrawled in blood reads, “A feast for traitors.” While the exact identity of the assassins remains a mystery, they are clearly a coordinated cell of insurgents dedicated to undermining Rhaenyra and paving the way for Daeron’s ascent.

 

Source: Polygon