The Queen Who Never Was is the Real  Game Changer in HOTD Episode 9!

The penultimate episode of every season in the Game of Thrones Franchise so far has been the most happening one with the finale dealing with its aftermath. House of the Dragon has certainly lived up to that expectation!

The Green Council, led by Otto Hightower and his daughter Alicent were quick to send the entire castle including Rhaenys into lockdown, so that the news about King Viserys’s death would not reach Rhaenyra’s ears.

These drastic measures were taken so that The Green Council could act on the King’s apparent last words and crown Aegon II as the new King.

Fortunately, Rhaenys was released by a guard who was against the entire fiasco. She was about to escape and reach Blackwater Bay when she was almost trampled by a hoard of people who were crewing up to witness the coronation of Aegon II.

Rhaenys follows the crowd into the Dragonpit, where Aegon II’s coronation was taking place. Upon realizing what was happening, she hurries into the dungeons to find her dragon Meleys whom she was reluctant to leave without. In a dramatic climax, Meleys breaks through the floor with Rhaenys riding her just after Aegon II’s coronation.

At this moment, I’m sure we all expected Meleys to burn down the Green Council, especially since Rhaenys had the perfect opportunity to do so. But Meleys just let out a deafening roar before flying off with Rhaenys. No points for guessing that they were headed to Dragonstone, to inform Rhaenyra about Aegon’s crowning.

Throughout the series, Princess Rhaenys has been referred to as “The Queen who never was”, since Viserys was named heir instead of her years ago by Jaeherys Targaryen. Jaeherys did so despite Princess Rhaenys being his only heir, simply because she was a woman.

After this, Rhaenys’s husband Lord Corlys Velaryon kept trying to win back the throne for her in one way or the other. He tried to marry his underage daughter, Lady Laena to Viserys II and later married Rhaenyra to his son, Laenor. All of this was done in hope of his heirs (and Rhaenys’ line) to sit on the Iron Throne.

However, in one scene, Rhaenys mentioned that she had long given up on her claim to the Iron Throne and that Corlys was fighting a futile battle.

Why did Rhaenys not support the Green Council?

Though Viserys technically stole Rhaenys’ throne, it is strange that Rhaenys decided to side with his daughter, Rhaenyra. Rhaenys has also been of the opinion that Rhaenyra had her son, Laenor murdered so she could marry Daemon. Even then, she sided with her in the Dance of Dragons.

Rhaenys did so because her house had already stepped into a marriage alliance with Rhaenyra’s house. As Rhaenys herself mentions in episode 9, the words of her house aren’t to be taken lightly.

Princess Rhaenys has by far been one of the most decent characters in the series. Despite having a solid claim to the Iron Throne, she never rebelled against Viserys. She never conspired against him or tried to harm anyone in anyway. All she wanted was the best for her children and grandchildren.

A solid reason for her to support Rhaenyra is perhaps because she too is a woman and the first one to have been named heir by her father. Rhaenys never got such support from her father despite being his trueborn daughter. But instead of being jealous of Rhaenyra, she decided to support someone who has something she could not have.

Though she could not be a Queen herself, Rhaenyra becoming Queen would be a win for women in general, as they were never considered fit to rule simply because of their gender.

Besides, Rhaenyra is Viserys’ eldest child and was named heir by the King himself. To go against the words of the King would have been treason. If we know something about Martin’s fantasy universe, it is that loyalty, oaths and treason are taken very seriously here.

So, as a true Targaryen, Rhaenys decided to stand with King Viserys’s actual wishes. Perhaps she knew her cousin well enough to know that he could never have named Aegon heir in his deathbed.

Last but not the least, Aegon II is not a deserving ruler and even he agrees. Our prince would do anything to run away from the Iron Throne. So, why would anyone waste their time supporting him when he neither has the desire nor the capability to rule?

Why did Rhaenys not burn down the Greens?

One very crucial question that remained unanswered in episode 9 is why Rhaenys did not burn down the Greens along with Aegon II when she had the perfect opportunity to do so. After crashing into Dragonpit with her dragon Meleys, she could have easily burnt down the Greens which would have spared us all the dance!

However, she decided to show mercy instead, and flew off on her dragon without harming anyone. Rhaenys probably took this decision as she knew that it was Rhaenyra who should deal with the Greens.

Burning down the Greens without her knowledge or approval would have been a breach of trust, even though it would only benefit her. Rhaenys probably believed that she was not in a position to take such a decision in place of Rhaenyra, the true heir to the throne.

Also, it doesn’t harm to be a pacifist sometimes. Some people would rather fly on dragons than go around burning people down. It’s not that deep.

Thus, she decided to first fly to Dragonstone and inform Rhaenyra about the events that went on and fight the war together after consulting her.

About House Of The Dragon

House of the Dragon is the prequel series to HBO’s blockbuster Game of Thrones based on George R. R. Martin’s book Fire & Blood.

Set three hundred years before the events of Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon will show Westeros under the Targaryen family’s rule before the dragons went extinct. It will follow the Dance of the Dragons, the Targaryen civil war between siblings Aegon II and Rhaenyra, who fought for the throne after the death of their father, Viserys I.

Directed by Ryan Condall and Miguel Sapochnik, the show stars Paddy Considine as Viserys I Targaryen, Emma D’Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen, Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower, Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen, Tom Glynn-Craney as Aegon II Targaryen, Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower, Steve Toussaint as Corlys Velaryon, Eve Best as Rhaenys Velaryon, Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria, Fabien Frankel as Criston Cole, and Graham McTavish.