House of the Dragon Season 2 : Episode 5 Review- Regent

House Of The Dragon, Season 2, Episode 5, Story so far...

The latest episode of "House of the Dragon" is slower than the previous one, where we saw dragons battling it out. This episode focuses more on the aftermath of dragons being used in war.

King Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) is severely injured after Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) commands his dragon, Vhagar, to breathe fire, despite knowing it would harm the king. Lord Corlys (Steve Toussaint) finds out about his wife's death and is devastated, having already lost both his children. Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) is also deeply affected by Rhaenys' (Eve Best) death. Despite their differences, Rhaenys supported Rhaenyra and made the ultimate sacrifice.

In King's Landing, Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) parades the head of Rhaenys' dead dragon, Meleys, among the common folk, hoping to boost morale. However, the people see it as a bad omen. Many try to leave the city as food is scarce and the war has taken a heavy toll on them. Aemond and Alicent (Olivia Cooke) watch as people shout for meat and attempt to flee, with the Gold Cloaks blocking the way.

Aegon is critically injured, with his armor burned into his skin. While a room full of maesters treats him, Aemond argues that someone needs to rule in his place. Aemond, often overlooked despite being the more capable son, is appointed to rule in Aegon's absence, which Alicent protests. It's ironic how Alicent chose to align with these sexist men and now feels betrayed when she's not chosen to rule.

Daemon (Matt Smith) is seen rebuilding Harrenhal Castle. He experiences strange visions of young Rhaenyra and is shown being intimate with a woman later revealed to be his mother, adding an incestuous twist to the story.

This episode sparks a lot of theories and introduces several new storylines. It feels very much like an aftermath-of-battle episode. It ends with Rhaenyra looking at a picture of Visenya, the first rider of Vhagar. She sees Visenya as a role model, not sidelined like she is. Jace (Harry Collett) joins his mother, and while Rhaenyra is pleased with his support, she's also worried about Chagar and the threat his dragon poses. They discuss finding new riders for their two dragons.

Episode 6 promises to take the story further, giving us an opportunity to see more dragons and dive deeper into the ongoing conflicts and alliances.

Images: HBO