Who deserves the Iron Throne in ‘Home of the Dragon’: Crew Black or Crew Inexperienced?

After that surprising cliffhanger, Recreation of Thrones prequel Home of the Dragon is lastly flying again on to our screens. However who ought to sit on the Iron Throne, actually? 

In Season 2, we’re taking a look at civil struggle between childhood buddies, between the Black Council underneath the command of Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy), and the Inexperienced Council led by Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke), the latter of whom sees her son Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) at the moment on the Iron Throne.

To begin with, reacquaint your self with the Targaryen household tree. Within the very first episode of Home of the Dragon, we learnt how King Viserys I Targaryen (Paddy Considine) gained the crown over Princess Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Greatest). King Jaehaerys, having no residing sons, picked Viserys throughout the Nice Council at Harrenhal as a result of, properly, he is a dude. However as to Viserys’ personal inheritor? Properly, that obtained sophisticated final season.

In Season 1, successors have been named, the Iron Throne usurped, and on the centre of all of it stand two girls making an attempt to keep away from all-out struggle in Westeros. However who technically deserves what Viserys calls “the most dangerous seat in the realm”? Forward of Season 2, we’re wanting on the professionals and cons of the Black and the Inexperienced Councils within the forthcoming struggle of succession.

The case for the Black Council

Professional: Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen was formally named inheritor to the Iron Throne

You possibly can’t get a lot better than a proper declaration of succession by the king himself. After his spouse and son’s loss of life in childbirth, King Viserys named Rhaenyra inheritor to the Iron Throne, shifting her above her bitter uncle and future husband Prince Daemon (Matt Smith). Rhaenyra was the early decide of the Small Council over Daemon, nevertheless it wasn’t till he pissed off Viserys by calling the king’s stillborn son Prince Baelon “The Heir for a Day” that Viserys determined to make it official, telling Rhaenyra of her succession in entrance of the cranium of legendary Valyrian dragon Balerion — a sacred place to take action.

Even if no queen had ever sat on the Iron Throne, a complete Nice Corridor of lords pledged their allegiance to the princess — and by the finale, the newly topped Queen Rhaenyra was able to strongly remind them of those oaths.

All through Season 1, Viserys swore publicly and to Rhaenyra (on her mom’s reminiscence!) she would not be supplanted as inheritor, even when her teenage bestie Alicent was declared his betrothed. Yuck. Viserys confirmed his daughter’s royal inheritance once more to Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint), once they organized marriage between Rhaenyra and his son Laenor (John MacMillan) — Rhaenyra’s succession was a part of the cut price.

Nonetheless, as a result of Westeros is patriarchal as hell, Rhaenyra’s inheritance was technically all the time underneath menace by Viserys producing a male inheritor with Alicent. “Men would sooner put the realm to the torch than see a woman ascend the Iron Throne,” Rhaenys advised a younger Rhaenyra, having gone via all that crap herself. The king confided in Alicent of his doubts, offering a robust base for her motivation to wave the doubtful paternity of Rhaenyra’s “Strong” sons round, in addition to how she interpreted essentially the most contested second within the sequence: King Viserys’ ultimate want.

Con: Queen Alicent Hightower genuinely believes Viserys modified his thoughts

King Viserys died in his mattress with Alicent by his aspect in episode 8. We by no means noticed Viserys rename his inheritor, however in his final moments, the lucid king spoke of a dream had by King Aegon I Targaryen, a secret Targaryen prophecy handed from king to inheritor referred to as “A Song of Ice and Fire” that speaks of “The Prince That Was Promised” to guard Westeros from darkish forces (learn: white walkers). Viserys by no means advised anybody however Rhaenyra of the prophecy, and his ultimate phrases, which appear meant for his daughter, are: “It is you. You are the one. You must do this. You must do this.”

For those who heard your dying husband converse your son Aegon’s identify and the phrases “The Prince That Was Promised” with no context, you’d most likely imagine he’d renamed his inheritor too. Whereas the Small Council believes it handy, Alicent believes it to be the reality.

Notably, within the season finale, Rhaenyra realises Viserys by no means advised Daemon of King Aegon I’s dream — her father by no means had any intention of naming Daemon as his inheritor, ever.

Professional: The Black Council has extra dragons so…

If we’re speaking troopers, the Inexperienced Council might need the Black Council beat. But when we’re speaking dragons?

The Black Council has: Syrax (Rhaenyra Targaryen), Meleys (Rhaenys Targaryen), Caraxes (Daemon Targaryen), Vermax (Jacaerys Velaryon), Tyraxes (Joffrey Velaryon), and Moondancer (Baela Targaryen) — they’re now with out Arrax, who died with Lucerys.

They may additionally probably have the legendary Vermithor, who Daemon sung to within the season finale. And it is unclear who’ll be using Seasmoke (as soon as ridden by Laenor Velaryon) who resides on Driftmark, or Silverwing who lives on the Dragonmont — plus, Daemon’s incubating a bunch of dragon eggs there.

The Inexperienced Council has: Dreamfyre (Helaena), Sunfyre (Aegon II Targaryen), and Vhagar “Queen of all Dragons” (Aemond Targaryen, who claimed her over Rhaena Velaryon, who hoped to assert her from her late mom, Laena Velaryon).

Nonetheless, as Rhaenyra correctly advises her council within the finale, dragons in struggle means all the things burns, promising “a kingdom of ash and bone” for whomever is left.

Con: Rhaenyra’s problematic uncle-husband is a murderous legal responsibility 

Believing himself the true inheritor to the Iron Throne, Viserys’ brother Prince Daemon has craved kingship for an age. After Viserys picked Rhaenyra as inheritor, Daemon made a couple of energy performs, declaring himself the Prince of Dragonstone, stealing Prince Baelon’s dragon egg, beginning a struggle within the Stepstones alongside Corlys with out Viserys’ permission and mainly ending it himself. However none of this labored as successfully as marrying his personal niece. 

Mashable High Tales

Rhaenyra and Daemon make for one supercharged, incestuous, poisonous Targaryen duo. Daemon comes with some advantageous territory, having been named King of the Slim Sea after he smashed the Triarchy. The pair have Driftmark and the transport lanes in hand via their marriages with Laena (Nanna Blondell) and Laenor, and subsequent alliances with Rhaenys and Corlys, due to this fact commanding the mightiest navy of Westeros.

However ought to Rhaenyra fully belief her uncle-husband? He is a completely horrible partner, who inherited all of Runestone by murdering his first spouse. Certain, Daemon makes the Kings’ Guard swear allegiance to Queen Rhaenyra (underneath ache of dragon hearth), however he is always difficult her in entrance of her council and is privately violent towards her.

Large Professional: Rhaenyra has “The Queen Who Never Was” and Lord Corlys’ fleet on aspect

Let’s not overlook Rhaenys Targaryen, “The Queen Who Never Was”, was up for the Iron Throne herself as soon as. In truth, she and her husband Corlys got here near the Iron Throne by virtually having their daughter Laena married to King Viserys…when she was 12. Fortunately as an alternative, they solidified their connection to the crown via Rhaenyra’s marriage to their son Laenor and Daemon’s marriage to Laena — nonetheless, Laena endured essentially the most horrific loss of life of the sequence, and Laenor faked his personal loss of life. 

After Viserys’ loss of life, Rhaenys was held captive within the Crimson Preserve and advised to swear allegiance to the Greens. (Good attempt.) Alicent tried to sway Rhaenys, insisting Aegon’s succession was her husband’s dying want and enjoying the “you should have been queen” card.

“House Velaryon has long allied itself with the Princess Rhaenyra and what has it gained you?” Alicent requested.

“The word of my House is not fickle,” is all Rhaenys wanted to say.

Clearly, incarcerating Rhaenys and her dragon Meleys was not the transfer. Of their dramatic escape from King’s Touchdown, the pair selected to not kill the newly topped Aegon by hearth and kickstart the struggle. As an alternative, she and Corlys pledge the assist of Home Velaryon and its mighty fleet to the Black Council’s trigger.

So, Inexperienced most likely cannot beat Black on the ocean or the sky. However they’ve their very own professionals and cons in legitimately claiming that all-important Iron Throne.

The case for the Inexperienced Council

Professional: Alicent Hightower has fought her approach from political pawn to energy participant

Whereas she may not be a dragonrider or a princess, Queen Alicent Hightower has endured a lot to get to the place she is. In one among essentially the most WTF moments of Home of the Dragon up to now, 17-year-old Alicent was compelled by her father, Hand of the King Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), to “comfort” a a lot older, grieving Viserys — a transfer that reduce her off from her finest good friend and ally within the Crimson Preserve, Rhaenyra. Although she does take care of him, she’s basically made to marry the king, have undesirable intercourse along with his decaying physique, and bear him 4 principally terrible youngsters. Alicent additionally endures the horrors of an alliance with the creepy Larys Robust (Matthew Needham), is consistently undercut by her scheming father, and he or she treads flippantly inside an influence construction that may by no means shield her or her youngsters by default.

Although she threw Rhaenyra underneath the bus by obsessing over her sons’ paternity, Alicent has discovered moments of reclamation the place she will. Mashable’s Belen Edwards wrote a complete piece about why Alicent’s inexperienced gown in episode 5 is such an iconic energy transfer. After Viserys’ loss of life, Alicent lambasted her father for making her a pawn, even making a private attraction to Rhaenyra with a token of their childhood collectively to persuade her ex-friend away from struggle.

Sure, Alicent has wed her son Aegon to her daughter Helaena (Phia Saban) to bolster their “pure blood” declare to the throne over Rhaenyra’s alleged bastard sons, a transfer that is basic Targaryen however nonetheless gross and politically problematic. However it’s not the one gross and problematic factor round right here — there’s Aegon himself.

Con: Aegon is a complete dropkick who threatened to sail on a ship to keep away from being king

As Alicent cannot take the Iron Throne herself, it is the queen’s first-born son by Viserys who’s up. Downside is, Aegon sucks.

A giant fan of kid preventing rings and public masturbation, Aegon by no means needed the Iron Throne. In truth, he actively ran away from it. In episode 9, he fled from his brother Prince Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) and Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Franke), and Ser Erryk (Elliott Tittensor) and Arryk Cargyll (Luke Tittensor), screaming “I want my mother”. Even his personal guardsmen are disgusted by him, calling him “unfit to rule.” Aemond, who desperately craves the Iron Throne, needed to actually drag him house to the palace, as his brother cried, “I have no wish to rule! No taste for duty! I’m not suited.” Aegon even begged his brother to let him go and “sail away never to be found!” 

“My father never wanted this. He had 20 years to name me heir and never did. Steadfastly, he upheld Rhaenyra’s claim.”

On the way in which to Aegon’s coronation, Alicent needed to remind her son of the privilege he’s being handed, telling him to “have the decency to look grateful.” However even Aegon is aware of it’s Rhaenyra’s crown by proper, saying, “My father never wanted this. He had 20 years to name me heir and never did. Steadfastly, he upheld Rhaenyra’s claim.” Aegon even laughed off his mom’s assertion that the king modified his thoughts: “He didn’t like me.”

Professional: The Greens usurped Rhaenyra’s throne very, very publicly

Royal tantrum-thrower Aegon lastly embraced the Iron Throne when he was publicly given a golden crown, anointed by the Excessive Septon in entrance of hundreds within the Dragonpit within the penultimate episode of Season 1.

It is a strong PR transfer from the Hightowers; Otto introduced the loss of life of the king whereas crowning a brand new one, as the brand new Lord Commander, Ser Criston Cole declared him “the true heir to the Iron Throne”. Aegon had misogyny on his aspect right here — bear in mind a younger Rhaenyra noticed a theatre viewers actively booing her declare to the throne in episode 4. So, the group politely murmured, however then later applauded heartily. It is a very public declaration of succession.

“They crowned him in front of the masses?” Rhaenyra mentioned in shock within the season finale when she was advised the information.

“So that the masses would see him as their rightful king,” Rhaenys replied.

Con: Prince Aemond mainly hard-launched the civil struggle

Neither Alicent nor Rhaenyra needed to go to struggle for the throne — Alicent tried to steer Aegon away from ruling with “cruelty and callousness”, whereas Rhaenyra held off the Black Council’s struggle rallying. Usurping the throne is a treasonous transfer that begins the rumblings of civil struggle in Westeros, however after that Season 1 finale? It is on.

When the Black Council despatched their reps out to rally the armies of the Eyrie, Winterfell, and the Stormlands to their trigger, they assigned Lucerys (Elliot Grihault), Rhaenyra’s youngest son, to Storm’s Finish to get Borros Baratheon (Roger Evans) onside. He discovered his nemesis Aemond already there, demanding a literal eye for an eye fixed. On leaving, Lucerys and his dragon Arrax have been chomped by Aemond’s monumental dragon Vhagar. From the look on Aemond’s face, it definitely wasn’t the prince’s complete intention to kill his brother’s rival’s son. And till this second, Rhaenyra had resisted making the primary transfer within the looming struggle. However her son being killed by Vhagar, ridden by a prince of the Greens? Buckle up.

Look, finally we all know the destiny of Home Targaryen is fairly grim, with the “Mad King” Aerys set to do his factor round 170 years down the monitor and his daughter Daenerys Targaryen sealing her personal destiny. However for now, it’s going to be a matter of bloody techniques for who finally ends up on the Iron Throne in Home of the Dragon.

Personally, I believe everyone knows Viserys by no means modified his inheritor from Rhaenyra. However can somebody lastly put Rhaenys on the throne, please?

Home of the Dragon Season 2 premieres June 16 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max.

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