House of the Dragon season 2 episode 5 recap: The aftermath of Rook's Rest

The Battle at Rook’s Rest may have technically been a win for the Greens, but both sides took some heavy losses and casualties. We see the aftermath of it all in House of the Dragon season 2 episode 5.

Caution: This post contains spoilers for House of the Dragon season 2 episode 5.

The episode opens with the Greens parading their win at Rook's Rest through the streets of King’s Landing. They have the head of Meleys, which is really there to cover up the fact that Aegon’s broken body is being brought back in a casket covered in cloth. Criston Cole doesn’t want the people to worry about their king just yet.

However, the people aren’t happy to see the head of the dragon being pulled through the streets. They don’t see this as a victory. They see the head as a bad omen, and that’s exactly the way Rhaenyra sees it.

The Greens choose a regent in House of the Dragon season 2 episode 5

We find out that Aegon did survive the Battle at Rook’s Rest but things aren’t looking good. He’s covered in burns and he has multiple broken bones. Grand Maester Orwyle isn’t certain that Aegon will survive this. He is recovering, but Orwyle doesn’t want to offer any false hope.

For now, the king is alive, but the people need to know that he isn’t doing well. Someone needs to reign for him, and Alicent wants to be the regent. She already proved herself as a good regent when Viserys was so ill. The Small Council doesn’t agree, though. It would be a bad sign if they allow a woman to act as regent. They need Prince Aemond to act as regent, which is exactly what Aemond wants and he immediately orders for all the rat catchers to be pulled down.

I’ll admit that my heart broke for Cheese’s dog, who has remained loyal under his master’s body in the streets. We watch him run off as Cheese’s body is taken down and carted away, and I would love for someone to just take him in, even though it’s not going to happen and he isn’t exactly that important of a character.

Cole tells Alicent that in a war of dragons, they need a dragonrider leading the country. It has to be Aemond. There’s a great moment at the end of the episode when Helaena asks Aemond if it’s all been worth the price.

Aemond does start his regency with the order to close the gates. They can’t have the smallfolk leaving the city, and they need to protect the city from retaliation from the Blacks.

Jacaerys Velaryon gathers support for Rhaenyra

The Blacks aren’t exactly thinking of storming King’s Landing just yet. They need to figure out their next steps as they mourn the loss of Rhaenys. While Rhaenyra’s Small Council talks around her and prevents her from leading any sort of charge, Jacaerys decides he needs to do something.

When speaking with Baela, he realizes that if Daemon can’t raise an army from Harrenhal, there is another way to get Cregan Stark’s men to Dragonstone. He needs to visit the Freys at the Twins. Jace goes to meet with them. If they agree to help, they want Harrenhal. That’s something Jace can take to Rhaenyra to discuss.

And he does. Rhaenyra remains open to the idea, but she has a bigger problem right now in that they’ve lost two people and two dragons in the war so far. She does also make note that Sunfyre is dead, although that’s not been confirmed by the Greens yet. Jace points out that they have two dragons who can fight without dragonriders. What if they could find more dragonriders. There are people with Targaryen and Velaryon blood out there. The episode ends with the two coming up with a great plan. They will search for those with dragonrider blood and see if they can find more dragonriders. There is a sense of hope.

Baela calls out Corlys on his grief in House of the Dragon

Rhaenyra is also trying to gain the support of Corlys, who is mourning the loss of his wife. It’s understandable, but Corlys is putting the blame on the wrong person. That’s something Baela points out when she goes to see him with the news that Rhaenyra wants him to be her Hand.

Baela reminds him that Rhaenys was the one who wanted to fight. Rhaenys wanted to go out in dragon fire, just like her daughter Laena did. It’s the way Baela wants to go out as well. Rhaenys died with honor, and that’s something Corlys needs to remember. He’s also not the only one to lose Rhaenys. Everyone is mourning her loss.

As Baela walks away, Corlys tells her that he would like to name her his heir of Driftmark. Baela declines, pointing out that she is “blood and fire.” Corlys needs someone who is salt and sea.

Daemon gains and loses support as he has more twisted visions

Daemon is on one hell of a trip in Harrenhal. In House of the Dragon season 2 episode 5, he experiences the wildest vision of the lot. In the vision, he’s sleeping with a Targaryen-haired woman. This woman tells him that he should have been the heir, and he would have been had he been the first-born son. She then tells him that he is “her favorite son.” Say what?

As if that wasn’t bad enough for Daemon, he decides to take some Blackwood men and his dragon Caraxes to the Brackens to get them to switch sides. He warns them that if they don’t switch sides, he will burn them all with dragon fire. The Bracken men choose dragon fire and walk away. Daemon respects the men for that choice and doesn’t kill them. Instead, he tells the Blackwoods to convince the Brackens to change side in any way possible.

Well, that anyway possible doesn’t sit well with the other Lords and Ladies of the Riverlands. While the Brackens initially decide to switch sides, they come to see Daemon in the middle of the night. They make it clear that they know he ordered the massacre of the Bracken women. This is something they say they'd expect from a man who even ordered the killing of a child in the arms of his mother, making a reference to Jaehaerys' murder. They can’t stand with a tyrant and refuse to raise their banners for Rhaenyra.

Rhaenyra has spent the episode worried that Daemon would end up raising an army for himself, and that’s exactly what he seems to be doing. However, it’s not working out. While Daemon believes he should be the King of Westeros, the people see that he shouldn’t. There’s a reason Viserys and then Rhaenyra were chosen.

Rhaena and Jeyne Arryn discuss being held back

There is a quiet moment during House of the Dragon season 2 episode 5 at the Vale. Lady Jeyne Arryn isn’t happy that Rhaenyra has sent Rhaena and the boys with just baby dragons and eggs. Rhaena points out that the dragons will grow but that will take time.

The two seem to come to an understanding, though. Rhaena is also being held back. She’s not happy with the assignment Rhaenyra has given her, just like Jeyne isn’t happy with the dragons that Rhaenyra sent to her.

I think this foreshadows a few things to come. We know from spoilers that Rhaena may end up taking Nettles’s storyline of gaining Sheepstealer. Is this the start of that journey for the young Targaryen?

This episode was a quiet one in terms of action. However, it sets up a lot for the next three episodes. Everything that happened is important for the various characters and the two (maybe three, with Daemon’s storyline) sides of the Dance of the Dragons.