“Men are ruining Westeros.”
This stark reality echoes through episode 5 of the HBO series, House of the Dragon season 2 titled, Regent, where the dying lords of the realm would rather entrust their thrones to tyrannical sons, young grandsons or delusional uncles before allowing a woman to hold sway in a King’s Council meeting.
Ironically, the Targaryen civil war is fought predominantly by two formidable women – Queen Dowager Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) and Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy). However, as this episode, which is available in Nigeria on Showmax indicates, even their staunchest allies are eager to strip them of power.
The aftermath of episode 4’s shocking events looms large. Rhaenys (Eve Best) is dead, and against all odds, King Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney) remains alive. Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint), silently mourning his beloved, finds his castle eerily empty, while King’s Landing grapples with the temporary loss of its ruler. Despite Aegon’s harrowing injuries, the maesters’ interventions have kept him alive, though he might soon wish otherwise.
One mystery persists: Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans). Absent for over two episodes after heading to Oldtown, his absence has left the King’s Council in chaos. Lord Jasper Wylde (Paul Kennedy) appears clueless in his stead, unable to manage the turmoil.
Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) remains tight-lipped about Aemond’s (Ewan Mitchell) attempt on his brother’s life, offering only ambiguous responses to Alicent’s inquiries. Consequently, Aemond is elevated to power, shutting out Alicent and appointing himself ruler with the council’s reluctant approval. His first decree? Lockdown King’s Landing, turning the city into a prison and enraging the populace further.
Daemon (Matt Smith) reveals his ambitions for the throne, though his efforts at Harrenhal falter. Haunted and poisoned by Alys Rivers (Gayle Rankin), he struggles to command the stubborn Riverland lords, his threats of dragon fire proving ineffective. His order to Lord Blackwood (Jack Parry-Jones) to annihilate House Bracken only invites disaster, sparking further violence and chaos.
In Dragonstone, tensions flare as Rhaenyra faces insubordination from Ser Alfred (Jamie Kenna) and restlessness from Jace (Harry Collett). As Ser Alfred is dispatched on a dubious ‘special mission’, Jace secures an alliance with the Freys, though history warns of their treachery. Meanwhile, Corlys grapples with his grief, urged by Baela (Bethany Antonia) to support Rhaenyra’s cause despite his reservations.
Mysaria’s espionage in King’s Landing reveals the commoners’ discontent under Aegon II’s rule, while Jace suggests rallying unclaimed dragons to bolster their forces. As Rhaenyra contemplates the bastards of their line as potential riders, the intrigue deepens, hinting at desperate measures in the wars to come.
Regent offers a gripping continuation of House of the Dragon’s complex narrative, exploring the tenuous grasp of power held by its female protagonists amid the relentless machinations of their male counterparts.
HBO’s series, House of the Dragon season 2, airs every Monday on Showmax.