Review: House of the Dragon, "Unbowed and Unbent" | Season 3, Episode 5

“I simply urge you to think of yourself.”

When Alicent and Helaena are caught posing as handmaidens and trying to escape the Red Keep by Mysaria, Alicent immediately shifts into a bargaining phase. She’s been caught red-handed by someone who she knew was sniffing around the details of Helaena’s pregnancy, and honestly she probably shouldn’t have risked it. I’m not convinced the show really gave a great reason why she thought she wouldn’t get caught, to be honest, but she needs to be for her and Mysaria to have a conversation that underlines the core theme of this episode.

Mysaria is a character who was introduced as the ultimate free agent. She may have been aligned with Daemon, but the White Worm was willing and able to serve whatever purpose benefitted her authority. But after finding herself a captive on Dragonstone, she pivoted to a subservient role within Rhaenyra’s council, and now finds herself a Master of Whisperers. We’ve only known her to be loyal to Rhaenyra, extending to their physical intimacies, but this is the first time anyone has really pointed out the philosophical shift within her trajectory. Alicent asks her to really think about herself, and whether she’s doing what she can to prepare for the collapse of Rhaenyra’s claim as external and internal pressures continue to mount.

It doesn’t benefit anyone to bet on Rhaenyra’s reign right now, even if they believe in her as a leader. There’s no gold to pay the gold cloaks, and the ones willing to work for free are getting gutted in the streets by the Agents of Ormund. Even if we ignore the fact that Aegon and Aemond are both alive and well, each with their own support systems to eventually return to claim what they believe is theirs, Rhaenyra has no grip on the crown. The Freys are mad at the failed promises regarding Harrenhal, and while they’re ultimately content to accept a seat on the Small Council, it only kicks the can down the road. She may have the power and might of dragons, but that only lets her take the throne; staying on it is a whole other matter, and one that will force everyone in her orbit to think about their best course of action to come out on the other side.