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House of the Dragon S3 Ep 5 Review

Hatred and madness. Those are the only two words that I think can properly describe what the entire cast of House of the Dragon is falling victim to. Almost everyone in House Targaryen or serving them are just so consumed by hatred for each other, it’s sickening. And I didn’t think that the people in this story could stoop any lower than they already have, but you would be surprised! The sheer amount of hatred I see spewing out of the characters in this episode is palpable enough for me to feel it. It’s enough to make me wanna recoil but also refuse to look away, and I don’t know how to feel about that.

Criston Cole Wants to Die

Firstly, we need to talk about Ser Criston Cole, the Kingmaker. I barely knew anything about him before the show started, but when I learned it, I asked myself, “how? How could this spitting image of what a knight should be turn into such a jerk?” Yeah, Rhaenyra did use him, but he chose to hold a grudge. And then he put Aegon on the Iron Throne in what can only be described as a coup, making me dislike him even more. But now? Now I can’t help but feel pity for him.

The show has made it clear that the Battle of Rook’s Rest broke Criston Cole. He realized just what madness he helped unleash on Westeros and regretted it. That hatred he had for Rhaenyra has turned on him into a deep self-loathing that has only gotten worse this season. As we see him try and wage a guerrilla war in the Riverlands, trying to keep the Blacks from making to…whatever their destination is, he’s at his lowest point. He’s tired, depressed, and is ready to die. In fact, Gwayne Hightower realizes that Ser Criston intends to get himself and what men he has left killed in a blaze of glory.

I’m all for the idea of going down fighting. I would rather die on my feet in defiance than on my knees. But this isn’t going to be some glorious last stand that people will romanticize centuries from now. It’s just a guy who got a horrible lot in life trying to take as many people down with him as he can, and it’s sad. It’s sad and disappointing, and I feel sorry for Ser Criston.

But then there is the hatred we see between Aegon and Aemond in this episode.

Brother against Brother

Aegon and Aemond are both waylaid in different parts of Westeros. Aegon is hiding at a refugee camp at Rook’s Rest, while Aemond is healing at Harrenhal while bounty hunters keep coming to try and claim his head. They’re both at their weakest and without their dragons, and that leads them both to open up to their respective companions. The irony is that we get to hear the brothers both envy each other for how their lives have gone. Aegon envies Aemond for being a genuinely good warrior and more of a king than he is as well as Alicent paying more attention to him. Meanwhile, Aemond envies Aegon for being the firstborn son and the one who got crowned King. This is in spite of the fact that their father never wanted this to happen, and the fact that Aegon was unfit to rule.

The difference is in how their companions react to their complaints. Whereas Aemond at least has a somewhat supportive ear in the form of Alys, Aegon has Larys. And Larys gives it to Aegon straight: he sucks. He was given all the best opportunities to succeed in life, and if he had applied himself and worked to be better, then maybe he could have earned the Iron Throne on merit alone. It was a long shot, but it could’ve happened if he proved better than Rhaenyra, but he didn’t. He had to have the Throne handed to him by his grandpa. Not only that, but he spent his life reveling in mediocrity and just assumed that he would never be king. If he was as smart as he thinks he is, he would’ve shut that down.

At the same time, this episode has us see Aemond open up to Alys about his own envy towards his brother. He knows, or thinks he knows, what it means to be a king. And like I said the moment he claimed Vhagar, he has the will to be one. But this episode also reminded us why he’s not fit. Yeah, he’s a good warrior, but as we’ve seen in Game of Thrones, that doesn’t equate to being a good king! But the worst part? Its that when Vhagar flies off to who knows where, he breaks down in fear. That shows just how skin-deep his bravery really is. Without his Dragon, he’s nothing. If anything, Daeron has more potential as a king than both of them.

Daeron is too Good for this world

Speaking of Daeron, I feel sorry for the young man. The only decent son of Alicent, thanks to being raised away from King’s Landing, and the most humble. But he’s now just a pawn of Ormund Hightower, whose teaching him to hate his Valyrian half. That can lead to serious psychological problems in the future, assuming Daeron survives the war! And I can’t say without spoiling anything!

A Feast for Traitors

While all of this is going down, things keep going downhill back at King’s Landing, for everyone. Alicent has found out that her daughter is pregnant again, and tries to get her to abort the baby. But Helaena, bless her soul, can’t bring herself to do it and keeps refusing. Knowing that they can’t keep this fact hidden forever, and that Rhaenyra may end up killing the baby, they try to escape. But in doing so, they get trapped in one of the hidden passages, along with some cats.

Yeah, the Red Keep now has the cats that will catch the rats from now on. Honestly, they’re the only happy thing to come out of this episode.

As for Daemon and Rhaenyra, they are facing an insurrection from people either working for the Greens or for Ormund. The Gold Cloaks are being killed off one by one, their disembowled bodies left for all to see. They’re afraid, they want their payment, and their loyalty to Daemon is reaching its limit. Talking to them is all the Dragon Prince can do to get them to stay loyal, but that may no longer be an option. Because by the end of the episode, we see one of the most grisly sights in the entire franchise.

Looking at the dead Luthor and his men like this almost felt like looking at sacrilege. Whoever did this set the whole thing up like a serial killer would! Even Daemon, who has seen it all and done it all, was shaken at the sight. I don’t know about you guys, but I would be packing my bags after seeing something like this!

Yeah, the madness is spreading to every corner of Westeros. Nowhere is safe anymore, and if I remember right, then almost everyone is gonna be dead before this is over.

I Give “Unbowed, Unbent” a 3.5/5