The latest episode of House of the Dragon covers the aftermath of King Viserys’s death in King’s Landing. Alicent and the greens install Aegon on the throne while Rhaenyra is out of the loop in Dragonstone, upsetting Princess Rhaenys in the process. Rhaenys crashes Aegon’s coronation on her dragon Meleys but doesn’t burn the king and his family alive. Here’s everything you need to know on why Rhaenys didn’t kill Alicent and Aegon in House of the Dragon.
Why Did Rhaenys Let Alicent and Aegon Live?
Rhaenys lets everyone live because she detests killing for political gain: she refused to kill Vaemond even when he challenged Lord Corlys’s heir to Driftmark Lucerys. She also knew that killing the new king and his family publicly would ruin the peace King Viserys spent his life maintaining. As much as Otto Hightower may have deserved to be gobbled up by Meleys, it just isn’t her style.
The purpose of her unexpected arrival on dragon back was simply to warn the greens not to mess with her, and she made her point. Rhaenys will likely fly to Dragonstone and join Rhaenyra and the blacks in the Dance of Dragons. Rhaenyra will be happy to add a dragon and Rhaenys’s political acumen to her arsenal.
In addition to that, it’s important to note that the idea of “kinslaying” was looked down upon, and even seen as a curse. That is to say, killing your own blood and family was generally regarded as bad business, and Rhaenys did not want to stoop to that level.
That’s everything we have on why Rhaenys refused to kill Alicent and Aegon in House of the Dragon. Check out some of our other House of the Dragon content like whether Emilia Clarke makes an appearance, Lord Beesbury’s violent death, and which dragon is the biggest.
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