Emma D’Arcy says it’s a “propaganda war” now in House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 5

After the events of House of the Dragon season 2 episode 4, the Blacks are reeling from a terrible loss. It was a sure-shot victory for the Greens since they were able to put a massive dent in the Blacks’ armor with their incredibly planned and executed trap. Now, Rhaenyra must rethink her position and consolidate power faster. Actress Emma D’Arcy does a brilliant job of showcasing the character’s confusion and aimless feelings in the latest episode.

In House of the Dragon season 2 episode 5, we see Rhaenyra’s small council offer varied views on what she needs to do next. However, having lost her one powerful female ally, Rhaenyra feels lost and aimless. All the other members of the Black faction are also grieving the death of Rhaenys in their own way. The tides of the war are shifted and Rhaenyra must learn how to conquer the waves in order to claim her birthright.

Also Read: Matt Smith and Emma D’Arcy discuss Daemon and Rhaenyra Targaryen’s complex relationship in House of the Dragon

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Emma D’Arcy shares the current state of war

Episode 5 of House of the Dragon season 2 featured another side of war, one without swords or dragons. A true expert in battle knows that the war does not end when one steps off the battlefield. It continues to capture the most part of the minds involved, planning and plotting how to best maximize the gains and minimize the losses. Ryan Condal shares in the latest Inside the Episode footage,

“And you hear a lot of this backbiting and bickering going on at the table because everybody is under a tremendous amount of stress. They don’t know how to react. But Rhaenyra finds herself at sea. I mean, that was her last great female advisor.”

Credits: Theo Whiteman/HBO

Moreover, it’s not just a war of dragons now, it has become a propaganda war, as actress Emma D’Arcy shares. Rhaenyra turns to Mysaria for advice now that Rhaenys is no longer there to guide her. Through Mysaria, Rhaenyra learns that there’s another way to win a war.

“An element of what we’re watching is propaganda war. How to win the hearts of the people.”

Showrunner Condal agrees as he adds, “I don’t think this is something that Rhaenyra had thought of or considered until Mysaria brought it to the fore. And it’s a bit of a modern concept, this idea of the quote-unquote, power of the people.”

Also Read: Blood and Cheese in the book is propaganda against Rhaenyra, says Ryan Condal

Dead Meleys is seen as a bad omen

Credits: Max

While Criston Cole thought it would be best to parade a dead dragon in the streets of King’s Landing to prove their victory, the masses thought otherwise. Ever since the time of Aegon the Conqueror, the masses perceived dragons as fearless and formidable creatures that have withstood the test of time. However, watching a beloved dragon such as Meleys fall so easily makes the people rethink the grand image of Targaryens that rests in their minds.

Director of the episode Clare Kilner shares that it was all a part of Criston Cole’s strategy to show their winning spirit to the people of King’s Landing. He wants to be respected and revered for leading their armies to war and eventually winning. She reveals,

“His expectations are so high. His expectations are for people to honor him and put him up on a pedestal. If you look like you’ve won and you carry yourselves like you’ve won, and the public don’t know what’s really happened, then that’s what everyone’s going to believe.”

Condal agrees and claims that the masses perceive the situation completely differently. “The calculation that he doesn’t make is how it will land on the small folk. I mean, Meleys is a beloved dragon that probably flew over that city hundreds of times and is seen as one of these symbols of the unshakable-ness, of the invincibility of the Targaryens.”

The people of Westeros have sort of seen the Targaryens as Gods for their ability to ride and control dragons. However, if they are not as invincible as they thought, perhaps the people have been seeing it as a mirage.

Also Read: Aegon II rode into battle to prove he’s as much a man as Aemond and Cole: Condal

Aemond has finally got what he wanted

Credit: Max

Another turning point in the episode is seeing Aemond take charge as Prince Regent till Aegon II gets better. The smirk on his face reveals it all. Even if he didn’t intentionally burn his brother in Dragonfire, he got what he wanted in the end. Ewan Mitchell reveals,

“I mean, it’s everything he ever wanted. With great power comes great responsibility, and he’s got to be seen as someone who knows how to wield it.”

The Red Keep and King’s Landing will see a shift in the winds with Aemond at the helm. He’s fierce and strong-willed, all the qualities you need in a ruler at a time of war. However, Aemond is also impulsive and prone to anger. His dignity and self-esteem come above all else, making him dangerous and harmful. Condal says,

“I mean, this is a massive power shift, all of a sudden, at the Green Council. It was dramatized by the meeting where Aemond takes power in this very kind of banal way, where he just stands up from the foot of the table, takes his ball, moves over to the King’s seat, and puts it down, and sits, and then starts doling out orders while everybody, including Alicent, especially Alicent, are reeling from the decision. And you feel the shift in that way and how different the Red Keep is going to be with Aemond in charge versus the way it was with Aegon.”

The next few episodes will wrap up the Dance of the Dragons while finally telling us who emerges victorious and claims the Iron Throne. The fate of the entire realm rests on the war that is bound to bring destruction and death to the land.

Is Daemon usurping Rhaenyra’s throne?

Credits: Ollie Upton/HBO

The entire fifth episode of the HBO prequel show gives an insight into how Daemon sees Harrenhal as his command. He is unwilling to take any help from Rhaenyra or send word to Dragonstone. He finally has a castle he can take charge of, and he is not letting that go anytime soon in House of the Dragon.

A more pertinent question that arises from this situation is whether Daemon is capable of fully renouncing Rhaenyra and claiming the Iron Throne for himself. As he proudly mentions in the episode, he will storm King’s Landing, and then Rhaenrya is welcome to take her place beside him. The arrogance and superiority in Daemon remain unmatched as he vies for power and forgets his loyalty to his wife.

“Daemon approaches life always trying to hammer that square peg into the round hole, and he’s just trying to force his will upon this place,” says Condal about Daemon capturing and running Harrenhal.

Clare Kilner is also contemplating the same cause-and-effect situation as she shares, “It’s, like, unfair that he wasn’t given the crown, that he isn’t listened to, that he doesn’t have that power. We just don’t know what he’s going to do or, ultimately, how he’s going to turn. And while I don’t think that anybody could ever be asked to believe that he would turn against Rhaenyra and, like, go to war against her, I think we could all believe that maybe Daemon would just go and claim the throne for himself and then see what happens.”

Also Read: “He’s heroic and villainous in equal parts,” says Ryan Condal about Daemon Targaryen in House of the Dragon Season 2

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