‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2 Episode 5 Takeaway: Demon’s Oedipus critical moment could push him to claim the Iron Throne

Contains spoilers and speculation

Los Angeles, California: ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2 Episode 5 aired on HBO on July 14, 2024. The thrilling episode saw the Greens and Blacks plot their next move after a brutal battle at Rook’s Rest.

Far from war, however, is a different internal battle that Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) seems to be fighting as he struggles with hallucinations in a castle known to be haunted. Daemon’s grief, guilt and longings manifest in the castle in the form of hallucinations where he first sees a younger version of his wife Rhaeny Targaryen (Milly Alcock) and his wife Lena Velarion (Nanna Blondell).

In this episode, he becomes sexually intimate with a woman who is later revealed to be his mother Alyssa Targaryen (Emeline Lambert).

Who is Alyssa Targaryen?

A still from the show 'House of the Dragon' (@hbo)
A still from the show ‘House of the Dragon’ (@hbo)

Alyssa Targaryen is the mother of Viserys I Targaryen (Paddy Considine) and Daemon Targaryen. She was the daughter of King Jaerys Targaryen and the wife of Baelon Targaryen.

She died giving birth to her third child who was named Egon and died soon after his birth. In episode 5, Alice Rivers (Gail Rankin) talks about how it’s a shame that Damon never got to know his mother. He says so because both Daemon and Viserys were young when their mother died.

He was ferocious and rode the dragon Melis who was paraded through the streets of King’s Landing at the beginning of the episode after the dragon died in the previous episode. Melis was killed by Vagar who was her husband Belon’s dragon.

What is the significance of Alyssa Damon’s vision?

A still from the series 'House of the Dragon' (@hbo)
A still from the series ‘House of the Dragon’ (@hbo)

Daemon’s mother Alyssa assured him that he was her beloved son and a more capable ruler than Viserys. In Episode 2, Daemon and Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) have an argument after which Daemon leaves Dragonstone and has been living in Harrenhal ever since.

Daemon fights an internal battle of ambition in which he is torn between his lust for power and his duty to the queen to whom he has pledged his allegiance. Rayna’s words where she claims that Viserys didn’t trust her as a successor game in her head and her loyalty to Rayna seems to be waning.

Damon is forever an unpredictable character who acts on his emotions without a second thought. The results of his actions now seem to be in the form of these hallucinations.

In his relationship with his mother, it appears to be a Shakespearean Oedipus complex in which a young Daemon Targaryen harbors subconscious romantic feelings for his mother before her death. Reaffirmation may mean that his battle for blacks may now become more personal and focus on his own ambitions as king. She tells Ser Simon Strong (Simon Russell Beale) of her intention to become king, and not just the king’s wife.

‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2 Episodes 1-5 are streaming on HBO

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button