FiLMELY: House of the Dragon Season 1 Episode 5: The Bloody and Messy Royal Wedding

House of the Dragon Season 1 Episode 5: The Bloody and Messy Royal Wedding

In Episode 5 Season 1 of series House of the Dragon - "We Light the Way", King Viserys personally visits the Velaryon's stronghold on Driftmark Island (west of Dragonstone in Blackwater Bay) to arrange a marriage between Rhaenyra and Laenor Velaryon, with the promise that the young couple's first son would later inherit the throne.

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Back in Vale, Daemon kills his titular wife, Lady Rhea Royce. Maybe he wants to be free to proceed with his marriage to Rhaenyra, or maybe he just aims for the right to inherit Rhea Royce's estate in Vale, or it is actually an accident and reaction to provocations.

Growing up together at a young age, Rhaenyra understands Laenor is homosexual and suggests the two of them get married to fulfill their royal duties; while each continues to eat the forbidden fruit one prefers.

Meanwhile, Ser Criston manages to convince Rhaenyra to give up the throne and run away with him to live a rustic life together. However, Rhaenyra refuses this offer, that makes Criston upset.

After being dismissed as the Right Hand, before leaving King's Landing, Otto warns Queen Alicent that if Rhaenyra became Queen, Alicent's children would be seen as a threat to the crown. Alicent askes Ser Criston about Rhaenyra and Daemon's affairs, but Criston inadvertently confesses he was the one who had sex with Rhaenyra.

At Rhaenyra-Laenor's pre-wedding celebratory party, Alicent enters the hall, interrupting the king's speech, wearing a green cloak, the color of the House Hightower's battle sign.

Laenor's male lover, Ser Joffrey Lonmouth, conjectures that Ser Criston is Rhaenyra's lover and arrogantly approaches Criston asking them to protect each other's secrets. Feeling that everything is going against his knightly oath, Criston unleashes a rage, brutally attacks and kills Joffrey in the middle of the party, leaving Laenor completely devastated.

Not long afterward, King Viserys immediately organizes the marriage ceremony between Rhaenyra and Laenor; he collapses shortly after the ceremony because of bad health. Outside, Alicent intervenes as Criston prepares to commit suicide.