If there's one thing that people can't stop talking about, it's the fact that Rhaenys Velaryon had the opportunity to end the civil war before it could even start in House of the Dragon Episode 9. So why did the Queen Who Never Was choose to let the Greens live and escape King's Landing? Showrunners Miguel Sapochnik and Ryan Condal have explained why Rhaenys chose not to go all-out "Dracarys" on the Greens.
In House of the Dragon Episode 9, the Greens immediately got to work to install Aegon II Targaryen as the new king after Viserys' death. One of their big moves included locking Rhaenys in her room until she decides to pledge allegiance to the prince.
Luckily, Ser Erryk gets Rhaenys out of her room so she could escape. However, they are caught up in the crowd gathering to watch Aegon's coronation and Rhaenys sees an opportunity. She sneaks into the dragonpit and gets Meleys to crash out of the floor to interrupt the coronation.
Now, Rhaenys had an amazing chance to kill the Greens and ultimately prevent the Dance of the Dragons. However, she leaves them unharmed and flies away, presumably to Dragonstone to report what happened to Rhaenyra Targaryen.
Miguel Sapochnik and Ryan Condal took part in the latest Inside the Episode video focusing on House of the Dragon Episode 9 and they pointed out that it was important for Rhaenys to let the Greens survive.
"We really wanted to make sure that there was meat on her character," Sapochnik said. "Rhaenys was not passive, and it felt this was an incredibly valuable moment to, rather than have her just bear witness to something, be able to take part in it, but her moral standpoint become the reason for inaction rather than action."
"She knows if she sets fire to that dais, she ends any possibility of war, and probably sets peace throughout the realm, but I think probably doesn't want to be responsible for doing that to another mother," Condal adds.
"And that's-- it's a complex choice, and one that people might dispute or have a problem with, but that's the choice Rhaenys makes in that moment. We see her busting out, and being the one that's going to take the news to Dragonstone of the coup and of Rhaenyra's throne being stolen. And it was a great, you know, great heroic moment for her character," Condal concluded.
We're still confused why Rhaenys decided against burning down the Greens but at least it means we'll be getting another season of House of the Dragon.
The latest episode of House of the Dragon is now available on HBO Max. House of the Dragon Episode 10 is titled The Black Queen and will premiere on HBO on Sunday, October 23, 2022, at 9:00 PM EST.
Related: House of the Dragon Episode 10 Teaser Has Fans Worried About [SPOILERS] Death
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