House of the Dragon Season 2 is so far giving us a pretty thorough lesson in how wars start.
Last week we dove into how men’s egos were largely to blame for the escalation of Team Green versus Team Black. This week, episode 3 gave us an even clearer lesson using two specific conversations that felt like the key to the entire show.
It started with a chat between Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) and Rhaenys (Eve Best), then finished with a more subtle — but equally important — bit of dialogue between Daemon (Matt Smith) and Ser Simon Strong (Simon Russell Beale) in Harrenhal.
What do Rhaenyra and Rhaenys talk about?
If last week’s episode was an illustration of how the male ego feeds into war, then Season 2, episode 3 was a lesson in escalation — and, ultimately, futility.
“Soon, they will not even remember what it was that began the war in the first place,” Rhaenys tells Rhaenyra at one point. “When the desire to kill and burn takes hold, reason is forgotten.”
This is illustrated perfectly in the battle that takes place in the Riverlands between Houses Bracken and Blackwood, who have apparently both hated each other for ages. It starts with two groups of young men arguing over a boundary issue, and then abruptly cuts to a sea of dead bodies. Looks like Rhaenys may have a point, and it’s one that’s drummed in even harder later on in the episode.
What does Ser Simon Strong tell Daemon in Harrenhal?
Over in Harrenhal, now freshly conquered by Daemon, the rogue Targaryen Prince has a conversation with Castellan Ser Simon Strong that touches on the battle between the Brackens and the Blackwoods. When Daemon asks why they’re fighting each other, Ser Simon’s response perfectly ties back to what Rhaenys said.
“The answer to that is lost in time,” he tells Daemon. “Sin begets sin begets sin.”
The feud between House Bracken and Blackwood is, of course, a metaphor for the burgeoning war between Team Green and Team Black. “Sin begets sin begets sin” could just as easily be applied to their escalating conflict.
Soon, just like the hatred between Brackens and Blackwoods, it’s clear that whatever first split House Targaryen will also be lost in the annals of history.
House of the Dragon Season 2 airs Sundays on HBO and Max at 9 p.m. ET.
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