Following a relatively subdued episode of House of the Dragon, HBO has released a teaser for next week’s fifth installment, which also includes footage from the remaining three episodes.<\/p>\n
“Tumbleton” may not have featured any battles or much bloodshed, but several key moments set up some of the most important events in the ongoing Dance of the Dragons.<\/p>\n
George R.R. Martin’s infamous complaint that leaving Prince Maelor, King Aegon II and Queen Helaena\u2019s youngest son, out of Season 2 would cause a “butterfly effect” appears to have been addressed, as we learn that Helaena is now pregnant.<\/p>\n
\u201cHelaena being pregnant is a major complication for her given the fact that she’s literally in Rhaenyra’s shadow and her captive. And if that child is a boy, it’s going to be very problematic for both Rhaenyra, and for her, and for Alicent,\u201d showrunner Ryan Condal tells IGN<\/a>. \u201cSo it felt like a way to keep alive certain threads in the book in a way that sort of suited the plot, I think, and the story that we’re telling here in our version, our adaptation of The Dance of the Dragons.\u201d<\/p>\n A ruthless new player also made a daring move, as Ormund Hightower revealed\u00a0his plan to place his young ward, Daeron Targaryen – the real Daeron Targaryen – on the Iron Throne.<\/p>\n In an attempt to instill a more vicious streak in the boy, Ormund manipulates him into executing a man whose only crime was defending his sister from being assaulted by a soldier.<\/p>\n \u201cI think Daeron is a very sympathetic character and that’s what makes him really interesting because we’ve met everybody else from Alicent’s offspring and with the exception of Helaena, the boys are very complicated individuals that were forged in the crucible that is being raised at King’s Landing with a very ill and probably checked out father in Viserys and a very young mother who was ill-equipped, unequipped to raise, not only to just raise children, but to raise children who are going to maybe one day compete for the throne,\u201d says Condal.<\/p>\n \u201cSo that’s why Daeron is an interesting study because there’s a bit of nature and nurture in all of the storytelling that we have here.\u201d<\/p>\n Based on what we see in the teaser, it seems this season will conclude with the first Battle of Tumbleton, also known as the “Treasons of Tumbleton,” which results in the deaths of at least one main character and a shocking betrayal that turns the tide of the war in favor of The Greens.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n The fight for the throne is far from over. Stream new episodes of House of the Dragon, Sundays at 9pm on HBO Max. #HOTD<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/GrwE0PfP9D<\/a><\/p>\n