*WARNING: Spoilers ahead for House of the Dragon*
Since House of the Dragon aired, the Game of Thrones prequel slowly built towards the Targaryen Civil War (also known as the Dance of the Dragons).
Each episode has shown tensions rising between Rhaenyra Torgaryen, her ex-friend Alicent Hightower, as the issue regarding succession grows larger as King Viserys closes his final days.
Episode 7: Rhaenyra proposes marriage to Daemon. “I cannot face the Greens alone.”
This refers to one of the factions in the Targaryen Civil War, but just who are the Greens House of the Dragon or their opposing faction the Blacks?
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Who are the Greens of House of the Dragon and What do they do?
The Greens refers to Alicent Hightower’s faction within the Targaryen family.
The faction includes Queen Alicent and her father, Otto Hightower. Also, her children, Aegon, Aemond and Ser Criston Cole, and many wealthy Westeros families such as House Strong or the Lannisters.
The Greens get their name from the green dress that Alicent wore at Rhaenyra’s wedding in episode 5 which is also the colour of House Hightower when it calls its banners to war. The origins of the green dress differ in the books slightly as Alicent first wears it at a tournament rather than a wedding but the story of how it led to the Green faction’s name remains largely the same.
Who are the Blacks of House of the Dragon’s?
The Blacks support Rhaenyra and her claim for the throne.
Similarly to how the Greens earned their name, Rhaenyra’s followers became known as the Blacks due to her wearing a black and red dress that mirrors the colours of House Targaryen.
While we have seen Rhaenyra wearing black in recent episodes, we’ve yet to see THE dress in question, although that looks set to change in episode 8 as the episode’s teaserRhaenyra was seen in this extravagant dragon-embossed gown.
Aside from Rhaenyra, the Blacks’ most notable supporters included the likes of Daemon Targaryen, Lord Corlys Verlaryon, Rhaenyra’s children from her first marriage to Laenor Velaryon and her children from her second marriage to Daemon including Aegon the Younger and Viserys as well as several notable families including House Stark who we’ve yet to see much of in House of the Dragon.
Who was the winner of the Dance of the Dragons book contest?
In the books that inspired House of the Dragon, both Rhaenyra and Aegon II died during the war but it was technically Rhaenyra’s Blacks who won the Dance of the Dragons over the Greens.
During the Dance of the Dragons, the balance of power changes several times. At first, it looks as if Rhaenyra will win the conflict after the Blacks manage to take King’s Landing and she is finally able to sit on the Iron Throne.
However, as the war raged on, the people in King’s Landing grew restless and the death of Helaena Targaryen – the popular wife and sister of Aegon II – prompted a revolt in the capital.
Rhaenyra was able to escape to Dragonstone, but she was captured by one her followers and given up to Aegon when she reached the Targaryen stronghold.
In true Game of Thrones fashion, Rhaenyra’s death was an unpleasant one as Aegon had her fed to his dragon and later decreed that the histories should record that Rhaenyra was never the true queen of Westeros.
But the war didn’t end with Rhaenyra’s death as her followers continued to fight.
Eventually, armies belonging to the Blacks began to bear down on Aegon II in King’s Landing and with very few defences, many of his supporters attempted to persuade him to surrender and join the Night’s Watch but he refused.
After drinking poisoned wines, Aegon II was later discovered dead. Although it is not known who poisoned Aegon II, 22 men were arrested under suspicion of murdering him.
The death of Aegon II brought an end to the Dance of the Dragons and as Rhaenyra’s son Aegon the Younger was crowned as King Aegon III, it was technically Rhaenyra’s side that won despite the bloody and destructive conflict along the way.
House of the Dragon will air weekly on HBO In the USA and on Sky After premiering on August 21st, 22 and 22, respectively, in the UK
A Friend of the Family episode 5, release date, and Peacock schedule are other news.