A Son for the wrong Son?
blood-and-cheese

Image: Max

The second season of House of the Dragon is here, and fan curiosity is running rampant. This season will feature a number of compelling and unexpected stories, many of which are based on the Targaryen Civil War from George R.R. Martin‘s Fire and Blood. The story of Prince Daemon Targaryen’s hired assassins, Blood and Cheese, is the most spine-tingling of them. We saw it happen in the House of the Dragon Season 2 premiere, but there was a twist.

The real target for Blood and Cheese was someone else, but…

As we now know from both the show and the book, Daemon hires sellsword Blood and ratcatcher Cheese to exact revenge on the Greens. This is reflected in episode 1’s title: “A Son for A Son”. However, the son Daemon was referring to was Aemond. But Blood and Cheese mistakenly reach Helaena and her kids. However, the show seems to be hinting that these might have been Daemon’s secondary instructions, and he’s seen with a particular look on his face when Blood and Cheese ask him what to do if they didn’t locate Aemond.

Helaena Targaryen - Blood and Cheese House of the Dragon Season 2

Credits: Max

The episode ends as we see Blood and Cheese murder little Jaehaerys, with his head being cut off-screen to be taken to Daemon, as Halaena escapes with Jaehaera. It wasn’t quite like the Red Wedding as some fans had speculated, but Ryan Condal had already said it wouldn’t be.

A mistake started the Civil War in Season 1

A similar situation occurred in House of the Dragon Season 1 ending, when Aemond began to bully Lucerys and Arrax on his dragon, Vhagar. The playful threats get out of hands, as the dragons begin attacking each other, and Aemond realizes he has lost control of Vhagar. The massive dragon ends up chomping on Lucerys and his dragon, killing both of them.

What happened in Fire & Blood’s Blood and Cheese arc?

House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 1 saw a deviation from the book, as it wasn’t a mistake that led to young Jaehaerys’ head being chopped off. Instead, Blood & Cheese were specifically instructed by Daemon to bring him the head of one of the sons of King Aegon II Targaryen. And that is exactly what they do.

Watch the House of the Dragon Weeks Ahead trailer below: