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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches“Regent,” the fifth episode of House of the Dragon season 2, debuted in the U.S. on July 14, 2024, at 9 p.m. ET/PT, according to the Warner Bros. Discovery Pressroom. This guide starts with a spoiler-light reminder of where episode 4 left the story; the sections below the warning discuss episode 5’s plot.
Before “Regent,” episode 4, “The Red Dragon and the Gold,” had ended with a costly battle that altered the balance of the war. Its U.S. debut was July 7, 2024, according to the Warner Bros. Discovery Pressroom.
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Spoiler-light setup: the battle’s cost hangs over episode 5
Episode 4’s battle leaves both sides facing the consequences of a major loss and a changed military balance. “Regent” follows the political and personal fallout rather than treating the battle as a clean victory for either faction.
Episode 5 spoilers: six things to know about “Regent”
1. Rhaenys and Meleys are dead
The battle’s most consequential loss is Rhaenys Targaryen and her dragon, Meleys. Their deaths deepen the Blacks’ losses and shape the decisions made by the people left to lead them. The Guardian’s July 15, 2024 episode recap confirms their deaths.
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2. The Green side is paying a steep price
The Guardian recap estimates roughly 900 Green-side dead after the preceding battle. That is the recap writer’s estimate, not an official casualty count.
3. Aemond becomes regent, to Alicent’s frustration
With Aegon unable to govern, Aemond is named regent. Alicent believes her experience on the small council makes her better suited to the role, setting up a contest over influence at King’s Landing. The appointment also changes the court’s relationship with Aegon as his brother takes power.
4. Rhaenyra strengthens her council and seeks support
Corlys accepts Rhaenyra’s offer to serve as her hand, giving her a senior ally as she works to maintain her claim. Jacaerys pursues political support as well, making the Blacks’ response to the battle a question of alliances as much as military strength.
5. Daemon’s Harrenhal campaign remains independent
At Harrenhal, Daemon continues acting on his own. He authorizes Willem Blackwood’s violent campaign against the Brackens, while increasingly strange visions associated with Alys Rivers unsettle his time at the castle. His choices add another source of instability to Rhaenyra’s side of the conflict.
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6. Riderless dragons could give Rhaenyra another path to power
By the episode’s end, Rhaenyra and Jacaerys recognize that riderless dragons at Dragonstone might be claimed by suitable riders. Finding them could expand the Blacks’ dragonriding forces, but the possibility is not the same as having proven riders ready to fight. It leaves the war facing a strategic question: who, if anyone, can claim those dragons?
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