'House Of The Dragon': What Is Blood And Cheese?

TV & Film

Jun 2

House Of The Dragin — Image Source: CultureSlate

If you’re wondering why Aegon looks a little miffed in the House of the Dragon season two trailers, three words – Blood and Cheese.

Blood and Cheese refers to a major, and as yet unscreened event that takes place in The Dance of the Dragons. If you’ve not read the books, here’s a rundown of what to expect.

Spoilers for season two are below.

The Catalyst

Blood and Cheese was a revenge response to Rhaenyra’s son Prince Lucerys Velaryon’s murder. In episode ten of season one, Prince Lucerys Velaryon went on a diplomatic mission to Storm’s End to gather support for Team Black. His uncle Aemond, flying on his much bigger dragon Vhagar, ambushed Lucerys en route.

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Both the Prince and his dragon Arrax perished. This move destroyed any chance of peace between the two Targaryen factions. Killing family is a big deal for the Targaryens and Aemond gets the nickname ‘kinslayer’ for his actions. But Daemon’s method of revenge rivals the infamous Game of Thrones Red Wedding.

What Is Blood And Cheese?

It’s actually a who. In George R.R Martin’s The Dance of Dragons, Blood and Cheese were two assassins hired by Daemon Targaryen. Blood was a former member of the King’s Landing City Watch, let go in disgrace. Cheese was a rat catcher in the same city. Both had intimate knowledge of the secret passages and tunnels in the Red Keep, so they had no problem getting into the bedroom of Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower. Queen Helaena Targaryen always took the children to say goodnight to their grandmother before bed. The assassins waited for her there.

After killing an obligatory few guards and ladies' maids. Blood and Cheese grabbed Aegon’s three small children, the Princes Jaehaerys, Maelor, and Princess Jaehaera. Blood told the Queen that they were there to collect a debt and that she had to pick one of her sons to die.

Blood is pretty nasty in the book, obviously threatening to do horrible things to everyone if Helaena screamed and there are a few choice words aimed at the small Princess too. Helena eventually chooses the youngest son, Maelor to die.

Cheese menacingly whispered to the kid. “Here that little boy? Mummy wants you dead.”

And then they both proceeded to decapitate Jaehaerys, the eldest, taking the head with them. Cheese made it out, but Blood was captured with the head and tortured by Aegon. He revealed that it was organized by Damon’s whisperer, Mysaria.

Helaena goes mad in the following months leaving Aegon without a functioning Queen.

How Do We Know It’s Coming?

Season one gave us several Blood and Cheese easter eggs. There were shots of rats in the Red Keep. At Laenor and Rhaenyra’s wedding, there was even a close-up of a rat with its nose in a pool of blood. Showrunner Ryan Condal couldn’t have been any more obvious. Also in season one, episode four Daemon gave Rhaenyra a map of the secret tunnels in the Red Keep, setting up that the HotD bad boy knew about their existence.

The season two trailers show Aegon striking a blow on a prisoner who looks like Blood. Helaena is shown being held at knifepoint as well as an angry Aegon playing with a knife, which is suspected to be the murder weapon. The first episode is also titled A Son for a Son, so it looks like we won’t have to wait long for the big event.

Game Of Thrones — Image Source: Screenrant

What Happened Afterwards?

Condal’s summary of season two is that:

"It's really a cold war because each side is trying to undeniably win the throne for themselves without going to all-out dragon war. We do that through plotting and backstabbing and assassination and spy games and all the things that you would see in a classic James Bond Cold War thriller.”

Blood and Cheese causes everything to escalate to the next level. Aegon takes up drinking and becomes more impulsive. He boots the cautious Otto Hightower out of his position as The Hand of the King and hangs all the ratcatchers in the city. His need to avenge Blood and Cheese leads to his eventual downfall. A long, slow demise filled with suffering.

In the books, Rhaenyra isn’t in on the plot, but she isn’t exactly bothered by it either. However, in House of the Dragon Rhaenyra might be a little bit tougher on Daemon as she’s more straightlaced. Expect some conflict within Team Black.

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