HOTD episode 9, “The Green Council,” the most recent episode of House of the Dragon, concludes with Rhaenys Targaryen sneaking into the Dragonpit when Aegon is crowned king, mounting her dragon Meraxes, and exploding through the ground. She has the option to murder Aegon and the rest of the greens right there, but she chooses not to. Instead, she flees the Dragonpit to inform Rhaenyra that her half-brother has taken her throne.

Alicent leaps in front of Aegon when Rhaenys and her dragon, Meraxes, turn toward Alicent and her family, fearing Rhaenys will roast alive. Meraxes opens her lips and roars, but Rhaenys’ expression shows she has no intention of saying “Dracarys,” a command given to dragoons to breathe fire. Rhaenys, on the other hand, scares the green council, turns Meraxes around, and escapes the city. Rhaenys might have finished the conflict in a single blow by ordering Meraxes to burn all of them, including the newly made king Aegon, but she pardoned them since it wasn’t her place to shed first blood.

House of the Dragon boss Ryan Condal (writer of the series) also gave an official statement about this and cleared all doubts that fans may have.

What Did HOTD Writer Ryan Condal Say?

After episode 9 of House of the Dragon was released, a video with many cast and crew of HOTD was also uploaded, in which Ryan Condal talks about Rhaenys.

“She knows if she sets fire to that dais, she ends any possibility of war and probably sets peace throughout the realm, but I think probably doesn’t want to be responsible for doing that to another mother,” Ryan says. “And it’s a complex choice, and one that people might dispute or have a problem with, but that’s the choice that Rhaenys makes at that moment.”

Rhaenyra Wouldn’t Have Wanted Rhaenys To Finish The Green Council

If Rhaenys had slain all the greens during Aegon’s crowning, there would have been no Targaryens remaining to start a civil war, and Rhaenyra’s rule would have been distinguished by tyranny (throwback to Danaerys Targaryen). The strategy devised by Rhaenyra and Daemon in House of the Dragon episode 7 was to avoid her rule as a terrible dictator.

Furthermore, Rhaenys understands that destroying the greens will appear more negatively on Rhaenyra than on Rhaenys herself and hence would most likely result in Rhaenyra executing the Princess since no war had already been proclaimed. War will erupt, and Rhaenys will be a great warrior, but the blacks cannot be the ones to take the first bloodshed to take back the iron throne.