House of the Dragon: Season 3 Episode 5 ‘Unbowed and Unbent’ explained

*Warning: Major spoilers ahead*

In King’s Landing, things aren’t going well for Rhaenyra in her bid to win the favour of the smallfolk, as Green loyalists continue to invoke tension.

While some graffiti over the walls, declaring Rhaenyra the “Queen of Bastards”, others have taken things a step further – on the streets of Fleabottom, someone is murdering Gold Cloaks. Bodies of two soldiers are found in an alleyway, throats cut and their bodies disemboweled.

While some look on in horror, others send word of this by dove to Tumbletown to a delighted Ormund Hightower, who is orchestrating the efforts from afar.

At the small council, Rhaenyra hears about the commotion outside, but is more concerned with locating Aemond and Vhagar, who continue to threaten her position to the throne for as long as they’re alive.

When Addam and Baela return from their search, she immediately attempts to send them out again amid rumours they had been spotted. When Addam notes that they hadn’t eaten and are exhausted, she tells Daemon to go instead.

He refuses – noting that his priority should be finding who is murdering his Gold Cloaks Already restless due to lack of pay, they are on the brink of revolt. With that, he goes to meet with Ser Luthor Largent to discuss the current state of play – only to come upon two more dead Gold Cloaks in the process.

Meanwhile Rhaenyra hears her son, Prince Joffrey, has arrived back from the Vale and wishes to see her, and she says she’ll get round to it when she’s not so busy.

Now knowing her daughter is pregnant again, Alicent is eager to keep her safe. Maester Orwyle pays a visit to their chambers (although his presence does not go unnoticed). Fooling the guards into thinking he is providing a draught to Alicent to ease her period pain, he sneaks in a flask of moon tea for Halaena (which would trigger a miscarriage) but she refuses it as she has every intention of keeping the child. Alicent tells her that her son is a rival to Rhaenyra's line and once she find out about it, she will kill it. Heleana argues Aemond still lives and is at Harrenhal. Alicent informs about the reports of him fleeing the castle, but she refutes this, saying that she has "seen him. He burns, but without fire."

With her spies quickly realising this charade, Mysaria soon pays them a visit. Demanding to see what the Maester gave her, Alicent reveals the moon tea but claims it’s for herself, necking it in front of Mysaria in a bid to convince her. This does nothing to fool the White Worm.

While enjoying their allotted time outside in the garden, Heleana plays with her daughter Jaehaera, and the pair notice a caterpillar as it eats poisonous nightshade, marveling at how it is able to do so. Alicent pleads with Helaena to flee with her that evening. She has bribed a servant to help them escape that night. The only catch is she would have to leave behind her daughter – and that’s something Helaena refuses to do, even when Alicent attempts to lie to her that they will call for her later.

However, with no other option, the pair attempt to leave that evening disguised as maids (with Heleana taking the caterpillar from the garden). Their ruse is short lived. They are immediately caught by Mysaria, who threatens to out their escape plan to Rhaenyra. Alicent warns Mysaria not to get too close to Rhaenyra – she had thought the White Work was wise enough to always play both sides, and there may be a time where she requires her own favour – while Mysaria doesn’t heed the warning entirely, she does at least allow to get back to their room.

It appears luck is on their side as a cat slinks into the chamber after them (one of the many recently introduced to address the rat infestation). Heleana notices it pawing near one of the walls and realises there is a secret passageway hidden behind it. Alicent and Helaena make a run for it – only to discover it comes to a dead end... and the way back has closed behind them. Their lamp falls to the ground in their panic and they are trapped in the darkness, surrounded by rats.

Aegon is not having the best time in Rook’s Rest, either. Frustrated at his lowly position and hearing that his brother’s dragon has been spotted at Wendish Town, he decides to head towards them to confront and kill Aemond himself, believing him to be the reason for all his suffering.

Larys, on the other hand, is keen to remain where they are, believing at least they have some protection among the refugee population who have accumulated there. But Aegon will hear none of it.

Aegon continues to whine – this time about how Alicent loved Aemond more than him. He believes he was given more opportunities to develop as a warrior, while he was held back and protected as heir to the throne, and his brother looked down his nose at him as a result. At this point Larys finally snaps, reminding him that he was given every opportunity in life. He was the one that threw it away to ride into a battle he was not meant to be part of. He says while Aegon was a terrible king, what is worse is that he is a terrible person – and surprisingly, Aegon seems to take the criticism in.

Ultimately, they return to the safety of Rook’s Rest, and find an old ally waiting for them: Ser Tyland Lannister, who somehow managed to survive being thrown overboard by Sharako Lohar during the Battle of the Gullet and has also taken refuge at Rook’s Rest.

As Larys and Tyland talk to decide what next to do to protect Aegon, the King’s cover is almost blown when Janos sneaks through their bag and discovers his crown. When he confronts Aegon about his true identity, Aegon quickly and quietly kills him.

In the Riverlands, Ser Criston’s men launch a surprise ambush on Lord Oscar Tully and the Winter Wolves, who are marching towards Tumbleton. So far Criston's garrison has succeeded in slowing down the much larger army through guerilla warfare.

The Tullys are quick to come up with a new plan though. As Ser Gwayne offers Ser Criston a place to stay in Oldtown once this is all over, they receive a surprise attack of their own.

Ser Criston and several of the men are thrown from their horses – the someone has managed to get ahead of them and laid down crow's feet - spiked metal traps – into the soil to disable their horses. They’re forced to kill their steeds to put them out of their misery and continue on foot.

Soon men start falling to the elements, exhausted from battle and wading through the thick mud of the Riverlands. Even Ser Gwayne is struggling – and when they reach the bridge to their destination of the Stoney Sept, only to find it burned, it seems it was all for nought.

That night, Ser Gwayne tells Ser Criston that it is about time they admit defeat and come up with a new plan – but Ser Criston plans to die in battle. Ser Gwayne realises with horror that’s been his plan all along, as Ser Criston says he wants to be remembered as the realm’s greatest warrior, dying a hero’s death on his terms, and have people sing songs about him that Alicent will hear back in King’s Landing.

He has no intention of dedicating himself to a life serving the Blacks or Greens any further, but wants to cement his own legend, even if it means bringing his men on a suicide mission to achieve it. Knowing this, he and Ser Gwayne part ways.

Despite her assertions in the last episode, Alys Rivers is indeed keeping an injured and fragile Prince Aemond hidden at Harrenhal. Mercenaries and sellswords visit the castle to try and collect the bounty on his head, but Alys successfully drives them away.

Just like Daemon did in the hallowed halls, Aemond is plagued with nightmares and visions. One in particular that scares him is witnessing his brother, Aegon, on fire. He’s also left heartbroken at the idea that his dragon, Vhagar, has abandoned him, with Alys asserting the dragon is not coming back.

As Aemond continues to rely on her for comfort, Alys warns him that Rhaenyra has put a bounty on his head (whoever kills him gets Harrenhal) and claims that Aegon has died. Aemond notes that, despite the bullying he suffered as a child at his brother’s hands, he hopes he’s not dead. At one point he even admits to admiring Aegon, though felt it was never reciprocated.

With Aemond and Alys forming a bond as he recovers, more bounty hunters arrive at Harrenhal. This time, she’s overpowered by them, and when they look set to assault her, Aemond comes to her rescue, killing them all with the swordsmanship he has become feared for.

In the aftermath, Alys notes that he appears to be recovering quickly.

In Tumbleton, as Lord Ormund prepares for the impending attack from Rhaenyra’s army, he is eagerly putting new schemes in place to make sure he gains the upper hand.

Determined to make Daeron the new King, he crafts coins with the boy’s face on them to assert his position – but makes sure Daeron knows he’s the true mastermind of his potential rule, mocking his schooling.

As they play a strategy board game together, Ormund recounts the tale of Meria Martell – a legendary strategist from the time of Aegon’s Conquest. Known as the ‘Yellow Toad of Dorne’, Meria managed to trick the Targaryens into believing Dorne had fallen, only to drive them out with her men once they felt settled. To date, Dorne is one of the few Kingdoms not to have fallen into Targaryen rule.

When Daeron wins the game, he panics, thinking Ormund will take it badly – but Ormund strictly informs him never to apologise for victory.

Rhaenyra, struggling with her power, heads to the Sept to pray where she’s joined by Daemon. She shares her hopes of being a good ruler, but everyone’s rejections of her authority are beginning to get to her, making her question herself and – more importantly – her faith in it being the will of the Gods that she’s Queen.

Daemon reassures her, saying it is her destiny, but she’s not so sure. After all, why would so many on her side be dying in her name if it is?

After the discussion, Daemon heads to the City Watch to placate their increased frustrations over pay, promising them double their salary once this fight for the throne is all over. He then gets a breakthrough when one of the Green Loyalists who have been killing the Gold Cloaks is apprehended.

Torturing him for information, he discovers Ormund’s plan to put Daeron on the throne and shares the news with Rhaenyra – including the gold with Daeron’s face on it that Ormund has been using to pay his inside men.

Later that evening, upon arrival at a meeting he’d arranged with Lord Luthor, he discovers him dead alongside six other Gold Cloaks, set up in a terrifyingly grim tableau at a dinner table.

Behind them on the wall is an ominous message written in blood: "A Feast For Traitors."