The following contains spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 1, Episode 3, "Second of His Name," which aired Sept. 4, on HBO.
In George R.R. Martin's fantasy realm, politics is just as much a weapon as violence. Forked tongues, after all, was how the likes of Littlefinger orchestrated plays on Game of Thrones, and it is what Otto Hightower is about now on the prequel series, House of the Dragon. That's not to say these royals themselves aren't guilty of being tyrants, as seen with Robert Baratheon and the Lannisters.
They're all a perfect encapsulation of how classism, elitism and capitalism shaped the hierarchy of Westeros. In the process, HotD has produced its own take on issues plaguing modern society, proving that the upper-class back then isn't that different from what exists in the real world. And make no mistake, the way they view people as fodder is best summed up by Prince Daemon's ruthless antics.
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Daemon opened Episode 3 by attacking the Crabfeeder's army in the Stepstones, while the pirate maimed those belonging to King's Landing. However, as Daemon and his dragon, Caraxes, began scorching the enemy, one guy in particular stood out, chiding the mariner. He was sure Daemon was their savior, gloating at the prince's glorious arrival on the battlefield.
However, when Daemon landed on the ground with his dragon to continue the explosive assault, Caraxes' foot squashed the man. It was a comedic scene, admittedly, but it was rooted in tragedy. Not just because of the loss of a seemingly innocent life clinging to hope, but because of how Daemon didn't care about a man begging to be saved.
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Daemon surely harmed his own soldiers when he razed the place. But for him, the war wasn't about them. It was about defeating the Crabfeeder, satisfying his ego and strengthening his claim to the Iron Throne. The scene was a powerful reminder that the common folk are viewed as expendable pawns. That truth has been seen in numerous real-world conflicts, ranging from the battle between Moses and Ramses, the rise of monarchies such as the British Crown and even the recent MAGA movement, which has angled to protect the rich from higher taxes. In the case of the latter, seeing poor folks backing motions for elites who don't care for them harkens to the very man who praised Daemon as a god, and then got crushed for it by the same person he idolized.
Daemon's cruelty and lack of awareness serves as a reminder not to place such people on a pedestal, because in times of need they'll see to themselves. Even on a religious front, it's been apparent with Joel Osteen, who initially didn't open his Lakewood Church in Houston in 2017 to help flood victims. It was only after overwhelming social media flak that he did open the building, once more detailing the idea of how the common person helps the elites rise, yet when the time comes, it's not reciprocated. In addition, the early days of COVID-19 can be used as reference, where frontline workers struggled across the world. Many had to fight for pay increases, equipment and proper supplies on the job, only for the powers-that-be, tucked away in ivory towers, to delay tangible aid.
Some governments rose to the challenge, others did not, but one thing stood constant -- the elites were relatively untouched, while the world around burned. In Daemon's case, it's more on-the-nose, illustrating that he was willing to hit that purge button to shape the world he wanted, no matter the cost. Ultimately, it was a harrowing indictment of what power does to someone, leaving viewers with the thought-provoking question of whether politicians and the elite would do what this egotistical prince did to fortify themselves as rulers of the free world.
House of the Dragon airs Sundays at 9:00 p.m. on HBO and streams on HBO Max.