House of the Dragon is a prequel spinoff of the epic fantasy series, Game of Thrones. It is set almost 200 years before the original show’s events, meaning entirely new characters. With many supporting characters present throughout the show, one of the more sinister ones is Blood and Cheese.
A significant detail in episodes 4 and 5 has already helped set up their storyline. While Rhaenyra sneaks out in episode 4, we see a couple of rats and in episode 5, we see another rat near the blood spill. These hints point to a subplot involving Blood and Cheese. Spoilers for the book Fire & Blood, ahead.
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Who are Blood and Cheese?
Rats near the skull of Balerion the Black Dread as Rhaenyra sneaks out in House of the Dragon episode 4
Blood was a butcher, and Cheese was a ratcatcher. Their real names are not known. During the Dance of the Dragons, Daemon Targaryen hired them through Mysaria. Blood and Cheese were tasked with killing Aegon II’s heir after Aemond Targaryen killed Lucerys Velaryon, Rhaenyra’s second son. Daemon promised Rhaenyra that he would avenge his death, and he did.
Blood and a Rat (symbolizing the ratcatcher), in episode 5 of House of the Dragon
Mysaria is also known as the White Worm, and she could arrange whatever was needed for a price. Upon Daemon’s orders, Blood and Cheese made their way into Dowager Queen Alicent’s bedroom in the Red Keep through the hidden passageways. One of which we see in episode 4.
The ratcatcher, Cheese, was knowledgeable of underground routes and secret passages inside the King’s Landing. Once the duo entered Alicent’s quarters, they bound, gagged her, and waited. They knew that her daughter, Helaena Targaryen, sister-wife to Aegon II, visited her mother every night with her children.
When she entered Alicent’s room, Blood quickly killed the knight accompanying her. They introduced themselves as debt collectors. Pointing at her two sons, one of them asked,” Which one you want t’ lose, Your Grace?“. They promised they would only take an eye for an eye and hurt nobody else. Helpless, Helaena picked her youngest to die, Maelor. But instead, Blood killed the six-year-old and heir to Aegon II, Prince Jaehaerys.
An Eye For An Eye
Adult Aemond Targaryen, aka Aemond the One-Eyed
Aemond Targaryen, Alicent’s second son, lost one of his eyes in a fight with Lucerys Velaryon. Alicent demanded an eye for an eye and hurt one of Rhaenyra’s sons in return. But King Viserys did not permit this.
After Lucerys’ death, Daemon wrote to Rhaenyra, “An eye for an eye, a son for a son.” After completing the task, both of them escaped from the Red Keep. Cheese was never seen again but Blood was caught with the young prince’s severed head, which was meant to be shown to Daemon as proof.
Witnessing her child’s death and having to live with choosing one of her sons to die made Helaena descend into madness. She was never the same again, and Alicent had to look after her children.
Later in the book, Rhaenyra returns to Dragonstone for safety but finds her rival and half-brother Aegon II already there. Aegon sentences her to death by dragon. Rhaenyra was devoured by Aegon’s dragon Sunfyre, as her 10-year-old son, Aegon III, was forced to watch. An eye for an eye indeed.
The Red Keep’s secret routes help establish Blood and Cheese’s plot. We also briefly glimpse a rat in the sequence where Rhaenyra sneaks out of the palace through the hidden passage. Which subplot are you most excited to see adapted on screen? Let us know in the comments.
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Wow this is good
I’m real excited for the next episode after reading this. <3