'House of The Dragon' Episode 9: Who is on Rhaenyra's Side?

As the declaration of the true heir of the crown created chaos and divided the realms, who do you think would be loyal to the crown, and who would remain to support the real queen?

Episode 9 of the House of the Dragon exposed the two parties in which the green party sided with the current king of the Aegon hierarchy and the black party risked their lives to support the supposed Queen Rhaenyra. As the episode focused on the King's allies, it also shows how the green party disgraced the infringement done by the green council in aiming for the Iron Throne. As Queen Alicent thought the late king had asked before he died, the Green Council looked into Aegon's claim to the throne. The Green Council was composed of Queen Alicent, Otto, Aegon, and Aemond, who were leading the treason and chaos in the King's hierarchy. Episode 9's best part is the start of the Targaryen civil war when Aegon took the crown from Rhaenyra, the king's firstborn, and the two realms split into green and black.

Though Rhaenyra and Daemon were not in the 9th episode, a lot of her allies dedicated their lives to supporting her hierarchy. Many believed that as she was the last generation of Targaryens, she should inherit the crown and not her brother Aegon. It is revealed in the previous episode that Queen Alicent mistakenly thought that the final message of the King, who's referring to Rhaenyra's reign and what has been said by the prophecy, started the war between the realms.

Rhaenys became the strongest companion of Rhaenyra on her journey, leading her army against the Green Council. As the Queen uses dark ways in fighting her enemies, many of the allies of the green party choose to support Rhaenyra, even with the threat of execution. Intending to strengthen their forces, Alicent and Otto spend most of their time recruiting allies that can improve the power of their monarchy. 

Allun Caswell and Lyman Beesbury were executed by Criston Cole and Otto Hightower after announcing their support for Rhaenyra. After executing many lords, the Black party didn't gain many powerful allies, aside from those who were loyal to Rhaenyra in the very beginning. The black party was also known as the party of the princess. Those who attend her parties are known to have grudges against the Hightowers and take revenge for the infringement of the greens. Some of them were loyal to the words of the King and believed that Rhaenyra was the true heir, as what he said became her ally against the green party.

Rhaenyra's son, after gaining the power of the Velaryon fleets, was eyed by Lord Corlys Velayron to be the successor of the Driftmark and would strengthen the army of Rhaenyra. With her Syrax, Rhaenyra's allies in the black party also have their dragon power. The bloodline of the Targaryen family has a dragon power destined for Daemon and Caraxes, Lucerys and Arrax, Jacaerys and Vermax, Joffrey and Tyraxes, and Baela and Moondancer. Rhaenyra's allies also pledged to support Rhaenyra's side, but she can't rely on them, especially since they paid obeisance to her 20 years ago. In episode 9  Rhaenyra and her family have to visit different houses to gather alliances before the Dance of the Dragons and the Targaryen civil war.

With the endeavor of Rhaenyra to strengthen her force, she also gained a lot of powerful characters to support the black cause. The public coronation of her brother Aegon and the death of the late King, Rhaenyra, still gathered the attention of some powerful allies. In Episode 9 of the House of the Dragon, there are some characters that were confirmed to be allies of Rhaenyra and the reasons for their alliance with the Blacks.

• Rhaenys Targaryen (and her dragon Medleys)-Rhaenys was approached by Queen Alicent and locked her in a room to convince her to join her party, but Rhaenys rejected the Queen after realizing that the Queen was uplifting the patriarchy together with the Hightowers and planning for treason. Her loyalty to her husband, Corlys Velaryon, and her grandchildren, who were members of the Targaryens, made her an ally with the blacks.

• Ser Erryk Cargyll (twin to the greens’ Arryk Cargyll)-Ser Erryk leaves the green after discovering the infringements of the current King Aegon and his support system of The Green Council. The kingdom was ruled by execution for those who supported the blacks. Ser Erryk decided to join the other party even though his twin brother Arryk Cargyll was Aegon's sworn protector.

• Lord Commander Harrold Westerling-Ser Harrold Westerling, on the other hand, decided to withdraw on the green when Ser Criston Cole drew a sword on him. He also refused his mission of killing Rhaenyra and Daemon and decided to be on their side and support her on the Iron Throne.

• Mysaria's romance with Daemon Targaryen has made her support Rhaenyra and be a member of the Blacks. Larys Strong also tried to kill her at Queen Alicent's request, and Otto Hightowve persuaded her to stay loyal to Rhaenyra.

The black party in the Season 1 finale has fewer members. As they started, they barely got the loyalty of people, especially since the other party threatened people's lives with execution. But Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen has recruited more powerful individuals on her side in the next episodes. The Queen has even been able to form an alliance with Game of Thrones, with House Stark gaining the loyalty of the North. Lord Cregan Stark and Prince Jacaerys Velaryon create the Pact of Ice and Fire, which requires Jacery's daughter to wed Stark's son Rickon, in order to secure the state's backing as well. As they form their forces, powerful houses like House Dustledded by Roderick Dustin, who later on led the Northern Winter Wolves of Rhaenyra's army together with House Cerwyn, House Hornw, food, and House Manderly, have pledged their loyalty to the Queen.