Hope is the Fool’s Ally: House of Dragon S1 Concludes at the Pinnacle of its Genre [Review]

Corlys Velaryon is one of the genius characters of the House of the Dragon who never loses a word exchange.

Season one of the Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon, ended on a high note on Monday, leaving fans eagerly anticipating season two, which is expected to premiere in the first half of 2024.

The portrayal of the most heartless and cruel villains is one aspect of the Game of Thrones universe that fans adore. No other show or film makes you feel as invested in their demise as this one does, and the murder of Lucerys Velaryon is a prime example of it.

Throughout episode 10, fans witnessed war strategies that could lead Westeros to the Dance of the Dragons — a war of succession between Aegon II and his half-sister Rhaenyra Targaryen. The remaining three seasons will possibly be filled with brutality, bloodshed, and vengeance.

Corlys Velaryon’s unexpected return stunned viewers because he is one of Westeros’ most powerful Lords, and his war tactics are well-known throughout the seven kingdoms. Declaring his support for Rhaenyra Targaryen is yet another intriguing plot twist that only those who read the books will understand.

Besides this, Corlys Velaryon is one of the genius characters of the House of the Dragon who never loses a word exchange, and we noted down so many quotations from him throughout the show that bring so many lessons. There are so many dialogues that were full of meaning in the previous episode as well, the majority of which are of Corlys Velaryon.

Here are two of the most meaningful conversions of the last episode:

i. “Heedless Ambition has Always been a Velaryon Weakness”  — Lord Corlys.

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Throughout the season, Lord Corlys can be seen with the desire to see his blood on the Iron Thrones, which is why he accepted Rhaenyra’s illegitimate children as his grandsons to make them heirs to the thrones.

Like Victor Frankenstein (from Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein), he wishes to take control of Westeros but it does not always appear that dreams can be realized through hard work and determination.

Victor creates his monster, causing him to disregard various aspects of his life, and Corlys similarly even loses his own blood to set his heir on his own throne.

When Rhaenys told him about what had happened in his absence over the last six years, including the death of his brother, Daemon Velaryon, the House of Velaryon’s only living hire, Corlys said “Heedless ambition has always been a Velaryon weakness. I reached too far. And for nothing”.

ii. “Hope is the Fool’s Ally” — Lord Corlys

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Lord Corlys joined the council to declare his support for Queen Rhaenyra and to hone his war skills as Rhaenyra considers whether she has the resources to fight the Hightowers and sends her sons to various kingdoms to confirm their allegiances.

Corlys inquired of the queen about the confirmed allies, and after receiving a bold and satisfactory response, he stated boldly, “Too few to win a war for the throne”.

The conversion does not end there. Queen Rhaenyra expressed her hope for the Houses Arryn, Baratheon, and Stark before Corlys interrupted her to complete the list of her allies, saying, “Hope is the fool’s ally”.

When Aemond Targaryen and his massive dragon, Vhagar, killed Lucerys Velaryon and his dragon, Arrax, on their way to Dragonstone from Storm’s End at the end of the episode, Queen Rhaenyra realized the meaning of “hope is the fool’s ally”. Her son Lucerys Velaryon, a Drift mark hire, was murdered in the lordship of those for whom the Queen said to Corlys, “Both Arryn and Baratheon share blood with my house”.

What do you think of the last episode of season one of the House of the Dragon? Let us know in the comments below.