The Broken Loyalty to Blood
The entire Dance of the Dragons is predicated on a single, fractured loyalty—the promise King Viserys extracted from the lords of Westeros to support his daughter Rhaenyra’s claim. By the time of his death, that oath had curdled. Season 3 relentlessly
explores this initial betrayal. For the Greens, loyalty to tradition and to a male heir, Aegon II, supersedes any sworn vow. Alicent Hightower’s allegiance is driven by a fierce, protective loyalty to her children and her perception of the realm's stability. Her ambition is intertwined with a belief that she is safeguarding her family's future. For the Blacks, loyalty is to the declared will of the former king and to Rhaenyra as the rightful monarch. This fundamental disagreement isn’t just a political squabble; it’s a schism in the very concept of duty to the crown. The season uses this divide to show how easily personal relationships, like the childhood bond between Rhaenyra and Alicent, are sacrificed at the altar of factional allegiance. Every lord forced to choose a side is a reminder of that first broken promise in the Red Keep.
The Chaos of Personal Allegiance
Beyond the crown, the most dangerous players are loyal only to themselves or to their own twisted codes. Daemon Targaryen’s loyalty has always been a moving target; he serves Rhaenyra, but his methods are his own, driven by a desire for power and a belief in Targaryen exceptionalism. His actions are often unpredictable, a mix of ambition and a strange, familial devotion that can sometimes undermine the very cause he fights for. Then there is Ser Criston Cole, a man whose loyalty is not to a king, but to a grudge. His devotion to the Greens is rooted in Rhaenyra's rejection of him years prior. His choices are colored by personal bitterness, making him a powerful but reckless weapon for Aegon's cause. This brand of self-serving loyalty proves just as destructive as open treason. These characters demonstrate that the greatest threats often come from allies whose personal motivations are misaligned with the broader goals of their faction, creating internal fractures that are ripe for exploitation as the war intensifies.
Loyalty as a Transaction
In Season 3, loyalty is increasingly a commodity to be bought and sold. This is most evident with the introduction of the dragonseeds—those with a hint of Valyrian blood who are offered the chance to claim a dragon in exchange for their service. Characters like Ulf the White and Hugh Hammer are not fighting for a righteous cause or a beloved monarch; they are fighting for the power and status that dragon-riding affords them. Their allegiance is purely transactional, and therefore, incredibly fragile. As the Greens discover, offering a turncloak a lordship can be more effective than winning a battle. The potential betrayal of these new dragonriders becomes a constant source of tension for Rhaenyra's forces, who must rely on men whose loyalty has a clear price tag. This introduces a new, deeply cynical dimension to the conflict, where oaths mean nothing and the highest bidder can change the tide of the war in an instant.
The Unwavering and the Doomed
Amidst the betrayals, there are still pockets of unwavering loyalty, and the show uses them to create some of its most tragic arcs. Characters like the late Rhaenys Targaryen, the Queen Who Never Was, ultimately proved a steadfast and invaluable advisor to Rhaenyra, fighting with honor for her chosen side. Similarly, Rhaenyra's son, Jacaerys Velaryon, was defined by his earnest devotion to his mother's claim, working tirelessly to secure allies and uphold his duty. But in the world of Westeros, this kind of steadfastness is often a death sentence. The narrative seems to punish pure, uncomplicated loyalty, suggesting it’s a liability in a world of complex and shifting allegiances. As Season 3 builds toward its climax, the characters with the most rigid principles are often the ones who are broken first, serving as warnings that in this brutal dance, flexibility—or even a lack of scruples—is a greater asset for survival than honor.
