[ad_1]
***Warning: This text comprises spoilers for Home of the Dragon***
A palpable sense of loss runs by way of every episode of HBO’s Home of the Dragon. Within the opening narration, we study this collection takes place a century earlier than the occasions of Recreation of Thrones. The Targaryen dynasty is at its peak and the Seven Kingdoms are having fun with an unprecedented time of peace and prosperity. In the meantime, dragons—which maintain a close to legendary standing in Recreation of Thrones—fly freely by way of the skies of Westeros. It’s a ravishing sight to witness, however we all know it’s all going to come back crashing down, destroyed in a sea of fireplace and blood.
It begins with a succession disaster. The ruling King, Viserys Targaryen, has no male inheritor. So, breaking with lengthy held custom, he selects his daughter Rhaenyra to succeed him as Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. Issues get difficult nonetheless when Viserys takes a second spouse, Rhaenyra’s childhood pal Alicent Hightower, who then provides delivery to a son whom many really feel has a greater declare to the Iron Throne. The following energy wrestle leads to “The Dance of the Dragons,” a bloody civil conflict through which the dragons die, the dominion burns, and the destiny of Home Targaryen is sealed ceaselessly.
Like most prequels, Home of the Dragon isn’t eager about telling viewers what occurs. We already know the way the story ends. As an alternative, the collection chooses to give attention to why it occurs. Every week, audiences are rigorously proven how the hatred of some people dooms the lives of many. It’s an previous and tragic parable, however one which carries deep significance for Christian viewers.
Home of the Dragon provides us a glimpse of a world with out grace.
Above every thing else in scripture, Christians are commanded to like. We’re instructed to like the Lord with all our coronary heart, soul, thoughts, and energy (Mark 12:30). We’re instructed to like our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:31). Lastly, we’re instructed to like our enemies (Matthew 5:43-48). In doing so, we share God’s presence with these round us whereas turning into extra like him in thoughts and spirit. However what occurs after we fail to stay out Christ’s ultimate command? What worth do Christians pay after we select to hate our enemies?
Home of the Dragon supplies us with a solution.
Hatred Makes Us Much less
Nice tragedies typically have small beginnings and Home of the Dragon isn’t any exception. Almost all battle within the collection could be traced again to 2 characters: Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, the Inheritor Obvious, and Alicent Hightower, the New Queen. Initially, the 2 ladies stay as mates, and each display appreciable expertise and advantage. Rhaenyra is intelligent, daring, and strong-willed. Alicent, in the meantime, is affected person, loyal, and selfless. Every lady possesses the potential to turn out to be a terrific queen, and their friendship permits them to carry out the perfect in each other.
Sadly, a collection of painful errors causes their friendship to finish abruptly, and every lady begins to nurse a sullen hatred for the opposite. As their animosity grows, their promise and potential steadily shrinks. Each nonetheless possess notable qualities, however now they’re motivated by their worst instincts. Rhaenyra turns into egocentric and reckless, a slave to her personal appetites, whereas Alicent’s kindness is smothered by her jealousy, resentment, and rage. Hatred diminishes them each, and the Seven Kingdoms are lesser for it.
The ugly reality about hatred is that its first casualty is often ourselves. 1st Corinthians 13 warns Christians that with out love, even our biggest items might be rendered ineffective. Love is required to construct and maintain the issues of God, and whereas some Christians have tried to argue that it’s potential to mock our enemies and nonetheless love them, their excuses crumble nearly immediately. Jesus might have known as the Pharisees a “brood of vipers” (Matthew 12:34-36), however he died for his or her sins in addition to ours. Love could be stern, even indignant, however love by no means rejoices in petty malice or gleeful ridicule. These items solely reduce us whereas giving the seeds of hatred room to develop. And make no mistake, they do develop.
Hatred Makes Us Compromise
As time passes, the rivalry between the 2 ladies continues to escalate, and every seeks out allies to assist consolidate their energy. For Alicent, this implies allying herself with the royal spymaster, Larys Robust. Larys’ diminutive look masks a chilly and sadistic nature. When the New Queen angrily remarks that she needs her father could be reinstated as Hand of the King, Larys grants her request by murdering the workplace’s present occupant: his personal father. Later, after Alicent’s son loses a watch in a battle with one other boy, Larys casually affords to safe a watch from the offending youngster as recompense. Alicent is aware of that Larys is evil, however she chooses to maintain him shut anyway. He’s an evil that she will use.
As for Rhaenyra, she opts to bind herself to her uncle Daemon. Performed by Matt Smith, Daemon has shortly turn out to be a favourite character amongst Home of the Dragon followers, and it’s straightforward to see why: he’s dashing, charismatic, and a little bit of a insurgent. However Daemon’s magnetic persona permits Rhaenyra (and viewers) to disregard simply how harmful he actually is. Within the first episode, we witness him slaughter a crowd of alleged criminals to implement order all through town. Later, he brutally murders his personal spouse to free himself from an sad marriage. For all his glamor, Daemon continues to be a monster, and even Rhaenyra isn’t protected from his wrath.
It doesn’t take a lot self-awareness to acknowledge how continuously Christians make these identical errors. Life supplies us with an abundance of perceived enemies—in politics, in tradition, even throughout the Church itself. So, within the title of defending the better good, we be a part of forces with people who embody every thing that Christianity ought to be towards. We compromise the gospel to shield bullies or empower tyrants. As with Larys and Daemon, these alliances might ship us energy within the quick time period, however they all the time come again to hang-out us. Cooperating with evil solely creates extra evil and any bond solid in hatred inevitably turns into simply one other chain for our personal self-made prisons.
Hatred Spills Over
Above every thing else, the worst facet of hatred is the way it spreads. We see this reality play out in Home of the Dragon’s most tragic scene, a feast. Throughout his final evening alive, King Viserys brings his household collectively for one ultimate meal and implores them to make peace with each other. He reminds them that they’re all of 1 home and that the Crown can’t stand robust whereas they continue to be divided. Miraculously, his phrases appear to take root. Rhaenyra makes a toast to Alicent, thanking her for her tireless devotion to the previous King and apologizing for her half of their estrangement. In return, Alicent toasts to Rhaenyra, acknowledging her as their future queen.
For a quick second it seems as if peace is feasible. The desk is surrounded by music and laughter. Considered one of Rhaenyra’s sons asks Alicent’s daughter to bounce. The evening goes properly. Then Alicent’s son makes an insulting toast towards the opposite boys. Voices are raised, blows are exchanged, and everybody within the room immediately falls again to their aspect of the battle.
Whether or not they realized it or not, the non-public conflict between Alicent and Rhaenyra has spilled over onto their youngsters. Even when the 2 select to make peace now, issues have gone past their management. The following era was raised with their hatred and has adopted it as their very own. In consequence, each ladies are doomed to observe their youngsters battle and die whereas the Seven Kingdoms burn round them. Hatred hasn’t simply taken their peace; it’s stolen their future.
These identical penalties await us if we select to reject Christ’s command to like our enemies. After we cling to hatred, it will definitely spreads to the individuals we’re closest to. Kids, mates, siblings, and even strangers can turn out to be contaminated in the event that they’re inside our circle of affect. This malignancy additionally limits our potential to repent and forgive, since we are able to solely apologize for our personal errors. On this manner, hatred manages to persist lengthy after we’re gone, exacting its toll on every new era.
Selecting to Love
Home of the Dragon provides us a glimpse of a world with out grace. It exhibits us how simply issues which might be good and exquisite can turn out to be misplaced within the fires of satisfaction and recrimination. On the identical time, we’re reminded that we now have a selection. This doesn’t must be our story.
The Dutch priest Henri Nouwen as soon as wrote,
I’ve seen in my very own life that folks I don’t like have energy over me as a result of I’m all the time fascinated with them. They preoccupy me and have management over my pondering. I discover myself jealous, resentful, and vengeful. I lose peace. I’m holding on to those individuals as my enemies. Loving our enemies is the best way of turning into freed from our enemies. We free ourselves by letting go, by loving them, by caring for them.
Henri Nouwen, Following Jesus, Pg. 69 Convergent Books, 2019
Loving our enemies is rarely straightforward. We frequently really feel entitled to our bitterness and harm. Selecting to let go of it will possibly really feel like an act of give up—most likely as a result of it’s. But it surely’s by way of acts of affection and give up that God in the end brings about our liberation. When Jesus died on the cross, he wasn’t submitting to the desire of the Pharisees or the ability of Rome, he was surrendering to the love of God (Matthew 26:39). In following his instance, we permit God to take the ugliness we stock and set us free.
Hatred tempts us to an iron throne that may all the time depart us wounded and bleeding whereas Christ invitations us to his desk the place we’re requested to like and forgive for his sake. All we should determine is which seat we select to assert.
[ad_2]
