WARNING! This article contains major SPOILERS for House of the Dragon season 2, episode 5 and George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood book, on which the show is based!
Summary
Jeyne Arryn is finally introduced inHouse of the Dragonseason 2 episode 5, with the Lady of the Eyrie playing an important albeit isolated role in the Dance of the Dragons. At theend ofHouse of the Dragonseason 1, Rhaenyra sent her eldest son Jacaerys as an envoy to treat with Lady Jeyne Arryn in the Vale and Lord Cregan Stark in Winterfell. While Jace’s successful visit with Cregan was shown at the start ofHouse of the Dragonseason 2, episode 1, his time in the Eyrie was cut from the series, with the show waiting to debut Jeyne until Rhaena’s stay with her a few episodes later.
Rhaenyra has sent Rhaena Targaryen to watch over Joffrey, Aegon, Viserys, and aclutch of dragon eggsto the Vale in order to keep them safe during the war. Before Rhaena leaves with Aegon and Viserys for Pentos, she stays at the Eyrie withLady Jeyne Arryn (Amanda Collin), a cousin of Queen Rhaenyra Targaryenthrough her late mother, Aemma Arryn, who pledges House Arryn’s loyalty to Team Black. After it initially seemed like Jeyne could have been given an off-screen-only role in the show,House of the Dragonthankfully introduces the iconic ancestor ofGame of Thrones’ House Arryn characters in “Regent.”
Jeyne Arryn’s Backstory
Lady Jeyne Arryn Inherited The Vale At A Very Young Age
Born around the same time as Rhaenyra, Lady Jeyne Arryn has been the Lady of the Vale since she was only a child. According toGeorge R.R. Martin’sFire & Bloodbook, Jeyne’s father and older brothers were killed by Stone Crows, a mountain clan in the Vale, leading her toinherit the Eyrie at only three years old. When she was a child, Lord Royce of Runestone ruled as her regent, with Jeyne’s claim also being unsuccessfully challenged by her male cousin Arnold Arryn. In response, Arnold and his descendants were disinherited from House Arryn’s succession.
Rhaenyra Targaryen reveals that Jeyne Arryn is a first cousin of her mother, Aemma Arryn. Aemma’s parents were Princess Daella Targaryen and Lord Rodrik Arryn.
Of course,House of the Dragonseason 2 isn’t the first time that the show has visited the Vale. In season 1,Daemon kills Rhea Royce, his ex-wife, while secretly visiting the location as a ploy to make himself free to wed and potentially inherit her seat at Runestone.House of the Dragonseason 1 didn’t directly include Lady Jeyne Arryn’s response to Daemon’s claim, which she rejected before forcing him to leave the Vale. Nearly two decades later,Jeyne finally returns when pledging her loyalty to Rhaenyrain exchange for a dragon to protect the Vale.
House Of The Dragon Starts With The Same Specific Death As Game Of Thrones
Similar to Game of Thrones' pilot, House of the Dragon episode 1’s first big death will have a massive impact on the conflicts to come.
Jeyne Arryn’s Role In The Dance Of The Dragons
Jeyne Arryn’s Role Is Confined To The Vale In The Dance
DuringHouse of the Dragonseason 2, Jeyne Arryn’s role seems to largely be confined to hosting Rhaena Targaryen andRhaenyra’s three youngest childrenat the Eyrie. InFire & Blood, Rhaena becomes Jeyne’s ward, withHouse of the Dragonexpanding on the characters’ subplot related to Rhaena’s hopes of hatching a dragon egg. The book also reveals thatthe Vale is never directly attacked in the Dance of the Dragons, but Jeyne does send forces to join the Queen’s armywhen Rhaenyra takes King’s Landing.
After the Storming of the Dragonpit, which sees the people of King’s Landing attack and kill the dragons held in the Dragonpit, Jeyne offers to send troops but the crown lacks gold and ships to accomplish this. The Queen is also advised to flee to the Eyrie for safety, but instead goes to Dragonstone, where Rhaenyra is killed by Sunfyre at the command of Aegon II Targaryen.Following Rhaenyra’s death, Jeyne sends troops to King’s Landingafter refusing to surrender to Aegon, with Team Black’s cause being strengthened at the Dance of the Dragon’s conclusion whenRhaena successfully hatches a dragon egg in the Vale.
What Happens To Jeyne Arryn
Jeyne Arryn Doesn’t Survive Much Longer After The Dance Of The Dragons
After the deaths of both Rhaenyra and Aegon II, and thus theDance of the Dragons’ conclusion,Lady Jeyne Arryn serves on a council of seven regents to King Aegon III Targaryen, Rhaenyra’s eldest surviving son. When Aegon III’s official regent is decided, Jeyne returns to the Vale butdies only two years later of an illnesswhile in Gulltown. Having never married, Lady Jeyne Arryn is known in the histories as the Maid of the Vale, but it’s rumored inFire & Bloodthat she had a lover in Jessamyn Redfort. Jeyne is succeeded as Protector of the Vale by her cousin Joffrey Arryn, whose ascension is unsuccessfully contested by other members of House Arryn.
How Is Jeyne Arryn Related To Game Of Thrones' Arryns?
Jeyne Arryn Is A Very Distant Indirect Ancestor Of Jon & Robin Arryn
Jeyne Arryn never had any children, so she’s anindirect ancestor ofGame of Thrones’ characters Jon and Robin Arryn. Her successor Joffrey Arryn, presumably Jon’s direct ancestor, is described as a distant fourth cousin to Jeyne. Therefore, it’s more difficult to pinpoint exactly how many generations in House Arryn that Jeyne is moved from Jon Arryn and his son Robin inGame of Thrones. It seems likely thatHouse of the Dragon’s Jeyne is at least eight or nine generations removed fromHand of the King Jon Arryn, with their closest directly shared ancestor being another four generations further back.
House of the Dragon
Cast
House of the Dragon is a 2022 fantasy drama set in the world of Westeros, chronicling the Targaryen dynasty at its height. The story revolves around King Viserys’s controversial decision to name his daughter Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne, sparking tensions and divisions within the realm.
