The relationship between Rhaenyra Targaryen and Corlys Velaryon has grown increasingly complicated as House of the Dragon has progressed. While Corlys remains one of Rhaenyra’s most important allies, season 3 showed cracks beginning to form within Team Black. So does that mean the Sea Snake is headed toward betrayal in season 4? According to Steve Toussaint, Corlys isn’t there yet, though he may be starting to see reasons for concern.
Quick read:
- Corlys still supports Rhaenyra for now.
- He understands some opposition to her rule.
- Concerns about her character may emerge later.
Corlys believes compromise is still possible
Speaking to CBR, Toussaint explained that Corlys approached the negotiations involving Gwayne Hightower and Daemon with an open mind.
Rather than entering the conversation with a fixed position, Corlys listened carefully to the arguments being made.
“I think for Corlys, it’s complicated. That’s why he came up with that compromise in that meeting between himself, Gwayne [Hightower], and Daemon. I don’t think he had planned to say that initially, but he was listening to Gwayne and thinking, ‘Okay, some of this is nonsense, but I can see where this might work.’”
For Corlys, the reality is that some people in Westeros may never fully support a ruling queen, regardless of her qualifications.
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“There are some people who will just never accept [Rhaenyra as queen]. But if you give them something, if you throw them a bone, maybe we can make this work.”
That outlook suggests Corlys remains focused on preserving stability rather than choosing sides in an increasingly bitter conflict.
His concerns about Rhaenyra may come later
While some fans interpreted season 3 as the beginning of a rift between Corlys and Rhaenyra, Toussaint doesn’t believe the veteran lord has completely lost faith in her.
In fact, he suggested Corlys still believes her reign can succeed.
“I don’t know if Corlys is necessarily at that stage where he thinks it’s never going to work with Rhaenyra as queen.”
However, that doesn’t mean his confidence is unshakable.
“I think that comes to him a bit later, this idea that it’s not going to be plain sailing. I think he may start to have concerns about her character around that stage.”
The comments are intriguing because they stop short of teasing a betrayal while hinting that Corlys’ relationship with Rhaenyra could become more strained in the show’s final season.
If season 4 follows that path, the real drama may not be whether Corlys abandons Rhaenyra, but whether he can continue supporting a queen whose decisions become increasingly difficult to defend.
Read next: Why Corlys stopped defending Rhaenyra’s sons and called them bastards
