Diksha Sundriyal
War finally comes to Westeros in the third season of HBO’s ‘House of the Dragon.’ After brewing for two seasons, the conflict arrives in full force with the Battle of the Gullet, leading to some serious damage for both parties. On the one side, there is Corlys Velaryon with his fleet that flies under Rhaenyra’s banners. On the other side is the Triarchy, who have decided to fight for Aegon. While the deal offers all sorts of things to them, the personal grudge against the Sea Snake is a major reason behind this alliance. This lack of loyalty is what eventually leads to the fight between Corlys and the Triarchy’s admiral, Sharako Lohar. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Sharako Lohar’s Beef With Corlys Brings Her Into the Targaeryn Civil War
In Season 2, Tyland Lannister was sent to procure the forces of the Triarchy to gain an upper hand on Rhaenyra. If the Sea Snake and his naval forces are busy fighting an old enemy, they will never come around to fighting their Queen’s rival. Tyland’s efforts to appease the Triarchy’s admiral succeed, and Sharako Lohar finds him worthy of being an ally. However, the main reason she decides to join Aegon’s side in a war that has nothing to do with her is that it will bring her face-to-face with Corlys, and she can end him once and for all.
Before Rhaenyra and Aegon’s conflict consumed the continent, Corlys spent his time at sea, fighting off not only the enemies who threatened his stronghold at Driftmark but also the ones who could inflict serious damage on Westeros. For years, the continent and its rulers had been at odds with the Triarchy, and the Sea Snake was one of the reasons why they could never succeed in getting their foothold in the kingdom. While this was great news for Westeros, their enemies didn’t take it well. Corlys’ battle prowess, especially at sea, made him a formidable force no one could win against.
For years, Sharako Lohar witnessed the slaughter of her soldiers and crew at Corlys’ hands. Despite the decades-long conflict, she never really got to fight him to the point that only one of them would survive. So, when Tyland Lannister brought Aegon’s offer, basically allowing her forces a free pass into Westerosi waters while getting to meet Corlys in battle, she could not refuse it. Of course, she made Tyland work for the alliance, but she’d already made up her mind. She just didn’t tell him that she wasn’t going to follow his plans once she had Corlys in her sights.
When they enter the battlefield, Tyland Lannister tells Sharako Lohar the best strategy for winning while inflicting maximum damage to the enemy. He suggests they sail south and mount an attack that would significantly weaken, if not destroy, Corlys’ fleet. However, Sharako is in no mood to listen to him. He is thinking in terms of Aegon’s fight, but she has her own agenda to take care of. Because the deal has already been made and the enemy is right in front of them, she doesn’t see any point in keeping up the ruse. She tells him that the only reason she allied herself with him is that she wanted to kill Corlys.
Sharako Lohar’s Desire for Revenge Blinds Her
Her singular focus on getting Corlys leads her to make some very bad decisions, starting with ignoring Tyland’s advice. She directs some of her ships to sail north so that they can plunder and set fire to High Tide, the Velaryon stronghold. She knows that watching his home getting destroyed would break Corlys’ morale, and killing him with that knowledge would be an even sweeter revenge. She turns out to be right, but this move is not enough to make up for the mistakes she makes next. While Tyland didn’t guess it, Corlys knew the moment he saw the Triarchy’s flags that he was the target of this attack.
Even when Jace and Baela’s dragons come flying into battle, easing things for Corlys’ fleet, he knows that Lohar won’t leave until she has killed him or died trying. So, he makes his ship known to her, and they sail into the narrow pass that is very difficult, if not impossible, to get through. Lohar falls for his trap, instructing her ship to follow him. Once again, Tyland points out that this is not a good idea. Not only will they be cornered, but they are also the mothership, which means if they fall, the battle will truly be lost. She, however, doesn’t care for this, so she follows Corlys into the pass.
Even with some difficulties, Corlys is able to get his ship out of the pass without much damage. Lohar, on the other hand, is stuck to the point that she has to throw Tyland and his people off the ship to finally get out of the tricky place. Once they are back in open water, she speeds her ship towards Corlys’, making a confrontation inevitable. Eventually, she and the Sea Snake come face to face with each other, and she succeeds in throwing him overboard in full armor. This doesn’t mean she has killed him, but with him gone, his crew wouldn’t be much use either. Or at least, that’s what she thought.
When Alyn sees Corlys getting thrown into the water, he decides to fight Lohar himself. The fight is brutal, as each tries whatever they can to kill the other. Eventually, however, Alyn succeeds in overpowering her. First, he tries to drown her, but when that turns out to be too difficult, he stabs her to death. In the end, we watch her lifeless body slipping into the sea, confirming that Corlys’ son has succeeded, winning the fight for his father and the battle for Rhaenyra.
Read More: Is Jacaerys Dead? Did Harry Collett Leave House of the Dragon?
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