1x05: We Light the Way

The very first sequence introduces Daemon's wife, Lady Rhea, and her fate at his hands. Djawadi introduces some dark tones, that play around with one of Daemon's themes, the one we heard in the previous episode, as he entered the throne room. In a similar fashion, this theme plays in this episode, when he arrives at the banquet hall, during the wedding sequence. Most of his remaining scenes are scored with his dark drone ambience, because he remains a nebulous and unpredictable character.

Rhaenyra's theme, which was quite prominent in previous episodes, here is relegated to a couple of token appearances, in two different scenes with her in the ship, on her way to Driftmark. And her love theme introduced for her and Sir Criston Cole in their lovemaking scene in the previous episode gets briefly referenced when they talk at the ship, right before he offers her a way out of her forced marriage.

Also, House Targaryen theme makes an appearance after Corly and Viserys conversation about the succession line, but it doesn't make much of an impact, because here Djawadi doesn't want to overpower the episode with his more familiar themes, but he prefers to leave some space for some minor themes to take the spotlight, and be developed properly, like Alicent's Theme or the House Velaryon themes.

But without a doubt, the hight point of the episode, both musically and from a storytelling perspective, is the development of Queen Alicent. A theme for her had already been faintly introduced in episode 2, when she talks to her father, and in episode 4 when she talks to Rhaenyra about her loneliness.

This episode then expands upon that mournful sound with a couple of similar iterations of her theme, when she talks to Otto right before he leaves, or when Sir Criston Cole reveals his secret to Alicent. The theme here is sad and tragic, reflecting her sorrow and helplessness. It's a theme for someone who has given up, and is fed up with her current life state.

The wedding dance is supported by source music, based around percusive rythms, and different melodies, which don't have any particular references to previously established themes. Djawadi here allows the images themselves to tell the story and build the tension until that chaotic and insane burst of violence. Here, Djawadi unleashes dark orchestral passages, with percussion and distorting sound effects, which don't allow for any thematic references.

The aftermath of this act of violence is then scored beautifully by a gorgeous and mournful rendition of the Heir Theme. We hear both sections of the theme on piano, with some extra instruments being played on top, but the theme soon turns darker, the theme being transfigured to fit the grim outcome of this event. The theme here achieves greater meaning, reflecting on the terrible consequences the fight over the heir to the throne is having on all the people involved. Then, a sorrowful statement of Alicent's Theme plays over the credits, closing the episode on a downbeat note.