SPOILER WARNING
This page includes content relating to the Dance of the Dragons, and therefore contains potential spoilers for future seasons of House of the Dragon, as revealed in George R.R. Martin's writings. Anyone wishing to remain completely spoiler free for this prequel series should avoid any pages displaying this tag. |
- This page is about the short. For the castle, see: Red Keep
"The Red Keep"[3] is the ninth short of the third season of Histories & Lore. It is the fifty-second short of the series overall. It was released on February 18, 2014 in Game of Thrones: The Complete Third Season. It was narrated by Jack Gleeson as Joffrey Baratheon and written by Dave Hill.
Premise[]
King Joffrey reveals the history and structure of the Red Keep, the main fortress of King's Landing, from its construction by the Targaryens, to its hidden lower dungeons.[3]
Narration[]
Joffrey Baratheon: Mine. That's what the Red Keep is. The smallfolk say that it's color comes from the blood Aegon spilled to win his crown. Fools. Blood doesn't soak into stone, no matter how hard I try.
Aegon built his castle of red rock to remind people of the fires he had roasted his enemies in, so whenever King's Landing looked up, they'd see the price of defiance. He knew the first rule of kings. Only fear keeps men in line.
Fear and punishment, a lesson he taught his son Maegor. When the builders finally finished the Red Keep, Maegor executed them all to keep its secrets safe.
Rumor has it, miles of hidden passageways run behind the walls and under the floors. One day I'll have to find them.
Traitors and women work in shadows. A king has no need for secrecy. Now, people name Maegor "the Cruel," but I doubt any dared in his day. His strength was all too rare in the degenerate Targaryen blood.
The simpering Baelor the Blessed created the Maidenvault to imprison his own sisters and save himself from carnal thoughts. Disgusting! Though I admit a "Princevault" could be amusing when Tommen bores me.
My favorite place in the Red Keep?
There are so many – the Traitors' Walk, where I mount the heads of my enemies. It's a shame flesh rots so slowly. I always run out of spikes.
The dungeons are also quite nice once you get past the first two levels, a stable for common criminals and private cells for useful highborns.
How boring, I know. But then, you come to the black cells. No windows, no torches, just darkness, and whatever you hear in there with you. Here we keep the greatest traitors until the king is ready for them, and with these, I often like to take my time.
But I've heard rumors of an even lower, hidden level, Maegor's favorite. Once a man was taken there, he never saw the sun again nor heard a human voice, nor breathed a breath free of agonizing pain! Varys must know the way, but that overgrown girl pretends not to. Maybe he fears I'll make him a victim. Maybe I will.
Then again, torture chambers are just so private. Better to punish your enemies where everyone can see and remember. Like that Targaryen who forced his nephew to watch as he fed the boy's traitor mother to a dragon. Oh, what I could do with a dragon.
Even Aerys, fool as he was, knew to burn men alive with an audience; to spread the terror far and wide across his kingdoms.
Of course, I know my favorite place now! When I sit on the Iron Throne, high in the Red Keep, all of Westeros scuttles below me like insects, waiting for my heel to land.
Appearances[]
Individuals[]
- King Aegon I Targaryen, the "Conqueror" (mentioned)
- King Maegor Targaryen, the "Cruel"
- King Baelor I Targaryen, the "Blessed" (mentioned)
- Queen Daena Targaryen (unnamed)
- Princess Rhaena Targaryen (unnamed)
- Princess Elaena Targaryen (unnamed)
- Prince Tommen Baratheon (mentioned)
- King Aegon II Targaryen (unnamed)
- Prince Aegon Targaryen, the "Younger" (unnamed)
- Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen (unnamed)
- Ser Marston Waters (unnamed)
- Sunfyre, the "Golden" (unnamed)
- Lord Varys
- King Aerys II Targaryen, the "Mad King"
- Lord Rickard Stark (unnamed)
- Brandon Stark (unnamed)
Locations[]
Institutions[]
Events[]
- Dance of the Dragons (unnamed)
Miscellaneous[]
Cast[]
Behind the scenes[]
- The only known Kingsguard present during the execution of Rhaenyra Targaryen is Ser Marston Waters. However, it is known that Ser Gyles Belgrave and Ser Willis Fell survived the war.
- Joffrey sounds like he admires Maegor. It is no wonder, since they have so much in common: ruthless, psychotic, sadist kings, who spend their time abusing, torturing and killing people, and are deeply hated by their subjects.
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ Jacob Klein (June 24, 2013). Game of Thrones Season 3 Blu-Ray & DVD Release Date Confirmed. HBO Watch. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
- ↑ Histories & Lore: Season 3, Short 9: "The Red Keep" (2014).
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 Game of Thrones: The Complete Third Season (2014).
- ↑ Vanessa Cole (July 22, 2017). Game of Thrones writer Dave Hill gives a behind the scenes look at the creative process. Watchers on the Wall. Retrieved December 15, 2023.