Season 6, Episode 7 of the Netflix series The Dragon Prince, titled “The Red Wedding,” is directed by George Samilski and penned by the show creators Aaron Ehasz and Justin Richmond with the addition of Michal Schick. The episode’s title is a nod to The Red Wedding in The Song of Ice and Fire when Robb Stark, his family, and his bannermen were slaughtered by House Frey, House Bolton, and their allies during Edmure Tully’s wedding. Thus, it was a bloody red wedding filled with twists and turns. Despite this, this episode doesn’t have any deaths that happen in a wedding which is reassuring.
Flight to the Moon Nexus
At the Starscraper’s zenith, Callum and Rayla begin their journey to the Moon Nexus, where they will use the three Quasar Diamonds to free Rayla’s parents and Runaan from their imprisonment inside Viren’s coins, trapping the three in a state between life and death. The Moon Nexus is where moon magic is at its strongest and it is also a gateway to the realm between life and death. It is the perfect place to start the star magic ritual to free three of Rayla’s loved ones. Additionally, Lujanne, a Moonshadow mage and a friend of theirs, can help with the resurrections due to her extensive knowledge of moon magic and the nexus itself.
The two plan to travel to the Moon Nexus by flying. Callum has his mage wings while Rayla is going to use the starsilk wings gifted to her by the Celestial Elves. Their flight will allow them to arrive at the Moon Nexus faster than on foot. At first, Rayla has a difficult time flying with the starsilk wings but she is getting used to flying.
Healing Sol Regem
In an unknown location, Karim (Luc Roderique) and Miyana (Cecilly Day) summon Sol Regem who appears before Karim’s army on top of the mountain. Karim and Pharos then begin a ritual to use the sun seed to heal the Archdragon of the Sun’s wings so the great sun dragon can fly into battle to burn Karim’s enemies from the skies. Since Sol Regem doesn’t have his eyes, Pharos will be his eyes and point where the dragon needs to fly or fire. However, it would have been more logical if Sol Regem chose to have his eyes healed since it is important to see where to fight or breathe fire despite Pharos’ aid. This problem becomes apparent when Aaravos is slowly possessing Pharos due to the bite Aaravos’ caterpillar gave him in Season 3.
The Wedding
The wedding of Queen Janai (Rena Anakwe) and General Amaya is about to begin and many humans and sunfire elves attend it. Others who are in attendance mostly consist of friends and family such as King Ezran (Sasha Rojen), Azymondias, Queen Aanya (Zelda Ehasz) of Duren, and Gren (Adrian Petriw).
Queen Aanya is the only other human monarch aside from Ezran to help save the Human Kingdoms and Xadia from the schemes of Aaravos and Viren during the events of Season 3, as she and her army aided the armies of Katolis and the Sunfire Elves against Viren’s. Since Duren is technically similar to the Reach (a realm of harvest and food) in The Game of Thrones series, technically with how their capitals Highgarden and Berylgarten sound similar, Queen Aanya is like a younger version of the cunning and sarcastic Olenna Tyrell but an actual fighter, not just a politician and a leader. However, Aanya is never ruthless or cruel as Olenna.
While the wedding goes well, news comes that Karim’s army approaches from the South. This is unfortunate, but Amaya and Janai are beginning to agree that they must put off the wedding as they prepare for war. Ezran protests, suggesting that there might be a peaceful way for the war to end with words, not with weapons. Additionally, Ezran states that this day is supposed to be a day of love, not a day of bloodshed. Janai disagrees but Amaya helps change her newlywed wife’s mind that Ezran can be sent as an emissary to convince Karim to stand down. However, if Ezran fails by the end of the wedding, it will be war, not peace.
Ezran talks with Karim
Ezran is accompanied by Corvus (Omari Newton) and Queen Amaya for protection; Corvus as Ezran’s personal guard and Amaya providing long distance protection as an archer. Azymondias is on standby to save Ezran if he ever gets caught. Karim laughs at the notion of talking with a boy king but he nonetheless talks with Ezran to his amusement. In Karim’s tent, Ezran tells the former sunfire prince that they can find peace and that there is no need for war. Karim can build his own society with the army he has. However, Ezran’s notion is kind of foolish as armies can’t build civilizations, they can only conquer and defend.
Nonetheless, Karim is willing to end the conflict without any bloodshed if his terms are met: Acknowledge Karim himself as the High King of the Sunfire Empire and banish all humans from their lands immediately and have them return to the other side of the border. Ezran is confused as Janai has five armies while Karim has only one. The latter will be defeated within the hour so it is implausible for the former sunfire prince to make any demands. Ezran even asks if Karim loves his sister and is willing to go to war with his own family.
Karim states he loves his sister but believes she is bringing the Sunfire Elves, their people, down the wrong path; away from the old ways and the ancient traditions that guided their kingdom and empire for centuries. Some were made and guided by the Archdragon of the Sun, Sol Regem, before he became blind, before he lost his crown as the Dragon King. Karim honors Sol Regem’s teachings and wished his sister had done the same. Karim’s words shock Corvus which led him and Ezran to realize that Karim has Sol Regem as their ally. This is not a war, it is a massacre as Janai’s five armies will be burned to ash in the coming conflict.
The Short Battle
As a result, Corvus helps Ezran escape capture as Aanya clears a path with her archery skills. Azymondias assists too by flying and shooting Karim’s soldiers with lightning, which is small compared to Avizandum’s. From there, they can see the five armies of Queen Janai from a distance with the aid of General Amaya. Ezran tries to stop the five armies from charging at Karim’s army. General Miyana attempts to summon Sol Regem with her horn so the Archdragon can start burning the five armies from the sky. However, the Archdragon of the Sun does not answer, causing Karim to be defeated within the hour. Karim is baffled and wonders where Sol Regem is.
Sol Regem Comes for Katolis
It turns out that Sol Regem is flying to Katolis. The people of Katolis are living their daily lives unaware that the Archdragon of the Sun is about to breathe fire upon them. They will be helpless to fight him though the walls of the castle are equipped with ballistas made for the sole purpose of defending the castle and to shoot down enemy dragons. It is also revealed that Aaravos has fully possessed Pharos and he is tricking the Archdragon to burn Katolis instead of burning Janai’s armies just as Sol Regem promised Karim. It turns out healing one’s wings instead of one’s eyes is a bad idea. Overall, Aaravos knows the Pearl is in Katolis after possessing Callum multiple times, and the Fallen Star plans to use Sol Regem as a solution to liberate the Pearl from the hands of his enemies.
Rating: 9/10