House of the Dragon delivered a bloody episode 5 on HBO Max on Sunday. But if you stayed after the credits to catch a preview of episode 6 you might have felt confused. Suddenly new actors are playing major roles and the plot leapfrogged years into the future. Whats going on here?

How far did the show jump in time?

The preview starts with a dragon flying and then a member of the kings Small Council saying We should address the latest development in the Stepstones. Wait didnt Prince Daemon already handily do that by cutting the Crabfeeder in half? Ohhh wait this isnt a rerun. The Stepstones are giving Viserys ulcers once again. 

Queen Alicent now played by Olivia Cooke age 28 instead of Emily Carey 19 helpfully tells us its been a decade since Daemon fought that battle and hes since left the region undefended. Was this ... supposed to be his permanent job going forward? Doesnt leave a lot of time for murdering wives and fooling around with nieces. But what we take from this Its about 10 years in the future so get ready to see your favorite and least favorite characters aged and in some cases recast.

New Rhaenyra and Alicent same old feud

The camera then cuts to Princess Rhaenyra formerly played by Milly Alcock 22 and now played by Emma DArcy 30. From the way Rhaenyra corrects her queen and former BFF and the way Alicent cocks her head and gives Rhaenyra the death stare it seems like they havent mended their friendship over the past 10 years.

Long live the King

Hey! Thats King Viserys at the table right? Still played by Paddy Considine. And while he appears in need of some creme rinse and is looking pretty feeble at least hes not dead which is surprising considering how scarred up he was getting. How many fingers am I holding up Your Highness? Those leeches must know their business.

Aegon grows up

Then Larys Strong the man with the clubfoot who spilled the tea about the pregnancy-preventing moon tea in episode 5 is heard asking What are children but a weakness? I already hate this guy Littlefinger-style.Still his line is the perfect lead-in to our introduction to the next generation of Targaryens. We see a younger Targaryen probably Alicents second son Aemond encountering a dragon. Then we see now-teenaged Aegon first son of Viserys and Alicent and the royal family member much of the kingdom wants to serve as Viserys heir -- simply because hes a male and Rhaenyra is not. (Aegon is now played by Tom Glynn-Carney which shouldnt be a huge adjustment since we barely got to see the child actor playing him before this.) Hes being trained to fight (his opponent might be Rhaenyras son?) and Aegon looks pretty cocky. Hes also wearing green the color of his mothers house as we hear her say You will be our king. Seems like shes taken a cue from her father Otto and is now pushing her son to the throne not her old friend Rhaenyra.

Rhaenyras a mother

Rhaenyra wed Laenor Velaryon in episode 5 shortly after the the princess protector Ser Criston Cole beat the man Laenor truly loved to death at a pre-marriage celebration gone bloody. The couple agreed theyd find sex elsewhere and it does seem from the preview that many people in the kingdom believe Rhaenyras babies are not her husbands biological offspring. Whats more shes seen holding a baby next to a young boy. Her children dont have the shocking Targaryen blond hair she and Laenor both have they have brown hair instead. Seems like thats what Queen Alicent is sputtering about when she says To have one child like that is a mistake to have three is an insult. So when you see a dark-haired kid its probably Rhaenyras and the young blonds are Alicents. One of Rhaenyras sons utters the famed Dracarys! command and his dragon lights someone up. I think its a goat not a person but either way ... ouch!

Marriage is all in the family

We also see a mother and daughter who appear to be a pregnant Laena Velaryon and her child. Laena has been recast and aged too and is now played by Nanna Blondell. And whos her husband seen riding dragons with her? It sure looks to be Prince Daemon (Matt Smith). Yes theyre related. Yes they wed and had children anyway like almost everyone else on this show. V.C. Andrews has nothing on George R.R. Martin. Also dont get in their way because this is one couple thatll stop at nothing to get whatever they want.

Ser Criston switches sides

Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) began as Rhaenyras protector then killed her husbands lover at her wedding and now he may be on the side of Queen Alicent who talked him out of killing himself in the Godswood at the end of episode 5. Hes seen fighting Ser Harwin Strong (Ryan Corr) aka Harwin Breakbones noted for his strength. If Ser Harwin is now Rhaenyras protector this could be essentially an Alicent-Rhaenyra proxy fight right here. Stay tuned.

Episode 6 of House of the Dragon will air on Sept. 25 on HBO Max.