This House Of The Dragon Sneak Peek Introduces The Next Generation
The battle lines are already obvious.
When House of the Dragon was initially announced, the cast included Emma D’Arcy as Rhaenyra and Olivia Cooke as Alicent. However, since the beginning of Season 1, those characters have been played by younger actors Milly Alcock and Emily Carey. But with the season now half over, it’s time for the main stars to step up, and the House of the Dragon Season 1, Episode 6 promo gives viewers their first glimpse at the new, grown-up generation of Targaryens.
Warning: Spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 1, Episode 5 follow. Somewhere, weddings in Westeros must be unremarkable, but somehow the ones in Game of Thrones were always horrifying, bloody affairs. House of the Dragon continues that tradition, with its latest nuptials rivaling the Red and Purple Weddings.
Before the wedding even began, the betrayals started. Rhaenyra chose poorly when she decided to sleep with Ser Criston Cole; after she refused to run away with him, he betrayed her to Alicent, telling the queen about their affair. The already strained friendship between the two girls was destroyed in that moment, as Alicent had already stuck up for her friend’s innocence, leading to her father’s dismissal as the hand of the king. From that moment on, Alicent chose to stand against the Targaryens, symbolized by her green gown at the pre-wedding festivities of Rhaenyra and Laenor. But symbolism was thrown out the window when, just moments after Alicent’s arrival, Cole murdered Laenor’s lover when the latter revealed he knew about their affair, thus planting Criston firmly on Alicent’s side against Rhaenyra.
A decade later, those angry feelings have calcified into two sides in Viserys’ small council, as the promo for Episode 6 (titled “The Princess and the Queen”) demonstrates.
The episode’s title is taken from George R.R. Martin’s 2013 novella, which told the story of Rhaenyra and Alicent during the final days of Viserys’ reign. Though there is no synopsis, one assumes this episode will tell that same tale. (Also, note how unwell the king looks in the promo. He’s clearly not long for this world.)
The introduction of D’arcy and Cooke is not the only significant change in this episode. It’s been a decade since the show last checked in with the Targaryen family. Prince Aegon has gone from 2 years old to 12; his sister, Princess Helaena, an infant in Episode 5, is now 10. Alicent has also had a third child in the intervening time, Prince Aemond.
Rhaenyra has also had children since marrying Laenor, but as the promo shows, their legitimacy is questionable, since they look nothing like their father. However, Prince Jacaerys and Prince Lucerys are currently being raised as the children of the heir to the throne, no matter who it was who got Rhaenyra pregnant. Also, as the promo shows, Daemon has a new bride: Laena, Laenior’s sister, making the incestuous relationship between Daemon and Rhaenyra more complicated than ever.
House of the Dragon Season 1 continues with new episodes every Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.
