Did You Catch That Heartbreaking Cameo in This Week’s ‘House of the Dragon’?

Many harrowing things happen to the smallfolk in House of the Dragon. (Remember when Rhaenys trampled all the poor commoners with Meleys during her escape?) But it’s all the more harrowing when we can put a face to a crime, a point made clear by one character in particular.

Content warning: This article contains discussion of sexual assault.

Dyana (Maddie Evans) is a servant girl raped by the monstrous Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney). Thankfully, we don’t see the rape itself, just the aftermath.

Alicent (Olivia Cooke) is informed of the situation and goes to speak to the girl herself. A sobbing Dyana tells her everything, and Alicent looks uncertain of what to do for the best. Her sympathies are with the girl, but the story simply can’t get out; it would weaken Aegon’s position as king.

So Alicent pays Dyana off and gives her moon tea, the drink that serves as contraception in the A Song of Ice and Fire universe. But people wondered at the time … wait, was that really moon tea? Could it not be poison instead? Fans who side with the Blacks thought it wouldn’t be out of the question for the Greens to commit an atrocity in murdering a young rape victim before she could talk. But now, we finally have an answer to the question as to whether Dyana was quietly killed off or not.

Dyana is in season 2

During the events of season 2 episode 3, “The Burning Mill,” audiences see Dyana for the first time since her ordeal. She’s become a serving girl at Sylvi’s inn, but while it’s so good to see her alive, there’s an element of heartbreak to it all, as well. You see, Dyana is still being sexually assaulted. Her appearance in the episode lasts only a few seconds, and it mostly consists of some lecherous men slapping her on the backside. Poor Dyana isn’t even in a position to object; she simply carries on like nothing happened.

As if that weren’t bad enough, after Dyana suffers this assault, her rapist, Aegon, enters the inn. There’s a very brief blink-and-you’ll-miss-it shot of Dyana serving him while looking terrified. Aegon doesn’t seem to notice her, which is definitely for the best.

So Dyana definitely lived after her encounter with the royal family, and Alicent remains completely innocent of her potential murder, but the young girl’s life doesn’t seem like it’s gotten much better. Maybe eventually she will leave King’s Landing and we’ll get a cameo appearance further down the line where she’s somewhere far away from terrible men?