Fans May Have Been Overly Concerned About Emma D’Arcy’s ‘House of the Dragon’ Comments
Since the time jump in season 1, Emma D’Arcy has become the face of House of the Dragon as Rhaenyra Targaryen. However, D’Arcy’s recent comments about feeling “lonely” while filming have sparked rumors that season 2 may be their last.
Narratively speaking, D’Arcy’s departure wouldn’t make sense. Season 2 left off on a substantial cliffhanger, with Rhaenyra and the rest of Team Black preparing for battle against the Greens. Without another time jump, there is no reason to recast D’Arcy. A quick delve into social media reveals the concern about D’Arcy leaving House of the Dragon stems from an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. D’Arcy described filming season 2 as “kind of lonely” without fellow co-stars Matt Smith (Daemon) and Olivia Cooke (Alicent), which seemingly sparked concern among fans that they’d depart the HBO series.
In season 1, Rhaenyra and Daemon’s complicated romance required D’Arcy and Smith to work closely together, while Alicent and Rhaenyra’s fracturing relationship had Cooke playing “wicked stepmother” with D’Arcy. However, season 2 changed all that. Daemon’s departure for Harrenhal and Alicent’s resignation to the Red Keep meant the actors had significantly fewer scenes together. As D’Arcy said to The Hollywood Reporter:
It really makes you know what you lost, I suppose — every time we do get to work [together], it’s a great privilege and very exciting and very thrilling and nourishes something because it sort of feels old. So much of us making the first series, well for me, was falling in love with them — with Matt, with Liv, with other members of the cast — so anytime you get joy in that is a treat.
However, they also added that “shows have to move on.” So, while there is no official cast confirmation for season 3 of House of the Dragon yet, it seems D’Arcy’s words are just a sentiment to the changing work environment that comes with being on any series, especially one with as many characters as HotD.
Expect more Daemon and Rhaenyra in HotD season 3
Minor spoilers for HotD season 2 ahead.
Whether you’re happy about how House of the Dragon season 2 left things or not, it did an excellent job of setting up season 3. Rhaenyra and Daemon finally reunite in the finale, and in a rather unexpected character arc, the ever-power-hungry Daemon declares Rhaenyra the “true queen” and takes a knee before her. “Leave me again at your peril,” Rhaenyra responds after, to which Daemon replies, “I could not. I have tried. My Queen.”
With an exchange like that, we can expect much more of Daemon and Rhaenyra in season 3, which will be a nice change of pace for fans and D’Arcy, who—depending on how closely HotD follows the source material—should have much more screentime with Smith. As for Cooke and D’Arcy, luckily, they’ve had plenty of press junkets to reunite on, including the one that spawned the viral Negroni Sbagliato meme.
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