The biggest attraction in House of the Dragons isn't the dragons.it's female friendship

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It was a platinum blonde showdown in the second episode of. dragon house. Once hopeful monarch Reynis (Eve Best) gives her cousin, once-disposed and newly announced heir to the Iron Throne, Reyneela (Millie Allcock), the gender identity of Westerosi. Give a political lesson. In Raenys’ eyes, the kingdom does not accept a female leader despite the remarks of her father, Viserys. “That’s the order of things,” Rhaenys explains pragmatically. “If I become queen,” answers Rhaenyra raspy. “I will create a new order”. We’ve been here before, right?

Despite some great acting, it’s hard to accept Sheen’s intended empowerment. House of the Dragonlarge-scale marketing campaign.it’s exciting game of thronesA characterization of the old with letters reduced to catchphrases. You may still mutter, “You know nothing, Jon Snow,” but do you remember the name of the speaker?and Rhaenyra’s distant cousin, his Daenarys “Breaking the Wheel.” It’s hard to ignore the promised echo (both thematically and visually). That character re-reading his arc is as compelling as Free His Bottom mini-break.

Thankfully House of the Dragon, Targaryen tête-à-tête is a red herring. Intertwined with various courtroom events is the true heart of the show. So the relationship between Aricent Hightower, who was smart and born, and Raenira, who was smart and smarter than he was born. Set in the palace’s lush gardens, their soft and gentle friendship is constantly contrasted with scenes between men plotting in a very dark room.

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Early in this episode, Alicent and Rhaenyra find respite in a candlelit night owl, discussing their respective dead mothers (hilarious) and the latter’s father’s remarriage. By the end of the episode, Rhaenyra’s dad announces her intention to marry Alicent. The grim stares between her two teenage girls at the news – steeped in hurt, betrayal, and a grim understanding that both women are utterly trapped in this system – are utterly earned. I’m here.

Without revealing any spoilers (although anyone who knows the basic prophecy can outline it here), the relationship between Rhaenyra and Alicent is clearly a show priority. Of these, only Laenira and Aricent have changed actors, crown– style as the show progresses. Millie Alcock plays the teenage Raenira and Emma Darcy plays her as an adult. Emily Carey plays teenage Aricent, later played by Olivia Cooke. That swap doesn’t feel necessary, but the emphasis is still on those two roles for her. And, in a notable deviation from the source material, House of the Dragon It casts women as childhood BFFs and has a huge emotional impact on their relationships.

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Alicent’s relationship with Rhaenyra marks a broader shift in Martin’s universe. This readjustment is a sign of a time of being either too late or overly compliant, depending on your worldview. House of the DragonHis approach to sex, female violence and nudity is distinctly different. game of thrones – Since the latter debuted in 2011, it otherwise looks very static.

A more nuanced depiction of the female characters provides a more nuanced (but equally shocking) approach to their challenges. According to showrunner Miguel Sapochnik, the fatal caesarean section, the headline-grabbing event of the premiere, was brutal but necessary.

Perhaps anticipating the backlash, Sapochnik explained in a roundtable interview that the scene was shown to “as many women as possible” to determine if it was too violent. did. At some point, you’d wonder if a simpler alternative to such user testing would be to hold women accountable. House of the Dragon‘s two showrunners are still two men.

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Some character setups may still feel like a work in progress, but it’s refreshing to see the female lead being taken seriously. Arya was a sanitized tomboy warrior and Daenerys was a fine warrior (until she suddenly wasn’t).

The show’s tighter focus helps. House of the Dragon break with confidence game of thrones As tradition progresses. For the show’s benefit, Westeros has been stripped away, and the endless journey is saved when the characters step into another place – let’s assume we travel through the gaps between episodes, where most of the action is Kings he It takes place at the landing of It’s easier to keep track of letters. No deadly frostbitten creatures (yet).

The result was a show that was more character-driven than plot-driven (plus, we all know what ultimately happens to House Targaryen).still has an explosive side House of the DragonPotential for dragons, wigs, and incest. HBO certainly hopes to inspire a very retro, water-cooled moment in a hybrid world. game of thrones Mostly by killing the main character in new and unexpected ways it managed again and again.

But this is not a sustainable way to run a TV series, and the showrunners know this. Even dragons don’t cover them up.