2024-07-08 03:59:33
(WARNING: THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS SPOILERS)
Sean Bean has become a standard, for quality and quantity, of great on-screen deaths. The Brit has a long history of explosions, gunshots, stabbings and even being run over by cows and then falling into the void. Of his twenty-five deaths, none has been as surprising as when Ned Stark was slaughtered during the first season of Game of ThronesThe executioner’s sharp work on his head marked a milestone in the series and a sort of unspoken rule: no one is assured of their position in Westeros beyond the impact of their death. The rule remains in House of the Dragonand it was, with what happened to Rhaenys Targaryen in the episode aired on Sunday 7th HBO y Max“I have experienced some pretty gruesome deaths in my acting career, but it’s hard to believe anyone could come close to this one,” she told this outlet. Eve Bestthe actress in charge of playing one of the key characters in the serial prequel based on the literary work of George RR Martin.
The corpse of the Machiavellian and roguish “The queen who never was” is still (very) hot. As expected, “The Dance of the Dragons” had that longed-for dose of hypnotic truculence, especially towards the end, when the Green and Black houses went to the beef. Yes, the armies did their thing on the battlefield, but the spectacularity was provided by the riders and their respective bugs from the air. Mentioning the handicap of other fictional universe exploits (“The Battle of the Bastards” and “The Rains of Castamere”), is a product of everything that had NOT been HotD so far. The entire first season was one long tug-of-war between Rhaenyra’s side (Emma D’Arcy) and Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke), until this watershed chapter in which his lieutenants imposed virulence in combat. The one-eyed Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) and Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney), that spoiled brat who occupies the throne in King’s Landin, had a leading role. On the other side, Daemon (Matt Smith) had vivid nightmares that will surely bring a tail in this story. But none like the character of Rhaenys, who left her identity as well marked as the claws of her dragon. “She was the mother and the mentor for the two great women who are navigating power in the midst of a patriarchal power. They will miss her, because from now on everything will be more horrible,” said the actress in a virtual round table in which she participated. Page 12.
-Strong female characters gave it House of the Dragon a renewed imprint on the saga. Beyond the civil war started by Rhaenyra and her stepmother, the true rotten root of this plot begins with the decision of Rhaenys’s father to deny her the throne. Do you agree with this assessment?
-The story began with this woman destined to be queen; the problem was unleashed with her, so to speak. The seed of bitterness was sewn into her heart and for two seasons we had this echo: women with intelligence cannot be in charge, beyond their expertise and being the best candidates for the leadership position. The challenge, the bone to chew, is this. Let’s not repeat old stories, let them be the best for the task they are given. What does it mean to be a woman with power without having to sacrifice your femininity? Not to eliminate your compassion, your love. Look, these are not just qualities symptomatic of women, obviously, but they are of the feminine universe. Clearly, male leadership is based on power and control. And the series put this into play.
-How do you think the story will shake out from here on out for Rhaenyra?
-She’s going to be very lost. It’s very typical for Rhaenyra to be overwhelmed by the situation. The Black Council played its part in making her turn away from Rhaenys, even though she desperately needed their support. Rhaenys was clearly the hand she needed for her wisdom to be the guide, but they wouldn’t let her. And it happened more than once, which was very hard. However, Rhaenys was able to see the bigger picture and support her. Given the facts, everyone is going to be very lost. Especially in this second season, Rhaenys was a titanium stone in the middle of this troubled sea. Even for her beloved husband and everything that happens between them. The whole second season was one heartbreak after another for Rhaenys and it was time to let it all go. Now it’s time for the spoiled rich kids to figure it out. She saw it coming, so in a way she’s at peace. May God help those who are left.
-How was the preparation for this very planted character? He is who you observe when he is on stage.
-The nature of this beast is books, there is something very special in this epic universe. When I was given the role, the same thing happened to me as when I did Nurse Jackie with Edie Falco, who everyone thought was The Sopranosand I didn’t want to have that image in my mind. So I didn’t want to see anything of Game of ThronesWhat happened was that Steve Toussaint, who plays my husband, was watching the show during the shoot. And so, I got into the plot. And it’s incredible. It finally helped me understand the scale of what’s being told. Although a lot of our story happens in Driftmark that doesn’t appear in the original series. It’s such a vast world, there’s so much of it, it’s like a puzzle that overwhelms you. I could even talk about what their wigs imply, it’s impossible to tell with words. But when you do it’s like a click and you dive into that subconscious.
-What happened in your Rhaenys’s head towards the end?
-In a way, she knew it was her farewell, or that it could be, and that it would have its consequences. She sensed it, so when she went out to the battlefield she pressed the red button. That means sacrificing herself for the cause. Before leaving, she was able to clear the air with Rhaenyra. It was a moment in which the two of them connected, forgave each other, and knew that everything was fine between them. They had a complicated relationship that did not go through words, so it was good for her to go with a clean spirit. I had to put that moment of clarity in my mind, which is quite strong, because I knew for sure that she was not coming back. Any soldier must free himself from any other thought and Rhaenys’s was like that.
-And there is also this beautiful phrase that he says to Meleys before going out to the battlefield: “Let us battle again, my old companion”…
– The connection with Meleys was the other key element. She was fully aware that she was going on a suicide attack and the only one she can share that with is her dragon. She is the only being to whom she exposes herself in all her vulnerability. She is also of that kind, vulnerable and strong. I specifically asked that they have that moment of intimacy before going to war. So when she falls, Rhaenys finally finds peace, a spiritual release from everything that happened to her. It was like a very literal and metaphorical “letting go.”
-How was the filming of the battle scenes?
-What you see is very different from the filming process. My part took two weeks. The scenes are filmed individually, so I didn’t meet Aemond or Aegon’s characters. Obviously, you’re surrounded by a colossal green chroma, you climb on electric machinery and there are lots of extras around you that make you feel the wind, and in the middle of the sequence you imagine everything. Every movement is very elaborate. You’re kind of rigid, at times hanging from head to toe, which is kind of embarrassing, but then you see it and you’re amazed at what was done. I can say that riding a dragon is a surreal experience.
-The characters in this episode are either very hated or loved for complicated reasons. What happened when you read the script for this episode? How do you think the audience will react to its ending?
-I was devastated and very sad. I knew it was going to happen, I knew the story development and what this battle entailed, but reading it made me feel bad. I hope they miss her, because things will be more horrible without her. They have lost a lady. Maybe she will return in season eight of House of the Dragon through an act of witchcraft or black magic. I’m warning you all. I think it’s a beautiful example of a woman in her entirety, an act of pure class, and you don’t really say goodbye to these characters. Nor to the story: they may be gone physically, but their absence is one that will be felt.