Dragon House
Discussions about HOTD Season 2 have already started. House of the Dragon is based on the book Fire & Blood by George RR Martin and gives readers a first look at the Targaryen dynasty before the events of Game of Thrones. House of the Dragon aspires to emulate the initial popularity of Game of Thrones, which made the series one of the most influential cultural phenomena of the 21st century despite its controversial ending in 2019.
Unlike the main series, the prequel will focus on two complex female protagonists, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen and Lady Alicent Hightower. For the series, Milly Alcock and Emily Carey will play younger versions of Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke respectively. Childhood friends Rhaenyra and Alicent will soon find themselves on opposite sides of the Civil War due to their disagreements over the Targaryen line of succession.
Not too long ago, Alcock and Carey had a panel discussion, where they talked about the relationship between their characters Rhaenyra and Alicent in House of the Dragon and the sexism and patriarchy they encounter in Westeros. Alicent does not attempt to defend herself, while Rhaenyra draws attention to a critical difference between the two characters.
women in power
Whether it’s Alicent, Rhaenyra, or Rhaenys, the series shines a light on misogyny and illustrates how it affects the women of this world, and connects them to these characters. However, when the narrative and the concept of misogyny are removed, these characters still have a journey and are still multi-dimensional women on screen. They don’t just back up to demonstrate sexism; they are real people placed in the show.
The writing is undoubtedly the deciding factor. The tragedy lies in the contrast of the responses of these two women to the same form of patriarchy. Because of where they come from, how they look, and the opportunities they have been given, Alcock believes these people have a head start in life.
In particular, Rhaenyra strikes Alcock as a combative person. She’s not one to take “no” for an answer and will fight for what she believes in. The appeal of the series, in his opinion, contrasts with the way these two ladies handle the situation.
Dealing with the patriarchy
Following their thoughts, the creators of HOTD also shed some light on what they envision in season 2 for the women of the series. Screening pointed out that working in a fantasy setting adds a special dimension to the actors’ performances.
When it comes to actual fights, men tend to do it because of the duration, while women focus more on the mental side. Keeping that in mind, the outlet asked Condal if he could elaborate on the contrast between the two. Here is his response:
“I think that’s definitely something we deal with as storytellers. I think we have incredibly active women in history. The gift this story gave us is that there are a lot of really cool female dragon riders out there. So while they haven’t necessarily been trained in the traditional art of war and haven’t been knighted, and we don’t necessarily have a Brienne of Tarth character on our show yet, you do have a group of royal women who are also riders of dragons. Of course, in times of peace as is the case until now, not yet in times of war. But it gives you a way to activate women who don’t feel like breaking the fourth wall and stepping into a modern construct.
On the way to season 2
Towards the end of Season 1 and into Season 2, assuming there is one, Condal sees a lot of potential for intriguing storytelling emerging from the concept of women in positions of authority in a society where patriarchy rules. always in master:
“I think a lot of the interesting storytelling that comes out of this story, especially later on – in the later parts of Season 1 and in Season 2, if there were to be any – is this idea of women in power in an era where patriarchy still eclipses everything. How are you going to wield that power as a woman when you can’t pick up a sword and ride a horse and go into battle? And what happens, in the case of Alicent, if you don’t have a dragon? This does not mean that you are less powerful; it just changes how you wield that power.
The HOTD creator believes there is a wealth of material for the narrative to tap into by activating women, gaining insight into their minds and listening to the discontent of those who believe they are confined to a specific gender role because of the period and society in which they were born. This is especially true for women who want to speak for their own family or protect their sons in a culture that isn’t always supportive.
“I think activating women, getting into their heads a little bit and hearing the frustration of these people who feel like they’re born into a certain gender role because of the time they’ve been in the society they’re born into , especially when they want to stand up for their own family or stand up for their son in a society that won’t necessarily allow them to do so – it actually gives you a lot of storytelling material.
Miguel Sapochnik explains that it was also humorous and intriguing for them because of the issues it raised, such as how women in positions of authority interact. Sapochnik apparently learned this over the past few years; it’s new and different from what he might have anticipated. Wonderfully, there is an awful lot of area to cover.
“And we also found it fun and interesting, because it also leads to other things, like how women treat other women in power. That’s something I feel like I learned over the past two years, and it’s surprising and maybe different from what I expected. There’s a lot of ground to cover, which is great.
Unlike Game of Thrones, which featured several strong and complex female characters like Daenerys, Cersei, Arya, and Sansa Brienne, House of the Dragon will stand out by focusing on a relationship between two women.
It remains to be seen whether House of the Dragon will be able to rediscover the magic of the first seasons of Game of Thrones. From everything we’ve seen of the show, HOTD seasons 1 and 2 should be relatively notorious for their dishonesty, political intrigue, and violent conflict.
