When “House of the Dragon” debuted on HBO, viewers instantly became engrossed in the stormy relationship between Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock) and Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey), since the fantasy-drama depicts the House Targaryen at the height of its dominance in Westeros.
Rhaenyra struggles with her growing responsibilities as princess, but Alicent suddenly finds herself in a position of power when King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine) marries her following the death of his first wife.
Due to the fact that the tale is leading up to the great civil war dubbed “the Dance of Dragons,” the series skips 10 years between episode five and episode six.
At this time, both Rhaenyra and Alicent have their own children, who are portrayed by Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke, respectively. D’Arcy has previously acknowledged that the stars have large shoes to fill in the second half of the season, and the players have not taken this lightly.
However, this does not necessarily mean that audiences have seen the last of Alcock and Carey, as creator Ryan Condal mentioned in an interview with Variety the possibility of their return. “I mean, I have no idea. “They are not yet a part of the story we’re presenting,” he said, adding, “That is not something we’re doing at the moment.”
Condal explained that the authors of the prequel series are using a different approach.
“‘Game of Thrones’ was not a flashback program,” he remarked, adding that “House of the Dragon” has room to be “a bit fancier.”
The showrunner continued by stating that plans for season two and beyond are not set in stone, so the return of Alcock and Carey is not unthinkable. Condal stated, “There are still a few unresolved issues; I’m not closing the door on anything.”
Rhaenyra (Theo Nate) marries Laenor Velaryon (Theo Nate) at the end of episode five, and she has a number of children during the 10-year gap, so there is much opportunity for Alcock to return and recount further chapters of House Targaryen’s history.
In regards to the overarching plot, though, showrunner Miguel Sapochnik recently told The Hollywood Reporter that the story is being conveyed in a specific way so that viewers can comprehend the escalating tension.
Sapochnik said: “We are telling the tale of a generational conflict. By the time the first sword strike occurs, you will have a complete understanding of all the actors – who they are and why they are there. All of the past is present rather than being conveyed through explanation.”
HBO airs “House of the Dragon” on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET.