We are entering the seventh episode, the second-to-last, in House of the Dragon tonight and as of right now, Daemon is still stuck in Harrenhal being plagued by visions and bad ideas. While it’s been nice to see a few actors come back for this storyline like Milly Alcock’s young Rhaenyra and Paddy Considine’s Viserys, it’s been a little exhausting to see Daemon trapped there by the writers.
Emma D’Arcy, who plays Rhaenyra, seems to agree. When asked by Variety what it was like not working with Matt Smith for so much of season 2, they had this to say:
“Frankly, I found it frustrating. I know I’ve spoken a lot about it, but I enjoy shooting with Matt a lot, and it was a shame for me not to get to do more of that. I don’t want to spoil anything. But inevitably, there is a bigger enemy at hand. And so both of them have to figure out how they’re going to approach that ultimate battle.”
Matt Smith too was asked that same question by THR:
“It’s a shame because I miss them terribly and not being around them…but it was what the story required. Daemon is off on his own path trying to figure things out sort of head first into the dark hole of his own consciousness, into the abyss.”
Daemon storms off after his failed assassination attempt and accidental toddler murder in episode 2. He’s been in Harrenhal through episode 6 now, and we’re not even sure if he’s leaving there tonight or not. Regardless, it’s well over half the season he’s stuck there, a third of the whole series, really, dealing with the ghosts of his memories no doubt planted there by Alys Rivers, even if he hasn’t figured that out yet. Alys is a great character, but like Daemon, has not had all that much to do yet thanks to the Harrenhal storyline.
The last two episodes are going to no doubt spice things up quite a bit and may shake Daemon out of this nightmare so he goes and does something else. And no doubt next season will not be like this one in terms of him being stuck in one place for so long separated from the main cast. Or at the very least, I am sure D’Arcy and Smith have requested a reunion after all this.
We’ll find out more tonight, so see you then.
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