The countdown to more started as the credits rolled on the in October 2022. Almost 20 months later, HBO’s epic drama is finally back with more dragons (duh), battles, bloodshed, and unbelievably braided wigs. More importantly, there’s also heartbreak, especially regarding one of the show’s beloved couples—er, if that’s how you want to refer to an uncle-niece marriage.
Season two picks up in the aftermath of a fiery battle that led to Lucerys Velaryon’s (Elliot Grihault) death, thanks to an aggravated Vhagar and Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell). So now, along with mourning her dead dad, Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) has to deal with the shocking, brutal demise of her second-born son. Grief naturally impacts her relationship with Daemon (Matt Smith), her husband/uncle.
In a press conference attended by on June 3, the actors discussed Rhaenyra and Daemon’s ongoing crisis in the eight new episodes. It sounds emotionally devastating, especially because she’s also coping with Viserys’ (Paddy Considine) death. “I don’t know if they can find solace in each other in the losses,” D’Arcy said.
“I don’t feel like Daemon can share his experience of losing his brother, so there is a dislocation taking place.” The trailer itself puts a spotlight on their struggles, with Rhaenyra questioning whether he even sees her as a queen. If you’ve seen , you know Daemon tends to act on his impulses, which may or may not complicate his wife’s conquest of the Iro.