Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your accountsSaved for Latersection.
There are no massive war sequences in the season-two finale ofHouse of the Dragon.
The scene is still a face-off of sorts.
But tonally, its the opposite of a classicGame of Thronesclash.
It is quiet and measured, not loud and chaotic.
It centers two women and leaves men out of the frame entirely.
Neither of these moments appear in the book that inspired the series.
It also speaks to the power of friendships formed in girlhood.
That trust may be completely shattered, but it still exists, even in shards.
Rhaenyra has lost a child and is deeply familiar with that heartbreak.
She knows the sacrifice she is asking of Alicent when she offers a son for a son.
She asks it anyway because she understands the often grotesque demands of leadership that Alicent still does not.
For almost a full minute after Rhaenyra makes this request, neither of them speak.
Alicent blinks back tears and cant summon a response.
Somehow she is unprepared for this moment.
Rhaenyra tries to hold her quivering jaw firm but doesnt quite succeed.
Tears form in her eyes, though she manages to keep them from spilling over.
you’re able to sense how much they need to hold each others hands but cant or wont.
When everything goes quiet, its human nature to stop and assess the situation.
Thats partly because DArcy and Cooke are so dialed in every time they act opposite one another.
It is also an honest and heartfelt offer.
It was decided for me long ago.
As soon as Alicent leaves, Rhaenyra drops her facade.
Theres nothing on this show I would like to see more.
Their connection is what best amplifies the core themes ofHouse of the Dragon.
Its also what gives it its fire.
