Phia Saban explains Helaena Targaryen’s prophecies on House of the Dragon

Phia Saban explains Helaena Targaryen's prophecies on House of the Dragon

As a devoted fan of House of the Dragon, I can’t help but be captivated by the enigmatic character of Helaena Targaryen, brilliantly portrayed by Phia Saban. The season 2 premiere was a heart-wrenching rollercoaster, and the trauma Helaena endured at the hands of Daemon Targaryen’s treachery was palpable. Yet, it was her resilience and courage in the face of adversity that truly struck a chord with me.

In the premiere of House of the Dragon’s second season, I, Helaena Targaryen, endured a heart-wrenching ordeal when my son Jaehaerys was brutally beheaded in my presence, a heinous act carried out by assassins dispatched to the Red Keep by my brother Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith). For most of the season, I found myself with limited roles, but in the finale, I had a significant part to play. I refused to join forces with my brother Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) on his battlefront, choosing not to ride my dragon Dreamfyre into battle to aid his war efforts.

She firmly turns him down with definite words, utilizing her skills as a clairvoyant dreamer to predict his demise. “You were consumed by the Eye of God,” she informally expresses to him, indicating his disappearance.

In an interview with Variety, actor Phia Saban pondered over the reason why Helaena’s prophetic dream was so vividly clear this time. Saban suggested that perhaps Helaena’s increased disconnection from the real world and immersion in her own reality contributed to the clarity of the dream. While it may not be a permanent state for Helaena, Saban believed that the experience felt as real and clear as it ever had for her character.

The present is a little bit too painful to live in for now, so she’s managed to step more forthrightly into this otherness — and that’s why this moment felt so clear to her. She’s not fighting it as much anymore.

Saban explained that Aemond tends to be confrontational. However, instead of directly telling him to step back, she chooses to maintain the family unity by expressing her feelings honestly. She says, “I won’t do it, and by the way, this isn’t going to have a good outcome for you.” In essence, she stands up for herself while subtly encouraging Aemond to reconsider his actions.

Phia Saban explains Helaena Targaryen's prophecies on House of the Dragon

Why does Helaena Targaryen show up in Daemon’s vision?

In that very episode, Daemon Targaryen encounters Helaena in a vision as well. She appears to offer him gentle guidance regarding his role in the forthcoming conflicts. “It’s all a tale,” she tells him. “You’re merely a character within it,” she adds, implying that he understands his own role.

Saban doesn’t believe Helaena is aligned with Daemon in their ongoing conflict against Aemond. Instead, she questions whether Helaena’s presence within Daemon’s thoughts is genuine or another manifestation of his guilt. “I don’t perceive her as a team player,” Saban said. “Her actions don’t seem driven by a desire for Daemon to triumph, but rather by a higher perspective that transcends the conflict between the two teams. She has a clear objective in sight and doesn’t appear to be focused on who will ascend to the throne next; instead, she sees us all moving towards a common destination.”

I would also say about the scene with Daemon, it’s slightly left up to what the audience thinks about how much she is there — present in his dream. Maybe she’s a projection of something he wants to tell himself, especially since he hurt her so much with her son and everything. From a psychoanalytical perspective, maybe it’s all about him, and maybe it’s not that literal.

Phia Saban wants Helaena to ride a dragon on House of the Dragon

It’s challenging to predict the direction of Helaena’s storyline in the series, as it has veered significantly from its original source, George R.R. Martin’s book “Fire & Blood”. In the book, Helaena doesn’t possess prophetic dreams, unlike how she is portrayed in the show. The book also states that Helaena enjoyed riding her dragon Dreamfyre prior to her son’s murder but does not mention her doing so afterward. However, the series suggests that Helaena had no affinity for dragon-riding, which contradicts her earlier enjoyment of it.

I’d be thrilled to join forces with Dreamfyre! While I can’t confirm a partnership, I certainly hope for it and believe in their strong bond. Let’s keep our fingers crossed!”

I was on the lot at the same time as Tom [Glynn-Carney] and Beth [Antonia], when they were both on the buck. So I went and watched them both do it, and I was really jealous. It’s really cool. But I think dragon acting is a whole new thing — dragonriding acting — so maybe I’d have to get some tips from them first.

It seems unlikely that Helaena will ever mount a dragon, but if she does, it would likely occur during the third season of the show, which is expected to premiere on HBO and Max around 2026.

2024-08-22 20:42