This image from the aftermath of the Battle at Rook’s Rest was cut from House of the Dragon

This image from the aftermath of the Battle at Rook's Rest was cut from House of the Dragon

As a seasoned cinephile with an affinity for fantasy epics and a soft spot for House Targaryen, I must say that the unseen demise of Rhaenys Targaryen and her beloved dragon Meleys left me yearning for a more satisfying conclusion in the second season of House of the Dragon. The tantalizing glimpse into the behind-the-scenes production of this epic series through the making-of book, House of the Dragon: Inside the Dawn of the Targaryen Civil War, has only fueled my curiosity and left me wanting more.

In simpler terms, the second season finale of “House of the Dragon” was watched by many this year, and there’s a consensus that the standout episode was the fourth one titled “The Red Dragon and the Gold.” This episode concluded with Rhaenys Targaryen (portrayed by Eve Best) and her dragon Meleys falling from the sky at the hands of Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell) and his dragon Vhagar. Following a fierce fight, Rhaenys and Meleys both perished, but we were thankfully not shown their charred remains on the ground below.

However, it’s been understood that director Alan Taylor had indeed filmed the deceased characters Rhaenys and Meleys, but for some reason, this scene was omitted from the final episode. As he stated in an interview following the episode’s release, “It’s often the case.” It seems the decision to exclude this shot was likely made to keep our attention centered on the main storylines.

Enthusiasts of the book “Fire & Blood“, which serves as the basis for “House of the Dragon “, have long been acquainted with an image depicting Rhaenys and Meleys’ appearance following the Battle of Rook’s Rest. Now, we have a set photo from season 2 of “House of the Dragon” that portrays the same scene. Or more accurately, it’s a snapshot of actress Eve Best lying on the ground with a bloodied face and her eyes open. I suspect it was taken just before they shouted “action” and she acted as if she were dead. You can see it here.

In simpler terms, it seems Rhaenys, who landed from the sky and was involved in a fiery explosion upon her dragon touching the ground, appears to have remained largely unharmed, which could be the reason her scene didn’t make it into the final edit of the episode.

This picture appears to have been snapped straight from the pages of “House of the Dragon: Unveiling the Dawn of the Targaryen Civil War,” a captivating book offering insights into the production process of HBO’s second season of the prequel series, “Game of Thrones.” You can grab your own copy right here!

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2024-12-04 18:41

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