Warning: This article contains spoilers fromHouse of the Dragonseason 1, episode 9.
In the end, a grand coronation is held at the sept in the Dragonpit.
And then… an explosion.
Eve Best as Princess Rhaenys Targaryen crashing Aegon’s coronation in ‘House of the Dragon.'.Ollie Upton / HBO
Seated on her back is her rider, Rhaenys (Eve Best), donning silver and red armor.
Series co-creator and co-showrunner Ryan Condalwas keen to keep the armor hidden from the audience until this moment.
“She’s packed it,” Best notes of Rhaenys’ battle attire.
Princess Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Best) rides Meleys in ‘House of the Dragon.'.HBO
“She’s traveled to King’s Landing with it because it’s part of her dragon-riding equipment.
It’s like, ‘This is it.
No more games.'”
The Green Council assembles in ‘House of the Dragon’ episode 9. Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) and Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) flank Queen Alicent (Olivia Cooke).Ollie Upton / HBO
Rhaenys’ stunt at Aegon’s crowning is something authorGeorge R.R.
Martindid not include in the source material,the Targaryen historical record ofFire and Blood.
Rhaenys has the power to end the impending civil war over succession before it even begins.
“It’s the pinnacle,” Best says, expounding on this sequence.
“It’s the moment when she shows herself to be the greatest possible ruler.
It was the most outrageous and explosive action of the season.
In a way, it’s also the most merciful and most graceful act.
It’s a truly forgiving moment and sort of a loving moment, in a weird way.
She has all the ammunition, and the desire for revenge is so great.
And yet the choice not to destroy becomes even stronger.
The choice not to drop the bombs is the greater choice.”
Alicent’s the only one who’s seen her."
“She steps up as a mother,” Best adds.
“I think Rhaenys sees that and respects that.”
The act of filming this sequence was multilayered.
So they broke it down into parts.
Kilner filmed the extras portraying the small folk fleeing from Meleys in sets of 50.
It’s the definition of controlled chaos, which the story itself called for.
“One of the most important things was who controls the dragon,” Kilner notes of Meleys.
And Otto relies on having this dragon.
They fail to heed Otto’s calls to open them.
Call itHouse of the Dragon’s own"hold the door" moment.
Another layer was Best filming alone on the Leavesden Studios stage in the U.K. containing the Wall.
“It was the very end of the shoot.
“I’d slightly done my back in somehow.
I was being strapped on the dragon, really not feeling like it very much.
Certainly feeling like a bit of a bag of bones.”
Kilner, however, brought levity.
“My voice was hoarse by the end of it,” Kilner admits through laughter.
“It was like, ‘And the dragon!
It’s bursting through the roof!
And now it’s facing Alicent, and Alicent is facing you and she doesn’t trust you!’
Coming for you!’
But it’s really fun because you just feel like a kid again.
You just go for it.”
