Milly Alcock’s Young Rhaenyra meets a grim fate in Daemon’s latest Harrenhal vision, but it doesn’t even come close to what Emma D’Aarcy’s Rhaenyra will face in House of the Dragon. In back-to-back surprise cameos, Milly Alcock reprises her role as Young Rhaenyra in House of the Dragon season 2, episodes 3 and 4 – though only within the context of Daemon’s Harrenhal-induced visions. In the opening scene of House of the Dragon season 2, episode 4, Young Rhaenyra speaks High Valyrian to Daemon while exposing his wrongdoings, fears, jealousy, and guilt, leading him to swiftly behead her in his dream.
Seeing Milly Alcock’s Young Rhaenyra crowned as queen, wearing her Targaryen black colors, and sitting on the Iron Throne is initially satisfying as she fulfills the inheritance her father bestowed upon her at that age. Of course, it turns shocking only moments later when Daemon beheads Young Rhaenyra with Dark Sister, though her severed head continues to speak to him in his nightmare. As dark as it is to see Daemon behead the teenage version of his wife, niece, and the mother of his sons, Alcock’s Rhaenyra has a less disturbing end than what happens to Emma D’Arcy’s Queen Rhaenyra in the book.
Why Daemon Beheads Milly Alcock’s Rhaenyra In House Of The Dragon Season 2, Episode 4
Daemon attempts to destroy his own creation
In the immediacy of his dream, Daemon beheads Milly Alcock’s Rhaenyra to silence her. In High Valyrian, his envisioned version of her is cutting him deeply with her words by bringing up how he had created her, he hated her for “stealing” his inheritance, he exploited and abandoned her when she was an innocent child, and he tried to ruin her reputation and have her disinherited by Viserys – all because Viserys loved her more than he loved Daemon. Rather than have to confront his guilt and insecurities, Daemon responds the only way he knows how: with his sword.
If he can kill this Rhaenyra in his dream, then maybe he can keep her from becoming the woman who no longer idolizes and empowers him, and maybe he can stop himself from failing to obtain and become all he ever desired.
More thematically, Daemon knows that his visions of Milly Alcock’s Rhaenyra aren’t real, so he doesn’t have to face the consequences of what he may do to her. In Daemon’s visions at Harrenhal, he can behead Rhaenyra to remove her as the only person truly standing in his way of the Iron Throne. That is exactly why Young Rhaenyra’s severed head says, “This is what you always wanted, is it not?” Deep down, he always desired her death to get his inheritance back, but still feels guilt and regret when he does so and she continues to haunt him with her words.
In High Valyrian dialogue, Young Rhaenyra also accuses Daemon of helping to create her and put her on the Iron Throne, which he hates her and himself for doing. By beheading Young Rhaenyra in his vision, Daemon tries to stop the thing he created, as he knows he can no longer stop Emma D’Arcy’s Rhaenyra from seeking the Iron Throne and holding the power he covets. If he can kill this Rhaenyra in his dream, then maybe he can keep her from becoming the woman who no longer idolizes and empowers him, and maybe he can stop himself from failing to obtain and become all he ever desired.
Emma D’Arcy’s Rhaenyra Will Have An Even More Brutal Death
Rhaenyra’s real death is far more disturbing
House of the Dragon season 2, episode 4 could very well be Milly Alcock’s last appearance as Young Rhaenyra on the HBO show. Therefore, it may be purposeful that her final scene gives her version of Rhaenyra a parallel conclusion to what is expected to be Emma D’Arcy’s final scene as Queen Rhaenyra. However, D’Arcy’s Rhaenyra will suffer a far more brutal death before the Dance of the Dragons’ conclusion than Daemon’s vision of beheading of Young Rhaenyra, as improbable as that may sound.
In George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood book, Rhaenyra Targaryen dies after fleeing from King’s Landing back to Dragonstone, where her brother, Aegon II Targaryen, had secretly been hiding after Rhaenyra took King’s Landing. Upon her arrival, Aegon has Rhaenyra and her son Aegon the Younger captured before forcefully separating them. Aegon then has his knights place his sister before his dragon Sunfyre, who subsequently burns Rhaenyra to death and devours her.
The book states that Rhaenyra lets out a horrifying scream before the dragonflames consume her, with her son Aegon the Younger being forced to watch his mother die in horror. Furthermore, the sight is so terrifying that Rhaenyra’s lady-in-waiting, Elinda Massey, gouges her eyes out. While easy to forget, Rhaenyra’s agonizing death was already spoiled by Joffrey Baratheon in Game of Thrones season 3, episode 4, as he described her fate to Margaery Tyrell while showing her where Rhaenyra’s bones lie:
“Rhaenyra Targaryen was murdered by her brother, or rather, his dragon. It ate her while her son watched. What’s left of her is buried in the crypts right down there.”
When Will Rhaenyra Die In House Of The Dragon?
Rhaenyra’s death could be delayed to HOTD season 4
House of the Dragon season 2 will likely conclude with Rhaenyra taking King’s Landing. Consequently, it will take some time before she flees back to Dragonstone. House of the Dragon is expected to have four or five seasons, but the show may choose to draw out the timeline to break up the deaths of major characters. If Daemon and Aemond die in season 3’s ending, then the show may wait to kill Rhaenyra until later in House of the Dragon season 4. Then, the series must decide whether it concludes after King Aegon II Targaryen’s death and King Aegon III Targaryen’s ascension, or goes further into his regency.