House of the Dragon might take place centuries before the events in Game of Thrones but it looks like the themes of the original series will still be evident in the spin-off. Emily Carey and Milly Alcock, who play the younger versions of Alicent Hightower and Rhaenyra Targaryen, confirm that the new HBO series will explore how misogyny and patriarchy will affect the women as they grow into power.
Alicent and Rhaenyra are set to be the two main characters in House of the Dragon although the series is headlined by the likes of Paddy Considine and Matt Smith. And just like the women in Game of Thrones, these two characters are expected to deal with misogyny and patriarchy even at a young age.
Emily Carey and Milly Alcock recently participated in a round table interview where they discussed the difference between their characters (via Screenrant). Although Alicent doesn't fight back, it is immediately established that Rhaenyra was a born warrior.
"I think part of the key for Alicent is she doesn't fight back. I think she doesn't know how to, and I think parts of her doesn't want to—until she's there. And then maybe she regrets certain decisions and certain choices. But I think she doesn't have the power to fight back, mainly because she's a child when we find her," Carey said of her character.
She continued, "But I said it before and I'll say it again: my favorite thing about this show is that, yes, we showcase misogyny and we show how it affected the women in this world, and how it relates to these to these characters—whether it's Alicent or Rhaenyra or Rhaenys even."
"But when we take away the storyline and theme of misogyny, these characters still have an arc and are still complex women onscreen," Carey stated. "They're not just there to serve the purpose and to show misogyny; they are human beings put onscreen. And I think that's a brilliant thing."
"I think that Rhaenyra especially is a fighter," Alcock said. "She fights for what she wants, and she doesn't like to take no for an answer. But I think that these two women deal with it entirely differently, and that's what makes the show quite interesting. Because I think that a lot of people can see themselves in Rhaenyra just as much as Alicent."
House of the Dragon premieres on HBO on August 21, 2022.
Related: House of the Dragon: Matt Smith Questioned Daemon Targaryen's Numerous Sex Scenes
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