Ryan Condal, the showrunner of the series, explains the link between Sansa Stark and House of the Dragon in episode 2 of season 2 which ends with a terrible fratricidal duel.
Warning spoilers! This article returns to a key element of the plot of episode 2 of House of the Dragon season 2. If you have not seen it and do not want to know its content, do not continue reading.
As we told you when it was broadcast, the second episode of season 2 of House of the Dragon adapts a scene very popular with fans, taken from the book Fire and Blood by George RR Martin: the fatal clash of the Cargyll twins, Arryk (Luke Tittensor) and Erryk (Elliot Tittensor).
Both belong to opposing camps and, in a move as clever as it is Machiavellian, their identical appearance is used as a weapon by Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) to try to assassinate Queen Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy).
The connection with Sansa Stark
Showrunner Ryan Condal answers some questions from Hollywood Reporter on the episode of the HBO series, which was recently renewed for a third season. He is notably questioned about the bond that is established between the twins and Sansa Stark. Sansa narrates and romanticizes the Cargyll twins’ fight in the novel series The iron Throne by George RR Martin, and Ryan Condal explains that they wanted the show’s version to be more real and “raw”:
“The book depicts several different versions of this story. I’ve always been fascinated by the story of the Cargyll twins because it’s a story that Sansa Stark has idealized, ever since the Game of Thrones books. And, of course, Sansa has this very romantic Sansa-esque vision of what that fight was like and how they fought for hours, like it was the duel from The Princess Bride,” Condal explains.
And to conclude: “There is a version where they insult each other and call each other ‘traitor’ but that didn’t correspond to the characters we had created. We have these two people who found themselves on different sides of this conflict and they don’t know what to do with this oath. I think it makes it even more tragic when you see these two brothers trying to keep their oath, but literally find themselves in mortal combat with each other in order to uphold it.“
Theo Whitman/HBO
The Cargyll twins
What are the consequences for the future?
Season 2 of House of the Dragon has, so far, seen the Greens and Blacks engaging in a crossover. After the shocking murder of Lucerys (Elliot Grihault) in the season 1 finale, the first episode of season 2 sees Daemon (Matt Smith) hire Blood and Cheese for revenge. Hence the title of the episode “A Son for a Son”. Blood and Cheese having murdered Prince Jaehaerys, Ser Criston Cole, apparently to offload his own guilt, places the blame on Ser Arryk, prompting him to do his duty and kill Rhaenyra in retaliation.
Although Rhaenyra emerged unscathed from the fight between the Cargyll twins, an assassin sent to kill her still managed to break into her chambers. If episode 3 and beyond continue the momentum of episodes 1 and 2, this assassination attempt could end up being punished. After the murder of Jaehaerys, the possibility of peace is now firmly ruled out, and the attempted assassination of Rhaenyra will only add fuel to the fire.
That said, Rhaenyra was horrified when she learned of Daemon’s role in Jaehaerys’ death, and it is possible that she refrained from escalating the conflict as her more inclined uncle and husband would have done. violence. On the other hand, the attack on her could push her to become more ruthless as the situation deteriorates between the Greens and Blacks in Westeros. It remains to be seen what the fallout from Episode 2 will be, but further bloodshed appears to be on the horizon.
House of the Dragon is currently available on Max.
