Emma D’Arcy weighs in on whether Rhaenyra trusts Daemon after House of the Dragon season 2. Since the beginning of HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel, Rhaenyra and Daemon have been one of the show’s most complicated relationships. Early on in season 2, Rhaenyra no longer trusts Daemon after he hatches the Blood and Cheese plot and sends him to Harrenhal to recruit alliances for the Blacks. However, Daemon spends much of the season questioning his loyalty to Rhaenyra, though he swears fealty to her during the House of the Dragon season 2 ending.

During a recent interview with Collider, Emma D’Arcy weighed in on whether Rhaenyra trusts Daemon after House of the Dragon season 2. The actor suggests she doesn’t fully trust him, as “there is still resistance there” and says she will need to “keep him on a short leash” moving forward. Read their full comments below:

My feeling is it’s the latter. It’s funny, within the course of the series, that scene, again, was a real joy to shoot where he reaffirms his commitment to her. You sort of see this moment of reunification in both of them. Something that I realized in the second series was that their relationship only functions when they are in positions of power and confidence. Their erotic energy is dangerous. It’s bloodthirsty. It’s about power. If they’re in a state of need or weakness, their relationship doesn’t work. They can’t speak to each other. They can’t reveal that stuff. I suppose what strikes me is as much as that scene was super exciting to shoot, there’s surely way more to discuss. There’s a lot more to say.

I think Rhaenyra is quite a changed character by the end of the second series. I think her relationship to her name, to her Targaryen history, to her faith even, has shifted in a massive way. I think she’s less compromising now. The truth is, I wait in anticipation to find out what they’ve written, but I can’t imagine that, given all of the events that transpired in the second series, she wouldn’t need to keep him on a short leash.

What Emma D’Arcy’s Comments Mean For House Of The Dragon Season 3

What To Expect From Rhaenyra & Daemon’s Relationship

Dameon spends much of House of the Dragon season 2 raising an army in the Riverlands, while also questioning his loyalty to Rhaenyra, and even contemplating betraying her and claiming the throne for himself. However, with the help of Alys Rivers and a Weirwood tree, Daemon sees a vision of a White Walker and Daenerys Targaryen, realizing he is only one part of a larger story, and decides to swear fealty to Rhaenyra. However, whether she can ever truly trust him again is a different question entirely.

As Emma D’Arcy suggests, Rhaenyra doesn’t fully trust Daemon after season 2. As the actor also says, their relationship is all about power, and Rhaenyra is only willing to accept Daemon’s pledge of fealty because she needs the army that he raised to support her claim to the Iron Throne. However, Rhaenyra should have Daemon on a shorter leash in House of the Dragon season 3, and she will be less willing to forgive his transgressions a second time.

Our Take On Rhaenyra & Daemon’s Relationship In House Of The Dragon Season 3

What Happens in Fire & Blood?

The Dance of the Dragons continues.#HouseOfTheDragon has been renewed for Season 3 on @StreamOnMax. pic.twitter.com/XnoaDEHfdH — House of the Dragon (@HouseofDragon) June 13, 2024

Rhaenyra’s wariness of Daemon aligns closely with the show’s source material, Fire & Blood, which highlights the tension between them as the Dance of the Dragons escalates. In season 3, Rhaenyra should come to realize that Daemon’s ambition and unpredictability, which makes him a potential threat, is also what makes him a powerful ally. His military prowess and experience are invaluable, but his past actions – such as orchestrating Blood and Cheese – have sown seeds of mistrust. Rhaenyra will have to monitor Daemon closely in House of the Dragon season 3 to ensure his loyalty and prevent him from undermining her authority.