Rhaenys Targaryen, played by Eve Best, faced off against King Aegon and his dragon in a thrilling battle in House of the Dragon season 2, episode 4. Unlike their previous encounter, Rhaenys doesn’t retreat and instead fights valiantly alongside her dragon Meleys. Despite being lured into a trap by Aemond and Vhagar, Rhaenys and Meleys put up a fierce fight, taking down Aegon and his dragon Sunfyre. However, their victory is short-lived as Vhagar attacks Meleys, leading to a heart-wrenching conclusion.
Meleys was Rhaenys’ other self
Eve Best, the actress who plays Rhaenys Targaryen, explains that Meleys, Rhaenys’ dragon, represents her “other self”. This means that Meleys is an extension of Rhaenys’ personality, emotions, and experiences. They share a deep bond, and Meleys is a physical manifestation of Rhaenys’ inner strength, courage, and resilience.
When Eve Best says it was tough to picture Meleys being torn to shreds, she’s referring to the emotional challenge of imagining her character’s beloved dragon, and essentially her “other self”, being brutally killed. It’s a heart-wrenching scene. Eve Best in an interview with Elle said,
“That felt incredibly important. And that was part of the greatest loss. Part of the thing that was devastating filming the whole death sequence was seeing Meleys being torn to shreds and feeling that somehow she’d let her down or betrayed her in some way. Just the awfulness of seeing this brave beast, creature, other self being destroyed. That was all in my head, of course.”
Credits: Max
The Depth of Rhaenys’ Emotional Journey
Rhaenys Targaryen’s character arc has been a masterful portrayal of strength and resilience, as she navigates a series of challenges and setbacks with unwavering determination. Despite her tough exterior, Eve Best’s performance reveals a vulnerable side to Rhaenys, particularly in her poignant moments with Meleys, her loyal dragon. Their bond is a testament to the transformative power of relationships, and Rhaenys’ willingness to confront her emotions head-on.
“Her arc has been this absolute strength upon strength after strength, and digging deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper, and dealing with loss after loss after disappointment after grief, as it all builds up. She’s held onto everything, and I think that she’s never let anybody see any of it except for Meleys. Meleys, that you see the dragon respond and they’re taking care of each other in that moment. Because in the end, that’s the relationship.”
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