Warning: spoilers ahead for House of the Dragon.
Following the bedlam that ensued in episode 5 of Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon, fans can’t wait to discover what next week’s instalment will have in store.
Not only will episode 6 feature a 10-year time jump in King’s Landing, but it will also see Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke take over the roles of Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen and Lady Alicent Hightower from Milly Alcock and Emily Carey respectively.
From the first look trailer released for next week, King’s Landing is going to be rife with tension as the repercussions of Rhaenyra and Alicent’s fractured relationship continue to spiral.
The teaser for next week’s episode opens with a King’s Council meeting, revealing that Rhaenyra and Alicent both now have seats at the table.
The group discuss the ‘developments in the Stepstones’, as the Queen remarks that it’s been a decade since the King’s younger brother, Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) ‘left the region undefended’.
‘We have left it undefended, my Queen,’ Rhaenyra responds, slouching in her chair while giving Alicent a pointed glare, which she returns.
As the trailer continues, it reveals new footage of both Alicent and Rhaenyra’s children, with one scene showing a very poorly-looking King Viserys I Targaryen (Paddy Considine) his son Aegon Targaryen (Ty Tennant) overpowering his opponent in sparring practise.
‘What are children, but a weakness?’ a voiceover states, before adding: ‘Through them you imagine you persist forever.’
The older version of Lady Laena Velaryon, played by Nanna Blondell, is seen for the first time, looking pregnant while cradling a child.
Rhaenyra is also seen holding a baby while standing next to her child, who later commands a dragon with the famous fire-breathing order: ‘Dracarys.’
Elsewhere in the palace, Alicent appears to be trying to convince her husband the King that his daughter, Rhaenyra, has committed a sin pertaining to her children – insinuating that the princess’s offspring were conceived outside her marriage to Ser Laenor Velaryon (John Macmillan).
‘To have one child like that is a mistake. To have three, is an insult,’ Alicent says.
‘The consequences of an allegation like the one you toy at would be dire,’ Viserys responds.
While fans are excited to watch Emma and Olivia in House of the Dragon, many are also upset to bid farewell to Milly and Emily, who were described as ‘sensational’.
‘We will miss you but your performances will always be with us,’ one person tweeted.
House of the Dragon next airs on Monday at 2am on Sky Atlantic and NOW.
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