- This page is about the episode. For the short, see: The Queen Who Ever Was (short)
"The Queen Who Ever Was"[6] is the eighth and final episode of the second season of House of the Dragon. It is the eighteenth episode of the series overall. It premiered on August 4, 2024 on HBO and Max. It was written by Sara Hess and directed by Geeta Vasant Patel.
Premise[]
As Aemond becomes more volatile, Larys plots an escape, and Alicent grows more concerned about Helaena’s safety. Flush with new power, Rhaenyra looks to press her advantage.[6]
Appearances[]
- Main page: The Queen Who Ever Was/Appearances
Firsts[]
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Deaths[]
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Cast[]
Notes[]
- 23 of 25 starring cast members appear in this episode.
- Starring cast members Ellora Torchia (Kat) and Tom Taylor (Cregan Stark) are not credited and do not appear in this episode.
- Tom Taylor was supposed to be featured in the episode during the scene with the Winter Wolves crossing the Twins at the end, but he was cut from it.
- Alex Cahill, Nick Chopping, David Collom, David Cronnelly, Matt Crook, Lawrence Hansen, Richard Hansen, Rowley Irlam, Leigh Maddern, Leona McCarron, Tilly Powell, Daniel Rawlins, Sam Stefan, Helen Bailey, Jessica Walker, Josh Wheeldon, Richard Wheeldon, Ben Wright, Martin Gordon, and Rob Hayns were stunt performers in this episode.
Behind the scenes[]
- House of the Dragon: Season 2 was initially planned as a 10-episode arc, like the first season. Script rewrites resulting in a shorter episode count led to this episode serving as the season finale.[8]
- When asked about his favorite day on set for Season 2, Ryan Condal responded:
- "Well, I can't talk much about it, but there is a scene in... in the finale that I actually did not write, that was written by my wonderful writing partner, Sara Hess, that is, I think, one of the best scenes we've made on this show. And, uh, it's... it's between two people, and it's very long, and it's, uh... I mean, brought us to tears on set. I mean, it's just... it's brilliant."[9]
- The episode title is a play on Rhaenys Targaryen's sobriquet, "the Queen Who Never Was."
- With a run time of 70 minutes, this episode is the longest of the television series so far.
- This episode features book-accurate Tyroshi with dyed hair and beards. This detail of Tyroshi culture was absent from Game of Thrones; in the books, Daario Naharis dyes his hair and beard blue (later purple), and his mustache gold, whereas in the TV series his hair is always in its natural color.
- Tyland Lannister incorrectly states that he is the Master of Ships. "A Son for a Son" established that he is now the Master of Coin, and the office of Master of Ships is vacant.
- This episode marks the first time a character has appeared in both Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. The Game of Thrones characters Brynden Rivers and Daenerys, as well as Daenerys's dragons Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion, appear in a vision sequence. A White Walker and wights are also featured.
- Brynden is also likely to appear in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, as he is a major character in The Mystery Knight, the third Dunk and Egg novella.
- Consistently with his appearance in Game of Thrones, Brynden has two eyes, whereas in the books he famously has one eye, having lost one in combat with Aegor Rivers during the Battle of Redgrass Field. However, he has his signature winestain birthmark resembling a raven, which is absent from Game of Thrones.
- Shortly before Daemon's vision sequence, there is a brief appearance of one of the green men, a mysterious order said to guard the nearby Isle of Faces.
- Daemon's vision of the White Walkers opens from the point-of-view of a direwolf running through the forest.[10]
- During the filming of the dinner scene in which Ulf repeatedly demands "more of those little birds," actor Tom Bennett ate over 30 quails.[10]
- In the Inside the Episode feature, Ryan Condal incorrectly states that Sharp Point is the seat of House Massey. "Smallfolk" establishes that it is the seat of House Bar Emmon, as in the books.
- Daemon's words "Winter is coming (the official words of House Stark) with darkness and doom," spoken in High Valyrian, combined with his vision about the Night King, may allude to the Great War, in which the Targaryens and Starks will fight together against the army of the dead.
- Alyn reminds Corlys the deaths of Laenor, Laena, and Lucerys; obviously, he had no idea that Laenor faked his death ("Driftmark").
- It is the second time (following "The Burning Mill") Alicent and Rhaenyra secretly meet during the war for the same purpose - to put an end to it; this time, Alicent is the one who initiates the meeting.
- Larys asks Aegon "When Rhaenyra descends on you with her seven dragons, and you, without Vhagar, what then?"; Corlys tells Rhaenyra "You have six dragons under your banner." At that point, before reconciling with Daemon, the dragons Rhaenyra has in disposal are Syrax, Silverwing, Vermithor, Vermax, Seasmoke, and Moondancer (Tyraxes and Stormcloud are too small to fight); perhaps Larys counted Caraxes too.
- Criston Cole tells Gwayne Hightower that Alicent saved his life twice, once from the headsman's axe and once from himself ("We Light the Way").
- The Myrish and Tyroshi captains refer to Sharako Lohar as a man, but they are dressed like a woman, and offers Tyland Lannister to have sex with their wives. The book gives no description of Sharako, just his gender. The show character is perhaps partly based on Racallio Ryndoon, whose physical description (but not his name) was mentioned by Laenor, that he "wears women's frocks" ("The Princess and the Queen"), and according to the book had multiple wives.
- The brutal burning of Sharp Point serves no purpose at all for the Greens; on the contrary, such a cruel atrocity may prompt people to join the Blacks. It could be a sign that Aemond suffers from the Targaryen madness.
Altered and deleted scenes[]
- In the raw filmed material of the Winter Wolves crossing the Twins, Tom Taylor as Cregan Stark is marching at their head. He was cut out in post-production.[11]
In the books[]
This episode is adapted from the chapter "The Dying of the Dragons — The Red Dragon and the Gold" from Fire & Blood.
Gallery[]
Videos[]
Images[]
Stills[]
Screenshots[]
References[]
- ↑ HOUSE OF THE DRAGON (HBO). The Futon Critic. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 House of the Dragon: Season 2, Episode 8: "The Queen Who Ever Was" (2024).
- ↑ House of the Dragon. HBO. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
- ↑ HBO (June 13, 2024). HBO Renews HOUSE OF THE DRAGON For A Third Season. Warner Bros. Discovery. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 House of the Dragon: Season 2. HBO. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 The Queen Who Ever Was. HBO. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
- ↑ Thrones Facts | HOTD on Twitter
- ↑ Nellie Andreeva (March 28, 2023). ‘House Of The Dragon’ To Get Shorter Season 2 As HBO Series Eyes Season 3 Greenlight. Deadline. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
- ↑ sarah 🍉 (June 9, 2024). Ryan Condal on filming an emotional, and of the "best scenes" shot so far in the series, between two people (potentially between Rhaenyra and Alicent), in the season finale of HOTD season 2 (via House of the Dragon: War Room presented by Sky). X. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 House of the Dragon: The House That Dragons Built: Season 2, Episode 8: "Episode 8" (2024).
- ↑ Dan Selcke (August 7, 2024). Looks like [SPOILER] was going to be in the House of the Dragon finale but got cut. WinterIsComing.net. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
Notes[]
- ↑ In "A Son for a Son," Daemon Targaryen and Otto Hightower mention that days have passed since Viserys Targaryen and Lucerys Velaryon's deaths. Unlike the first season, no major time jumps are expected; therefore, House of the Dragon: Season 2 takes place in 132 AC.
External links[]
- The Queen Who Ever Was on A Wiki of Ice and Fire
- The Queen Who Ever Was on HBO
- The Queen Who Ever Was on IMDb
- The Queen Who Ever Was on Wikipedia