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The first episode of House of the Dragon aired on HBO and HBO Max on August 21, 2022, at 8:00 PM CST, reintroducing the race for the Iron Throne. Milly Alcock plays Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen's younger self in the show.
The first episode, titled The Heirs of the Dragon, takes place 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, and 172 years before the birth of Daenerys Targaryen, also known as the Mother of Dragons. House of the Dragon is a prequel to the Game of Thrones series that follows the fall of the Targaryen family. It is based on Martin's novel Fire and Blood.
Fans on social media have praised Alcock's portrayal of Rhaenyra, pointing out similarities between her and actress Emilia Clarke's Daenerys Targaryen.
The episode begins with Daenerys' ancestor, Jaehaerys Targaryen, announcing his heir to the Iron Throne after losing both of his sons to unknown tragedies. The Great Council crowned Viserys Targaryen king over his cousin Princess Rhaenys Targaryen.
The question of the heir to the throne hit a roadblock yet again when Viserys lost both his wife and son during childbirth. Differences with his brother, Daemon Targaryen, led him to declare his firstborn, Rhaenyra, as his heir and the first woman to sit on the Iron Throne. Read on to find out more about Milly Alcock, who essays the role of a young Rhaenyra.
Who is Milly Alcock or, young Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon?
Alcock is a 22-year-old Australian actor who was born and raised in Sydney, Australia. She plays the younger version of Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen in the HBO series House of the Dragon. Her first appearance in the series is as a dragonrider and the politically aware daughter of King Viserys, who wishes to venture into warfare.
Alcock has worked in film and television since she was a teenager. She made her television debut in 2014 with the Australian romantic comedy Wonderland.
Fans on social media have praised Alcock's portrayal of Rhaenyra, drawing parallels between her and Game of Thrones actress Emilia Clarke's Daenerys Targaryen, particularly in their tone of addressing their dragon, Dracarys.
Alcock went on to star in shows like Janet King, A Place to Call Home, Fighting Season, Pine Gap, Les Norton, and The Gloaming before landing her breakthrough role in the 2018 series Upright. She won the Casting Guild of Australia Rising Star Award 2018 for her performance as a runaway teen Meg in Upright.
The role also earned Alcock a nomination for Best Comedy Performance at the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards.
What lays in future for both Milly Alcock and Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon?
While Rhaenyra has established herself as one of the primary propellers of the show's storyline, it remains to be seen if Alcock will be retained in the upcoming episodes.
Additional teasers and character looks from the show's first season have revealed that actor Emma D'Arcy will take over as the face of Princess Rhaenyra from the second episode, titled The Rogue Prince.
Although the plot of the second episode is unknown, the first episode's conclusion suggests that Smith's Daemon Targaryen, Viserys' brother and Rhaenyra's uncle, may challenge his niece's ascension to the Iron Throne.
Alicent Hightower, Rhaenyra's friend and the daughter of the King's Hand, could also add to the new Queen in line's enmity, as she is married off to King Viserys as a result of her father's schemes. As a result, Rhaenyra's interaction with both Daemon and Alicent is one of the highlights of the upcoming episode.
New episodes of House of the Dragon will stream on HBO and HBO Max on Sunday, August 28, ET/6 PM. The first episode is available in India on Disney+ Hotstar.
