There have been several time jumps that occurred in HBO’s House of the Dragon, and for the last time, the time jump in Episode 8 will be the final. The studio released fresh images from scenes in the upcoming episode, showing the new recast.
The prequel series started with Milly Alcock and Emily Carey as Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower, respectively. Fast forward to 10 years, they were replaced by Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke. The Targaryen children (Aegon II, Aemond, and Helaena), the Velaryon brothers (Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey), and the Targaryen sisters (Baela and Rhaena) also made their debut. In the upcoming Episode 8, the children will be replaced by their older versions, the final cast who will stick around for the long haul.
Meet House Of The Dragon’s New Cast Additions
The intense encounters in the previous episode will drive the plot towards the foreboding war between the “greens” and the “blacks.” After Aemond stole and claimed Vhagar, Laena’s dragon, the children went into a brawl where Lucerys slashed Aemond’s left eye. Queen Alicent demanded an eye for an eye and ordered to take out Lucerys’s eye, but King Viserys refused.
This intensified the feud between Rhaenyra and Alicent, as the former will defend her position as heir to the throne while the latter will do everything to usurp the crown for her firstborn son, Aegon II. The latest addition to the cast includes Tom Glynn-Carney as Aegon II, Ewan Mitchell as Aemond, Harry Collett as Jacaerys, Elliot Grihault as Lucerys, Bethany Antonia as Baela, and Phoebe Campbell as Rhaena.
What’s Going To Happen In Episode 8?
The Episode 8 preview reveals Lord Corlys Velaryon wounded in Stepstones, and the subject of succession has been questioned since his firstborn son, Laenor, is dead. Rhaenyra’s sons to Laenor are suspected of being bastards, which will become the focal point of the next episode entitled “The Lord of the Tides.”
Now that the final cast has been introduced, it is only safe to say that viewers should not get too attached to the characters, considering there is always death in every episode and the looming civil war will claim more lives. House of the Dragon is set two hundred years before the events in Game of Thrones with the House Targaryen at the height of their power.
The ensuing blood feud between the greens and the blacks will be known as the Dance of the Dragons, the epic war of succession between Aegon II and Princess Rhaenyra.
Catch Episode 8 this Sunday on HBO Max.