Rhaenyra and Alicent’s Bond Feels Like a First Love

While some “House of the Dragon” fans are deeply invested in the dynamic dubbed Rhaenicent, Season 2 finale director Geeta Vasant Patel approaches the relationship between Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) and Alicent (Olivia Cooke) more broadly. Speaking to IndieWire, Patel said she saw it as a relationship rooted in love, although not distinctly romantic or platonic.

“I always thought about the metaphor for it as two lovers that have been divorced and still love each other,” Patel said post-finale. “Part of it is that they both want to be with each other in a way they can’t understand and can’t explain — it’s like first love.”

Throughout Season 2, Episode 8, Alicent begs Rhaenyra to halt the impending war, a request echoing Rhaenyra’s similar plea back in Episode 3. Patel and Director of Photography Catherine Goldschmidt intentionally juxtaposed these scenes as pivotal moments, connecting the arc of the characters’ relationship using limited screen time. Despite the ensemble cast and various dragons, the narrative focuses significantly on the catastrophic breakdown between the two women portrayed on the show’s posters. Patel, the sole director to handle scenes with both D’Arcy and Cooke this season, expressed a profound sense of responsibility and honor in directing these moments.

“I felt a great sense of responsibility,” Patel said. “I felt quite honored to be able to do those two scenes. I felt a responsibility to Emma and Olivia, Ryan (Condal), and Sara (Hess) who had entrusted me to shepherd the shooting of it, and took it very seriously.”

Patel emphasized the meticulous preparation needed for the climactic Alicent/Rhaenyra scene. The writing, she noted, was powerful, and the actors peerless, which meant her role was more about enhancing the scene rather than restructuring it. Her main focus was ensuring the actors could deliver on the turning point in the scene: Rhaenyra’s ultimatum to Alicent, “Make your sacrifice.”

Patel found the scene relatable for its portrayal of long-standing relationships reverting to childhood dynamics. When two people who have been close for a lengthy time meet, they often revert to the age they were when the relationship began, allowing them to exhibit long-forgotten behavior patterns.

During their second scene together in Season 2, both D’Arcy and Cooke brought this dimension to life. Rhaenyra displayed uncharacteristic childishness, while Alicent’s emotional vulnerability culminated in a significant choice to bite her nails, signaling a regression to her younger self.

In another scene reminiscent of Episode 3 from Season 1, Patel and Goldschmidt aimed for continuity, matching the blocking and character interactions from earlier episodes. The visual continuity served to enhance the emotional resonance between Rhaenyra and Alicent.

This extensive collaboration needed precise coordination, especially given the show’s complex production schedule involving different units and locations. Patel appreciated the thorough pre-production phase where all episodes were made available to the directors, allowing them to grasp the season’s overarching character arcs.

Patel mentioned facing unforeseen production challenges, particularly with weather conditions during outdoor scenes in Wales, the U.K., and Spain. Adapting to these situations meant reimagining scenes on the fly, such as an intimate dock sequence shot under a walkway due to inclement weather.

Patel loves devising complex shots and praised the collaborative spirit of the production crew, describing it as akin to playing Legos. For example, a shot dubbed the “impossible shot” required innovative rigging and careful planning but was ultimately executed successfully.

Patel remarked that episodic TV directing varies significantly based on the openness of the showrunners to collaboration. Some provide strict adherence to scripts, while others, like Ryan Condal on “House of the Dragon,” offer substantial creative freedom to enhance the storytelling.

Patel also shared insights into her work on Hulu’s “Under the Bridge,” where she served as the pilot director and executive producer. She was deeply moved by the script and committed to extensive rehearsals with young actors to ensure authentic performances around challenging themes such as bullying and abuse.

For aspiring directors, Patel’s advice was simple yet profound: “Don’t give up.” She emphasized perseverance in an often tough industry where self-doubt and external criticism are common.

“House of the Dragon” is now streaming on Max and “Under the Bridge” on Hulu.