'House of the Dragon' Season 2: Why messing with Daemon isn't Alys Rivers's first rodeo
Contains spoilers and speculation for 'House of the Dragon'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 Episode 6 aired on July 21, 2024 on HBO. Among the amazing character arcs in the show is the haunting and intriguing character arc of Alys Rivers (Gayle Rankin) who was introduced in Season 2 and has made quite an impression on the show.
The character came to the fore when Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) took Harrenhall and since then has been facing mental issues in the haunted castle where he hallucinates characters from his past. It seems that the person responsible for the hallucinations is Alys Rivers. She even predicted Daemon's death in Harrenhall.
While this is the first time the character has appeared in the show, she has been in Harrenhall all her life and she might have had a role to play in another character's life.
Did Alys Rivers shape Larys Strong's life?
In 'Fire and Blood', Alys Rivers is a nurse in Harrenhall and is speculated to be older than she looks by the time Dance of the Dragons begins. She was there in Harrenhall when Larys Strong (Matthew Needham) and Harwin Strong (Ryan Corr) were born.
In Episode 6, Larys Strong talks about a traumatic childhood where he was born with a twisted foot and experienced humiliation at the cursed castle. He tells Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney) about making his mind an ally with the physical disabilities that he has faced.
With Alys there at the castle, it could be possible that her mind had an influence on Larys who grew up to be a sinister and malicious human being who even killed his father and brother in a fire and blamed it on the curse of Harrenhall. Alys's modus operandi for killing Lord Grover Tully seems to be similar where she supposedly killed him while treating him.
What happens to Alys Rivers in 'House of the Dragon'?
Alys Rivers's importance in the show keeps growing with every passing event if 'Fire and Blood' is to be believed. After her foray with Daemon, she becomes the bedmate and lover of Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell).
Aemond Targaryen reaches Harrenhall only to realize that he has been outsmarted by his uncle who is already in King's Landing with Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy). Aemond orders the death of everyone at Harrenhall except for Alys Rivers.
In the aftermath of Dance of the Dragons, Alys becomes the Witch Queen of Harrenhall. Anyone who questions her or her claim gets killed supernaturally. She even claims to be the mother of Aemond's child and stakes a claim to the throne when Aegon III Targaryen, Rhaenyra's son takes the throne.
How to stream 'House of the Dragon' Season 2?
'House of the Dragon' Season 2 premiered on HBO Max on Sunday, June 16, 2024, with new episodes dropping every Sunday. Episode 7 will release on July 28, 2024. To watch the series, you will need a Max Subscription.
The streaming platform typically offers three packages that you can choose from depending on your budget.
The low-cost plan that supports advertising costs $9.99 per month or $99.99 annually. The second package, which does not support advertising, costs $15.99 per month or $149.99 annually. Meanwhile, the third package, titled Ultimate Ad-Free, costs $19.99 per month or $199.99 annually.
'House of the Dragon' Season 2 trailer
'House of the Dragon' Season 2 is streaming on HBO.