Editor’s Note: The following contains MAJOR spoilers for Fire & Blood, the book that House of the Dragon is based on.
Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) dominates Season 2’s runtime,according to a newly compiled list of characters and their corresponding screen timeinHouse of the Dragon. The hit HBO series' second season has come to an end, leaving viewers with a years-long wait before seeing Westeros' favorite dysfunctional family on their screens again.Despite the Season 2 finale airing only two weeks ago, there’s been a wave of speculation about how Season 3 will play out,given the amount of changes made when adapting George R.R. Martin’sFire and BloodintoHouse of the Dragonand, thanks to one Reddit user,we might have an idea of what to expect in the next two seasons.
This dedicated Redditortracked and recorded the screen time of eachHouse of the Dragoncharacter, and the top results are only somewhat surprising. Rhaenyra, Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke), Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith), and Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney) were given the most screen time this season by a mile.Clocking in at a whopping 4.5 hours of screen time among the four characters,it was Rhaenyra who consistently received the greatest amount of screen time per episode(an average of ~15 minutes/episode). What may truly surprise viewers, however, is the screen time spread amongHouse of the Dragon’s remaining cast of characters.
House of the Dragon
The reign of House Targaryen begins with this prequel to the popular HBO seriesGame of Thrones.Based on George R.R. Martin’sFire & Blood,House of the Dragonis set nearly 200 years beforeGame of Thrones, telling the story of the Targaryen civil war with King Viserys.
‘House of the Dragon’s Key Players Are Singled Out by Their Screen Time
While frustrating to some, the list confirmed what many viewers may have already known:the four characters with the greatest amount of screen time areHouse of theDragon’s key focus. While practical,some feel that this is to the detriment of “minor” characters. ButHouse of the Dragonand its writers have never really shied away fromcentering the relationships between Rhaenyra and Alicent, and Rhaenyra and Daemon, as well as how the obvious succession crisis affects both Rhaenyra and Aegon in the narrative.
Another character who received a good portion of screen time this season, taking sixth place just under Criston Cole(Fabian Frankel), was Jace(Harry Collett), whospent most of Season 2 proving himself to be a key strategist and asset to Rhaenyra’s war council. Much of Jace’s screen time was dedicated to proving how vital he is to the war effort, but also how deeply he cares for his family andthe personal sacrifices he’s willing to maketo support Rhaenyra’s claim. The amount of screen time he was given is likely in service to Jace’s character arc in Season 3, whichsees him make another, greater sacrifice. WhenJace’s role in the Dance of the Dragons comes to an end, others will have to step into fill the hole he leaves behind — especially on-screen.
Which Characters Can Expect To Have More Screen Time in ‘House of the Dragon’?
When some of these beloved characters inevitably die during the war, others must step in to fill the hole left behind — especially on screen. Also, to accommodate an 8-episode season, changes were made to theFire & Bloodbook that left out fan-favorite characters, cutting their screen time or writing them out of the story completely. Cregan Stark (Tom Taylor), for example, spent a good amount of time bonding and building a relationship with Jace inFire & Blood. Still,viewersonly spent 4 minutes and 10 seconds with the Lord of Winterfell throughout the entirety of Season 2.Characters like Alys Rivers(Gayle Rankin) andCorlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) were also considered to be underutilized, especially given their importance throughout the rest of the Dance of Dragons, and there’s hope that Season 3 will allow these vital characters to shine as the show goes on.
The Size of the Dragons in ‘House of the Dragon’ Doesn’t Make Sense
When it comes to dragons, size matters.
Another character viewers are eager to see more ofended the season on a surprise note: Daemon’s second daughter, Rhaena (Phoebe Campbell), who spent most of Season 2 in the Vale with Daemon and Rhaenyra’s young sons. Rhaena only received a scant 9 minutes of screentime —half the time her sister Baela(Bethany Antonia)received, who clocked in at ~18 minutes— but might also be gearing up for more focus in Season 3.House of the Dragon has yet to introduce a certain key book character and dragonrider, leaving viewers to speculate that Rhaena may step in to fill her shoes.
Season 3 Will Need to Focus on ‘House of the Dragon’s Overlooked Characters
Given the amount of screen time dedicated to Rhaenyra, Daemon, Alicent, and Aegon in Season 2,it’s clearer than ever that the remaining seasons of House of the Dragon will focus on Rhaenyraand the dynamics between her husband, her former best friend, and her half-brother — simply put, more time is spent developing these characters and their narratives, asthey will presumably last the longest and have the most impact within the context of the show. As the series progresses and more characters continue to die, it’s only fitting that the narrative will continue to narrow in on these key relationships rather than expanding outward to a larger cast, but hopefully this will also lend more screen timeto some of the overlooked charactersin the series.
Seasons 1 and 2 ofHouse of the Dragonare both available to stream on Max in the U.S.
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