I also think she misses him hugely, although she never says it. There is a slightly desperate sense of cyclically returning to one another, I think. But you know, theyâre both incredibly proud. Thereâs a wonderful stalemate.
Do you think there is love between them?
Yeah, I do. I think itâs a really complicated relationship. There are periods where they behave like age-old colleagues or something, but I think thereâs a loyalty, or there has been until now. Thereâs a sort of darkness, I think, that they understand in one another, that maybe theyâre not able to share elsewhere.
As the season goes on, thereâs this mounting pressure for Rhaenyra to bring Daemon back into the fold. How do you think that makes her feel?
I think sheâs completely sick of any feeling in her that she needs him. When times are good, she can sort of be open to the idea of a biased power share, where she sits the throne, and heâs in close proximity, and I suppose receives some of that power by proxy. But she also recognises that she is patronised by him, and at a certain point, itâs exhausting.
I think thereâs something that sometimes happens in relationships where there is such an extreme age difference⦠I think thereâs a part of her that outgrew him, and could no longer countenance being patronized by this man, whose behaviour she recognizes increasingly to be erratic, immature, unpredictable.
The older she gets, I suppose, and the more experienced she becomes, the less willing I think she is to indulge him. And thatâs a problem.
And how has her relationship with Mysaria evolved over time?
I think itâs completely unlike any other relationship Rhaenyra has. She tends to be very hot-blooded when it comes to all relationships or allyships. I think she sort of spots people she wants, and she goes for them ⦠I think Rhaenyra feels deeply threatened by Mysaria when she first meets her. [Rhaenyra] has a skillset that was made to manipulate and navigate men, and male power. It wasnât built to deal with other women who have power.
Obviously, the added ingredient that Mysaria is Daemonâs ex is also strangely charged. But I really like that their relationship, the trust that forms between them, happens creepingly. Itâs really gradual. Itâs incremental. Itâs not the sort of impulsive honeymoon experience that I think Rhaenyra has had a lot in the past.
And I think Mysaria offers Rhaenyra a new perspective â this whole idea of smallfolk, of citizens, is quite abstract for Rhaenyra until Mysaria comes into her counsel.
Moving on to the latest episode, I think that we are starting to see a ruthlessness in Rhaenyra that hasn’t always been there. She doesn’t quite go full Daenerys, but it’s close. What do you think has drawn that out of her?
I mean, I don’t know if I⦠I’m obviously, like, resistant of the Daenerys comparison. I don’t know why, but I am.
