House of the Dragon filming: Trouble in Flea Bottom

Filming continues on the second season of House of the Dragon. Lately, the show has been shooting in the Spanish city of Cáceres, where they’ve been in plain view of fans with phones. That means we’ve had plenty of reports directly from the set. What’s the latest?

Before we go any further, know that there will be some SPOILERS ahead. Proceed with caution…

House of the Dragon season 2: Alicent and Helaena get into trouble in Flea Bottom

One of the scenes being filmed recently is a funeral for young Prince Jaehaerys Targaryen, the eldest son of King Aegon Targaryen and his sister-wife Helaena. In season 2, Prince Jaehaerys will be killed by assassins sent by someone in Rhaenyra’s camp; probably Daemon, who’s getting revenge for the death of Rhaenyra’s son Lucerys Velaryon at the hands of her half-brother Aemond Targaryen. (These names, I swear to God…)

Anyway, Jaehaerys is killed, and Helaena and her mother Alicent accompany the body as it winds through the streets in a funeral procession. A cryer is shouting “Behold the work of Rhaenyra the Cruel!” implying that the greens are blaming Rhaenyra for the murder and trying to turn the public against her.

But apparently, Rhaenyra is successfully resisting that narrative. According to Los Siete Reinos, the team filmed a scene with a hooded woman checking that food arrives in King’s Landing. I’m speculating here, but this woman may be Mysaria, who works with Rhaenyra and the blacks in George R.R. Martin’s book Fire & Blood. I’m guessing that Rhaenyra is supplying the city with food in an attempt to get the common people on her side.

Rhaenyra Targaryen wins the PR war in King’s Landing

And it seems to work, at least for some of them. LSR reports that the funeral procession is attacked in Flea Bottom, with peasants booing Queens Alicent and Helaena and even attacking their cart; they have to be defended by the Kingsguard and eventually must flee. Some of them shout their support for Rhaenyra, which you can vaguely hear in this video from the set.

So Rhaenyra is winning the PR war, at least in this instance. If you’ve read Fire & Blood, you know that things swing one way and then another. Buckle in; it’s gonna be a long war.

House of the Dragon season 2 is due to premiere on HBO and Max sometime next year.

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