“My first time seeing live men set themselves on fire”: House of the Dragon Star Emma D’Arcy Reveals How They Filmed Vermithor’s Horrific Scene
- House of the Dragon Season 2's recent episode sees the dragon Vermithor burn people attempting to ride him.
- Rhaenyra Targaryen actress Emma D'Arcy opens up about the filming of that particular scene.
- D'Arcy also gave a vague insight into what the viewers can expect to see in the finale episode.
SPOILER ALERT: HOTD S2 Spoilers ahead!
House of the Dragon is the talk of the town these days. The seventh episode of the show aired recently and fans are getting amped up for what is awaiting them in the finale.
The show is slowly inching towards the final battle of the Dance of the Dragons between the Greens and the Blacks of the Targaryen family. This season, viewers got the chance to witness more of the dragons, and recently, Emma D’Arcy (Rhaenyra Targaryen) revealed what it was like shooting the scene with the dragon, Vermithor.
House of the Dragon Star Revealed the Shooting Process of the Dreadful Scene Featuring Vermithor
Based on George R.R. Martin’s fantasy novel Fire & Blood, House of the Dragon is a Game of Thrones prequel spin-off. Set two centuries before the events of GOT, the show follows the civil war between two factions of the Targaryen family which leads to their downfall as the ruling dynasty of Westeros.
The episode released recently sees Rhaenyra Targaryen of the Black team attempting to find new dragonriders among the bastard population of King’s Landing. The process is known as ‘Sowing’ and involves men with Valyrian blood who are brought to Dragonstone to bond with the remaining dragons.
One of these dragons is Vermithor. He is one of the oldest and largest dragons in the series and was initially meant for Jaehaerys Targaryen, who was killed in the first episode of the show. During the process of ‘Sowing’, the dragon turns out to be difficult and dangerous and burns several of the would-be riders before choosing a rider for himself.
Speaking about what it was like to shoot the scene concerning Vermithor burning people, Emma D’Arcy told The Wrap:
It was my first time seeing live men set themselves on fire. I thought I actually wouldn’t like that for myself. They are incredibly impressive and very skilled people.
Those days are sort of extraordinary, because there are so many different elements to it, they’re sort of exhausting because of the size of the machinery. I was really blown away watching it.
Vermithor eventually does find a rider in Hugh Hammer, a blacksmith from King’s Landing. This event certainly marks a turning point for the show as it is not just the dragon that has got a rider, but also introduces a complex character with a tragic backstory.
What Can Fans Expect to See in the Finale Episode?
The fact that the Targaryen civil war is in full swing now implies that it will not be long until the royal family sees its tragic fall from a position of domination in their kingdom. The only way to get to the end of it is to get through because going back is not an option, and loss is inevitable in the process.
When asked what the finale episode of this season holds for the viewers, D’Arcy told the outlet:
I should say I haven’t seen it yet, but I’ll be watching it with everyone. Lots of old faces, lots of old relationships — they’re going to run into one another.
What they mean by this remains to be seen, but if there is one thing that can be understood from their words, it is that the upcoming episode will keep the viewers thoroughly entertained.
House of the Dragon is available for streaming on Max.
