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People Can't Stop Talking About Emma D'Arcy In The "House Of The Dragon" Season 2 Premiere, And These 19 Reactions Prove Why

Emma D'Arcy, I'm going to start hand-carving your Emmy Award now.

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🚨 There are obviously MASSIVE spoilers ahead for House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 1! 🚨

After almost two years since the heart-wrenching and jaw-dropping Season 1 finale, House of the Dragon finally returned this week with Season 2. HBO Sundays are back, baby.

Rhaenyra Targaryen, Jacaerys Velaryon, and Joffrey Velaryon stare into the distance holding blankets, from House of the Dragon

The Season 2 premiere kicks off after Alicent (Olivia Cooke) and the Greens stole the throne and crowned Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney) as king. The episode notably sees the aftermath of Lucerys's death at the hands of Aemond, too.

Top image: Alicent Hightower and Otto Hightower sit at a table in a medieval setting. Bottom image: Aegon Targaryen sits on a throne wearing a crown
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With war on the horizon, Aegon tries to keep a grip on the throne while Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) grieves the devastating loss of Lucerys, and Daemon (Matt Smith) prepares for battle alongside the rest of Team Black.

Emma D'Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen, in a medieval-style dress, in a scene from "House of the Dragon"

The episode also included the infamous "Blood and Cheese" moment from the books, as Rhaenyra demands a "son for a son" and asks Daemon to end Aemond.

Rhaenyra Targaryen, dressed in a coat, stands solemnly in a dimly lit room with candles in "Game of Thrones"

The whole episode was so good, but nothing really compared to the devastating and masterclass performance from Emma, who literally only had one line in the entire episode.

Emma D'Arcy in costume, crying on a beach in three different scenes

Rhaenyra's grief is the true center of the House of the Dragon Season 2 premiere, and Emma showcases a mother's heartbreak effortlessly. Plus, Harry Collett gives an outstanding performance as Jacaerys, who is also grieving the loss of his brother.

Three scenes from "House of the Dragon" featuring actors Emma D’Arcy and Harry Collett in medieval-style attire

Speaking about portraying Rhaenyra's grief in the after-episode discussion, Emma said, "I guess one of, sort of, the maddest things about death is that it seems sort of impossible, especially because really the overriding feeling often is you just sit with the absence."

They continued, saying, "And so, anything that has, like, a tangibility about it, I think, is vitally important. Her son's cloak, the wing of his dragon, I think it's devastating but I think it galvanized a vengeful feeling, one that maybe she hasn't paid so much mind to previously."

Top and bottom images of Rhaenyra Targaryen from Game of Thrones. Top: Rhaenyra stands on a beach beside her dragon. Bottom: Rhaenyra weeps over a scorch-marked cloak

As soon as the episode ended, fans β€” including myself β€” began flocking to X, formerly Twitter, to share their love for Emma's performance and how it's likely just the first performance in an entire season that should win them an Emmy Award. Here are 19 of the best reactions:

If you love what you read, give your favorite tweets a like and a retweet, and the users a follow, to make your timeline a more fun place to be.

1.

Emma D’Arcy only had one line this episode and the rest was nonverbal brilliance#HouseoftheDragon pic.twitter.com/JlI1A60VpB

β€” best of emma d'arcy (@emmadarcybest) June 17, 2024
HBO / Via Twitter: @emmadarcybest

2.

UNREAL acting performance by Emma D’Arcy #HouseOfTheDragon pic.twitter.com/UoYA0DxAHQ

β€” House of the Dragon News (@HOTDNewsHBO) June 17, 2024
HBO / Via Twitter: @HOTDNewsHBO

3.

everything rhaenyra will do now is valid. NONE of it will be wrong #HouseoftheDragon pic.twitter.com/fW7vJSztNJ

β€” pop culture gal (@allurequinn) June 17, 2024
HBO / Via Twitter: @allurequinn

4.

some of y’all: people will finally turn on rhaenyra after blood and cheese

the general public: LET HER DO WORSEEEEE MAKE THEM PAAAAAAY https://t.co/W5uziGC7yL

β€” mia (@silvcrwings) June 17, 2024
HBO / Via Twitter: @silvcrwings

5.

he wanted to speak out of duty for his queen, but inside he was crying for his mother 😒 https://t.co/ecKHrT4rjF

β€” rhaenyra targaryen's lawyer (@Targ_Nation) June 17, 2024
HBO / Via Twitter: @Targ_Nation

6.

emma d'arcy, we are only one (1) episode in, but i'm going to start hand carving your emmy award now. barely any words spoken, and yet they conveyed what grief feels like so perfectly #houseofthedragon pic.twitter.com/6xtsSKMxUB

β€” Nora Dominick (@noradominick) June 17, 2024
HBO / Via Twitter: @noradominick

7.

emma’s ability to convey a mother’s grief to the point where you’re crying too is insane like this is a masterclass in nonverbal acting #HouseOfTheDragon pic.twitter.com/YcrO8C0IQF

β€” mira πŸ‰ hotd spoilers (@rhaelina) June 17, 2024
HBO / Via Twitter: @rhaelina

8.

if i'm honest emma darcy and phia saban were the heart and soul of this episode, they had very little dialogue but their facial expressions stole the show pic.twitter.com/VYBk0JBkMQ

β€” catelynpilled danycel HOTD SPOILERS (@sansagirlfail) June 17, 2024
HBO / Via Twitter: @sansagirlfail

9.

the hug between rhaenyra and jace… πŸ₯Ί#HouseoftheDragon pic.twitter.com/K5dRoUCLS8

β€” A ౨ৎ hotd spoilers (@rhaenyrasrealm) June 17, 2024
HBO / Via Twitter: @rhaenyrasrealm

10.

OH RHAENYRA…. FUCK THE GREENS FOR CAUSING HER THIS PAIN pic.twitter.com/xG7ZhqykqT

β€” πŸ—‘οΈ (@VISVNYA) June 17, 2024
HBO / Via Twitter: @VISVNYA

11.

SHE FOUND ARRAX AND LUKE’S CAPE WHEN I FIND YOU AEMOND #HouseoftheDragon pic.twitter.com/VbhRetBjmp

β€” o d e s s a 𓂃 ΰ£ͺΛ– κ•₯| HOTD SPOILERS ‼️ (@eclipsedelights) June 17, 2024
HBO / Via Twitter: @eclipsedelights

12.

with him without him pic.twitter.com/21HyDE5VZz

β€” rulji (@jjmileo) June 17, 2024
HBO / Via Twitter: @jjmileo

13.

grieving grieving
visenya luke pic.twitter.com/fd8hi4IScz

β€” o d e s s a 𓂃 ΰ£ͺΛ– κ•₯| HOTD SPOILERS ‼️ (@eclipsedelights) June 17, 2024
HBO / Via Twitter: @eclipsedelights

14.

take all their pain and give it to team green pic.twitter.com/j4DyFvBaTL

β€” goldie (@velaryonfruits) June 17, 2024
HBO / Via Twitter: @velaryonfruits

15.

RHAENYRA HAS TO COLLECT HER SON'S REMAINS. NOT HIS BODY BUT REMAINS!!! I WILL SUPPORT EVERYTHING SHE DOES TO THE GREENS !!!! #HouseoftheDragon pic.twitter.com/qUgngLGY27

β€” May (@Mayham_H) June 17, 2024
HBO / Via Twitter: @Mayham_H

16.

Just wanted to point out, Arrax (Lucerys’ dragon) is also son of Syrax (Rhaenyra’s dragon)… so both mothers are mourning in this scene 😭#TeamBlack #HOTD #HouseOfTheDragon #GameOfThronespic.twitter.com/lWb5IQT2qh

β€” 𝑨𝑲𝑰𝑹𝑨/π‘ͺ𝑽𝑳𝑻𝑽𝑹𝑬 (@RON1NSenju) June 17, 2024
HBO / Via Twitter: @RON1NSenju

17.

The funeral of Prince Lucerys Velaryon who was brave like a Strong, died with his dragon like a Targaryen and was buried in the sea like a Velaryon πŸ’” #HouseoftheDragon pic.twitter.com/i3oRdcLXxg

β€” 𝐓𝐇𝐄 ππ‹π€π‚πŠπ’ οΌ† π‹π„π†π€π‚π˜ (@theblacks_) June 17, 2024
HBO / Via Twitter: @theblacks_

18.

#HouseoftheDragon 😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/8ycAqu9oBH

β€” Mirna πŸ¦‹πŸ¦‹ (@Mirnalove45) June 17, 2024
HBO / Fox / Via Twitter: @Mirnalove45

19. And finally:

i’m laughing so hard cause blood and cheese was supposed to be rhaenyra’s biggest crime and people are still waiting for her to do more, oh my queen is AN ANGEL https://t.co/rXjPFvZW4a

β€” ☾ (@bookpurism) June 17, 2024
HBO / Via Twitter: @bookpurism

What did you think of the House of the Dragon Season 2 premiere? Tell us in the comments below!

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