During an interview, House of the Dragon creator Ryan Condal shared that the intense showdown between the Cargyll twins holds a surprising link to Game of Thrones.
In Season 2 Episode 2 of House of the Dragon, the consequences of Blood and Cheese’s actions were evident as twin brothers and Kingsguard members Erryk and Arryk Cargyll engaged in a fatal duel.
The conflict between the Greens and Blacks resulted in the dissolution of the once strong fraternal relationship, leaving viewers appalled. Condal disclosed that he made a deliberate effort to depict the fight as authentically as he could, in contrast to its portrayal in the sanitized Game of Thrones books.
“The Cargyll twins’ story has always captivated me, especially because it was a tale that Sansa Stark idealized in the Song of Ice and Fire books,”Condal explained in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
“Naturally, Sansa holds a romanticized view of the fight and imagines it to be like the epic duel from The Princess Bride. However, the actual battle would have been far more intense and violent.”
He went on to explain that there were two individuals who were caught in the midst of a conflict and were unsure of how to handle the promise they had made.
It is my belief that this situation becomes even more tragic when considering the fact that these two brothers are attempting to honor their commitment, yet end up engaged in a deadly battle with one another in the process.
By the conclusion of House of the Dragon Season 1, the twins found themselves torn between their loyalties; Erryk chose to serve Rhaenyra in Dragstone, while Arryk remained in King’s Landing to serve Aegon.
In Episode 2, Arryk embarked on a suicidal mission to assassinate Rhaenyra in her bedchamber as revenge for the murder of Aegon and Heleana’s son, which was ordered by Dameon.
Despite Arryk’s failure, Erryk ultimately killed him before he could harm Rhaenyra. Tormented by the guilt of killing his own brother, the Blacks’ Kingsguard made the decision to end his own life.
Sansa compared the twins’ final battle in A Song of Ice and Fire to a scene from a Shakespearean tragedy, noting that they both perished with tears on their faces after inflicting fatal wounds upon each other.
Despite its brutal portrayal, House of the Dragon did not shy away from depicting the true horrors of the conflict and delving into the devastating impact it had on more than just the members of House Targaryen/Hightower.
To learn more, be sure to refer to the complete release schedule for House of the Dragon Season 2. Additionally, we offer detailed guides on Hugh Hammer and the dragons featured in House of the Dragon.
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