As House of the Dragon season three came to a close, the current occupant of the Iron Throne made yet another attempt to convince everyone—including herself—that she’s the rightful ruler of Westeros. Rhaenyra, played by Emma D’Arcy, was her father’s chosen heir, something she believes was destined by the gods and has therefore made the Dance of the Dragons something of a divine fight. In “The Treasons at Tumbleton,” Rhaenyra sets out to bring the Faith of the Seven, which hasn’t supported her reign so far, into line.
If the queen can’t have a traditional coronation, she’ll get her public anointing by any means necessary. The High Septon refused to do it earlier in season three; he’s not convinced that Rhaenyra’s predecessor, Aegon, is actually dead. (He’s right, of course, and we’ll surely be seeing more about that storyline in season four.) But in “The Treasons at Tumbleton,” Rhaenyra and her soldiers march into the Great Sept and demand that he perform the ceremony. When he refuses, Alyn (Abubakar Salim) promptly kills the religious leader. So the “anointing” turns into something else: Rhaenyra stepping outside and telling the smallfolk about the Song of Ice and Fire, which she believes is powerful evidence that she’s the rightful queen. Whether or not they believe her is yet to be seen, but she certainly dressed the part for her big moment. In an HBO press conference tied to the House of the Dragon season finale, attended by io9 and other press, D’Arcy talked about their character’s makeover in the episode, including a chainmail hood and subtle but impactful eye makeup.
