House of the Dragon’s Mysaria/Rhaenyra Moment Was Not in the Script
“It was unknown where the scene was going to go,” says Sonoya Mizuno, “but it just felt right.”
Spoilers for House of the Dragon season two, episode six, “Smallfolk.”
There’s no shortage of information traders in House of the Dragon, and while all are important to the political fate of Westeros, few are as unpredictable as Sonoya Mizuno’s Mysaria. Episode six brings her strategy front and center, establishing Mysaria and Rhaenyra’s mutual trust through a pointed revelation from the former and ending on a hypercharged kiss that throws the future of their dynamic into question.
After a series of questionable, since-broken alliances in season one, Mysaria is slowly becoming Team Black’s most valuable asset, using her network of spies in Westeros to foster goodwill for Rhaenyra among the smallfolk. Within the walls of Dragonstone, Mysaria’s influence seems to embolden the Black Queen, who finally bitch-slaps a man on her council, grabs a sword, and reminds the men around her who they ultimately serve. “There’s something for both of them, as women who are real outsiders and real original thinkers, where they can see each other as equals,” says Mizuno. “That’s very thrilling because it allows both to step into their power. Mysaria has not been in this position before.”
This connection also leads the two women to reveal the darkest parts of their hearts: Rhaenyra, her fears that she can’t win the war; Mysaria, that her father’s sexual abuse left her abandoned and infertile. When Rhaenyra moves to hug Mysaria in comfort, their embrace turns into a passionate kiss. This diversion from the Fire & Blood source material, where the pair are not romantically involved, could either reinforce Mysaria’s loyalty to Rhaenyra — or prove that the White Worm is playing a much longer game than we thought.
How would you define the relationship between Mysaria and Rhaenyra before this episode versus the end of it?
There’s always been something consistent in their relationship that was there even when they first talked in episode two. There’s a frankness about how they approach each other, and that was the axis from which their relationship has grown.
Unlike their other relationships, in terms of advisors and hands and so forth, there’s something for both of them, as women who are real outsiders and real original thinkers, where they can see each other as equals. That’s very thrilling because it allows them to step into their power. Mysaria has not been in this position before .In Mysaria’s relationship with Daemon, it was about consoling him and soothing him and telling him the things he needed to hear. When she was first advising Rhaenyra, Mysaria instinctually went to that place, but learned very quickly that it wasn’t working. She’s able to execute her specific expertise with Rhaenyra and see that it really makes a difference. It’s quite thrilling for Mysaria to be in a working relationship that allows that.
There’s also something about two women working so closely together and having difficult conversations about the state of the world and their emotional states. That intimacy was inevitably going to bring them to the deep level of closeness they get to at the end of episode six.
From a technical standpoint, how intentional was the choreography of the hug into the kiss? Were there multiple versions of it?
It wasn’t scripted as a kiss. It was scripted as an intimate moment that got interrupted, and it was unknown where the scene was going to go. Emma and I both strongly felt that we didn’t want it to be queer-baity in any way, and we wanted to step back, look at it, and take care of it. But it just felt right. It would be a kiss.
The hug was really the enlightened moment between them, and that was Emma’s idea. We were standing quite far apart and they felt that, in the moment after Mysaria reveals this vulnerable story, Rhaenyra would just want to hold her. Because Rhaenyra does have passion and empathy. She has children. She can understand these things. The hug was so arresting because we realized that people don’t really hug in this show. They don’t hug in this kind of way. It was such a gorgeous hug, and the kiss came so organically from that. It was very vulnerable and very tender, and then it was really nice. And then you stop thinking and it gets really passionate. It was very considered. We rehearsed it but it was also totally organic.
What is it about this moment that compels Mysaria to share her story with Rhaenyra?
The intimacy of their relationship has grown to allow for this moment. Mysaria is allowing herself to be her full self, and she’s coming into herself. She’s shedding layers. This is part of that process. She hasn’t spoken about this before to anyone. She’s not doing it for pity. It’s a rally, and is meant to help Rhaenyra understand what they’re fighting for. She’s saying, This is what happened to me. This is why I can’t trust anyone. And this is why we need an enlightened leader. By opening up and being really personal with Rhaenyra, Mysaria — in a very non-machiavellian sense — is trying to ignite her and get her to understand why they fight.
Right, because this is the first time Rhaenyra reveals that she doesn’t think she can win the war. What is Mysaria’s role as advisor when she hears this talk of defeat?
It’s not a possibility for Mysaria. She believes that Rhaenyra can win the war. She really has to believe that. Mysaria is constantly thinking, this is the opportunity and I believe in it. I don’t even know if Rhaenyra honestly believes what she says about not being able to win the war. But it’s a situation where Mysaria’s counseling is very important.
This scene is about vulnerability, but it’s also part of an episode where Rhaenyra is finding her power, such as slapping her council member and wielding that sword. Is Mysaria more attracted to Rhaenyra’s power or her vulnerability?
God, I think probably the whole package. Wouldn’t you be? I don’t think she understood her attraction to Rhaenyra before this moment at all. She is attracted to her, but it’s not like, oh shit, I’ve got a crush on my boss. In hindsight, they realize the attraction was always there — or maybe it wasn’t! But that moment opens something up.
I also noticed that Mysaria is wearing braids in this episode, quite like Rhaenyra’s. What is the significance of the change?
That similarity is really the significance of it. She’s not copying her, but she’s starting to become part of Rhaenyra’s world in the way she dresses and wears her hair. She’s immersing herself fully, making a visual statement to show that she’s committed to this way of being.
The House of the Dragon fandom have been very vocal about shipping various non-couples in the show. Have you and Emma discussed this?
No we haven’t, but yeah, I’m a bit scared. I know the fans like to ship Alicent and Rhaenyra, of course, because who wouldn’t? I’ve probably got some people coming for me after this.
I’ve recently seen tweets from people shipping Rhaenyra and Mysaria, so I think you might be in the clear.
Oh really? Oh that’s nice. I think they’re a great couple!