House of the Dragon, the prequel series to the record-breaking Game of Thrones, has aired its first six episodes. Believe it or not, we are only four episodes to the end of the first season, and what a journey it has been so far. The first five episodes of the prequel series introduced us to a younger Lady Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey) and Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock). The pair at the start of the series enjoyed a beautiful friendship, but soon the political scheming and failings of their fathers would set them at each other’s throats by the time they are replaced by Olivia Cooke and Emma D’Arcy. Carey has, however, been drawn into responding to allegations of queerbaiting leveled against the show.

Carey’s Alicent and Alcock’s Rhaenyra both put up stellar performances in their respective roles, so much so that seeing them depart was sad. Many fans of the show have, however, alleged that the close relationship shared by the characters skirted on romantic terrains, with the series accused of “queerbaiting”. While speaking to Variety, Carey pushed back on those claims while stating that there had been discussions about the two young characters having feelings for each other. “I mean, we kind of started that discourse,” the actress said. “We were in the rehearsal room… I believe it’s Episode 4. I was sat on the bench. It’s not necessarily something we had talked about yet. We were doing that scene, and Milly and I looked at each other like, it kind of felt like we were about to kiss? That was really weird! And so we talked about it.”

Carey went on to say that while she is a queer woman herself, she was not “consciously putting it out there.” The actress went on to explain that the characters were being portrayed in the series as 14-year-old girls who didn’t fully grasp the difference between romantic and Platonic relationships.

house of the dragon rhaenyra alicent
Image via HBO

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The actress denies that the show was deliberately trying to suggest a romantic relationship between the two characters, “We didn’t intend to play it. We weren’t ‘making them gay’ or ‘queerbaiting,’ or anything like that,” Carey said, before adding that it was still okay if people wanted to view the friendship between Alicent and Rhaenyra through romantic lenses. “It’s just, if you want to read into it and see it like that, do it. If you want to see them as more than friends, do it. If you don’t, then don’t.”

Carey and Alcock’s close relationship on the show has been replaced by a more tense and confrontational balance threaded by Cooke and D’Arcy as showcased in the recently aired episode and the preview for the next episode. The realm is tethering on the edge of a monumental conflict and both these highborn ladies will be in the eye of the storm.

House of the Dragon Episode 7 will premiere on HBO and HBO Max on October 2. Take a look at the trailer below: