House of the Dragon season 3 episode 1 set the momentum for the ongoing chapter of the saga with the bloodiest naval battle in the history of Westeros- the Battle of Gullet, which ultimately resulted in a devastating blow to Rhaenyra’s side with her son Jaecerys’s death. The follow-up episode, which was released recently, did not let go of this momentum, keeping all the focus on Rhaenyra’s reaction to her son’s death and her actions stemming from this intense grief.

And Emma D’Arcy, who plays Rhaenyra, did not waste this opportunity to shine and impress the audience to the extent that they are now calling for an Emmy nomination for the actress.

House of the Dragon season 3 episode 2 opens with Jaecerys’s lifeless body being brought back to Dragonstone, where a distraught Rhaenyra is waiting for her son, who disobeyed her orders and now has lost his life as a result. Everyone is dreading Rhaenyra’s reaction to the sad news, and deservedly so, as it becomes one of the pivotal moments not only in the episodes but in the show overall.

The scene warranted every kind of emotion - disbelief and grief over her son’s death, anger and disappointment at her Queensguard Ser Lorent Marbrand and her council who let Jaecerys go to the Battle, and ultimately the feeling of emptiness at losing her second child in this Targaryen Civil War. And Emma D’Arcy, without a doubt, gets each of these emotions in their truest essence, giving a performance of a lifetime.

D’Arcy’s performance in the episode has been hailed online by fans and critics alike, resonating the same sentiment unequivocally to give her an Emmy nomination already, and every other accolade possible. A performance like this really elevates the appeal of the show even more, which has really shifted gears now.

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However, this performance was already foreshadowed by Jaecerys and Baela actors before the episode was even released.

Two important members of the House of the Dragon cast discussed their reactions to Emma D'Arcy's portrayal of Rhaenyra Targaryen in episode 2 of season 3 in a June 19 Rotten Tomatoes interview. When talking about a specific sequence from the episode, Bethany Antonia, who plays Baela Targaryen, was clearly moved. Emma D'Arcy's work is nothing short of a masterclass, according to her description.

Similarly, Harry Collett (Jacaerys Velaryon) did not hold back while discussing his personal response. He gave D'Arcy's performance in episode 2 the highest ranking. The fact that other cast members, who collaborate with D'Arcy on a daily basis, refer to a single scene as a masterclass speaks much about the technical mastery and emotional impact of their collaboration. While the recent episode called for her Emmy nomination for Emma D’Arcy, specifically for her reaction to Jaecerys’s death, there are more episodes to come, which will further strengthen the actress’s claim for the accolade.

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