Image credit: HBO

With that face, who can tell?

When House of the Dragon blazed onto Max, it introduced a whole new world of killers, survivors, and victims in Westeros.

With all of the time jumps in Season 1, it might be easy to find yourself asking: Wait… how old are these characters supposed to be?

In the case of Rhaenyra Targaryen it gets even more complicated – the character is played by two different actors in Season 1. Milly Alcock (Young Rhaenyra) was 21 at the time of filming, when her character was 15 years old.

Emma D’Arcy took over the role after a time jump that aged Rhaenyra to her mid-20s. Emma was 31 years old at the time of filming – though the English actor seems to have one of those elastic faces that could be a lot older or a lot younger. Personally, I think Emma could pass as either 16 or 40.

From Page to Screen

Rhaenyra was aged up from George RR Martin’s novels, where she first appears at the tender age of 9. This isn’t the first time that the GoT world has added years to the major players in the drama. Here are some notable examples:

1. Daenerys Targaryen:

In the books, Daenerys begins her journey at 13 years old. Her age underscores her vulnerability and naivety as she navigates a world of political intrigue and power struggles. However, in the TV show her age is adjusted to a more mature 16.

This is likely down to three reasons. First, it makes it slightly easier to stomach some of the horrific things that happen to the teenager. Second, it made it much easier for producers to find an actress who could pull the character off. And third, it allowed the show to sidestep the ethical problem of subjecting an underage actress to the potential trauma of Dany’s scenes. Actress Emilia Clarke was 24 and an experienced performer when she was hired for the role.

2. Jon Snow:

In Martin’s first novel, Jon Snow joins the Night’s Watch at the tender age of 14. In the television series, he’s aged up to a match Dany’s 16 years. Kit Harington, the actor who played Jon, was 24 when filming began (though he looked even older).

3. Shae

The woman who broke Tyrion’s heart is a mature adult on the Game of Thrones television show. Though her age is never stated, you could guess that she’s around 31 (the same age as actress Sibel Kekilli).

Even though Shae is an adult on the show, it’s still pretty difficult to stomach what Tyrion does to her – she’s a sex worker doing what she must to survive. Still, it’s much much worse in the novels, where she is only 17 years old when she is murdered at the hands of her lover. Yikes.

What Do Fans Think?

Fans of Martin’s novels sometimes argue keeping the characters younger would have emphasized their innocence and vulnerability, enhancing the emotional impact of their journeys.

However, the practical considerations of aging characters up make it the obvious choice. It allows for more nuanced and experienced actors to be hired and avoids the growing pains of teen actors (who can shoot up between seasons at an unfortunate rate – we’re looking at you, Stranger Things! )

The second season of House of the Dragon began on June 16, with new episodes dropping every Sunday at 6pm PT / 9pm ET. The season finale will become available on August 4.