In 2019, Emilia Clarke’s reign as the Mother of Dragons in Game of Thrones officially ended. Stabbed in the back by Jon Snow, Daenerys Targaryen dies after a rampage that kills most of King’s Landing. The ending of one of the most-watched shows of the century was met with a lot of criticism, particularly at Daenerys’ character.
Despite the cold response to the final season, the first spinoff show of the series, House of the Dragon was released in 2022. The show immediately gained a huge viewership and favorable reviews. However, Khaleesi herself seems to have skipped the spinoff.
Emilia Clarke In The ‘Killer’ Finale
The eighth and final season of Game of Thrones saw the culmination of the entire series. The Starks reunited and fought the Army of the Dead while Daenarys planned to take the Iron Throne. Author of the series George R R Martin was yet to finish the final two books and the storyline was based on information he had revealed to the makers.
Many controversies rocked the fandom during the final series. However, the most criticized aspect was Daenerys’ flip to madness. The Khaleesi, who had been righteous throughout the series, goes ballistic after the death of Rhaegal the dragon, and Missandei. She burns the soldiers and civilians alike of King’s Landing using dragon fire. This sudden change in character did not sit well with the fandom. The final two episodes are the worst-rated episodes of the entire series on Rotten Tomatoes.
The cast and former cast members too had divisive opinions on the finale. Kit Harrington, who plays Jon Snow, feared that the ending would be deemed sexist as it consisted of two of the most powerful women on the show, Cersei and Daenerys, falling from grace. Nathalie Emmanual, who plays Missandei and is one of the few people of color to have a recurring appearance on the show was dismayed about her character’s sudden death.
Emilia Clarke’s Opinion And Post-Thrones Roles
When asked about her opinion of the series finale, Emilia Clarke said that she was shocked by her sudden turn of character and felt that it came out of nowhere. She also mentioned her anxiety regarding keeping up the image of Daenerys as a strong female character. “All I wanted to scream was ‘Please, please still like me even though my character turns into a mass-killing dictator! Please still think that I’m representing women in a fabulous way.'” she said. She also mentioned that she stood by the character and just wished she had more scenes with Missandei and Cersei.
Apart from Game of Thrones, the actor has had few appearances. During Game of Thrones, she starred in the romance Me Before You and Solo: A Star Wars Story. After this, she was seen in the crime thriller Above Suspicion and The Pod Generation. She also made a return to TV with the Marvel show Secret Invasion, where she co-stars with Samuel L Jackson.
Why Did Emilia Clarke Skip House of the Dragon?
The spin-off show House of the Dragon opened to rave reviews and record viewership. The pilot episode reportedly garnered 9.9 million viewers, which was the highest in HBO history. The Matt Smith starrer also received a Golden Globe in the Best Television Series – Drama category.
However, the former Mother of Dragons seems to have decided to skip the show entirely. She mentioned this in an interview with Variety at the premiere of The Pod Generation at the Sundance Film Festival. “No! Can you forgive me?” she said, “It’s too weird. I’m so happy it’s happening. I’m over the moon about all the awards… I just can’t do it. It’s so weird. It’s so strange…. I’m avoiding it.”
The show House of the Dragon remains successful. The show recently garnered nine Primetime Emmy Award nominations including one for Outstanding Drama Series. It has also won three British Academy Television Craft Awards. Five days after its premiere, the show was renewed for a second season.
Source: Variety
