Season 2 of ‘House of the Dragon’ continues to be one of the most-watched shows with every episode, premiering every Sunday. As the ‘Dance of the Dragons’ starts, new characters are introduced. And in Episode 3, that new face was Alys Rivers, played by Gayle Rankin.
Rivers appears for the first time after Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) arrives at Harrenhal. In the castle, which is said to be haunted, Daemon begins hearing strange voices and having visions. In one of them, Alys appears and tells him “You will die in this place.”
Of course, fans of the series have a lot of questions about this character, especially if they’re not familiar with George R. R. Martin’s book Fire and Blood. Rankin, best known for Netflix’s Glow, told Entertainment Weekly that she was excited about playing Rivers, as she is known as the “the Witch Queen of Harrenhal.” Here’s what to know about the character.
All about Alys Rivers’ in ‘House of the Dragon’
Rivers is described in the book as a wet nurse at Harrenhal and a bastard child of House Strong, and she is even called a witch and it’s widely agreed that she has prophetic visions. Rankin told EW that she loved the “challenge” of playing a “woman being recounted as some people say this and some people say this.”
She also said that wanted to “ground her in reality, because you can stereotype someone who’s a healer or a sorcerer or a witch or any of the above.” The actress also said that Rivers is “the first entry point to that world of magic” in House of the Dragon.
On the other hand, it’s hard to know Alys’ true age. In the book, she is said to be the bastard child of the late Lyonel Strong (Gavin Spokes), which would make her a half-sister to Larys (Matthew Needham). Some say she’s a woods witch who “bathed in the blood of virgins to preserve her youth.
House of the Dragon’s potential spoilers: What fans can expect of Alys Rivers?
Alys will be a recurring presence during the season, and she will be especially important for Daemon’s story. “She’s going to hold a lot of power for the men inside of this story, especially Daemon, which I think is a really interesting slow burn,” the actress told EW.
“What’s interesting is, what does Alys want from Daemon and vice versa? What are they learning from each other? There’s clearly a match happening here,” she added. However, (spoilers!), she will become an important asset for the Greens, and will develop an intimate relationship with Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell), after he regains control of Harrenhal and spares her life.
