'House of the Dragon' tragic twins get burial by chocolate with cake used for dirt
Spoiler alert: This article discusses a plot point in the June 30 episode of "House of the Dragon," streaming now on Max.
Getting buried for eternity under shovelfuls of dirt on "House of the Dragon" should never be an enjoyable experience.
Yet, the Episode 3 burial of tragic knights Erryk and Arryk Cargyll, played by identical twins Elliott and Luke Tittensor, respectively, was kind of a party on the HBO "Game of Thrones" spinoff.
That's because the "dirt" being tossed on the warriors lying in their shared grave — following their deaths in an epic Episode 2 battle — was actually made from a combination of dark, delicious desserts.
"What they were chucking on us was about 300 quid's worth (about $379) of chocolate cake and Oreos all crushed up," says Luke Tittensor. "It was actually quite an enjoyable experience."
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"They throw it at you on the face and you want to lick your lips and just eat cake," says Elliott Tittensor. "But then it's like, 'Oh, we're meant to be dead here.' "
Michael Dawson, special effects supervisor for "Dragon," confirms that the burial soil mix was 70% Oreo cookies and 30% chocolate cake.
How did the Cargyll twins die in 'House of the Dragon'?
In the June 23 episode, Arryk, aligned with King Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney), impersonated his lookalike brother to sneak into the private quarters of Queen Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy), the rival claimant to the Iron Throne. Rhaenyra's bodyguard, Erryk, stepped in to thwart his brother's plan and killed him, before falling on his own sword in despair.
Shooting the burial was even more oddly celebratory because it was the Tittensors' last working day in the series.
"We'd finished the job and we were getting buried," says Luke. "So it felt like a celebration because they were chucking cake on us. It was a weird day."
The two managed to keep their composure for the burial scene. "Dragon" has already seen the murder of King Aegon's toddler in the June 16 Season 2 premiere and the death of Rhaenyra's son Prince Lucerys in the Season 1 finale.
The burial is a ghastly image that starkly illustrates the collateral damage that occurs when powerful people fight.
"There is so much symbolism in that one image," says Episode 3 director Geeta Vasant Patel. "The brothers represent the two sides. They had hearts and were people of love. But all we see here is death. And the clock is ticking with every bit of dirt tossed upon them."
A hardened Rhaenyra stands at the graveside, being urged to revenge by her older son Jacaerys (Harry Collett). However, Princess Rhaenys (Eve Best) valiantly tries to counsel her niece Rhaenyra, pointing out that the origins of the brewing war are being lost with every act of revenge.
"Rhaenys knows there is light and pushes for it. She gives one of my favorite lines, 'We teeter on the point where none of this will matter.' She's referring to where it all started," says Patel. "But Rhaenyra is primal in shutting it down. That's not a conversation she wants to have."
What happens in 'House of the Dragon' Episode 3?
Rhaenyra has a change of heart and decides to make a desperate attempt to speak to her childhood best friend, Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke), to prevent war. Rhaenyra's plan is the audacious mirror image of Arryk's: She will sneak into King's Landing in disguise and approach Alicent as she prays in the sept outside the castle gates. Rhaenyra risks her life in hostile territory to urge peace.
The scene is set in the exact candlelit location where young Alicent and Rhaenyra prayed together in Season 1. The adult Rhaenyra approaches shot-for-shot in the same way to meet the kneeling and wildly surprised Alicent.
"This moment is about Rhaenyra reaching out to Alicent in a time of war, and using their friendship as the mechanism to change her mind," says Patel. "The location has memories of when they were girls and best friends, and they trusted each other."
In the mind-boggling whispered conversation, Alicent reveals the final words of her husband, King Viserys, which prompted her to push her son Aegon onto the throne over Rhaenyra — Viserys' daughter and longtime heir to the throne.
In the candlelight, the two realize that Viserys was actually referencing the legendary Aegon the Conqueror on his deathbed, not his unstable grandson, who now sits on the Iron Throne.
Alicent realizes she's about to go to war over a misunderstood utterance. But it's too late. Alicent scurries away from the meeting; Rhaenyra lets her go, staring beyond the candles. The last chance for peace is gone.
"It's a wonderful episode arc. At the grave, the doors are closed to Rhaenyra; there is no way in hell she is going to talk to Alicent. Yet, Rhaenyra still comes to Alicent," says Patel. "But in the end, Rhaenyra is right back to where she was at the grave. She's acting like it's Alicent's fault. But it takes two."