‘House of the Dragon’: John Macmillan Describes Laenor’s Life in the 10 Years After His Wedding
In House of the Dragon Episode 6, John Macmillan took over the role of Laenor Valyrian. The series jumped forward ten years in time, leaving off Laenor’s story on his wedding day to Rhaenyra. Due to the time jump, there’s a large period of Laenor’s life that fans never saw. Macmillan recently discussed what life was like for his character during that time.
[Spoiler Alert: This article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 1 Episode 7.]
John Macmillan explains Laenor’s life during the time jump in ‘House of the Dragon’
House of the Dragon Episode 5 ended with Laenor’s wedding to Rhaenyra. Things went horribly off the rails when a fight broke out, and Ser Criston Cole killed Laenor’s lover Ser Joffrey Lonmouth. Still, Laenor went through with the wedding and, 10 years later, remained by Rhaenyra’s side.
Laenor is fond of Rhaenyra and cares for his sons, though he knows they are not his biologically. Episode 7 reveals that Rhaenyra and Laenor did try to conceive a child together, but it never worked out. As time goes on, Laenor begins to chafe under the restraints of his new life.
“Initially, the co-parenting situation between Laenor and Rhaenyra and Ser Harwin Strong was a pretty functioning one,” John Macmillan, who took over the role of Laenor Valyrian in episode 6, told Vulture. “But Laenor’s had ten years of a broken heart, with Joffrey, the love of his life, being murdered in front of him at his wedding to someone else, which is as bad a day as anyone can have.”
“And he’s had ten years of not being able to do the thing he loves, which is to be a knight, a warrior, a dragon rider. He’s a master of the air and sea, an incredibly capable and competent martial individual. Miguel and I equated that to being an elite athlete like LeBron James or Steph Curry and not being allowed to play for ten years,” Macmillan continued.
Laenor finds a new lover in Ser Qarl
Though Rhaenyra supports the fact that Laenor is gay, it’s something he has had to keep under wraps. John Macmillan told Variety that Laenor has also had “ten years of not being able to live his full self. Laenor thought that if he had Joffrey by his side, he would be able to do his duty to his house and his bloodline and ensure his family’s legacy,” the actor continued. “With Joffrey’s death, it was much, much harder to manage all that.”
Laenor did, however, find a new lover in Ser Qarl. He also appears to have taken up drinking to numb the pain. “I think he’s sought solace in alcohol and sex, which is probably not a great mender of a broken heart or broken dreams and ambitions. But that’s where he is,” Macmillan told Vulture.
Rhaenyra comes up with a plan for Laenor to escape
Rhaenyra is sympathetic to Laenor’s situation and invites Ser Qarl to accompany them in episode 6. However, after Jacaerys and Lucerys fight with Aemond and Alicent slashes Rhaenyra’s arm, Laenor begins to rethink his behavior. He recommits to Rhaenyra’ telling her that Ser Qarl will return to the fight in the Stepstones without him.
“He’s foregoing the two avenues of his life that are extremely important to him: (a) a chance to return to the battlefield and (b) a chance to do it with Qarl, who was the first meaningful relationship he’d had since Joffrey,” Macmillan told Vulture. “He decides to let both go in order to do his duty.”
Rhaenyra, however, has other ideas. She orchestrates a plan with Daemon to fake Laenor’s death so the pair can marry. Meanwhile, Laenor escapes on a boat with Ser Qarl. “What Laenor really wanted was to be set free,” co-showrunner Ryan Condal said in a featurette. “And freedom to him is freedom from the bonds of his nobility. So if he was thought to be dead, that would mean he could go live a free life however he wanted.”
House of the Dragon airs Sunday nights at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.
