Watch AI Bringing Emilia Clarke Back as Daenerys in House of the Dragon
Daenerys vs. Rhaenyra — who is your favorite Targaryen?
So far, House of the Dragon has aired one season, and Westeros fans are still getting used to the changes it has brought to the Game of Thrones universe. Although the prequel has managed to capture the vibe of the hit HBO series, many still find the new show lacking in comparison to the original, which may be due to the series' faster pace or simply because viewers haven't had enough time to become invested in the characters.
In Game of Thrones, the Targaryens have been portrayed primarily through Emilia Clarke's character, Daenerys Targaryen, who has endured many hardships and become a fan favorite over the course of eight seasons. Because of this public love, the show's finale turned out to be one of the most divisive in modern pop culture history, as viewers simply couldn't accept the storyline involving the madness and death of the beloved character.
So when stryder HD, a YouTube channel that makes conceptual videos using deepfake technology, posted a clip of Emilia Clarke as Princess Rhaenyra, originally played by Emma D'Arcy, in House of the Dragon Episode 6, fans in the comments couldn't help but yearn for Daenerys' return.
'Continue The Game of Thrones. Daenerys never died and John Snow returns from the wall for his rightful place as King! The whole world is crying for more of the original,' a fan wrote in the comments to the video.
In the clip, there are a few frames from the original scene with Emma D'Arcy shown side by side with Emilia Clarke's deepfake. Watching this, many fans were surprised to notice how similar the two actresses actually look.
'Gotta give them credit, they do a great job casting people with similar characteristics and facial structure in the Targaryen family,' a fan commented.
The resemblance between the two Targaryens is natural, as Daenerys is Rhaenyra's distant descendant. And it looks like fans just need a little more time with Emma D'Arcy's character to find her as compelling as Daenerys. Hopefully, we'll get that opportunity when House of the Dragon Season 2 arrives in 2024.