House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 2 “Rhaenyra the Cruel” wastes no time serving up the next wildly horrific event from George R.R. Martin‘s fake Westerosi history book, Fire & Blood. Just as it happens in the book, HBO‘s version of Team Green — aka Aegon II’s (Tom Glynn-Carney) supporters — attempts to strike back directly at Team Black’s leader, Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) with a wild plan involving twin members of the divided Kingsguard.
**Spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 2 “Rhaenyra the Cruel,” now streaming on Max**
About halfway through House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 2 “Rhaenyra the Cruel,” a guilt-stricken Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) projects his own ire onto Ser Arryk Cargyll (Luke Tittensor). Last season, Ser Arryk and his twin Ser Erryk (Elliott Tittensor) were tasked with helping Ser Criston Cole and Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell) find the wayward Aegon ahead of his coronation. Ser Erryk was so disgusted with Aegon and his coup, he stole Viserys’s (Paddy Considine) crown — aka Jaehaerys the Conciliator’s crown — and brought it to Rhaenyra on Dragonstone. (The Greens crowned Aegon with the more brutal looking crown of Aegon the Conquerer to bolster his claim to the Iron Throne.)
However, now that Daemon (Matt Smith) has managed to sneak killers into the Red Keep to murder little Jaehaerys, Ser Criston Cole decides it only makes sense to give Rhaenyra the same treatment. He tasks Ser Arryk with traveling to Dragonstone to impersonate his brother, infiltrate Rhaenyra’s quarters, and murder her. Rhaenyra is only saved because Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno) caught Ser Arryk’s ruse and decided to flag the plot.
What follows is a tense fight scene between the twin knights that culminates in both their deaths. One manages to get the upper hand on the other, but the guilt is too much. The surviving brother promptly falls on his sword.
But which twin killed the other in House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 2? Which Cargyll twin fell on his sword? And, most importantly, how exactly are we supposed to tell Ser Arryk Cargyll and Ser Erryk Cargyll apart!?!? Here’s everything you need to know about the Cargyll twins’ deadly duel in House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 2…
House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 2 “Rhaenyra the Cruel” Ending Explained: Which Cargyll Twin Wins the Duel and Falls on His Sword? Ser Arryk or Ser Erryk?
Still trying to figure out which twin landed the killing blow and promptly fell on his sword? Decider posed the question point blank to House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal during a recent roundtable interview in New York City.
“That is Erryk at the end, who’s the last survivor, who falls,” Condal said, making sure to confirm for us he meant Ser Erryk and not Ser Arryk.
“Erryk is the one that falls on his sword at the end, yeah,” Condal said. “So, you know, Arryk is dead. The infiltrator is dead and then Erryk falls on the sword.”
“So when he says, ‘Your Grace,’ to the queen, that’s when she knows who it is.”
Additionally, Condal had nothing but the highest praise for the Luke Tittensor and Elliott Tittensor.
“Look, they’re amazing actors and performers. They did that entire thing themselves. They studied that choreography. They learned it from Rowley [Irlam], the stunt coordinator,” Condal said. “They did that whole fight on their own and it’s so incredible and moving.”
Nevertheless, Condal did sympathize with our plight trying to tell Ser Arryk and Ser Erryk apart…
House of the Dragon Showrunner Ryan Condal Explains How to Tell the Cargyll Twins Apart: Is It Ser Arryk or Ser Erryk?
Have you had trouble telling Ser Arryk Cargyll and Ser Erryk Cargyll apart? (Because I definitely have!)
Well, House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal has a helpful tip: “So, the way to remember is that Arryk, ‘A,’ goes with Aegon and Erryk, ‘E,’ is played by Elliott Tittensor.”
“It was very confusing last season because we had Luke and Elliott Tittensor, the Cargyll twins. And then we also had Elliott [Grihault] who played Luke Velaryon, which is very confusing,” Condal said. “So you’d start saying ‘Elliot,’ and ‘Luke,’ and ‘What?’ And ‘Are we talking about the character or the actor or whatever?’”
Still struggling to keep the Cargylls striaght? Well, according to Condal, “They told us their own mother confuses them and they’ve tricked their own mother by changing their beard or whatever.”
“They’re very hard to tell apart,” he admitted. “Elliott has tattoos all over his arms, which is great when they’re not in costume. But the minute they put the costume on, you then can’t tell them apart.”
“Although, at the end, I could. I could do it and I became very, very proud of it.” Teach us your ways!
All of which to say, Ser Erryk, played by Elliott Tittensor, defeats his brother Ser Arryk, played by Luke Tittensor, and then Ser Erryk falls on his sword.