Leaked House of the Dragon Season 2 Audition Tape Teases Its Most Brutal Scene

It should be noted that auditions rarely if ever use actual, finalized scripts. Usually a text conceptually similar to what actors would have to speak on set is used to check their suitability for their roles.

That said, even that text leaves no doubt that the most infamously brutal scene of the story is going to be included in Season 2 and provides some indications about the showrunners' interpretation of the event. We have covered that scene, the so-called Blood & Cheese incident, before:

Move Aside, Red Wedding: This Death Sets Up HotD's Most Horrifying Scene

So, what we can tell from the audition tape, again, keeping in mind that it is a concept, not the final script?

First, there is a hint of plans going wrong, which is not surprising. While both Cheese and Prince Daemon who set Blood and Cheese to their task knew the secret passages of the Red Keep, they couldn't know who's going to use what room. And the book on which House of the Dragon is based speculates that the pair's original target was King Aegon II but they couldn't figure out a way to get him.

Also, it seems that Cheese is noticeably reluctant, even scared in the script. In the original book, though he was a ratcatcher who was necessary for the plan due to his above-mentioned familiarity with the secret passages, he also was the brains of the pair, who did pretty much all the talking and presumably came up with the idea of their sadistic choice.

The audition tape suggests that he believes his role to be limited to that of a guide, and he might have no idea what is about to occur.

Well that would not be the first time when House of the Dragon tries to tone down a villain, generally in the direction of blaming a character's actions on circumstances and coincidence. In fact, it is probably easier to say who among the crucial characters of the unfolding drama did not get this treatment.

Which is another reason to believe that the audition tape reflects the showrunners' general intent for the scene. But of course, we will only know for sure upon release of Season 2.