House of the Dragon showrunner addresses whether Milly Alcock will ever return after she's replaced on show

Milly Alcock did a brilliant job of captivating viewers in the first few episodes of House of the Dragon, but when she was torn away ahead of the sixth episode, fans were left wondering if she would ever make a comeback.

Alcock was replaced by Emma D'Arcy in the most recent episode of the Game of Thrones spin-off to mark a passing of time in the series, with Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen now having grown into an adult.

D'Arcy has received widespread praise for their performance and undoubtedly did a brilliant job in portraying the character, but that hasn't stopped fans wondering whether there's somehow room for them both in the series.

One fan commented: "I really enjoyed this episode it was great everyone did an unbelievable job. I'm not sure what's next for Milly Alcock, Emily Carey. Hope they come back in some way on House of the Dragon again I'll miss them on the show. to Olivia an [sic] Emma can't wait for next week."

Thank You Milly Alcock for being the best young version of Rhaenyra Targaryen we could have ever asked for, your performance will live on in our hearts forever 🥺 #HouseOfTheDragon pic.twitter.com/TVhBNvzEVa

— House Of The Dragon Source (@HOTDsource) September 18, 2022

With the series only in its infancy, there's always the possibility that the writers will plan a return for Alcock and Emily Carey, who plays a younger version of Queen Alicent Hightower. However, showrunner Ryan Condal has admitted they don't have any specific plans just yet.

Speaking to Variety, Condal addressed the possibility of Alcock and Carey making a comeback by saying: "I mean, look, I don’t know."

House of the Dragon writers have already begun scripting series two, and Condal said the younger versions of the two characters 'are not a part of the story that we’re telling, yet'.

"That’s not a thing that we’re doing right now," he added.

However, he didn't rule out flashbacks to a time featuring the younger characters, saying his show can get 'a little bit more fancy' with the way it tells the story.

“There are things that we haven’t fully sorted out,” he explained. “I’m not closing the door on anything. So there, how’s that for an answer?”

Condal's comments fall in line with discussions Carey has had about a possible future return, as the 19-year-old actor told The Hollywood Reporter the matter has been 'spoken about', but that she has 'no idea' whether it will come to fruition.

She added: “Of course, I would love to come back. It depends on how it’s received and where they want to take the show next. I’m just going with the flow!"