The fateful duel at the end of House of the Dragon S02E02 pits the twins Arryk and Erryk Cargyll against each other. The result of the fight is left somewhat ambiguous, on purpose, as to which twin wins. And if you look at how the scene breaks down in the fight choreography, it’s unclear which one stands at the end of it. It’s tragic either way, but let’s make sure we have our facts straight. Here’s whether Arryk or Erryk is the winner of the fight in the second episode of House of the Dragon Season 2.
Does Arryk or Erryk kill himself in House of the Dragon S02E02?
Erryk is the winner of the duel in House of the Dragon S02E02 and is the twin who apologizes to Rhaenyra when he elects to fall on his own sword.
The evidence that supports this is that Erryk, after bursting into the room ostensibly due to Myseria catching Arryk earlier, is the one who calls Rhaenyra “Your Grace” before committing suicide. This is something that Arryk likely wouldn’t do given his allegience to King Aemon. Despite his oath to protect Rhaenyra, kinslaying is one of the most unforgiveable taboos in Westeros, and since Erryk (and Arryk) is an honorable man, he chooses to kill himself.
Moreover, we also have confirmation from actor Elliot Tittensor, who plays Erryk Cargyll, that he is the winner of the fight in an interview with USA Today. Elliot explains that “the pain Erryk felt when he kills his brother is the most intense feeling he’s ever felt” and that “when he says, ‘Forgive me’ he’s saying it to Rhaenyra because he’s about to sacrifice himself in front of her.”
That said, it’s understandable for fans to think that Arryk is the one that wins. If you watch the fight carefully and see who receives what scar on which leg, then it looks like Arryk is the winner. The angles and camerawork are supposed to make the duel difficult to follow, though, so there might have been something that happened off-screen to have the twins switch places.
However, it ultimately doesn’t matter which brother is left standing, since both die at the end. This is meant to foreshadow the fall of Targaryen power as the show progresses. Even if there is a winner at the end of the civil war, it will likely feel hollow and lead to the ascension of other houses in Westeros.
