HBO’s follow-up to the grand success that was “Game of Thrones,” “House of the Dragon,” had a cracker opening season. Now, in its second season, the show based on George R.R. Martin’s fantasy novel “Fire and Blood,” continues etching the finer details of its world. With Ryan Condal helming the showrunner’s position, “House of the Dragon” focuses on providing enthralling action whenever possible while concentrating on the politics that precedes all-out war. The result is a fairly satisfying series of eight episodes, which heightens the anticipation as it passes the baton to the third season.
Here is a recap of the second season of the series and what to expect in the next season.
House of the Dragon (Season 2) HBO Recap:
Episode 1 (A Son for a Son)
The season opens with the aftermath of last season’s finale, where Aemond Targaryen’s (Ewan Mitchell) foolhardy approach ensured the death of Lucerys Velaryon. This escalated the Targaryen civil war between Team Green of the Hightowers and Team Black of Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy). While Rhaenyra mourns the death of her son, her husband, Daemon (Matt Smith), urges the small council, especially Rhaenys (Eve Best), to storm King’s Landing with their two Dragons, Caraxes and Meleys. Rhaenys asks everyone to wait for Rhaenyra to return.
Meanwhile, Rhaenyra’s eldest son Jacaerys (Harry Collett) brokers an alliance with the Starks and the Arryns (Houses one should remember well from “Game of Thrones”). He returns to Dragonstone when he hears the devastating news of his brother’s death. When Rhaenyra does return to Dragonstone, she demands Aemond’s head. Daemon takes it upon himself to arrange for that. With his former consort and now captive Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno), Daemon sneaks into King’s Landing.
In King’s Landing, King Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) tries a different approach to his rule. At the same time, his ‘Hand,’ Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), continues to steer him in a different direction. The dowager Queen Alicent (Olivia Cooke) struggles to counsel her sons, Aegon and Aemond. She has also established a sexual relationship with Lord Commander Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel). Meanwhile, Daemon bribes two ratcatchers and tasks them with killing Aemond. Daemon demands the titular son for a son. The amateur assassins, not being able to find Aemond, kill King Aegon’s young son, Jaehaerys, in front of Queen Helaena (Phia Saban), the mother.
Episode 2 (Rhaenyra the Cruel)
The assassination of the young prince causes chaos in King’s Landing. Otto Hightower counsels King Aegon to practice patience and control the narrative. Despite Aegon’s insistence on going all-out in an attack on Rhaenyra, he heeds the advice. Otto arranges a funeral where the grieving mother, Helaena, would be in full public view. With chants of “Rhaenyra the Cruel,” the Hightowers hope to tarnish Rhaenyra’s image so that other houses would not align with her. The Master of Whispers, Lord Larys Strong (Matthew Needham) finds the culprit ratcatcher and it is revealed that Daemon bribed them to assassinate Aemond.
In Dragonstone, Rhaenyra is shocked to learn about the young child’s death. She is especially aggrieved to learn that people suspect her for it. Soon, it becomes clear that it is her loose cannon of a husband. An argument where Rhaenyra chastizes Daemon for embarking on a solo mission, which resulted in Jaehaery’s death, makes Daemon fly to Harrenhal. Officially, it is to recruit Riverlands lords for Rhaenyra’s alliance.
Criston, on the other hand, tries his hands on an ingenious scheme. As expected, the Cargyll twin’s opposing loyalty causes their doom. Criston asks Arryk to go to Dragonstone and kill Rhaenyra. The plan is for Arryk to pass himself as his twin Erryk, who is on Rhaenyra’s side, and Arryk almost succeeds. But Mysaria, who Rhaenyra gave her freedom, notices him arriving and alerts Erryk. The fight between the brothers ends in the death of both of them, as the victorious brother kills himself after killing his kin.
Episode 3 (The Burning Mill)
Aegon strips Otto of his ‘Hand of the King’ title and makes Criston the hand for his failed but ‘bold’ plan to assassinate Rhaenyra. The episode starts with a fully-fledged battle between Riverlands houses of Brackens and Blackwoods. Amidst all this infighting, Rhaenyra is advised by Rhaenys to talk to Alicent to find out if there is a way to avoid the bloodshed. Daemon, on the other hand, arrives at Harrenhal and claims it for Rhaenyra. Ser Simon Strong pledges his allegiance to him. However, Harrenhal starts to haunt Daemon, putting him in strange trances and dreams.
Meanwhile, Rhaenyra sends her young daughter, Rhaena, to House Arryn’s shelter, Eyrie. Rhaena, who is yet to claim a dragon, travels with Rhaenyra’s young children and dragon eggs. The goal is to keep the Targaryen line safe in these times of war. Mysaria becomes Rhaenyra’s advisor. Using Mysaria’s contacts, Rhaenyra sneaks into King’s Landing and meets Alicent. There, she learns that Alicent mistook Viserys’ dying words about Aegon, the conqueror’s prophecy, as the ringing endorsement for her son, Aegon. Alicent realizes that Viserys never really named her son the heir. She admits her mistake but tells Rhaenyra it is too late to avert a war.
Episode 4 (The Red Dragon and the Gold)
Daemon continues his dreams and nightmares in Harrenhal while befriending the mysterious Alys Rivers (Gayle Rankin). Meanwhile, Baela brings Rhaenyra information that Criston Cole’s Army is marching towards Riverlands. Their next target is Rook’s Rest. As her council grows restless without Daemon’s support, Rhaenyra decides to take her own dragon, Syrax, to the battle. But Rhaenys asks her to let her go. So, Rhaenys rides out on her dragon, Meleys.
In King’s Landing, Aegon grows frustrated as Criston and Aemond plan battle strategies without taking his opinion. Battlefield glory eludes him. So, buoyed by his drunken, boisterous friends, Aegon decides to take his young dragon, Sunfyre, to the battle at Rook’s Rest. On the battlefield, Rhaneys and Meleys create havoc and wreck Criston’s troops. Aemond waits with Vhagar to ambush Rhaenys.
Just as he is about to ride on Vhagar, he sees Aegon joining the battle on Sunfyre. Sunfyre takes a heavy beating from Meleys. However, Aemond arrives at the scene with Vhagar and severely burns both dragons, showing no mercy or care for Sunfyre’s rider, his brother, the king. Vhagar eventually kills Meleys, and Rhaenys falls with her. Criston finds Aegon motionless, with Aemond standing by him with a sword.
Episode 5 (Regent)
Criston returns to King’s Landing, parading with the head of the dead dragon, Meleys. The starving folks of the city do not like that for a bit. It is revealed that Aegon has survived. However, he is comatose, and half his body is burnt, possibly by Vhagar’s fire. The King’s council decides to spurn Alicent in favor of Aemond to become Regent, someone who will rule when the king is absent. This is done despite Alicent’s vastly superior experience of ruling as Regent when King Viserys was ill. The Council wants a male regent; otherwise, it strengthens Rhaenyra’s claim if another woman is named Regent.
Daemon in Harrenhal asks the Blackwoods to kill the Brackens while promising his protection to them. Alys reminds him that the Riverlords will not like this. Rhaenyra’s eldest, Jace (Jaecaerys), meanwhile brokers another alliance with Freys. Freys’ control of the bridge could prove to be useful (as “Game of Thrones” fans would remember). Rhaenyra, Baela, and Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint), who is the husband of Lady Rhaenys, mourn Rhaenys’ death. Rhaenyra asks Corlys to be his hand and complete his late wife’s work. He discusses the lack of Dragonriders. With Meleys’ death, she does not have much dragon power. Jace tells his mother that they do have dragons, and they can look at other houses where the Targaryen bloodline might be prevalent.
Episode 6 (Smallfolk)
The common citizens of King’s Landing, known as the smallfolk, have been suffering for a long time. Lord Corlys Velaryon’s strong blockade cut off the seashore from King’s Landing, resulting in the small folks not getting fresh produce. Two of the prominent faces among these downtrodden citizens are Ulf (Tom Bennett) and Hugh Hammer (Kieran Bew). Ulf spends most of his time in the local pub, regaling folks with his claim of being a Targaryen bastard. He is, as per his claims, the half-brother of the late King Viserys and Daemon. Hugh is a hardworking blacksmith struggling hard to provide for his sickly daughter. It is implied that he is also a Targaryen bastard.
Speaking of bastards, we are introduced to Alyn of Hull (Abubaker Salim) and Addam of Hull (Clinton Liberty). The brothers, with pledged loyalty to lord Corlys, are hinted to be bastards of Lord Corlys himself. In Dragonstone, Mysaria urges Rhaenyra to not underestimate the sentiments of the Smallfolk. Rhaenyra allows Mysaria to plant the seeds of resentment in the hearts of the common citizens. Mysaria’s agents spread rumors of the palace royals feasting while the citizens starve. At the same time, she arranges food-laden ships to arrive at King’s Landing’s shore as tokens from Queen Rhaenyra. No wonder when the riots break out, the citizens turn against Alicent and Helaena, who are returning to the castle.
Meanwhile, Aemond sends Criston Cole to recapture Harrenhal from Daemon. Aemond also asks Larys Strong to send for Otto Hightower, whom he plans to make Hand of the King again. Rhaenyra, on Team Black’s side, tries distant Targaryen noble-born Ser Darklyn as a dragon rider. However, Seasmoke, the dragon that used to be Laenor Velaryon’s, rejects Darklyn’s claims and burns him alive. Seasmoke flies away and seems to be chasing Addam. But only to submit to him. The news of Seasmoke’s new rider reaches Rhaenyra. She wastes no time and marches to meet this ‘mystery’ rider. But not before sharing a passionate kiss with Mysaria.
Episode 7 (The Red Sowing)
Rhaenyra meets the new rider of Seasmoke. Addam confesses that Seasome chose him and not the other way around. He also professes his allegiance to Rhaenyra. Rhaenyra is happy to learn that low-born bastards of Targaryen could claim dragons. With Mysaria, she searches for such Targaryen bastards (referred to as Dragonseeds). Jace, however, expresses his anger. In an emotional touch, Jace confesses knowing that he is aware of his birth’s illegitimacy (Jace’s father was the late Harwin Strong and not Rhaenyra’s husband, Laenor Velaryon). It is the fact that Jace can ride a dragon that has separated him from other Targaryen bastards. Jace fears for his claim on the throne once other Targaryen bastards lay their hands on dragons, and large ones like Vermithor.
After her dismissal from the small council, Alicent loses the zeal she has. She leaves King’s Landing and immerses herself in a lake in the woods. Larys, on the other hand, tries to form a separate alliance with Aegon, who is recovering but only just. Larys, with help from Maester Orwyle, urges Aegon to regain his walking strength. In Eyrie, Rhaena leaves with the young Targaryen children to go to the free cities, safe from the war, as Rhaenyra intended. But, as if on a whim, she flees to search for the wild dragon that has been burning sheep. We know Rhaena harbors a strong desire to claim a dragon.
Finally, at Harrenhal, Daemon achieves what he wanted. After the death of Grover Tully (for which Daemon has Alys Rivers to thank), young Oscar Tully becomes lord of the Riverlands. Daemon hopes to manipulate the young lord into uniting Riverlands and getting himself an army. However, Oscar Tully proves wise beyond his age. He unites his folks by chastizing Daemon, and he asks Daemon to mete out justice for conspiring and committing atrocities with Willem Blackwood. Daemon, biting back his anger, does so by executing Blackwood.
Now, at Dragonstone, the Dragonseeds try their luck on the second-largest dragon in the realm: Vermithor, also known as the “Bronze Fury.” And fury is what they get. Rhaenyra leaves all of the aspiring dragon riders with Vermithor, and Vermithor burns almost all of them. The Bronze Fury creates havoc in the ranks of the Dragonseeds. Hugh Hammer, who was trying to flee Vermithor, watches Vermithor readying himself to burn a woman. Hugh jumps in to save her.
Vermithor’s attitude changes with Hugh. Noticing that Hugh calms him, he then claims him. Ulf, who was also trying to flee, accidentally falls into the lap of another massive dragon, Silverwing. Much like Seasmoke with Addam, Silverwing also bonds with Ulf. Ulf takes Silverwing for a ride to King’s Landing. Seeing such a large dragon, Aemond is shocked and follows with Vhagar. But he forces Vhagar to retreat as he sees Rhaenyra with Syrax, Hugh with Vermithor, and Ulf with Silverwing.
Episode 8 (The Queen Who Ever Was) Finale:
The episode starts with Aemond and Vhagar taking their fury, after the snub from the combined force of Rhaenyra and her dragons, on the common citizens of Sharp Point, a town that falls under King’s Landing’s protection. Aemond comes back to King’s Landing and asks his sister, Helaena, to join him on the battlefield. Helaena is a dragon rider and has one of the largest dragons in Westeros, Dreamfyre. Alicent stops Aemond from forcing Helaena to do something she does not want to.
Meanwhile, a message from Ser Simon Strong finally makes Rhaenyra fly to Harrenhaal to confront Daemon. Daemon, who has seen the vision featuring night walkers, finally accepts that he has a larger part to play in the grand scheme of things. He swears fealty to Rhaenyra once again. Aemond’s attack on Sharp Point makes Rhaenyra consider going to war. She has been trying to evade it. She hoped that seeing her number of dragons, Aemond and the Hightowers would surrender. But this proves to be wrong. As Mysaria advised, she has no choice but to fight now. A prospect Rhaenyra hates, as this will mean the death of thousands of innocent citizens as well.
House of the Dragon (Season 2) HBO Review
The second season of “House of the Dragon” starts the way the first season finished. It carries the shock of one death with another shocking death. What follows is a show that explores war-time politics while having plenty of side-quests in the form of finding and claiming a variety of dragons. One can argue, especially with its less-than-exhilarating finale, that “House of the Dragon” goes into a conservative mode and does not show its hands fully. However, there is plenty of drama and dragon-filled action to keep one engaged.
There are moments when the eight-episode series will feel dragged, but “House of the Dragon” is successful in keeping us hooked. Just enough so that we will wait for the next season with anticipation. The fantastic CGI work on its dragons continues to show, as there are now a variety of dragons. The design of each such dragon is detailed. The series is filled with beautiful landscape shots that feature the majestic creatures in prominence. “House of the Dragon” does not shy away from championing its titular beasts. With them and a superb cast led by Emma D’Arcy, Olivia Cooke, and Matt Smith, the show continues to be stellar, even if it takes a tiny step back from its previous season.
House of the Dragon (Season 2) Episode 8 Finale HBO Ending Explained:
Did Alicent Betray Team Green?
Just like Rhaenyra sneaked into King’s Landing to talk to Alicent, Alicent does the same in the hope of averting a fully-fledged war. She comes to Dragonstone and tries to strike a deal with her childhood bestie. Rhaenyra suspects her motive, as she should. But Alicent seems to be earnest. It is known to Rhaenyra that Alicent no longer believes her son, Aegon, to be the rightful heir that Viserys mentioned. Alicent admits her mistake and asks Rhaenyra to take King’s Landing as the Queen.
The only thing she asks in return is to spare her children, especially Helaena and her daughter. Rhaenyra tells her that she can’t spare Aegon. A son for a son, she claims. Alicent takes a hard pause, but she seemingly agrees. She informs Rhaenyra Aemond, with Vhagar, will leave to fight Daemon’s Riverlands army along with Ser Criston Cole. That is the moment Rhaenyra should come and claim King’s Landing. As the season starts to close, it does seem Alicent betrayed the very cause she initiated. But it is her love and will to protect her ‘good’ children that forces her to sacrifice her uncontrollably ‘bad’ sons.
What Happened to Otto?
Right at the end, it seems Otto Hightower is held as a prisoner. It is a mystery how he got into that position, but it does explain his absence in the war in the last couple of episodes. When Aegon dismissed Otto as the Hand, he seemed to leave King’s Landing for the Hightower house’s ancestral place. Now, there were some murmurs about a certain House Beesbury revolting against their liege House, the Hightowers. Otto may have been entangled in that revolt and captured by House Beesbury or their allies.
Did Daemon See Daenerys?
Alys finally takes Daemon to touch the mystical tree. Upon touching that, Daemon sees the vision. The vision that shows him the future where Night Walkers walk upon earth. The prophecy is known as “A Song of Ice and Fire.” We all know how that turned out to be in “Game of Thrones.” But here, it seems that the vision of that prophecy makes Daemon realize he has a larger part to play than just usurping a throne. Strangely, Helaena appears in the vision and tells Daemon the same.
Daemon also sees Rhaenyra as the true queen, a vision that eventually makes him believe in Rhaenyra’s claim. An easter egg in this vision is Daemon seeing Daenerys rising from the fire with her three baby dragons, a callback to the first season finale of “Game of Thrones.” As we know, Daenerys is the “Fire” in A Song of Ice and Fire. So, it further highlights how the prophecy would come to shape the world of Westeros.
Did We See Dreamfyre at the End?
After appearing in Daemon’s vision, we see Helaena having a conversation with Aemond. Aemond once again asks her to ride Dreamfyre. Helaena asks if Aemond will try to kill her if she refuses. She also confirms that she saw Aemond attacking Aegon and Sunfyre. Now, we know Helaena has some powers to see visions, and it is unlikely for her to lie. The conversation ends with Helaena saying it does not matter if Aemond kills her or not. He is going to die anyway.
After that ominous prediction about the Prince Regent, it appears Helaena might not grant Aemond his wish. However, in the last scene, we see a dragon fly along with an army with the Hightower sigil. The dragon did not look like Vhagar, with the size of the wingspan and a blueish hue in the body. Dreamfyre is said to be a blue dragon. So, it is possible that Helaena has decided to help her little brother out anyway.
Did Rhaena Claim Sheepstealer?
Rhaena’s solo adventure to find the wild dragon that has been burning sheep comes to an end. After struggling in the valleys of the Vale, Rhaena finally sees the massive wild dragon. We do not see more as the dragon roars while Rhaena stands in front of it. It is likely that with all the build-up of Rhaena not being able to claim a domesticated dragon, she will claim it.
According to the books, the wild dragon Sheepstealer is claimed by a character named Nettles. Now, we have not seen Nettles appear in the series, so it is like “House of the Dragon” changed this to have Rhaena ride Sheepstealer. There is also a distinct possibility that the wild dragon is Cannibal, another wild dragon with the reputation to be fiercer and larger than Sheepstealer. However, there have been too many scenes with Rhaena coming across burnt sheep carcasses for that dragon not to be a Sheepstealer.
What Is Expected in House of the Dragon (Season 3)?
There are plenty of separate arcs that have been set in motion in the season finale. First, we have Tyland Lannister allying with Triarchy. It is a goofy adventure where Tyland impresses the Lady Commander of the Triarchy sheep, Admiral Sharako Lohar, who ensures Tyland gets their sheep to destroy Corlys’ Velaryon’s blockade. Now, Tyland is acting on behalf of Aemond, but there is a hint that he might just go his own way. Corlys Velaryon is told off by his bastard son, Alyn of Hull. The Velaryon fleets ready themselves for the war.
Ser Alfred Broome, who was asked by Rhaenyra to find Daemon’s intentions, betrays Rhaenyra and asks Daemon to be the King himself. With Daemon remaining loyal to Rhaenyra, Ser Alfred Broome quickly finds a way to escape. It is to be seen if he plays a crucial role in trying his hand at betraying Rhaenyra again. Lord Larys, for reasons hitherto unknown, takes it upon himself to take Aegon out of King’s Landing. Larys has mentioned that Aemond might kill Aegon if he gets the chance. Now, Alicent promised to sacrifice Aegon in her deal with Rhaenyra. It will be intriguing to see what Rhaenyra’s reactions will be when she learns Aegon has already left for Braavos.
