After a nearly 2-year hiatus, Alan Taylor and showrunner Ryan Condal craft a compelling House of the Dragon season 2 premiere.
There aren’t too many big actions for most of the season 2 premiere. The premiere deals with the fallout of the season 1 finale and sets up the beginning of a war in Westeros.
Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) mourns her son Lucerys’ death. Daemon (Matt Smith) seeks vengeance. Meanwhile, in King’s Landing, Aegon shows he’s more than just a second-rate Joffrey and looks to live by his father, King Viserys’ example. Otto (Rhys Ifans) tries to steer his grandson. Alicent (Olivia Cooke) continues to try to earn the respect of the small council.
Like the Game of Thrones pilot, the House of the Dragon season 2 premiere is a stage-setting affair until the episode’s tragic, shocking final scene.
The only issue in the season premiere is Ser Criston Cole. He wanted to run away with Rhaenyra in the first season, but she refused. He betrayed her and is continuing an affair with Alicent in season 2.
The presence of useless Cole doesn’t dampen the episode too much. Compelling performances, great writing by Condal, and a horrific ending set the stage for a compelling second season.
After the overview and ranking House of the Dragon season 2 premiere 9 out of 10 (Outstanding), let’s dive deeper into war preparations from both sides. House of the Dragon is streaming on Max.
Dragonstone
The House of The Dragon Season 2 premiere begins shortly after the events in the finale. Unlike last season, it doesn’t seem like there will be timejumps.
Rhaenyra is mourning the death of her son away from Dragonstone. Daemon is in Dragonstone thirsty for revenge. Rhaenys (Eve Best), the most badass character from the last season, returns to Dragonstone. She refuses Daemon’s request to kill Aemond.
When Rhaenyra finally returns, she tells Daemon she wants revenge against Aemond. Daemon convinces Mysaria, the White Worm, to help find someone who will betray the Hightowers in King’s Landing.
Smith and D’Arcy are unsurprisingly great in this episode. Daemon’s still a snake with a thirst for power. Smith finds these little notes to play to keep you guessing. It’s tough to tell where his agenda begins, and his devotion to Rhaenyra ends. Meanwhile, Rhaenyra spends most of the episode off-screen, but the power in Rhaenyra’s words cuts deep.
Aegon, a righteous king?
The Hightowers may have the iron throne for now, but there’s plenty of drama within the castle walls.
Otto is trying to mold his grandson into a king in his image. Aegon is rebelling, not as a mad king but as a judicious one. During a small council meeting, one of the members brings his children. They cause a ruckus. Aegon reprimands but doesn’t threaten the man’s livelihood. Later, several commoners approached to ask for small favors, such as returning sheep donated to the Hightowers. Aegon accepts these requests over Otto’s objections.
Aegon obviously can’t unilaterally agree with every commoner request. However, Condol does a good job of creating small enough scenarios where it’s easier to side with Aegon.
Tragedy in King’s Landing in the House of the Dragon Season 2 Premiere
Elsewhere in King’s Landing, Alicent is becoming more paranoid, no thanks to Larys Strong. He’s taken care of the traitors within King’s Landing, which is good, but he tells Alicent, who has no idea who the perpetrators were. Alicent appears to call off her affair with Cristen, but that doesn’t last long. Again, Cristen is useless in this episode.
While Alicent sits in the council chambers, Otto keeps cutting out her voice. With war inevitable, she wants to contribute to the war effort. Otto points out that violence is right around the corner. Alicent is well aware of their violent future. However, she points out that violence doesn’t need to be rampant.
With Mysaria’s help, Daemond finds two willing people in King’s Landing to turn on the Hightowers. He orders them to kill Aemond per Rhaenyra’s orders. When the assassins ask what they should do if Aemond isn’t in the provided location, Daemond’s response is unclear. They end up in Helaena’s rooms and make her choose which of her siblings dies. She tries to trick them, but they end up beheading Jaehaerys. The episode ends with Halaena bursting into Alicent’s chambers with Cristen and declaring her brother’s death.
Son for a Son is quite the appropriate title for this premiere.
House of the Dragon Season 2 Premiere Final Thoughts
The final scene moves the story forward in a necessary way. Everything else in the episode is about preparing for the oncoming war and dealing with the fallout of the season 1 finale. The episode is full of scheming, brilliant dialogue, and compelling performances, which makes House of the Dragon an entrancing experience.
