“Winter is coming with darkness and doom” reminds Daemon in the finale episode of House of the Dragon season 2 but it’s too late to salvage this GOT prequel. The HBO show concerns itself with the legendary civil war of the House Targaryen that is set to tear Westeros apart. But after the end of two seasons, we have precisely seen none of it.
It is no secret that House of the Dragon benefited since its inception with an already built fanbase and didn’t need to struggle to amass viewership like its mother show did. However, it has remained consistent to its slower and knottier approach, which is surely serving breadcrumbs to the impending war. Alas! The wait is too long and what lies ahead is nothing but a giant question mark.
All the players are unveiled and we know what drives them, it is betrayal for some and greed for others, all schemed sensibly in the plot but after the dragon dance of Rook’s Rest (Shown in episode 4), the expectations have grown higher, which the show is constantly failing to deliver. The climax episode of this season began with Tyland Lannister forming an alliance with the Triarchy over the promise of giving them control of the Stepstones, a region that has been disputed for ages. Also enters a new commander Sharako Lohar, who after a muddy wrestling with Lannister, orders her fleet to sail for a clash with the Sea Snake.
Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, First of her name, Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lady of the Seven Kingdoms, and protector of the realm. #HouseOfTheDragon pic.twitter.
com/AgPvLXYD1w — westerosies (@westerosies) August 5, 2024 The Master of Whisperers, Ser Larys Strong, has put the plan of getting Aegon, the fallen king, to flee in motion. He wants Aemond the Prince Regent and Rhaenyra to fight in blood and bitterness before Aegon's comeback as the peacemaker and rebuilder, which appears a long shot perhaps. But you never know with the fantasies of George RR Martin, here the winds change in a blink of an eye.
ALSO READ| ‘House of the Dragon’ season 2 episode 6 review: Harrenhal turns dullsville, stale riot strikes King's Landing Sea Snake, who has rebranded his ship to The Queen Who Never Was, in the memory of his late wife, advises Rhaenyra to strike King’s Landing before it's too late. On the other hand, Aemond after feeling insulted watching Rhaenyra's rise in power, pours ruin and death at the smallfolk of Sharp Point, by letting his beast Vhagar run amok and burn the town. His next move is to convince Helaena to ride Dreamfyre by hook or by crook to challenge Rhaenyra’s army of dragons.
“They’ve defiled our birthright. Made commoners into dragonlords. It is a sin and must be punished,” spits Aemond in rage.
Surprisingly, his feelings are mutually shared by Rhaenyra’s son Jace in Dragonstone. “They are an insult to us, to what makes us Targaryens,” the Crown Prince says, indicating the future generations will be no exception to the heinous war. But the scene that races most hearts is Daemon’s vision in Harrenhal.
I was bored of the old magic and illusion until they brought back familiar faces from Game of Thrones. We see the return of Night King, a visual of Daenerys claiming her dragons, and a prophecy about Daemon’s death cementing a crazy theory that he might just become the heinous villain of the winter, raising an army of dead. What we saw in Daemon’s vision: #HouseOfTheDragon • Brynden Rivers, the Three-Eyed Raven • A White Walker and Wights • A dead dragon • Bloody corpses • Daemon drowning • The red comet and Daenerys with her dragons • Rhaenyra on the Iron Throne • Helaena Targaryen pic.
twitter.com/gY7mKGXWg6 — westerosies (@westerosies) August 5, 2024 On a similar note, Helaena also foretells Aemond’s death, about him getting swallowed by the God’s eye. (Side note: Is he the three-eyed Raven?) What’s also exciting was the reunion of Daemon and Rhaenyra.
Their was the most passionate romance, which fizzled out this season, but there appears hope left for them and I love it. He finally bends the knee only to receive a stern warning from his queen “Leave me again at your own peril.” “We fight for our Queen!” #HouseOfTheDragon pic.
twitter.com/JDkMXXti1m — westerosies (@westerosies) August 5, 2024 An emotional confrontation between the Sea Snake and his bastard son is engaging and so is Alicent sneaking into Rhaenyra’s castle. The Dowager queen only wants to be free and is ready to sacrifice her son even if history paints her a villain, a cold queen.
She asks her old friend to arrive in King’s Landing in Aemond’s absence, assuring she’ll open the gates and correct her mistake of usurping the throne. (If she’s lying - the drama is going to be exciting). ALSO READ| ‘House of the Dragon’ season 2 episode 5 review: Aftermath of Rook's Rest dragon dance is dull and boring But after all is said and done, in totality House of the Dragon season 2 has suffered from pacing issues since the beginning.
The frequent political nitpicking, which I agree is essential for warmongering, somehow feels like a slog through endless conversations about succession and reminders of ancestry, which has been delivered to the audiences with several pages of missing history. Ser Otto Hightower returns in the season 2 finale of #HouseOfTheDragon . pic.
twitter.com/qCkb8lJffl — westerosies (@westerosies) August 5, 2024 Even though the finale culminates in an explosive moment with armies marching, dragons flying, the return of Otto Hightower, and Vale’s dragon, the whole thing feels anticlimactic. In these 8 episodes, we have merely seen endless conversations about who should ascend the throne, should it be the chosen heir, or the uncle-husband of the chosen heir.
The establishment of power fluctuates from moment to moment, but it is rooted in sexism getting weaponized against women. The flow of power pauses along the way, letting the audience know about the choices that the characters affirm or deny in the line of succession and the ripple effect it could have. Alicent and Rhaenyra have spent decades delaying the conflict that now stands right on their doorstep.
They can do nothing to avoid or delay the war that we’ve seen rising all season with men around them resorting to violence or manipulation when women don’t play by their rules. Helaena is the most powerful Dragon Dreamer we have ever seen. #HouseOfTheDragon pic.
twitter.com/N94vYOTeyo — westerosies (@westerosies) August 5, 2024 Aemond is on the cusps of taking his long-thirsted-revenge, Daemon is equally aching for war but he has begun to be meticulous. Obviously, we won’t know if all their schemes about war-building were worth it for several years to come.
It took a while but things are finally motoring. Another season of House of the Dragon is over and I am still waiting for the show to actually begin..
