The dragons are back, but is there fire? Game of Thrones spinoff House of Dragons is returning for a second season of incest and infighting after a two-year hiatus. So get ready for dragons, skirmishes and real open warfare.
In the first season, fans of the parent series 1 were a little underwhelmed, in part because the series of time jumps resulted in story arcs that felt scattered and took a while to settle. The series seems to have found itself in just a spectacular season finale. And this blood-soaked episode was presented as a promise for the upcoming season. But where were we really at the end of season one?
How season 1 ends
King Viserys promised his first child, Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma d’Arcy), that he would give her the Iron Throne. But when Viserys died at the end of the season, Rhaenyra’s childhood friend and Viserys’ widow, Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke), misheard her husband’s last mutterings, leading to a coup d’état that placed Aegon II, Alicent’s eldest son Viserys, on the Iron Throne.
Rhaenyra has already traveled to Dragonstone with her uncle and husband Damon (Matt Smith), where she has experienced two tragedies: a dead child and the death of her son Lucer Velarion, who was more or less accidentally killed by the one-eyed Aemond Targaryen (Evan). Mitchell), brother of King Aegon II, who brings Westeros to the brink of war.
The good news for fans of the series is that even without a full review, the first episode of the season reminds viewers of where the characters are without a lot of exposition.
However, between the names that are too often similar and the abundance of blonde wigs, House of the Dragon remains a difficult series. This is not a series to watch while scrolling on your phone if you hope to understand all the complexities of the characters and their relationships.
Blacks vs. Greens
Almost two years after that season one finale, Dragon House returns with more confidence with the first episode of season two. Through the first four episodes available to us (out of eight), House of the Dragon evolves into a calmer, but also more heart-wrenching narrative than its beginnings.
The characters have finally reached maturity. Viewers have had all season to learn to recognize them. And now that we know them, the series begins to explore their souls.
The story takes place a few days after the death of Luceris. Rhaenyra mourns her son, while her side, the blacks, draw support from other houses in the kingdom. At the same time, Aegon is trying to win the support of the Greens, willing to do anything to stay on the Iron Throne in the coming war.
Back to basics
The first episode, a little tame at first, provides the momentum to wrap up the sequel with a shocking twist designed to keep viewers on their toes for what’s to come. We ultimately feel that the series takes great pleasure in subtly bringing the audience to what its characters are feeling.
Written by Ryan Condall and directed by Game of Thrones veteran Alan Taylor, this opening episode is especially good at conveying what’s going on through subtle dialogue and nuanced interpretations. Including actress Eve Besty, who plays the ‘Queen That Never Was’, Rhaenys Targaryen, and who is particularly adept at pulling off looks full of innuendo.
King Aegon II is a curious character that is expected to feature the dark humor that constantly hovers around the edges of the series. Aegon tries to protect his sister-in-law Helena Targaryen (Fia Saban) when he sees rats that aren’t there (“The Queen is an eternal mystery, isn’t she?”). Intimidated by his advisors and his brother Emond, he reveals his terrible management skills, forcing his henchman Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) to intervene several times to prevent the political shipwreck… Aegon defines success as mediocrity. .
As the episodes progress, the tension builds. Muscles are tense. It’s a slow poison that pours in as fractions are brewed. It’s a good old Game of Thrones nursery rhyme that will be played back to our ears in order to build up to – we assume and hope – a worthy climax that’s still being written about years later.
The first episode of House of the Dragon Season 2 is currently available on Max.
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
