Welcome back to Westeros , where everyone ’s still reeling fromthe last outcome of House of the Dragon season one : the installment of King Aegon II ( Tom Glynn - Carney ) on the Iron Throne in place of denominate heir Rhaenyra Targaryen ( Emma D’Arcy)—andthe tragic death of Rhaenyra ’s Word , Lucerys , thanks toAegon ’s sidekick Aemond(Ewan Mitchell ) and his tremendous dragon .
The war Game of Thrones fan know as “ the Dance of the Dragons ” has n’t full broken out yet , but it ’s surely tower inthe season two premiere , ominously titled “ A Son for a Son . ”
First of all : a revamped opening sequence(same familiar medicine , though ) , evince us Targaryen dramatic play , both Green and Black , coming to life through embroidery rather than as blood flowing through rock and metal . There ’s still muckle of red poppycock ooze out up through the textile , however , as well as fiery sparks dance around the frame — nod to George R.R. Martin ’s source material Fire & Blood in a originative newfangled style .
Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) is not in a happy place.Photo: Theo Whitman/HBO
We open in a place conversant to Game of Thrones close : Winterfell . Cregan Stark ( Tom Taylor ) is read Prince Jacaerys ( Harry Collett)—who ’s visited on dragonback to remind the Starks of their loyalty oath to his mother — that there are parts of Westeros more spooky and mysterious than he can comprehend . It ’s a nice way to open time of year two , and tie House of the Dragon into Game of Thrones in ways only someone from House Stark can do . We get a monitor about the Night ’s Watch , which has refreshing context thanks to House of the Dragon ’s time of year - one instauration of Aegon the Conquerer ’s prophetic pipe dream about a terror from the frozen due north , and we even get a “ Winter is coming . ”
“ hail ? ” Jace gag as the young men ride the elevator to the top of the Wall amid snow flurries . “ What is this then , that falls from the sky and shivers my bones ? ” All trick stop over when Jace beholds what lies beyond the Wall . Dragons are powerful , but as we saw on Game of Thrones , there are things even more powerful than dragons in this worldly concern . “ What does it keep out ? ” Jace asks . “ dying , ” Stark tells him , then lets Jace know that while he ca n’t give his prime defensive force-out with death on the other side , he ’ll air “ thousands of longbeard ” ( interlingual rendition : honest-to-goodness dandy who still kick ass ) to help bolster up Rhaenyra ’s army . The good-time moment ends when a Corvus corax arrives with news from Dragonstone — and that ’s how Jace finds out his slight crony Luke is go .
Back in Dragonstone , Princess Rhaenys ( Eve Best ) returns from police the skies , in no climate to take orders from Prince Daemon ( Matt Smith ) , who ’s all live to fly to King ’s landing place and take out Prince Aemond and his flying dragon , Vhagar — the duo responsible for Luke ’s dying . “ A Word for a son , ” he say . Rhaenys reminds Daemon that a ) he ’s not the Martin Luther King Jr. , and b ) Queen Rhaenyra , who ’s desperate to find tangible proof of her son ’s death , need space to grieve . moreover , she ’s not one to act on vengeful impulses . Daemon snaps back that if only Rhaenys had barbeque the usurper and his kinfolk when she had the chance , they would n’t be having this problem . Rhaenys , who has already made very clear that this war was n’t hers to jump , walks away … but not before reminding him that he ca n’t issue commands because he ’s not the male monarch .
New character alert: Abubakar Salim as Alyn of Hull.Photo: Ollie Upton/HBO
Down at the Driftmark dock , Lord Corlys ( Steve Toussaint ) is checking up on haunt being made to his fleet , and we meet a new character : Alyn of Hull ( Abubakar Salim ) , who updates the Sea Snake on the progress . They have a nice rapport — Alyn offers commiseration over the deprivation of Luke , who was Corlys ’ inheritor to Driftmark — and Corlys thanks Alyn for rescue him during time of year one ’s ( off - tv camera ) struggle against pirates at ocean .
In King ’s Landing , members of the Kingsguard are keeping an eye on the skies—“Dragonnnn ! ” is a genuinely terrific thing to try anyone yell — while inside the palace , the royal family , including married siblings Queen Heleana ( Phia Saban ) and King Aegon and their white - blonde youngster , are going about their commercial enterprise . Heleana is dramatize and when she tell Aegon she ’s afraid — specifically of the rats in the castle — his embarrassing response to the maidservant gathered around is “ The poof is an enduring mystery story , is she not ? ”
In a nearby bedchamber , surprise ! Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower ( Olivia Cooke ) and Lord Commander of the Kingsguard Ser Criston Cole ( Fabian Frankel ) are not just court confrere … they ’re hidden lover , too ! He has his head up her dress ! This is obviously not the first time they ’ve been intimate , and distinctly wo n’t be the last , despite Alicent guiltily muttering “ we can not … again ” as they reassemble themselves . As they head into the Small Council get together , they pass a rat catcher — a apparently unimportant character , just a guy you ’d see doing his job in the Red Keep — but one we ’ll be seeing again before the episode is over .
New character alert: Abubakar Salim as Alyn of Hull.Photo: Ollie Upton/HBO
wrench out Aegon is no longer a reluctant rule . He ’s having the time of his life-time being “ in charge , ” though Grandpa / Hand of the King Otto Hightower ( Rhys Ifans ) is obviously the one who ’s actually running the show . There ’s a good deal to discuss , being that Team Green is trying to figure out which noble houses they can number on in the looming war , but the meeting is yet dominated by Aegon ’s son Jaehaerys — who , being a tot , is busily pestering Ser Tyland Lannister ( Jefferson Hall ) . The Master of Coin ’s patience is stretch along sparse , especially after Aegon gibingly involve “ Is the heir to the commode bothering you ? ”
Aemond stalks in as the child is being see out , and the exponent struggle continues . Everyone thinks their approach is the good one ; when Otto urge “ forbearance and restraint , ” Aegon slithers down in his chair and suspire dramatically like a schooltime kid who ’s just take there ’s a soda water quiz . Afterwards , Lord Larys Strong ( Matthew Needham ) happen to bend Alicent ’s pinna . He ’d tried to talk to her before the get together , he says , but her handmaid said Alicent was “ indisposed . ” ( Needham ’s immaculate line speech here lets us bed Larys knows exactly who and what Alicent was doing during that time physique , and Cooke ’s wordless response show us Alicent knows he sleep with , too . ) Anyway , now that Larys has rooted out all the “ betrayers ” in the rook , “ I ’ve select your new stave personally , ” he tells her . In her chambers , Alicent shoos all her tender away , favour to do her own scrubbing while convey a contemplative bath , fully aware that any notion of real privacy does not be .
On Dragonstone , there ’s another “ Dragonnnn ! ” import as Rhaenyra swoop up in to behold the terrible trial impression she ’s been seeking : a severed dragon wing catch in a sportfishing net , with what looks like Luke ’s cape sweep up aboard . As she sobs , her firedrake , Syrax , rent out a plaintive cry .
Cole, you dirty dog you.Photo: Ollie Upton/HBO
Back in King ’s Landing , a ego - slaked King Aegon II struts into the great hall , quick to perch on the Iron Throne and take heed from his national . As he ’s announced , his usual array of titles ( Game of Thrones fan know the recitation : “ King of the Andals , the Rhoynar , and the First Men , ” etc . ) include a new descriptor : “ Aegon the Magnanimous . ” Even he finds that ludicrous , mutter “ the greathearted ? ” toward one of his sycophant . The smallfolk are in struggle mood — their POV is something House of the Dragon seems intriguingly interested in explore this season — and Aegon has no apprehension that his regimen is the reason why . He happily say a sheep granger the crown will fill again the sheep they took from him , until a bushwhack Otto Hightower — who is visibly dying in spite of appearance , watch out this kid who knows nothing about leaders make random declarations — reminds him that sheep are required to prey hungry dragons now that all - out warfare is impendent . And he reminds Aegon to be careful before he spread his mouth : “ When the king speaks , Your Grace , all hear it . ”
The ever - present Lord Larys has some reminders to pass along , too . King Viserys had a reputation for being “ tensile , ” he tell Aegon , and points out how controlling Otto has always been . possibly a change is in social club ? Maybe it ’s time to stand apart from your Father of the Church and find a raw Hand ? As Aegon ponders this , the implication for the viewer is clear : who ’s pliable now ?
This leads into a loaded meeting between Otto and Alicent , where they accord they have the same endgame ( they want to see Rhaenyra bend the knee ) , but they have been traveling oppose route to get there . Alicent would care Otto to support her at the Small Council ; Otto is airless to moil over with frustration over everything that ’s happened since Viserys died . “ If you cave my voice , both those boy will grow deaf to it , ” she tells him , meaning her sons Aegon and Aemond . Otto considers this , but he also remind her that the way thing are now , “ The course to triumph is one of violence . ”
“Indisposed.”Photo: Ollie Upton/HBO
Off Dragonstone , a ship being searched for stowaway yield a familiar face : Daemon ’s old pal , Mysaria ( Sonoya Mizuno ) , also acknowledge as the White Worm . There ’s no joy in their reunion ; he ’s furious that she revealed a then - loath Aegon ’s hiding place before the usurper ’s coronation , but she tells him her secret - selling ways are purely transactional . They ’re a mean for natural selection in a cosmos where she ’s going to be stepped on otherwise , and she does n’t handle who sit down on the Iron Throne as long as she gets pay for her services . Ser Erryk Cargill ( Elliott Tittensor)—the Kingsguard twin who took Rhaenyra ’s side and is now Team Black ; his brother , Arryk ( Luke Tittensor ) , is on Team Green back in King ’s Landing — put up up for the imprisoned Mysaria . Daemon is in a Very sorry Mood and barely listen , criticizing how Erryk / Arryk handled themselves in King ’s landing place , but you have to finger for Ser Erryk when he points out that when your whole gig is protecting the royal , thing get complicated when the royal jump turning on each other .
Speaking of royal , Rhaenyra last evince up for a council encounter , but she ’s not interested in hearing about the Sea Snake ’s encirclement or Daemon ’s design to aviate to Harrenhal . She has one thing on her thinker : “ I want Aemond Targaryen . ”
That ’s all she says , no specifics — but we cut to Daemon tease Mysaria to practice her unique noesis of the Red Keep to help the cause . “ Scheme with someone else , Daemon , ” she groans , but he tempts her by offering to set her free in exchange for information . Fire & descent fans can commence to get an inkling of what ’s coming … but before we get to Blood and Cheese , House of the Dragon take a metre to allow the emotional weight of what ’s bechance so far really sink in . As Rhaenyra and her class hold a impassioned Dragonstone funeral for Luke , we cross - cut to Alicent ignition candles in the sept at King ’s Landing — include , with visible emotion , one in protection to Luke .
Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower.Photo: Ollie Upton/HBO
Then it ’s right back to Daemon , now in full - on conniving manner , wearing his intrigue camouflage and scheme his way into King ’s Landing . He meet with a tower member of the City Watch who still addresses him as “ Commander . ” ( The big dude also says “ bonk the Hightowers ! ” , so we know where his dedication lies . ) Then they find the squealer catcher we see originally in the episode ; for a bag of atomic number 79 he ’s carry to deal his own unique knowledge of the Red Keep and its many tunnel ( he knows them “ better than the form of my own cock , ” he brags ) . Daemon put it out plainly : “ witness and slay the Prince Aemond Targaryen . He has silvern hairsbreadth and one eye … should be well-fixed enough to find . ” Ladies and valet : Blood and Cheese have arrived .
At that very moment , in fact , Aemond is discussing state of war strategies with Cole — two people who have no authorisation to discuss war strategy , and Otto is very displeased when he break what they ’re up to . After Cole leave the room , Otto expresses his concern — politely but firmly . “ There are many piece at play here , some of which you ca n’t yet see , ” granddaddy reminds grandson ; another motive of House of the Dragon season two that ’s already coming into focussing is that certain characters have problems envisioning the crowing picture . “ You must keep a grasp on your impulses , ” Otto says . “ We both know that your pal can not . ”
And indeed , as the two bravo go into into the castle — it must be mention that Red Keep security is awfully porous — we get a glimpse of a tiddly Aegon perched on his Iron Throne . “ No one eff what big mean value , ” he articulate to his collected chum , and guffaws at the trace he should be call “ Aegon the Dragon Cock ” rather . The intruders sneak their fashion upstairs , but they ca n’t find their intended target . But move from room to board , they do find … Queen Heleana and her nipper . work out if they ca n’t find the prince they ’ve been tasked to kill , any prince will do , they force Heleana to place out which of her identical children is Jaehaerys , the kid who caused such a scene in the Small Council group meeting earlier in the episode . ( Now we realise why House of the Dragon wanted us to take special card of him . ) While the show does use some tactfulness and cut away while the deed ’s being done , the sound of muffled screaming and then sawing that go with the remotion of a small-scale child ’s pass from his organic structure is unmistakably awful .
Fire for blood.Photo: Ollie Upton/HBO
A terrified Heleana grabs her other child and runs into her mother ’s room , where she does n’t react at all to the sight of a defenseless Alicent in bed , having her way with a naked Cole . ( The fagot is an enduring mystery , after all — and she was ripe to be afraid of the rats ! ) or else , all she say , very matter - of - factly , is : “ They killed the boy . ” The last shot closes in on Alicent ’s horrified face . Though the murder did n’t quite go off as be after , well : “ a son for a son , ” commission accomplished .
Modern episodes of House of the Dragon arrive Sundays on HBO and Max . Catch up on time of year onehere .
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AegonEmmaGame of ThronesGeorge R.R. MartinHouse of the DragonOlivia CookeRhaenyra
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