Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 2.
The Big Picture
House of the Dragon
Season 2 is on the brink of war, with both sides preparing for battle.
The Greens use public opinion to their advantage, while the Blacks face internal division.
Aegon replaces his Hand, while the Blacks send Daemon to Harrenhal, and both sides lose a loyal Kingsguard knight.
War is inevitable in House of the Dragon Season 2, and now it’s just a matter of which side is prepared to attack first. With the Blacks and the Greens both suffering personal losses as of the beginning of the second season, there is no turning back. Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney), in particular, is on the warpath, and after the violent assassination of his son, no one can blame him. He and Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) have been recruiting allies throughout Westeros and preparing for war, which is no different in Episode 2. With two royal deaths, the Dance of the Dragons is here, and the highly-anticipated battles are not far off.
House of the Dragon
The reign of House Targaryen begins with this prequel to the popular HBO series Game of Thrones. Based on George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, House of the Dragon is set nearly 200 years before Game of Thrones, telling the story of the Targaryen civil war with King Viserys.
Release Date August 21, 2022
Creator Ryan J. Condal, George R.R. Martin
Main Genre Drama
Seasons 4
Distributor HBO
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The Greens Gain the Favor of the Smallfolk and Then Lose It
As both sides prepare to meet on the battlefield, they already actively wage a war for public opinion. In Season 1, the Greens used a public coronation to legitimize Aegon’s rule in the eyes of the people of King’s Landing. And at Otto Hightower’s (Rhys Ifans) suggestion, they take a similar approach in Episode 2. With the castle reeling from the events of Blood and Cheese, the small council sets out to find their enemies, but regardless, Otto suggests blaming Rhaenyra to gain favor over her. So, they hold a funeral procession through the city with Alicent (Olivia Cooke) and Helaena (Phia Saban) riding behind the body of the young prince to show the family’s grief. Ahead of the procession is the continual announcement that Rhaenyra is responsible for the prince’s death, though it is not strictly true.
However, that is not the only reaction to Blood and Cheese. Aegon gets revenge, catching the goldcloak and forcing him to confess. Yet, he doesn’t have the name of his accomplice, so Aegon kills him in a rage. Aegon does get one piece of information about the other assassin: that he was a ratcatcher for the castle. So Aegon has all the ratcatchers publicly hanged, killing many innocent men to ensure the death of the guilty. With the effects of the blockade, Aegon is not popular among his people, and, after this, any goodwill his son’s death may have brought him from the people is gone as they mourn their own family member’s death at his hands.
The Blacks Prepare Defenses and Rhaenyra Fights With Daemon
The Greens didn’t only smear Rhaenyra’s name to King’s Landing but made the same claims to the Lords throughout Westeros. The trust in Rhaenyra wavers, even among her own council, who question if she was involved in the tragedy. Her anger at Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) and desire for revenge certainly look incriminating to those closest to her, especially as the event can be traced back to Daemon (Matt Smith). The truth causes a rift between husband and wife, dividing the Targaryen house further. Though Daemon doesn’t defy Rhaenyra, they are not working together either.
Though she sees the accusations of her involvement in Blood and Cheese as vile, Rhaenyra increases her defenses, fearing revenge. She orders the guards to double on both Dragonstone and Driftmark to protect herself and her allies. Rhaenyra also orders counter messages sent out, denying the accusations to, hopefully, maintain the trust she has built. Rhaenyra also sends Baela (Bethany Antonia) on her dragon Moondancer to watch King’s Landing for any movements. Cautioning the young dragonrider to stay at a distance and avoid being spotted, Rhaenyra does not intend to engage her enemies with this movement, but it is still dangerous. Notably, she refused to let Jacaerys (Harry Collett) perform this task, fearing losing him as she did Lucerys (Elliot Grihault). Yet her ability to use a dragon as a scout is a considerable advantage, giving her warning on what is to come.
Aegon Replaces Otto as His Hand and Names Criston Cole
Image via HBO
The biggest change for the Greens is Otto’s removal from his long-held role as Hand of the King. After serving Aegon’s great-grandfather, Jaehaerys, and then Viserys (Paddy Considine) for many years, Otto has proven his skill for the job, but his constant warnings of caution angered Aegon. Worse, Aegon’s execution of the ratcatchers caused Otto to call the King a fool to his face, so Aegon fired him, choosing Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) to fill the newly vacated spot. Removing Otto from control was a blow for the Greens as his vision and strategic planning were critical to their cause. And worse, Cole’s volatile nature threatens to do more harm than good.
Without the help of her father, Alicent must reign in her son’s impulses alone, but Otto is not lost to the Greens entirely. While Alicent still hopes to bring him back once Aegon calms down, Otto plans to go to Highgarden, where the loyalty of the Tyrells’ bannermen is in question. Though seemingly supporting the Greens, who are connected to the Lords of the Reach through their mother’s Hightower blood, their loyalty wavers, and Otto, as a native to the area and experienced politician, is the obvious choice to calm the situation. As one of the biggest regions of Westeros to side with the Greens, they cannot afford to lose the support of the Reach.
The Blacks Prepare To Take on Harrenhal
Image via HBO
Rhaenyra has been the most active with her dragons, likely because she has more. In addition to sending out Baela to Watch King’s Landing and having Rhaenys continue to reinforce their blockade, she sends Daemon to take Harrenhal. If he succeeds, the Blacks will gain a toehold in the Riverlands, which both sides have expressed interest in. The strategic position of the castle and its proximity to King’s Landing make Harrenhal a vital place to control, and Daemon’s departure gives the advantage of speed to the Blacks.
Both Sides Suffer the Loss the Cargyll Twins
Image via HBO
But Daemon isn’t the only one to take decisive action as Cole sends Kingsguard knight Arryk Cargyll (Luke Tittensor) to infiltrate Dragonstone pretending to be his brother, Erryk (Elliot Tittensor), who serves on Rhaenyra’s Queensguard. Tasked with getting revenge for Aegon’s son, Arryk attempts to kill Rhaenyra, but his plan is foiled when Erryk rushes into the room. The two brothers fight, but no one can help Erryk because they cannot tell which brother is which. Erryk kills Arryk after their heartbreaking exchange, but afterward, Erryk kills himself, too, leaving both sides down a loyal knight. Yet, in a win for the Blacks, the assassination of Rhaenyra failed.
Who Wins This Week?
Image via HBO
Though everyone would be better off avoiding this war, that is no longer an option. With no concrete battles, any side can still be the victor, but the Blacks are pulling ahead. In this installment, the winner is less about actual wins and more about who lost less. While both lost a Cargyll and experienced a wavering in their support, Aegon is his own worst enemy in this episode. His demotion of Otto is sure to hurt the Greens. Likewise, the speed at which he angered the smallfolk damaged his side as well. The Black’s barricade of King’s Landing still holds, and with Daemon heading to wage war on Harrenhal, the Blacks have the advantage.
House of the Dragon is available to stream on Max in the U.S. with new episodes on Sundays.
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