Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for George R. R. Martin’s book Fire & Blood.
Despite the long wait, fans ofHouse of the Dragonare anticipating the fantasy series' next installment. AsSeason 2’s release approaches, no information is too small for fans' notice. But unlike most series, there is already an idea of what will happen. Now thatthe dreaded time jumpsare in the past,House of the DragonSeason 2 will be more straightforward, and with the beginning of the Dance of Dragons, it promises to be more bloody. As Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy), Alicent (Olivia Cooke), and their families return, there is still much to happen.
Season 1 set up the conflict, portraying the years of building resentment that led to the Targaryen civil war. After the finale, the story’s natural progression is to show the actual war. Especially as that is the next part of the story, according toFire & Blood, it’s a safe bet that Season 2 will explore the inevitable conflict.With fewer episodes(Season 2 will only have eight episodes as opposed to Season 1’s ten) and more action destined to appear, the coming season will be eventful. Though the plot is still officially a mystery, the events ofGeorge R.R. Martin’sFire & Bloodlay out much of the war that Season 1 set up. Fans of the book have a solid idea of what will happen, butthe show is bound to make some changes along the way.
House of the Dragon
The reign of House Targaryen begins with this prequel to the popular HBO seriesGame of Thrones.Based on George R.R. Martin’sFire & Blood,House of the Dragonis set nearly 200 years beforeGame of Thrones, telling the story of the Targaryen civil war with King Viserys.
‘House of the Dragon’s Finale Sets Up What Comes Next
The easiest part to guess is the beginning of the season, as the stories are hinted at in the Season 1 finale.After the tragic death of Lucerys(Elliot Grihault), Rhaenyra will be ready for the war her husband has been anxious to begin. The fighting will likely start with Daemon (Matt Smith) taking control ofHarrenhal, which sets the stage for the Lords of the Riverlands to divide their support between the two factions. Yet this itself will be a slight departure fromFire & Bloodas it is supposed to happen before Lucerys’ death.This change will only speed along the second season’s first major shock:Blood and Cheese.Already confirmed to occur with hints of the tragedy appearing inthe trailer, this plotline will establish the gruesome nature of the war. As the Blacks seek their revenge for the prince’s death, they send assassins to kill Aegon’s (Tom Glynn-Carney) young son, delivering the gory deaths expected from aGame of Thronesspin-off.
Season 1 set up a few other things as well. With Jacaerys (Harry Collett) headed to negotiate with the Arryns and the Starks. His first stop will likely be the Vale, where, if it followsFire & Blood,he will gain their allegiance with the promise of sending a dragon and dragon rider to the castle for protection. Next, he will journey to the North, where his plot includes one of the book’s many inconsistencies, as one narrator tells of a wedding to the Stark bastard Sara Snow. Whether or not Sara makes an appearance,Jace will undoubtedly befriend Cregan Stark(Tom Taylor),negotiating for the North to support his mother and making the Pact of Ice and Fire.
Images from set suggestthis storyline will include an added trip to the Wall. With the inconsistency surrounding the plot and some changes already evident, it’s likely this story will have some surprises. The combination of a Targaryen and a Stark seems like the perfect time for the series to bring up the prophecy from Season 1 again. Unlike the siege of Harrenhal and Blood and Cheese, which need to happen pretty immediately, this arc will likely take place over a few episodes.
But the Greens will be busy, too. After the death of his son and the loss of his supporters in the Riverlands,Aegon must take action.As many declare for Rhaenyra, he will lose faith in his grandfather and Hand, Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans). Season 1 already showedOtto and Alicent struggling to assert their own influence over the new king, which could play into this plot, especially with the new Hand, Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel), having demonstrated his loyalty to Alicent. They go on a mission to eradicate the traitors, beheading anyone in King’s Landing who will not declare for Aegon. These events are likely to fill up the first several episodes, leaning into the political drama that Season 1 handled so well. .
‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2 Has More Battle Scenes
As the war continues, there will only be more blood. Where Season 1 deals heavily with politics, Season 2 will be all about battles. While some will be all-out confrontations, others will be more personal.The divided Cargyll twinswill make a reappearance. In Season 1, Arryk (Luke Tittensor) sided with Aegon, while Erryk (Elliot Tittensor) chose Rhaenyra. Their disagreement hints at their fate, as does the fact that the characters are highlighted in the trailer, but Season 2 is likely to show the duel between brothers. If the order followsFire & Blood, this will fall after Cole’s new appointment and, more significantly, following Blood and Cheese.
In revenge for his son,Aegon initiates a stealth mission to Dragonstone, having Arryk pose as his brother.The plan fails when Erryk discovers Arryk and the brothers duel to death. Though this confrontation will be fascinating, the season will have more traditional battles, too. In the book, the Cargyll brothers' death is followed by the Sack of Duskendale and theBattle of Rook’s Rest, which marks another significant death.Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Best) dies in the fight as she confronts Aegon and Aemond(Ewan Mitchell) and severely injures the king and his dragon, leaving Aemond to rule as a regent while his brother recovers from serious burns.
The new season will also introduce new dragons.Ryan Condalpromises five of them. While some, including Aegon’s Sunfyre, didn’t appear in Season 1, the war will bring them out and provide plenty of activity for them. But along with new dragons come new dragon riders, andFire & Bloodexplains how this will happen. After the death of Rhaenys and her dragon Meleys, the Blacks look for more dragonriders. Withseveral unclaimed dragonsresiding on Dragonstone,they allow Targaryen bastards to try their hand at claiming a dragon.After the bloody events of “The Sowing of the Seeds,” Rhaenyra gains four dragonriders, Addam of Hull (Clinton Liberty), Hugh Hammer (Kieran Bew), Ulf the White (Tom Bennett), and Nettles. ThoughNettles seems to be cut, the others are confirmed to appear in Season 2, though, of course, there could be changes.
House of the DragonSeason 2 won’t look exactly likeFire & Blood,and one place likely to deviate is the Battle of the Honeywine, which relies on Alicent and Viserys' (Paddy Considine) youngest son,Daeron, who will not appear. This battle may be rewritten without him or, perhaps, delayed if he comes into play in Season 3. With several battles at this stage of the war,Rook’s Rest and Honeywine are the most significant inFire & Bloodbecause they involve the royal family directly. However, the show also has Battle at the Red Fork, Battle at Acorn Hall, and Battle by the Lakeshore to include if they choose. These may be moved around, cut, or mentioned rather than shown, but they all play a part inFire & Blood, soHouse of the Dragoncan use them as they fit with the story.
‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2 Could End With Another Devastating Death
The ending of Season 2 has been of particular interest, as fans are unsure where it will leave the characters for Season 3. Like the first installment, there will be an epic ending, but with so much death and destruction, almost any event of the war could make a memorable finale. However, the two most popular suggestions are the Battle of the Gullet and the Fall of King’s Landing.Ending with the Battle of the Gullet would mean the death of Jace and the disappearance of Rhaenyra’s youngest son, Viserys.But the cliffhanger once again being the destruction of Rhaenyra’s family would seem repetitive, which makes it an odd ending.
However, it is one epic battle thatthe show’s stunt coordinator is already hinting at.This could be a slight change fromFire & Blood,as it happens just after the Sowing of the Seeds. The Battle of the Gullet could fall in its normal place, pushing the Battle of the Honeywine to Season 3. Yet Season 3 has no shortage of battles to cover. There are a few reasons to save this battle for the end of the season,the biggest one being to keep Jace around longer. But whether it’s at the end or the middle, the Battle of the Gullet will appear.
‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2 Could Put Rhaenyra on Top at the End
The other fan-recommended ending is the Fall of King’s Landing, when, in response to the death of her firstborn,Rhaenyra and Daemon attack King’s Landing. With Aemond and Vhagar away, they take control of the capital. Though Aegon and his surviving children escape, Alicent, Otto, and Helaena (Phia Saban) become Rhaenyra’s prisoners, marking the first time both leading ladies interact since the war began, and withthe added emphasis on this relationship, it will be an important moment.
This could end with the battle or go further into Rhaenyra’s actions as she beheads Otto and initiates new plans to find her half-brothers and show them no mercy.The Fall of King’s Landing does seem to be the natural season endas one side finds an advantage, but it is far from the end of the war. While this is almost too much action for the planned eight episodes, it promises an eventful season full of blood and tragedy. Though it won’t look exactly likeFire & Blood,the outline is overflowing with stories that deserve to be brought to life.
House of the DragonSeason 1 is now streaming on Max in the U.S.
