House of the Dragon season 2 finale recap and review: Still marching on toward war

As a devoted fan of George R.R. Martin’s epic saga who has followed the Targaryen dynasty through highs and lows, I must say that this season 2 finale of House of the Dragon left me with a mix of emotions that only a Game of Thrones spin-off could elicit. The scene between Rhaenyra and Alicent was particularly gripping, showcasing the incredible acting prowess of D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke. Their performances made me feel like I was right there in King’s Landing, witnessing the tense conversation between two women whose fates are intertwined by destiny and power struggles.

We’ve reached the end of House of the Dragon season 2, and it seems like it only began moments ago! Tonight, the eighth and final episode aired on HBO and Max, delivering both exhilarating and underwhelming scenes for viewers. I found this episode quite enjoyable, but I was hoping for one more to wrap up the season properly. The writers have hinted that the shorter season length wasn’t their choice, leaving me curious about what could have unfolded with an additional 2 episodes.

Regardless, there’s plenty more to discuss following the Season 2 finale, so let’s jump right in without delay!

WARNING: Spoilers for the House of the Dragon season 2 finale are ahead.

Welcome to the Free Cities

In the final episode of season 2, we find ourselves in a fresh setting as Tyland Lannister has made his way to the Free Cities. His mission: negotiations. The greens are struggling under the Gullet’s blockade, and Tyland offers them assistance. However, the Triarchy sees an opportunity to leverage their help for something more valuable – the Stepstones. In response, Tyland consents, hinting at the displeasure of the prince regent. To his surprise, Tyland is informed that the commander of their fleet must accompany him. It’s then that Sharako Lohar is introduced – a character who was male in the books but portrayed as gender non-conforming on the show. Played by trans actress Abigail Thorn, Lohar brings an exciting new dynamic to the series.

As a dedicated fan, I’d like to clarify that while Lohar is referred to with “he/him” pronouns in the show, the actor prefers to use “she/her” pronouns. To show respect and understanding, I will refer to them using “they/them” pronouns throughout this post.

On the edges of King’s Landing, we find Aemond perched atop Vhagar, surveying the city engulfed in flames. Enraged by recent events, Aemond has succumbed to his anger and ignited Sharp Point, resulting in tragic casualties. Oh dear! Despite my affection for Aemond, he can be immature at times. He certainly lacks the temperament for fair rule.

Larys wants Aegon to flee

As a devoted admirer, I find myself recounting an intriguing turn of events. Despite Aegon’s current confinement, his trusted ally, Larys, remains steadfast in his efforts to spur action. This time, Larys shares with Aegon the advantage Rhaenyra holds, urging him to evacuate King’s Landing immediately. The city has become perilously hazardous, given their disadvantage in dragon numbers, and Aegon’s life is at grave risk, not just from the blacks, but also due to Larys’s concerns about Aemond’s intentions towards his brother.

Rhaena continues to search for the dragon living in the Vale’s fields. However, the numerous shots of her running seem excessive and could be omitted. Instead, it would have been sufficient to show her finding the dragon, known as Sheepstealer. Fortunately, she does manage to locate the dragon at the end of the episode.

At Dragonstone, Jacaerys encounters Ulf and Hugh within the council chamber. Jacaerys is annoyed because Ulf appears disrespectful. Contrastingly, Hugh is thrilled to meet the prince and embraces him warmly. It seems he’s not fully grasping his new responsibilities, which infuriates Jace even more. Hugh apologizes for Ulf, and after Jace warns Ulf, he eventually acknowledges his lack of respect. Tensions persist between Jace and the dragonseed descendants, although it appears to be a one-sided issue.

Rhaenyra plots her next move

As a gamer, I’d rephrase it like this:

We then cut to Daemon at Harrenhal, who’s finally raising up an army. Took long enough! Funnily enough, Alfred Broome arrives and commends Daemon on all his work in the Riverlands, slighting what Rhaenyra has accomplished. (He hasn’t done that much, Alfred!) Alfred says he’s there to find out what his intentions are, to which Daemon says they will march on King’s Landing. Betraying Rhaenyra, Alfred says that if Daemon makes a claim, his lords will follow him. Despite Rhaenyra’s good intentions, Alfred believes they need a king right now. From the shadows, Simon watches and listens to their conversation.

Helaena won’t go to war

1. Aemond discovers the origins of the dragonseed plot and commands a search of all vessels entering or leaving the harbor. He interrupts a talk between Alicent and Helaena to ask Helaena to join him in battle on Dreamfyre, an offer she declines. Unsurprisingly, Helaena refuses to take lives, but Aemond insists it’s necessary for their claim and survival. Alicent objects and tells her son she won’t participate. Despite his efforts, Aemond fails to persuade Helaena, and he angrily departs instead.

As they journey towards the Riverlands, Criston and Gwayne engage in a thought-provoking discussion, with their troops temporarily encamped. Spotting Criston pull out Alicent’s handkerchief, Gwayne challenges him, aware of their past intimate connection. Threatening to exile Criston to the Wall for it, Gwayne finds Criston quick to defend himself, citing that Alicent had saved his life on two occasions. At this juncture, Criston appears resigned and seems almost resigned to their impending doom. He finds a strange comfort in believing they are marching towards certain death.

The dragonseeds dine with royalty

At Dragonstone, Baela challenges Jace for his gloomy demeanor and encourages him instead. She emphasizes that his lowborn origin doesn’t diminish his rightful claim or dignity. She advises him to be with his mother where he truly belongs. This occasion turns into a dinner with the dragonseed descendants, which is somewhat tense. Rhaenyra makes an effort, but Ulf exhibits poor manners and rudeness. Nevertheless, Rhaenyra proposes a toast, announcing they will take flight in two days. Baela expresses doubts about potential collateral damage, while Jace shows support. The dinner is disrupted by a message from Harrenhal, where Simon cautions Rhaenyra of possible betrayal. Immediately, Rhaenyra prepares to depart for the Riverlands to confront Daemon, and she asks Addam to accompany her on this journey.

In the realm of Essos, Tyland encounters a challenge as Lohar proposes they join him if he can win in an unconventional battle – mud wrestling. To Tyland’s astonishment, he impresses Lohar with his abilities. They invite him for dinner and express their desire to sail together. Another shocking incident occurs when Lohar requests Tyland to father their children by sleeping with their wives. This is entirely foreign to Tyland, leaving him visibly bewildered. Clearly, life outside of King’s Landing is far from ordinary!

At Harrenhal, Daemon experiences another grand vision that leaves me underwhelmed. Whenever Alys and Daemon share a scene, I can’t help but groan – their interactions come across as contrived to me. Alys escorts Daemon to the Godswood, where she informs him he might find a sign. Upon touching the tree, he witnesses a prophetic vision of the Song of Ice and Fire unfolding. This includes White Walkers, the Night King, and an odd animation featuring Daenerys. Subsequently, Rhaenyra ascending the Iron Throne and Helaena’s appearance follow in quick succession. In summary, this scene doesn’t resonate with me – it feels unnatural, and the cheesy execution leaves much to be desired.

Helaena knows Aemond’s fate

Regarding Helaena, there’s a subsequent scene I find more engaging. At King’s Landing, Aemond attempts to persuade her to join the war on Dreamfyre once more, but his efforts are futile yet again. This time, he is less confrontational, but Helaena has witnessed his destiny and she is determined to stay clear of this conflict. She inquires about the consequences if she refuses to accompany him to Harrenhal, accusing him of attempting to harm Aegon. She reminds him that she saw his actions; he torched Aegon with Vhagar and allowed him to fall.

Later, Helaena shares more revelations with him – Aegon will regain the throne, while Aemond meets an untimely end in the Gods Eye. This news perplexes Aemond, and he warns her that she could be charged with treason for such knowledge. Remarkably, she replies that if his threats were carried out, it wouldn’t alter his destiny.

As a dedicated fan of the Game of Thrones universe who has spent countless hours immersed in its rich tapestry, I find myself deeply captivated by this scene featuring Helaena and her prophetic visions. Having delved into the pages of “Fire & Blood,” I can’t help but feel a sense of familiarity when she speaks of the Gods Eye – it’s like hearing an old friend mentioned in casual conversation.

In Harrenhal, Rhaenyra and Addam make their entry, and upon arrival, Rhaenyra is escorted by Simon. Inside the castle, she encounters Daemon’s forces, and it’s not long before Daemon himself appears. This scene resonates with me, underscoring my feelings that the series could have been more impactful if Daemon and Rhaenyra had spent more time together earlier. Their interaction is pivotal to the show, and the chemistry between Matt Smith (Daemon) and Emma D’Arcy (Rhaenyra) is palpable. It wasn’t until they shared screen time again that I truly felt their absence.

In this scenario, Rhaenyra appears apprehensive about Daemon’s impending words, but her anxiety turns into delight as he pledges allegiance to her. He then shares news of an ominous conflict looming ahead – something she had been trying to warn him about. Remarkably, his prediction mirrors Viserys’ style! In response, Rhaenyra remarks on Daemon’s similarity to her late brother. Daemon goes on to assert that he recognizes her rightful claim to the throne, and once he pledges loyalty, so does his entire army.

Daemon is loyal to Rhaenyra again

As a devoted fan, I found myself immersed once more in the captivating world of High Valyrian (a language that never fails to thrill me!). Here, Daemon and Rhaenyra engaged in an engaging dialogue where Rhaenyra essentially warned him not to stray again. In response, Daemon asserted his unwavering loyalty, admitting he had already attempted to leave and found it futile. The scene reached its peak as Daemon delivered a rousing speech to his troops, pledging their allegiance to Rhaenyra. A lump formed in my throat as I watched this powerful moment unfold. Truly, Daemon has returned to where he belongs – by Rhaenyra’s side! Let us join him in the fight for Rhaenyra and march forward together!

In addition to the climactic finale, there are two other significant scenes worth mentioning. First, Alyn confronts Corlys for his negligent fatherhood, and later, Mysaria and Rhaenyra share a poignant moment where Rhaenyra laments the necessity of taking innocent lives. Following these emotional exchanges, there’s a heartfelt reunion between Rhaenyra and Alicent – an event that, if you’ve been following any leaks or spoilers, won’t come as a surprise to you.

In the stillness of the night, I find myself standing before Dragonstone, my heart heavy as I seek out Rhaenyra. The sight of her leaves me stunned and enraged – a whirlwind of emotions that I hadn’t anticipated. I confess my mistakes, my insecurities, my jealousy – things I had hidden behind my virtues.

After much delay, Alicent reveals that Aemond will depart King’s Landing to confront Criston’s forces in the Riverlands, making the city vulnerable for seizure. She proposes to Rhaenyra that if she arrives, she’ll be welcomed and celebrated as a conqueror. Rhaenyra wonders about Aegon’s plans, growing annoyed when Alicent suggests she might persuade Aegon to submit. Rhaenyra understands that such an approach won’t work; she believes the only way to claim the Iron Throne from Aegon is by defeating or eliminating him.

Alicent chooses between Rhaenyra and Aegon

In the midst of our heartfelt conversation, I, Rhaenyra, put Alicent in a tough spot. I gave her two stark choices: either depart from Dragonstone and retract all her words, or make a heavy sacrifice – a “son for a son.” Though Alicent didn’t utter a word of agreement, her nod spoke volumes. Our tears flowed freely, and Alicent requested that I fly to the Red Keep within three days. I warned her that history might portray her as a villain, but it seemed those concerns no longer mattered to her. With our plan now in sync, I granted Alicent permission to leave.

This scene between Rhaenyra and Alicent is major, and a major change from the book. Honestly, I don’t mind this scene, and after thinking about it more, I’ve come around to like it. Most of that has to do with the amazing performances from D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke. They are giving it their all in this scene, which makes it super cathartic. The show has also made it clear that this is a story about Rhaenyra and Alicent, and even though book fans might not like that, this fits in with that narrative.

The ending montage of setup

As a long-time fan of this series, I found the final minutes of Season 2 to be both exhilarating and somewhat anticlimactic. Having followed the characters’ journey for two seasons, I was eagerly anticipating a grand finale that would bring closure to their current storylines while also setting up the upcoming war in an engaging manner. However, it seemed more like the ending of a penultimate episode rather than the season finale, leaving me with mixed feelings.

• The dragonseeds get suited up, getting ready to fly out to war
• Multiple armies are seen marching, including House Hightower — along with Daeron’s dragon Tessarion! — House Lannister, Daemon’s new Riverlands army, the Triarchy, Corlys’ army, and the Winter Wolves, a.k.a. the Northerners who support Rhaenyra
• Rhaena finally gets to Sheepstealer, though she doesn’t claim him yet
• Otto makes an appearance… behind bars somewhere?!
• Larys and Aegon sneak out of the castle, on their way to Braavos
• Rhaenyra and Alicent look out to the sky, separately, fearing what’s ahead

As a long-time fan of George R.R. Martin’s epic saga, I’ve grown accustomed to the twists and turns that come with the “Song of Ice and Fire” universe. With the conclusion of season 2 of “House of the Dragon”, I found myself in a bit of a conundrum. The changes made from the books have left some fans disgruntled, but as someone who’s followed this story for years, I find myself willing to give the writers some leeway.

The third season of “House of the Dragon” has been officially announced, though you might not see it on your screens until 2026. Time to set those timers and get excited!

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2024-08-05 05:29