‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2 Review: To War, Then (Again)

With the release of Episode 8 this past Sunday, the second season of my favorite soap opera with dragons comes to an end and the long wait for season 3 begins. House of the Dragon was my most anticipated show of the year, and unfortunately, I can’t say it lived up to expectations as the first season did. I’m happy for the most part with the way things went down, but this season was ultimately a very mixed bag and somewhat of a letdown. 

This review contains spoilers for the second season of HBO’s House of the Dragon. 

The first season of House of the Dragon ended with the Greens and the Blacks separated, preparing for war, and looking for revenge. House of the Dragon season 2, once again, ended with the Greens and the Blacks separated, preparing for war, and looking for revenge. Most characters have undergone development and have new motivations and characterizations but are ultimately at the same place they were a season ago.

At the conclusion of the first season, Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) realizes the certainty of coming war and prepares for it, knowing that bloodshed is inevitable. Daemon (Matt Smith) is conflicted and hesitant to swear fealty to his wife as his queen, but eventually ends up pledging himself to her cause. Aemond (Ewan Mitchell), hotheaded as ever, makes an impulsive and rash move. 

You may realize that the second season ended the exact same way for these characters. This is not to say that these characters’ arcs were pointless, as they are very important to their current characterization, however I don’t think these arcs needed to span the full season. Scenes and storylines dragged and I felt as if several arcs could have been resolved better and faster.

Additionally, the narrative has not advanced much since the end of the first season, certainly not enough to justify a full season. Major story events were far and few, with most of them occurring in the first half of the season, and the second half being quite spare. Most moments from the season that I can recall were simply inconsequential conversations between characters or group dialogue during small council sessions. 

Individually, each episode in the second season ranged from good to great, but the season as a whole left much to be desired. Season 1 was very much a backstory season that set up the coming Targaryen civil war, the Dance of the Dragons. The issue is that season 2 feels the exact same. What I expected from the second season was payoff to the 10 episodes of set up in the first, but what I instead received was 8 more episodes of setup that will presumably be paid off in season 3, at least I can hope. Season 3 needs to be longer, 2’s biggest issue was undoubtedly its shortened length. 

The finale was especially underwhelming, feeling more like a penultimate episode than a season-closer. As Tyland Lannister (Jefferson Hall) travels to the Stepstones to treat with the Triarchy and ask for help in destroying the blockade of King’s Landing, others mobilize as well. The Velaryon fleet led by the father and bastard duo of Corlys (Steve Toussaint) and Alyn (Abubakar Salim), sail out.

I was very excited to see Alyn this season, but unfortunately his entire storyline this season was condensed to loading ships at the dockyard while having small conversations with Lord Corlys and his brother, Addam (Clinton Liberty). I really loved Alyn’s final conversation  however in which he calls out Corlys for being neglectful to him and his brother throughout their lives. But, he makes it clear that he will still stay honorable and loyal to his vassal. It perfectly encapsulates why I like Alyn.

Larys (Matthew Needham) convinces King Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) to leave King’s Landing for fear of his brother, Prince Regent Aemond, and regain his strength in secret. Alicent (Olivia Cooke) also leaves King’s Landing, to go to Dragonstone to meet with Rhaenyra. This was by far the biggest development all season, with Alicent offering to surrender the throne to Rhaenyra while Aemond is away fighting. Alicent has been vastly different from her book counterpart but I’ve loved what the show has done to her character, and thought it was a great change. Her dynamic of a forbidden and eternal love with Rhaenyra is so fascinating too and one of my main reasons for watching. 

The haunting of Harrenhal finally comes to an end in the finale as Daemon’s arc is resolved. Alys (Gayle Rankin) shows him one final vision: the Song of Ice and Fire. The prophecy shows the past and future and the coming threat of winter and even Daenerys Targaryen herself. Fans are convinced this proves Daenerys is the Prince that was Promised but I fail to see the point of showing her when we know how her story ends. It feels as if it’s just a ploy to bait watchers with Game of Thrones references. I’ve been against the use of the prophecy of the Song of Ice and Fire in House of the Dragon, but this specific instance was especially egregious. 

I didn’t like the decision to have Daemon go against Rhaenyra but I was onboard with it because his internal struggle was really interesting and eventually his devotion to his family would win out. That’s why I liked most of the visions involving Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock), Laena (Savannah Steyn), and his brother, Viserys (Paddy Considine). However, using the prophecy to change Daemon’s mind makes his internal struggle of feeling guilt over how he’s hurt his family pointless, as his reason for changing his mind is some noble prophecy to save the world.

The show has been treating the world of Westeros as a set-piece for The Long Night that is to come in Game of Thrones where everything builds up to that one event, when what it should’ve been was an expansion on a fairly unknown part of Westerosi history. This is especially apparent with the inclusion and repeated mentions of the Song of Ice and Fire prophecy.

My issue of this season and the finale does not at all come from the season ending without a major battle or anything like that. I’ve loved how House of the Dragon focuses more on family drama and political intrigue similar to earlier seasons of Game of Thrones, rather than spectacle over substance as later seasons did. I simply don’t think the amount of progression throughout these 8 episodes was enough to warrant a full season.

Some adaptation changes have also had detrimental effects on the show. I’m not a book purist by any means, but some of these show changes have left me very confused in the direction the show is heading. Entire characters have been cut out in order to streamline the show but it’s had a counterproductive effect.

That being said, in spite of my slight disappointment, I am happy for the most part with the second season and as a huge fan of the A Song of Ice and Fire franchise, I eagerly await the third in 2026. This season even made me like (more like not vehemently dislike as much) Westeros’s biggest loser, Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel), a bit which I thought was impossible so bravo, Condal! His dynamic with Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox) has been really great.

Season 2 has excelled and improved upon the first season in almost every area. I’ve loved the way the characters have developed. With a more focused vision on where to take the story and slightly faster pacing with more major events throughout the season, season 3 has potential to surpass these first 2 seasons. 

House of the Dragon, showran by Ryan Condal, stars Emma D’Arcy, Olivia Cooke, Matt Smith, Tom Glynn-Carney, Ewan Mitchell. The second season concluded on August 4th and can be watched on MAX. 

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