Welcome again, my liege lords! It’s been almost two years since Home of the Dragon debuted its first season, and I couldn’t be happier to dive again into Westeros. On reflection, the primary season of the Recreation of Thrones prequel had its ups and downs. The pacing was a bit rushed, there have been three too many bloody childbirth scenes, and the time skips recast actors so quick that we barely understood who anybody was anymore. After watching the primary episode of season 2, I can safely say that these issues are behind us.
Over the previous two weeks, I reentered the whole lot there’s to find out about Home of the Dragon and George R.R. Martin’s Hearth & Blood novel into my mind. Now I’m a strolling encyclopedia of a fictional fantasy realm and its sibling-marrying, dragon-riding royal household. With season 2’s huge premiere lastly right here, I can say with no shed of remorse that it was utterly value it. This season will comprise among the most surprising occasions you’ve ever seen on tv. On condition that we’re speaking concerning the Recreation of Thrones–verse, you recognize you’re actually in for one thing.
To start out, let’s recap a tiny bit. Season 2 appears to choose up just some days after the occasions of the season 1 finale, which arrange the remainder of the sequence. Crucial factor to recollect is that King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine) is useless. His council conspired to position his grandson Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney) on the Iron Throne as a substitute of the king’s chosen inheritor: his daughter, Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy). Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke)—Rhaenyra’s former pal (and later stepmother)—believes that Viserys spoke Aegon’s identify proper earlier than he died. She interpreted his last breath to imply that he wished for Aegon to ascend the Iron Throne as a substitute of Rhaenrya. Whether or not that was proper or improper, she would safe her household’s legacy. Escaping to Dragonstone, Rhaenyra assembles a military to battle again and retake her throne.
Dragonstone
We begin season 2 with Rhaenya’s son, Jacaerys (Harry Collett). He flies north of Winterfell to make an ally out of Cregan Stark (Tom Taylor) on the Wall. Sure, the Starks have returned! Cregan warns Jacaerys about the entire “Winter is coming” factor, however he agrees to assist Rhaenyra’s declare to the throne nonetheless. The Northern fighters are a terrific addition to her military. Sadly, there’s no time to have fun. Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell) murdered Jacaerys’ brother, Lucerys (Elliot Grihault), within the season 1 finale—and Jacaerys hears the information for the primary time.
Again at Dragonstone, Rhaenyra is in mourning. Daemon (Matt Smith) seeks instant revenger at King’s Touchdown, however Rhaenys (Eve Finest) and her dragon maintain him again. “A raven has instructed Rhaenyra that her son is useless,” she reminds him. “She must comprehend it for sure.” Rhaenyra later finds Lucerys’s garments and a torn-off dragon wing down by the seaside. It’s unwise to assault with a vengeful impulse at a time of impending struggle, however Daemon is able to take “a son for a son.” He tells Rhaenys that none of this might have occurred had she killed Aegon II when she crashed his coronation. “For those who had acted whenever you had the prospect, Aegon’s line can be extinguished,” he says. Agreed! Her look at episode 9’s coronation is well one of many largest variations from the e-book, and I can’t say it isn’t truthful in charge her for the whole lot that occurs from right here on out.
In the meantime, Rhaenys and her husband, Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint), maintain a naval blockade to guard Dragonstone and Driftmark. Corlys is the commander of the royal fleet and the previous Grasp of Ships, however he sided towards the crown. Oh, and he’s additionally recovering from a random battle with pirates in season 1 that occurred completely offscreen. Reportedly, he was rescued by a member of his crew named Alyn (Abubakar Salim), whom we’re assembly now. He presents Corlys with a sword hilt that he commissioned for Lucerys earlier than his demise, as Lucerys was named inheritor of Driftmark final season. Keep in mind that entire arc when Corlys’s brother, Vaemond (Wil Johnson), challenged Lucerys’s declare after which Daemon killed Vaemond in entrance of everybody? That was insane.
Although we didn’t count on him on the throne final season, Tom Glynn-Carney is giving a superb efficiency as a king who’s in approach over his head.
King’s Touchdown
On the opposite aspect, King Aegon II needs to convey his younger son, Jaehaerys, to a small council assembly. It’s essential that we bear in mind and spend a while with little Jaehaerys this episode—simply wait. “He’ll be king sooner or later,” Aegon II reminds us. I’m not so certain about that!
On the assembly, we get a tally of the forces in King’s Touchdown. The Baratheons within the Storm Lands, the Lannisters at Casterly Rock, and Hand of the King Otto Hightower’s (Rhys Ifans) household in Outdated City have all bent the knee. The council is distracted by Jaehaerys’s presence, as he retains enjoying with the large stone marbles that each council member has in entrance of them. What are these items? Are you solely allowed to speak in these conferences if in case you have a giant marble? I must know extra.
However Aegon II is impatient. There’s no time to elucidate the marbles, as a result of struggle is upon us. The king needs to trip out himself and strike Rhaenyra, however the council warns him that the realm can’t threat their king leaving the security of King’s Touchdown. By the best way: Glynn-Carney is unbelievable to this point. I can inform from one scene alone that he’s going to utterly take over this season, simply as Milly Alcock did in season 1.
On the best way again to her room, Alicent speaks with Larys Sturdy (Matthew Needham). He’s a weasel of a person and nobody ought to discuss to him underneath any circumstances. He tells Alicent that he’s murdered a number of members of their employees whom he deemed untrustworthy. Uh… WTF?!? Later, he even implies that the king ought to ditch his personal grandfather as his Hand—and identify him as a substitute. Poison! Everybody, please cease speaking to him. Get this man out of right here!
Aegon II then sits on the throne to listen to the widespread people’ pleas. He has a posse of shithead knights round him. (For now, I’ll simply name them the Lads.) However this Joffrey-esque king isn’t a tyrannical nutcase all the time—simply more often than not. He truly needs to do some good for his individuals in the present day, at the same time as his grandfather curbs his actions at each step. The third commoner to step up is a blacksmith named Hugh, who requests extra funds to construct their big dragon-killing crossbows. This man feels essential—he even will get the great lighting. Perhaps we’ll even see him once more…
By now, Home of the Dragon season 2 is already feeling like a large step up for the sequence. The pacing is significantly better, the aspect characters are simply as compelling because the leads, and it’s clear we’re constructing as much as a struggle. It’s a battle nobody needs—and that nobody is ready for. However it’s too late to show again, and unspeakable horrors lie earlier than us.
Blood and Cheese are by no means an excellent combo.
Blood and Cheese
Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno) is again. She had an extremely sophisticated plot final season—one which matched her extremely sophisticated accent. This season, Home of the Dragon will try to rid her of each. Daemon asks her to make use of her felony spy community to seek out him two essential idiots. She will get him a turncoat member of the Kingsguard and the Crimson Maintain’s rat-catcher, whom Daemon hires to shock and kill Aemond Targaryen. “A son for a son,” he declares, simply as earlier than. Within the books, these two assassins-for-a-night are named Blood and Cheese. (Sure, he’s a rat-catcher named Cheese.) They’re dangerous information. Cheese even punts a canine, simply so that you’re absolutely conscious that they’re despicable human beings.
Sneaking up by way of the rat-infested tunnels of the citadel, the 2 males discover Queen Helaena (Phia Saban) unguarded, alongside along with her sleeping kids. Feeling that that is the tip of the street for his or her mission, they kill the younger Jaehaerys whereas he sleeps. (Fairly brutally, I would add.) I gained’t mince phrases: They reduce off his head. “A son for a son,” Blood repeats. Rattling! I assumed Home of the Dragon would finish season 1 with this scene—however this suits significantly better as season 2’s catalyzing occasion.
Horrified, Queen Helaena runs away and finds her mom having intercourse with Ser Criston Cole (Fabian Frankel). Oh shit! How have I not talked about this but? Alicent and Ser Criston are hooking up now. It’s a large change from the supply materials, however Ser Criston’s character can actually use the added drama. When that man switches sides, he actually switches sides. Think about how a lot he’s going to lose his thoughts when he learns what Blood and Cheese did on his watch. Hell, the whole lot’s about to go nuts.