House of the Dragon Season Two Episode One Review

The second season of House of the Dragon is out and we are all for it. The second season picks up after the passing of Viserys I Targaryen and the battle for the rightful heir to the throne. Keep reading to find out what happened in the first episode of House of the Dragon: season two!

Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen is searching for the body of her son who was killed in the end of the first season of House of the Dragon. Daemon Targaryen wants revenge but without Rhaenyra there, he gets no support and is reminded that he is not a king.

In Westeros, we see Aegon II Targaryen trying to rule but his flaws are evident as clowns around in the war council meeting. War is inevitable and that is a fact that everyone seems to agree upon but not how to proceed. Aegon is not taking the threat serious because he has the strongest dragon in the realm under him.

In Dragonstone, we see Rhaenyra mourn her son’s death and says to her council  “I want Aemond Targaryen” and walks off. Daemon starts planning his revenge and hires two assassins to kill Aemond. But if they can’t find him, he tells them to kill a prince. And that is what happens as they make their way into the castle using the tunnels.

Commentary

This is a dark opening to the season and should give everyone an idea of what to expect. War is around the corner and we already have people dropping dead left and right. The tone of the episode reflects this somber tone and there is a lot of black and gray that also gives it that feeling.

As much as I love the Game of Thrones universe, I forget how dark it can be at times. Watching this episode was not a fun experience. At least we didn’t have to see the murder on screen but it is still heavy and impossible to ignore. I do hope that this type of scene doesn’t come about again.

From what I remember from the novel Fire and Blood, there is a lot of murder and death still to come. But the dragon fights are epic and I do think we will get a few great ones this scene. That is the only reason I am still watching this show after the first episode. If you know George R. R. Martin, then you know that chaos is always around the corner as everyone drops dead like flies. That is why he has such a big cast of characters.

Conclusion

For now, I do think I will stick with the show and see if it gets better. I loved season one and was disappointed in this opening episode. Most of the episode felt like filler for the ending scene and could have just been skipped. If you just watch the last five minutes, I don’t think you’d miss out on much. Let’s hope episode 2 is a lot better.

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