The season finale of House of the Dragon on Sunday night could have been an extraordinary penultimate episode for Season 2. Imagine the excitement knowing that the bloodshed was only a week away. Consider all the intricate setups, the poised pieces, and the matchsticks ready to ignite:
House Of The Dragon’ Season 2,
Alicent visits Rhaenyra, reversing their roles from earlier this season. Instead of suing for peace, she opens the gates of King’s Landing to Team Black. Bitterly, she even agrees to her maimed son Aegon losing his head. This dramatic shift is set to occur in just three days, right after Aemond flies to Harrenhal to join Ser Criston Cole and wage war against Daemon and his forces. (Side-note: Aemond probably should have attacked Harrenhal before Daemon gathered his armies; the ruse at Rook’s Rest and the loss of Aegon and Sunfyre have been disastrous tactical errors.)
Meanwhile, Aegon flees King’s Landing with Larys Strong, heading secretly to Braavos to access Larys’s hidden wealth. After much persuasion, Aegon realizes that every other path leads to death.
Daemon, after experiencing visions of White Walkers, the Three-Eyed Raven, Daenerys and her baby dragons, and Rhaenyra on the throne, decides to abandon his ambitions and side with Rhaenyra. When she visits him, he kneels before her and then rallies his men to war, crying, “No mercy!” His forces are ready to confront Criston Cole and Gwayne Hightower, with Caraxes prepared to battle Vhagar. The anticipation is intense!
A montage shows the three new dragonriders—Ulf, Hugh, and Addam—armored and ready to fly. Dramatic music underscores scenes of Alicent leaving Dragonstone, Aegon leaving King’s Landing, Otto Hightower seemingly imprisoned, armies of Starks, Lannisters, and Hightowers on the march, and Rhaena finally confronting the wild dragon, Sheepstealer. This buildup is thrilling and leaves viewers on the edge of their seats.
At sea, the massive Triarchy pirate fleet, led by the Sharako Lohar—recast as a woman and humorously portrayed by Abigail Thorn—is heading for the Gullet to break the Sea Snake’s blockade. Corlys and Alyn of Hull are aboard ships as well. Armies are marching, fleets are sailing, and dragons are flying. Next week’s season finale promises to be spectacular!
Unfortunately, we may have to wait two or even three years for the resolution of these cliffhangers, and the next season could be just six episodes long. Fans of Game of Thrones are all too familiar with waiting. It’s been 13 years since the release of The Winds Of Winter, with potentially 13 more years of waiting ahead. Some characters haven’t had a POV chapter since A Feast For Crows, published 19 years ago. We’ve waited long enough and do not want to wait another two years to see what happens next.
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A Brilliant Yet Frustrating Season
Season 2 of House of the Dragon has been mostly brilliant, featuring phenomenal character and world-building, meticulous attention to detail, excellent dialogue, and humorous moments courtesy of Ser Simon Strong, Ulf the White, and the pirate queen Lohar. We even had a great battle and some cool dragon-bonding scenes.
However, the problem is that after two seasons, we’ve had a lot of setup with very little action. Season 1 focused on establishing the conflict, fleshing out the cast, and explaining the events leading up to the brutal war. This is understandable for a first season. But Season 2 has been much of the same: plenty of pieces moving around the board but only fleeting moments of real action.
Conclusion
The Season 2 finale of House of the Dragon, while full of promise and intricate setups, ultimately feels underwhelming as a season-ending episode. The show has done an excellent job with character development and world-building, but fans are left yearning for more action and quicker resolutions to the storylines. As we brace for a potentially long wait for Season 3, the anticipation and impatience grow, much like the dragons ready to unleash their fury.