THE LAST TIME viewers saw an episode of House of the Dragon was almost two years ago. For a show so dependent upon intricate relationships between two different families of characters, you may not precisely remember every single nuanced detail between the Greens and the Blacks.
Much like its predecessor, Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon has an epic and sprawling tale, perhaps even more so. The first half of the first season saw years pass between episodes, which allowed showrunner Ryan Condal to show the passing of time and sow seeds of discontent between the members of the two families.
With so much storied history and such a long break between seasons, we don’t blame you if you’re having difficulty remembering everything. So, to help you all with the details, we’ve got a handy refresher on the four biggest things to remember as you dive into Season 2, which hits HBO on Sunday, June 16.
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Inciting Incidents
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The strength of House of the Dragon’s first season is, in my opinion, a feature that some determined to be a bug. A bulk of the episodes unfolded with gaps of years in between, which can be disorienting for some, sure. Still, it worked wonders from a narrative perspective to turn fresh wounds into deep scars, making it feel like there was real history between each of the major players.
Case-in-point: The storied history between Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock and Emma D’Arcy) and Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey and Olivia Cooke). The first five episodes of the first season focus on the characters in their younger days as they’re unwillingly and unknowingly pitted against one another by the various men in their lives—including King Viserys (Paddy Considine), Ser Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), and Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith). The cracks in their foundation run deeper and wider as they get older and have children of their own, who in turn have beef with another—more on that in a second.
The main takeaway is that despite a mutual love for one another, Rhaenyra and Alicent could never actually be friends because of Otto’s decision to wed Alicent to King Viserys. After Alicent gives birth to their first son, an irreparable split is created between the two women, as the newborn babe is in direct competition for the throne—a seat that Viserys initially promised to Rhaenyra. That’s an especially difficult position for Rhaenyra to be in because…
A Prophecy
HBO
…of some critical information that King Viserys told Rhaenyra! One of the first season’s most interesting tidbits is the revelation that the Kings of yore knew of a prophecy passed down from Targaryen ruler to Targaryen ruler since Aegon the Conqueror. Known as “A Song of Ice and Fire,” Aegon had a prophetic vision that at some point in the future, a massive winter would blanket Westeros, and the only way for the world to survive would be with a Targaryen on the Iron Throne.
As viewers, we know about the Song of Ice and Fire, as the prophecy relates to Jon Snow’s lineage. But it’s an important bit of lore to keep in mind as it serves as justification for both Alicent and Rhaenyra’s claims to the throne. See, Rhaenyra thinks she should rule because Viserys told her about its importance in confidence ahead of her taking over. However, on his deathbed, Viserys was dreaming (and muttering) about the prophecy, repeating “Aegon” over and over—which Alicent took to mean that he wanted his son, Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney), to take over. Whoopsie!
This misinterpretation is what begins to stoke the flames of the impending Targaryen civil war—aka, the Dance of the Dragons. However, not even the decision to put Aegon on the throne is enough to tip Westeros into full-on war. That would come courtesy of a little misunderstanding amongst the clouds.
The End at Storm’s End
HBO
There are two major events at the end of the first season you’ll need to remember. The first is the rushed coronation of Aegon. After Alicent mishears Viserys, the Greens spring into action to stage a coup and put Aegon on the throne. That ceremony ends with Princess Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Best) emerging on a dragon with a chance at a kill shot—but not taking it. After this, Rhaenyra springs into action and sends her sons Luke (Elliot Grihault) and Jace (Harry Collett) on diplomatic missions to shore up strength and rally troops to their cause.
When Luke arrives at the Baratheon seat of power, Storm’s End, he realizes he’s too little, too late, as Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) is already there on behalf of the Greens. Aemond, who lost an eye to Luke as a kid, is keen to settle an old score and begins to chase after Luke amongst the storms of Storm’s End. It’s here where Aemond loses control of his dragon, Vhagar, who proceeds to eat Luke and his dragon as a snack. This act, accidental or otherwise, is enough to throw the kingdom into the brink of war.
Other Players
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As with Game of Thrones, a few other key players are lingering around the edges who are worth remembering. There’s Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno), who was once Daemon’s paramour and goes by the name “White Worm” as a trader of secrets amongst King’s Landing. Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) used to love Rhaenyra before falling in with Alicent and the Greens. There’s Lord Larys Strong (Matthew Needham), who is another confidant for Alicent and has a memorable scene in the first season where it’s implied he’s a foot guy. Finally, there’s also Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint), aka the Sea Snake, who is married to Princess Rhaenys and is a master sailer.
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