A Quick Recap Of Season 1’s Ending

The House of the Dragon is back two years after its debut season. Season 1 left us with the death of King Viserys, following which the house hasn’t been able to hold itself together over scuffles concerning who gets to sit on the iron throne.

This was primarily because King Viserys had previously hoped for Princess Rhaenyra to succeed him, but with his last breath, he whispered to his queen that he wanted Aegon II to succeed him. Unaware of this, Princess Rhaenyra is led to believe her rightful seat on the throne has been unlawfully snatched away from her, leading to inevitable war.

In preparation for war, Rhaenyra sends her two sons to win the support of the strong houses around. Unfortunately, this costs her the life of her son Prince Lucerys, which leaves her with no reason to continue resisting war.

House of the Dragon: Season 2 Episode 1 Recap

Jacaerys Secures Support

Season 2 begins with Jacaerys flying north to secure the support of Cregan Stark. The Starks agree to help Rhaenyra reclaim the Iron Throne. Soon enough, a raven informs Jacaerys that his brother has passed away.

Mourning And Vengeance

Back at Dragonstone, while Rhaenyra is still mourning her son’s death, Daemon seeks to avenge Lucerys’ death. Rhaenyra finds Arrax’s (Lucerys’ Dragon) torn-off wing and Lucerys’ clothing, which is a small consolation for her son’s loss. Daemon then decides to take “a son for a son.”

The Velaryon Naval Blockade

To stay true to his oath, Lord Corlys Velaryon and his wife Rhaenys hold a naval blockade to suffocate the King’s Landing. This puts a restraint on the Greens’ resources and allows the Blacks to gain a strategic advantage.

King Aegon II’s Forces

Back at King’s Landing, we witness a meeting with King Aegon II and have a tally of all forces that have bent a knee. It includes the Lannisters at Casterly Rock, the Hightowers, and the Baratheons in the Stormlands all standing with the crown.

Alicent And Larys Strong

Alicent speaks with Larys Strong, who is portrayed as trying to be helpful. However, his methods are questionable and his intentions are unclear. He informs Alicent that he has had several members of staff murdered as he deemed them untrustworthy and replaced them with more trustworthy people. Alicent is visibly uncomfortable around the staff hired by him and asks them to leave as she bathes.

Aegon II’s Rule And Otto Hightower’s Guidance

Aegon II sits on the throne to hear the pleas of the people, and despite having the best intentions at heart, he displays a lack of understanding of the affairs within the kingdom. That said, the Hand, his grandfather Otto Hightower, helps him navigate through these decisions.

Alicent’s Plea To Otto

Alicent has a conversation with Otto about the convergence of their visions and asks him to not be dismissive of her thoughts in court. The reasoning behind this is that it might impact how her sons treat her word and they might turn a deaf ear to her over time.

Daemon’s Deal With The White Worm

Daemon meets the White Worm and accuses her of betrayal for helping find Aegon. In pursuit of avenging Lucerys, he offers her freedom in exchange for information. Mysaria uses her criminal spy network to find two men for Daemon to assassinate Aemond.

Blood And Cheese

The two men make their way into the castle through the rat-infested tunnels and present themselves as rat catchers. They make it to Queen Helaena’s room but are confused about which of the kids is her son. They force her to speak, holding her at knifepoint, and then behead her son. She carries her daughter and makes it to Alicent’s room, where she’s having sex with Ser Criston Cole.

House Of The Dragon: Season 2 Episode 1 Review

With the first episode of season 2, it’s evident that the drama series has returned with improved pacing. The previous season failed to keep a consistent rhythm, but this season starts close to the coronation, picking up just where we left off last season. Over the first episode, we only see the two parties edging closer to war, leaving behind any possibilities of peace.

Aegon Struggles With Leadership Amidst Rising Tensions

In this episode, we get to see Aegon play king, and despite the saying “with great power comes great responsibility,” that moment hasn’t come yet for Aegon. He still indulges in his childish behavior by bringing a child into court when they’re almost on the brink of war and getting drunk on the Iron Throne at night. His antics almost make you wish he loses the war. However, as a twist, we can see him wanting to help his countrymen when they bring their pleas. But once again, his intentions might be clean, but his ways show a lack of understanding of how the kingdom functions.

Daemon’s Bold Move Adds To The Uncertainty And Intrigue

Daemon makes a bold move to stir the pot with “a son for a son.” However, it’s unclear what his intentions were and what actually happened. It seemed like he ordered the killing of Aemond, but White Worm’s men ended up killing Queen Helaena’s son, who is also one of the heirs to the throne. This confusion will most likely be explained in the next episode. So stay tuned!

What did you think of Season 2 Episode 1 of House of the Dragon? Do you agree with our opinions? Did our article “House of the Dragon: Season 2 Episode 1 Recap & Review” miss something significant? Let us know in the comments below.