Editor’s Note: This article contains spoilers for “House of the Dragon.”
The final episode of “House of the Dragon” season two premiered on Max on Sunday. The series centers on the conflict between “the Blacks” and “the Greens,” two royal families warring for the right to rule the fantasy kingdom of Westeros.
“House of the Dragon” — a prequel to “Game of Thrones” — is based on the book “Fire and Blood” by George R. R. Martin. Written in the style of a history book, it tells the story of House Targaryen, a royal family with a magical connection to dragons. Although the book covers a period of 150 years, “House of the Dragon” focuses on the civil war between the supporters of Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) and Aegon Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney), respectively known as the Blacks and the Greens. Both siblings claim to be the true heir to their late father, King Viserys’ (Paddy Considine), throne.
“Game of Thrones” was incredibly successful during its nine-year run, but an infamously poor final season tainted public perception of the series. “House of the Dragon” has reinvigorated interest in the franchise, possessing a level of quality reminiscent of the earlier seasons of “Game of Thrones.” Although a few concerns arise near the end of season two, the newest season of “House of the Dragon” is a strong follow-up to the first.
Despite the series taking place in a medieval/fantasy setting, the primary content of “House of the Dragon” is not the action-packed escapades one might expect. The show is more or less a political drama centered on members of the ruling class’s struggles for power. For the Targaryens, this struggle is not merely political. Years of family infighting precede the civil war triggered at the end of season one. In the second season, as the line between political and personal blurs, the conflict reaches a catastrophic point of no return.
An underappreciated aspect of the series is its remarkable production design. Despite incorporating elements of fantasy such as dragons and extravagant castles, the world of Westeros feels incredibly grounded. From its intricate costumes to its practical sets, every facet of the show’s fictional world has been fully realized on screen. As fantastical as it is, Westeros feels like a tangible and historied realm not so unlike our own.
The acting in “House of the Dragon” is of an incredibly high caliber — another element that lends itself to the show’s realism. One would be hard-pressed to find a bad performance in the series. From the show’s leads all the way down to those in the smallest of supporting roles, every character feels authentic, with true-to-life nuance and depth. A highlight is Glynn-Carney as Aegon, who brings a relatable and sympathetic perspective to an otherwise villainous character.
In “House of the Dragon,” action sequences are sparing. So when they occur, it’s a spectacle of epic proportions. Season two, episode four, “The Red Dragon and the Gold,” delivers a series best. What begins as a battle between the armies of the Blacks and the Greens is quickly overshadowed by the arrival of both sides’ dragons. Mounted by their Targaryen riders, the dragons clash, inadvertently raining down indiscriminate death and destruction upon the two factions. In the wake of this horror, it becomes clear that this war exists only to serve the personal gain of House Targaryen, and the common people will suffer its consequences.
Unfortunately, the latter half of season two has some pacing issues.
Building into the finale, the show creates anticipation for a climax that never comes. The second half of the season focuses on the rivaling royalty as they prepare for future battles. Normally, this would have culminated in a spectacular event to cap the season, as fans became accustomed to in “Game of Thrones.” However, the finale only teases the battle to come, a dissatisfactory choice that leaves the season feeling incomplete.
The writing quality also falls in the finale. Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith), the estranged husband of Rhaenyra, struggles to accept his wife as the rightful heir for most of the season. When he sees a vision of the future — with Rhaenyra on the throne — Daemon abandons his plots to usurp her and swears fealty. This writing choice removes the agency of the character, disregarding Daemon’s arc over the course of the season for a cheap, unearned moment.
Despite these missteps, “House of the Dragon” largely sticks the landing to deliver a great second season. Though the show may never capture the world’s attention as pandemically as “Game of Thrones” once did, it could eventually be remembered as the better of the two series if it continues to produce television of this quality.
Drew Askeland is an Arts & Entertainment Intern for the summer 2024 quarter. He can be reached at daskelan@uci.edu.
Edited by June Min and Jaheem Conley.
