As much as I thought Daenerys was an interesting character in HBO’s Game of Thrones adaptation, I was never overly invested in her ending up on the Iron Throne (Team Stark all the way!). And while I agreed that the final season of Game of Thrones felt rushed and somewhat clumsily handled at times, overall I really, really loved the show and was sad when I completed my watch-through.
So, when House of the Dragon was announced, I was excited for more Game of Thrones stories but admittedly kinda wished it was a Jon Snow spin-off instead. However, that changed once I started watching House of the Dragon and fell absolutely in love with this show. I latched onto Milly Alcock’s portrayal of young princess Rhaenyra right away, and found Matt Smith as Daemon endlessly compelling (even if I sometimes kind of hated him).
I adored this show, it was one of my geek highlights of 2022, and I couldn’t wait for more. It felt like a very long two years in between seasons – was it worth the wait?
Overall, yes it was! The first season was absolutely amazing, thanks to its tense political drama and amazing performances (Paddy Considine as Viserys was worthy of all the praise he received). As cool as the battles and action scenes in Game of Thrones were, my favorite parts were always the character interactions and dialogue, and all the complicated political and personal maneuvering. House of the Dragon has plenty of that, plus who doesn’t love seeing more dragons on screen!
At only eight episodes, season 2 feels like it ended just as it was getting started, and that next two year wait is going to be painful. But these characters continue to be super compelling (even if, like in Game of Thrones, they aren’t always likable).
I’m going to end my spoiler-free thoughts on the season here, and start diving into more specifics about the characters. So reader be warned!
Rhaenyra became my favorite character on this show right away, and continues to be so in season 2. She’s a good person, something not every leader in Westeros can claim, but she certainly isn’t flawless, and like any real-life leader she makes mistakes.
I like how the show balances the many complicated facets of Rhaenyra. She is a leader, one whose claim to the throne is unfairly contested. She never wanted a war, but now she must fight one if she wants her rightful inheritance. She is also a mother, who deeply loves her children, but the fact she is a leader with a target on her back puts them constantly in danger, and she must live with that knowledge. She is tired, scared, and overwhelmed – as any human would be – but she must constantly present an air of strength and determination.
I have slightly more mixed feelings on Daemon’s story arc this season. Matt Smith does such a great job portraying this character that I like Daemon more on screen than I would on paper. Daemon is definitely a very flawed person who has made some terrible choices, and he spends a lot of this season hiding away in Harrenhal. I feel like maybe the Harrenhal arc went on a bit longer than it should have, and it would have been more interesting seeing Daemon interact more directly with the other main characters instead of brooding in the shadows over the fact he doesn’t get to be king. Still, seeing him visited by ghosts of his past was super fascinating, and it will be good to see him and Rhaenyra as a united front again.
Also, even though I’m Team Black all the way, my favorite Team Green member is Aemond. Like Daemon, he is sometimes the worst, but Ewan Mitchell gives such a great performance that the character becomes compelling.
The deaths of Rhaenys and her dragon punched me in the gut, and was a reminder that if justice had been done from the beginning, she would have been on the Iron Throne this whole time and the war and violence that followed may have been avoided.
The idea of Team Black recruiting dragon riders is super interesting, although I catch myself rolling my eyes a bit at Ulf’s antics (really, Silverwing, wasn’t there some other rider you could have chosen?). I love Addam of Hull and how Seasmoke basically chases him down and in a very catlike way, chooses him.
And while it’s easy to hate Alicent, I still have some pity for her because basically she was forced into the role of queen by her father’s maneuvering and then given no respect, power or voice as a woman. She must take responsibility for helping start a war, but she also has been hurt by the system of power she grew up in.
In its early seasons, Game of Thrones didn’t always do the best job presenting nuanced female characters, but House of the Dragon has, I think, done much better lifting up its female characters and giving them voices, even if the world they live in doesn’t.
Anyway, I can’t wait to find out what happens next for everyone. I’m trying to avoid any spoilers of what happens in the books, because I’m terrified of what may happen to my favorite characters.
