'House of the Dragon' Season 2 Trailer Breakdown: A War Between Kin (2025)

After over a year of waiting, multiple delays, and much anticipation, we have finally gotten a look at the new upcoming season of House of the Dragon Season 2. While the release is still a while away, with only a vague release window of Summer 2024, the new teaser trailer dropped at CCXP feels like finding an oasis in a desert. If you'll remember, House of the Dragon Season 1 ended with the shocking death of Lucerys Velaryon (Elliot Grihault), the son of Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy), at the hands (or dragon jaws) of Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell). After Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynne-Carney) usurped the Iron Throne and was crowned in front of the masses not long after his father, Viserys (Paddy Considine) died, Rhaenyra attempted to negotiate with her half-brother, given that she was the original and rightful heir to the throne. However, with Luke's death, any hope of peaceful negotiation is now out the window and the Dance of the Dragons has truly begun.Let's break down what Season 2 might have in store for us, but be warned that the following article will go into spoilers from the Fire & Blood book by George R. R. Martin that details the events of the Dance of the Dragons.

House of the Dragon

The reign of House Targaryen begins with this prequel to the popular HBO seriesGame of Thrones. Based on George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood, House of the Dragonis set nearly 200 years before Game of Thrones, telling the story of the Targaryen civil war with King Viserys.

Release Date

August 21, 2022

Seasons

4

Distributor

Main Genre

Adventure

'House of the Dragon' Season 2 Will Focus on Civil War

The Season 2 teaser trailer hammers home the idea that this will be a bloody and brutal war. Not only is this a fight between family, but it is between people who all ride on giant nuclear weapons aka dragons. We first hear Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) say, "Errors were made in the hours following King Viserys' death." While you might think that means the crowning of Aegon II, it's more likely that Otto is speaking of Luke's death. Aemond's action at Storm's End makes him into a kinslayer, which is one of the cardinal sins of Westeros. This is not a good look for the Greens (the faction that supports Aegon II).Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) is also heard saying, "The war will be fought, many will die, and the victor will eventually ascend the throne." While Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Best) tells Rhaenyra, "There is no war so hateful to the gods as a war between kin, and no war so bloody as a war between dragons." This is not your average battle and scenes throughout the teaser show violence and an abundance of dragon fire.

Rhaenyra Mourns Luke's Death

The teaser opens up with Rhaenyra standing at the shores of Shipbreaker Bay where Luke fell. Given the state of her appearance, it is hard to tell when in the storyline she visits the bay because she's covered in soot likely from a battle, but it seems clear that Luke's death will haunt her for the season.

Aegon II Reigns as King

While Aegon II might have appeared apprehensive in Season 1 before his coronation, it's clear that he's finally gotten comfortable wearing the Conquerer's crown. We see him not only wearing the crown but also wielding the Catspaw Dagger that Viserys once held. He has his own marble ball that we see him place on the Small Council table. He's also donned the green color of House Hightower with golden embroidered dragons. His sigil is a gold dragon on a green field, which you will see throughout the season.

Daemon Goes to War

While we saw Daemon (Matt Smith) go to war in the Stepstones in Season 1, he spent the majority of the season out of armor. But with the war kicking off, Daemon will be one of Rhaenyra's most powerful enforcers. In one of the scenes in the teaser, we see him potentially executing someone with a weirwood tree in the back. While there was a weirwood tree in Season 1 in King's Landing, these trees with creepy faces are typically found in the North and north of the wall. However, one location in the south that has a weirwood tree is the Isle of Faces, a small island across from Harrenhal. Given that Daemon attacks Harrenhal early during the war in Fire & Blood, it is possible he is at that location, but who he is executing is a mystery.

The Civil War Will Turn Houses Against Each Other

We can see many different sigils in the teaser. We see the Blacks' classic Targaryen sigil, the red three-headed dragon on black, and we see the Hightower sigil of the tower on green. But some new sigils we see include House Rosby and House Stokeworth. House Rosby's sigil is three red chevrons on ermine (white with black speckles), and House Stokeworth's sigil is a white lamb holding a goblet on a green field. In the book, these two houses were originally loyal to Rhaenyra and were Black sympathizers who were imprisoned by Aegon II and then brought to the side of the Greens. It's unclear from the teaser trailer whose side they're fighting on but it's clear from one of the scenes where we see dragonfire explode on a field that they are fodder for this war between Targaryens.In another shot, we see a man wearing yellow with the image of what looks like a red horse on yellow. This could potentially suggest that the man is from House Bracken. This house is known for its notorious feud with the Blackwoods, and we saw this feud in Season 1 when a Bracken and a Blackwood fought each other for Rhaenyra's hand in marriage. In the Dance of the Dragons, the Brackens declared their loyalty to the Greens.

Rook's Rest Will Likely Be the Big Battle of the Season

There are a few big battles in the Dance of the Dragons, and Rook's Rest is a major one. While there's no clear indication that this is the battle we see being fought in the teaser, some very big things happen during this battle. Not only is there a major death for the Blacks, but the Greens are dealt a major blow when one of the key players of the war is left incapacitated.

New Dragon Riders and Dragonseeds Will Be Introduced

We see a glimpse of a greyish-silver dragon flying overhead and see a man who could be Addam of Hull (Clinton Liberty). Addam was a dragonseed, one of the people recruited by the Blacks to ride the many riderless dragons at Dragonstone. In the book, Addam claims to be the bastard son of Laenor Velaryon (John MacMillan) but was rumored to actually be the bastard of Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint). Because Laenor is not actually dead in the series, it's unclear if Seasmoke will be able to have a new rider. This is one of the main questions that has book readers scratching their head.There are six dragonseeds in total: Hugh Hammer, Ulf the White, Addam of Hull, Alyn of Hull, Nettles, and Silver Denys. So far, only three have been cast: Addam, Alyn (Abubakar Salim), and Ulf (Tom Bennett).

Will Queen Rhaenyra Go to Battle?

We see Rhaenyra with her council in one of the shots, with Daemon to the left, Rhaenys to the right, and queensguard Erryk Cargyll (Elliott Tittensor) beside her. And while Rhaenyra mainly stays at Dragonstone during the war in the book, it seems the scenes of her covered in soot and riding her dragon Syrax might suggest that we will see the queen take to the battlefield as well.

Criston Cole Rises in the Ranks

While we only briefly see Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel), who is seen executing someone surrounded by the king's men, in the book, Criston rises up quickly in the ranks. As a brutal enforcer and a man without mercy, he is one of the key players for the Greens.

Aemond Will Become a Major Player in Season 2

Book readers will know the implications of the scene where we see Aemond walking up to his brother's throne, but without giving everything away, suffice it to say that Aemond will be a major player in the war. Not only does he ride the largest dragon in the world, but he will be derided as a kinslayer. Although we know that Vhagar's attack on Luke and Arrax was not intentional, the world doesn't know that. As the war continues, Aemond's ambition, which we saw in Season 1, will grow.

Jace Goes North to Winterfell

Luke was sent to Storm's End to speak with the Baratheons, but Jacaerys (Harry Collett) was sent north. First to the Eyrie to gain an alliance from the Arryns and then to the North, to parley with Lord Cregan Stark (Tom Taylor) and Winterfell. In the book, Jace befriends Cregan and the two swear an oath of brotherhood together while he is in the North. We see a shot of a snowy landscape and men in furs, it seems safe to say that we will be returning back to Winterfell!

Blood and Cheese Will Be One of the Most Horrific Scenes on TV

Remember the Red Wedding? Remember the reaction we all had when we saw that? Remember the words Blood and Cheese for Season 2. Again, without spoiling it too much, Blood and Cheese are the names of two people who infiltrate and attack Helaena Targaryen (Phia Saban) in the Red Keep. It is an event that happens early on in the war and serves as retribution for the murder of Luke. One of the most devastating moments of the war, it remains to be seen just how gruesome the series will make the scene.

Baela Targaryen Will Fight in the Dance of the Dragons

It seems that George R. R. Martin kind of forgot that Daemon had daughters during the Dance of the Dragons. Baela (Bethany Antonia) and Rhaena (Phoebe Campbell) do not have much to do in the book during the war, but from the shot we see in the teaser, Baela is clearly going to have a big part in the battles to come. We see her on dragonback screaming out, a direct parallel to when we saw her mother Laena (Nanna Blondell) on Vhagar. We don't see Rhaena, however, some fans theorize that the dragonseed Nettles' story might have been given to Rhaena and she might also ride a dragon in Season 2.

Brother Fights Brother in Season 2

In another brief moment, we see one of the Cargyll twins fighting someone. From the book, we know that the Cargylls will eventually meet and fight one another. In Season 1, we saw Erryk help Rhaenys escape King's Landing and arrive at Dragonstone with Jaehaerys' crown (which Viserys also wore) and swear his oath to Rhaenyra. His brother, Arryk (Luke Tittensor), remains loyal to Aegon II. Will we see the Carylls face each other in House of the Dragon Season 2?

The Smallfolk Are Caught in the Crossfire

When Rhaenys burst out of the Dragonpit and made her daring escape from King's Landing, it might have seemed like a triumphant moment. But it came at the cost of hundreds of dead commoners, and in the teaser, we see some of those commoners turn on Alicent along with a shot of the Dragonpit. In the book, the smallfolk do not play a large role in the Dance itself but tens of thousands die as a result of the civil war. Enraged, they eventually turn on the Targaryens. The smallfolk uprising will likely be another major, brutal scene in the seasons to come, so keep an eye out for how they are treated.House of the Dragon Season 2 will premiere in Summer 2024. Season 1 is available to stream on Max in the U.S.Watch on Max