House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 1: The Summary Of The 1st Episode And The Explanations To Grasp Every Detail
House of the Dragon Season 2 has finally arrived like winter in Winterfell in the GoT finale (non-coincidental postponement), with the release of the first episode of House of the Dragon Season 2, entitled A Son for a Son), released on TV and on-demand on Sky and streaming on NOW at the same time as the release in the USA on HBO, also with the dubbed version, unlike what happened in the first season. We are therefore particularly excited to restart our recaps (or summaries, if you prefer) of the episodes of this series, in which we delve into the characters, phrases, and scenes seen on the screen to try to understand something more of this world created by the mind of George RR Martin. So, follow us in this analysis of the first episode of House of the Dragon Season 2.
House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 1: How, When, and Where House of the Dragon Season 2 Starts Again?
The previous reference to Winterfell was not accidental, because the second season begins right from the North. The flight of a raven takes us to the Wall, where we have seen Jon Snow and the other Night’s Watch many times. The voice we hear is that of Cregan Stark, to whom Rhaenyra had sent her eldest son Jacaerys while little Lucerys went to the Baratheons (and met her death). Eddard’s ancestor, Robert, Arya, Sansa, Brandon, etc., is the classic Stark, faithful to his oaths of loyalty but also to the mission that his family must carry out, guarding the Wall while “winter is coming”. However, Jacaerys convinces him to grant his cause of the Blacks 2000 soldiers “with white beards who have seen many winters but who will fight as the Nordics know how to do”, immediately afterward a soldier arrives to offer the note brought by the crow, which announces the death of Lucerys at the hands (and fire) of Aemond and his immense dragon Vaghar.
Rhaenyra Searches for Her Son’s Corpse, Meanwhile Daemon Wants Revenge?
We go to Dragonstone, where Rhaenys the-queen-who-never-was returns with her Meleys to rest after a watch at the Narrow Sea where the Velaryons are implementing a naval blockade to strangle their enemies, Daemon tells her to go with him to King’s Landing to avenge Lucerys by killing Aemond and Vaghar, but Rhaenys refuses since he is not the king. The poor queen Rhaenyra has been around for days looking for her son’s corpse, to process her mourning as a mother, and even if Daemon considers this attitude a weakness Rhaenys explains to him, from the height of her double terrible experience with Laena and Laenor whose widowers are precisely Daemon and his wife-granddaughter Rhaenyra, that a parent must be sure that their child is dead. Daemon tries to blame her for the fact that she could have killed Aegon at the coronation, when with Meleys she had breathed in the new king’s face before going to her allies, but Rhaenys is always a lady and does not take up the provocation.
Corlys Velaryon Speaks to Alyn (who is this?), Who Gives Him Lucerys’ Dagger?
At the port of Driftmark the Tidelord, Lord Corlys Velaryon, goes to see how his ship is damaged, brought home after being fished out following the battle that almost cost Corlys his life in the Stepstones. And here Corlys talks to Alyn of Hull, who will later be called Alyn Velaryon. We won’t spoil anything for you, but we are ready to bet that in the TV series, Alyn will turn out to be the son of Corlys (because, otherwise, are they the only ones with black skin there?), one of the hypotheses linked to the origins of the character, of which how You can always find more information in the various Westeros fan wikis. Anyway, Alyn gives Corlys the dagger of the late Lucerys, and Corlys thanks him for saving his life in the Stepstones: there’s no way this is all a coincidence, in our opinion.
The Situation of the Greens in King’s Landing?
The Green Targaryens, meanwhile, seem to be doing better than their Black rivals (and even the Greens in recent European policies… sorry), in King’s Landing. The “evil twin” Arryk leads the Royal Guards to sight the dragons, but it is only Vaghar returning with Aemond. Inside the castle, Helaena sews what could be the bloody tapestry that replaced the usual gears in the opening theme, when her brother-husband, King Aegon, arrives, wanting to bring his son and heir to the throne Jaehaerys to the small council. Helaena says she is worried about mice and knowing her prophetic skills we already have the shivers of her. Alicent Hightower, on the other hand, seems relaxed as she lets Ser Criston Cole perform oral sex on her between meetings. As always, they promise not to do it again when they go to the council, but we already know that they will not keep their promise. And among the mousecatchers who wander around the castle with their traps, here they are presenting themselves at the council.
Where Aegon takes his little son, who starts disturbing the unpleasant Tyland Lannister and playing with his spherical marble placeholder, annoying the Lannister who only calms down when Aegon threatens to make him play piggyback ride for the child around the house. Red Fortress. Apart from this, the meeting sees the confrontation between Otto, who wants to act according to diplomacy, and Aegon, who instead would like to resolve everything with dragons and swords. In her midst is Alicent, who tries to mediate but is hindered by the recriminations of her frustrated father and the frenzy of her crazy son. By the way, Aemond also arrives, invited by his brother to have his say, namely that they should concentrate their efforts on the area of the Riverlands (which will be fatal to Robb Stark) to control all of Westeros from Riverrun. Fortunately, Ser Cole convinces Aegon not to leave for the front with all the dragons, leaving the capital undefended. Once the meeting is over, Alicent meets Larys Strong “wooden foot” (and perhaps the true sentient soul of the castle mice ), who informs her that he had killed what we had called The Handmaid Talya, the queen’s servant who informed Misarya, the White Worm Otto’s informant, and to replace her he chose the new staff, not particularly liked by the always beautiful Alicent.
Rhaenyra Finds Lucerys’ Remains (but not her corpse…)
And finally here is our beloved Rhaenyra, who after a long search comes across a group of fishermen whose nets have left a dragon’s wing entangled. Rhaenyra recognizes little Arrax, and also poor Lucerys’ clothes. She has finally found what she was looking for, although we underline that no body parts were seen, and therefore the theory that Lucerys is still alive, perhaps without memory and who knows where, but alive, still stands.
Aegon II “the Magnanimous” Promises and Does Not Keep?
Aegon would also like to be magnanimous, as per the nickname invented for him by a friend, but every time he promises help, Grandfather Otto arrives to make him go back on his promise. However, we would like to point out that the blacksmith who asks the king for an advance to build the weapons of war is a certain Hugh (who looks like Edoardo Pesce but isn’t), about whom if you want more information there is a bio at this link.
Larys Strong Weaves Her Web to Take Out Otto?
At the end of the council, Aegon is also approached by Larys, who with his typical way of saying and not saying things in perfect politician style makes him understand that if he wants to distance himself from the “malleable” image of his father Viserys he must not let himself be manipulated by Otto and indeed he must depose him as a first knight (who knows in favor of whom…).
The Alliance Between Otto and Alicent Hightower?
In Alicent’s room, mother and father Hightower also meet for clarification, after Otto’s digs at Alicent who wanted to kill Rhaenyra immediately. Alicent makes it clear that Aegon is unstable and Aemond is angry because no one had done anything when Lucerys had put out his eye and now everyone blames him, but at this point, they must cultivate the trust of the young Targaryens to continue to “lead” them towards the victory that they want. Thus was born the Hightower alliance, in the name of “violence but not gratuitous”.
Mysarya is Still Alive: Captured by the Blacks, Interrogated by Daemon, Defended by Erryk?
As expected, the White Worm Mysarya is still alive and is captured by the Blacks, specifically by the “good twin” Erryk, who block a ship crossing the Narrow Sea. She is brought before her old lover Daemon, who questions her to understand how she escaped Larys and why she spied for Otto, “hastening the time” of Aegon’s coronation when he made the Hand find him. Mysarya rightly responds that she had to earn everything in her life, to the point of risking her life for acting as Otto’s informant when she was no longer useful. Erryk, who participated in Aegon’s discovery, confirms the truthfulness of the woman’s words, but Daemon reproaches him for not having killed Aegon when he could. To which Erryk responds masterfully: “At 18, my brother and I signed up swearing to defend the royal family, what should we have done if, at a certain point, it split?”.
Rhaenyra’s Return: “I Want Aemond Targaryen”?
It is at this time that Rhaenyra returns to Dragonstone, more determined than ever. She confirms to her uncle-husband that she has found what she was looking for and she takes charge of the Risk-style war map, which this year seems to be lit differently from last season (weren’t there candles underneath?). Her parents brief her on alliances and naval blockades and ongoing operations, but she cuts it short and only says “I want Aemond Targaryen”, we imagine it’s fine even in small pieces. And she goes off to her chambers, with Daemon watching her, studying one of her reckless moves.
Daemon’s Proposal to Mysarya: “Tell Me Who Can Help Me Kill Aemond and I Will Set You Free”?
And immediately afterward he goes again to Mysarya, whom he had locked up in a cell as a traitor to the crown, and makes her a proposal in exchange for her release. She asks her for the names of someone who can help her, once she has secretly landed in King’s Landing, to eliminate Aemond and carry out the “a son for a son” revenge that gives the title to the premiere of this second season.
Jacaerys Returns to Mother Rhaenyra?
In the next scene it is heartbreaking to see the young and good Jacaerys trying to be “the man” and holding back tears as he tells his mother queen that ” Jeyne Arryn promised support in exchange for a dragon to defend the Vale and the Starks have promised that they will send two thousand men.” He doesn’t resist for long, because he immediately bursts into tears in Rhaenyra’s arms, shocked by the death of his little brother Lucerys.
Rhaenyra Holds Luke’s Funeral, Alicent Prays for Everyone (even her mother)?
And therefore it is a time for commemorations and prayers. On the one hand, we see Rhaenyra celebrate the funeral of the late Luke together with Jake and little Joffrey. Meanwhile in King’s Landing Alicent prays for everyone, lighting a candle for her late husband, for Lucerys, and also for a name that most will have missed. The name in question, at least as it is written in the subtitles, is Alyrie Florent. And who is she? As the most attentive and expert fans of Westeros have noticed, this should be the name of Alicent’s mother and Otto’s wife, who died a few months before the beginning of the story of the first season, when Alicent was still a child and Daemon joked as his on the recent widowhood of Otto, who saw something of his mother Alyrie in his daughter.
The Ending of the 1st Episode: Blood and Cheese Kill Little Jaehaerys?
And here we are at the bloody ending of this first episode of House of the Dragon Season 2. Which begins with Daemon who lands… in King’s Landing in disguise and approaches Blood (in Italian Sangue), the butcher who was a former city guard (in the books, here he seems to still be on duty) who is hired, together with the mousecatcher Cheese (Cheese), to enter the castle and take revenge against Aemond. Or against whoever is there, in short. Because Blood and Cheese enter Red Keep undisturbed, they pass in front of Aegon who is sitting on the throne discussing with his friends the best nickname to replace the dark “Magnanimous” and they don’t even think about kicking him in the butt. Sangue convinces Formaggio by force to access the royal rooms, but they do not find Aemond, who shortly before was talking about military strategy (and about Alicent who is not lucid because she is fond of the poisonous Rhaenyra) with Criston Cole before being interrupted by grandfather Otto, who he wants to make his nephew think who is vaguely less crazy than the one on the throne.
However, Blood and Cheese don’t find their intended target so they continue searching. While Sangue watches the incipient storm, Formaggio finds Helaena in the room with her twin children. They then decide that, despite having ignored the king, it may be an idea to kill the king’s son. But since they are twins they cannot distinguish males from females, and not wanting to undress them so as not to wake them, they make the mother tell them who is the male. Helaena tries again to convince them to leave with her necklace but they refuse (now remember her worry about the mice at the beginning of the episode?) and Helaena points to a son. Sangue doubts, but Formaggio perceives the woman’s magical power and believes in it, starting the infamous massacre of little Jaehaerys. Or the little one? We are sure that Helaena would never lie, but the confirmation comes at the end of the episode when Helaena, having run away with the other bundle in her arms, goes into her mother’s room and interrupts her while she is having sex (again, despite the promises of before) with Criston to tell her: “They killed the child.” End of the first episode.
