House of the Dragon Season 2: Who Died and What Happened to Aegon II?
There are spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 4 ahead, so it’s best not to read on if you haven’t seen it yet and don’t want to know anything ahead of time. The second season of House of the Dragon marks a change of tone for the series, we are no longer seeing the negotiations or the alliances that begin to take shape, but rather we enter fully into the war between the Targaryen brothers and between the different houses that declared their loyalty to each one. Criston Cole, motivated by his resentment towards Rhaenyra (because she decided not to abandon the throne to go with him), leads a battalion of men who reach Dragonstone and launch the first attack, forcing Rhaenyra and her allies to respond with everything they have.
And to say that the outcome was bloody would be an understatement. Dozens of soldiers fall on the battlefield, while Aemond Targaryen and Vaghar prove why they are the greatest threat to their half-sister’s reign. Vaghar is the largest dragon in the realm, but he is also a dragon who has seen many battles and knows how to launch deadly attacks, that end in chaos and tragedy for those who cross his path. Harrenhal turns out not to be as important as it seemed, as its conquest fails to save the Blacks from that first attack and prevents them from realizing that the Greens have an objective that could leave them in a very bad position. The dance of the dragons has officially begun and has already claimed its first victims.
House of the Dragon Season 2: The Visions of Daemon Targaryen?
There is much frustration at the Green Council after Daemon takes Harrenhal, but both Aemond and Criston Cole mention that while it is a large castle, they have a larger objective, which is a much smaller castle (Rook’s Rest), but would leave Rhaenyra and the Blacks virtually blocked by land (plus Cole leaves them without the support of House Darklyn). Furthermore, Larys Strong indicates that holding Harrenhal may not be the best idea. Larys, who lost the support and loyalty of his family after murdering his father and brother, claims that Harrenhal will drive Daemon mad or is already doing so, and while it’s unclear if that’s the castle’s intention, it’s clear that something is going on there, as he keeps having disturbing visions and dreams.
Damon sees the younger version of Rhaenyra again in the throne room in King’s Landing and ends up decapitating the queen, in what seems to be even more clear evidence that Daemon is a key figure in the queen’s destruction. In that vision, Daemon ends up decapitating his niece-wife. He also has another vision in which he sees himself as Aemond Targaryen, and this ends up leading him to Alys Rivers, who gives him some kind of potion that leaves him sleepy, and sees yet another vision of his deceased wife, Laena Veleryon. Seeing the dead is never a good omen. Daemon’s visions hint at what lies ahead, including the fate of Rhaenyra and his own battle with Aemond Targaryen, in which the two will be put to the test.
A Brutal Death that Makes a Statement of Power?
House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 4, titled A Dance of Dragons, features one of the most brutal and painful deaths in the series, that of Rhaenys Targaryen (played by Eve Best), an intelligent, focused woman who was trying to do everything she could to protect her family. During Criston Cole’s attack on Dragonstone, Rhaenys decides to set out with Meleys to try to stop the invading army, but is surprised first by Aegon and Sunfyre, whom she leaves wounded, and then by Aemons and Vaghar, who is much larger than Meleys and, after a brutal fight, kills the dragon and makes it fall from the sky, with Rhaenys still on board.
Rhaenys and her dragon fall to the ground and die instantly, echoing what happens to them in the books. Rhaeny’s death feels unjust and brutal, but it also causes Rhaenyra to lose one of her greatest allies and the person who was the voice of reason on her council. Vaghar isn’t invincible, but Rhaenys (who just discovered that Alyn of Hull, her husband’s rescuer, is more important than he seems) and Meleys are the clearest proof that defeating him is not going to be easy. All this happens while Daemon is still in Harrenhal, trying to raise an army and prove a point.
What Happened to Aegon II?
After having a very awkward conversation with his mother (where Alicent tells her son that no one needs him and no one wants his opinion), Aegon II is even more determined to prove his worth, to show that he can be as good a king as any Targaryen and that he will not be intimidated by anyone. In a rush, Aegon takes his dragon, Sunfyre, and arrives at Dragonstone, where Criston Cole is leading the first battle against Rhaenyra’s allies. But Rhaenys and Meleys, who are a dragon with a lot of experience in battle, are already there and end up facing each other while the war is happening below them.
Meleys wounds Sunfyre and it seems that the battle is already won, but Aemond and Vaghar, Cole’s secret weapons, appear and launch a brutal attack. Rhaenys and her dragon’s attention is diverted, but not before Aegon is seriously injured. The last thing we see is Cole and Aemond, looking at Sunfyre lying on the ground, and Aegon’s body beside him, burned and badly wounded. The ending of the chapter is ambiguous, but the history of the books tells us that this is not the end of this character (and stop reading at this point if you don’t want to know more about his fate). Aegon does not die in battle but is poisoned in his own castle, after a battle in which he suffers wounds and burns that leave him incapacitated. It’s clear that the relationship between Aegon II (who isn’t very good at speaking Valyrian) and Aemond is not good at all, and jealousy could also have important consequences. For her part, Rhaenyra is very clear that her options are to win or die.
