House Of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 1: Review and Recap

Game of Thrones' fan-favorite spin-off finally released its second season, and the premiere did not disappoint. The first episode of Season 2 was an emotional rollercoaster that reminded us why we love House of the Dragon so much. Although we were all excited to see our favorite (and not-so-favorite) characters back on the screen, there were some devastating scenes that certainly showed the merciless and tragic side of the universe.

Here is everything that happened in HOTD Season 2 Episode 1 and details on the release date for Episode 2!

HOTD Season 2 Episode 1: Summary & Review

The episode begins at Castle Black, where Jacaerys Velaryon is completing his mission of gathering more allies for the Queen. One of the most awaited appearances of Season 2 was Cregan Stark. It was fascinating to see the Night's Watch and Cregan explaining to Jacaerys a brief history of why it exists and what dangers the North holds.

This scene featured numerous Easter eggs, such as the ancestral sword Ice, which Ned Stark once carried and is now in Cregan's possession. Despite its brevity, Cregan and Jacaerys seemed to bond well, and we hope to see more of that in the future. Sadly, this is when Cregan receives a message about Lucerys's death.

We then move to a scene with Corlys Velaryon visiting Alyn of Hull. Although he is a new character for non-book readers, he is an important one, and we will see more of him soon. Without spoiling anything, Alyn also has a brother named Addam, which will be significant later on.

Later, we see what's happening at King's Landing. The surprise of the season is that Alicent and Ser Criston Cole are now a couple. This development in their relationship aims to show another side of Alicent. She is no longer the person who strictly obeys rules and traditions. Her character is increasingly sidelined by others who gain power and influence. This is evident during the Small Council, where all members, including her father and two sons, neglect her and her opinions. It is obvious that her relevance is decreasing, and soon she won't have any control over what is happening.

I believe this is also influenced by Larys Strong, who was Alicent's strongest and most radical ally. Now he seems to have set his sights on Aegon and tries to gain more control over him by convincing him that Otto is not a good Hand.

In the meantime, Rhaenyra has been searching for any signs of Lucerys's body. As devastating as it is, she needed something to hold on to in order to mourn her son. Throughout the episode, she remains mostly silent, but her pain is clearly visible. During her search, she finds a piece of Arrax's wing and Lucerys's clothes washed ashore. Even though everyone knew for a fact that Lucerys had died, this felt like a moment of realization Rhaenyra didn't want to reach. Not seeing any proof can allow someone to hold on to the belief or lie to themselves that maybe the worst didn't actually happen. Nonetheless, I think that was the moment she completely accepted her son's death as real.

Later, we saw her reunion with Jacaerys, and it was honestly heartbreaking. They are the two people who mourn Lucerys the most, and they finally got to hold each other and help each other through it.

After finding what she was looking for, Rhaenyra returns to her council, where the only thing she says is, "I want Aemond Targaryen." The tone in her voice showed that even at her weakest point, she was ready to spill blood. Daemon's reaction seems like a mixture of sympathy for her and a desire to give Rhaenyra even the tiniest bit of peace and satisfaction. This marks the beginning of the famous Blood & Cheese events.

"A Son for a Son." The title says it all, and I think most of us expected what was about to happen. Even though Daemon ordered the death of Aemond, it was obvious he wouldn't die just like that, especially given how strong a fighter he is. The loss of Aegon's oldest son Jaehaerys was shocking, and the way it happened was truly gut-wrenching. Even though I thought I knew all the spoilers related to Blood & Cheese, seeing how it was played out in the show left me traumatized. I think we can all agree that Helena is the character who most unfairly suffers as a victim of this war and her family.

The episode ended with Alicent learning about Jaehaerys's death, leaving us all on edge. The episode cut so abruptly that it left us wanting more. Although these were the main events of Episode 1, there are a few more things that need to be mentioned and will definitely play a significant role later on:

• The Greyjoys, led by Lord Dalton, are joining the war.
• Both Daemon and Aemond have their eyes on Harrenhal.
• Larys Strong killed all supporters of the Blacks in the castle.
• The Smallfolk are of huge importance, and how they react to the war will contribute to the events that will take place.

HOTD Season 2 Episode 2: Release Date

Episode 2 of "House of the Dragon" Season 2 will premiere on Sunday, June 23 at 9 PM ET/PT. Fans can watch the show exclusively on HBO and Max.