A scene from ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2 Episode 1 | Photo credit: Theo Whiteman
There are a lot of surprising things in it a son for a sonThe first episode of the second season of House of the Dragon.It is a prequel to the violently popular film game of Thrones, Based on George R.R. Martin’s series of fantasy novels, this one is also based on a novel by Martin, a 2018 novel by fire and bloodThe novel tells the story of House Targaryen and the civil war – the Dance of the Dragons – which brought the once mighty house to its knees.
Picking up immediately after the events of the Season 1 finale, we join Jacaerys (Harry Collett) at his meeting with Cregan Stark (Tom Taylor) in the North – the Starks have returned with warnings of the coming winter. Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) – who sent her eldest sons Jacaerys and Lucerys (Elliott Grihault) across the Seven Realms to garner support for her claim to the Iron Throne – is mourning the death of Lucerys, who, in the shocking Season 1 finale, was killed by Aemond (Evan Mitchell) and his dragon Vagor.
Matt Smith in a scene from ‘House of the Dragon’ season 2 episode 1 | Photo credit: Max
Meanwhile, Rhaenyra’s uncle-husband Daemon (Matt Smith) wants “a son for a son.” That’s what leads to the gruesome murder of a child at the end of episode 1, which gives friends-turned-enemies Rhaenyra and Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) even more reason to go to war, even though they want to avoid it.
House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 1 (English)
the creator: Ryan Condal
Order: 54 minutes
Mould: Matt Smith, Emma Darcy, Olivia Cooke, and Rhys Ifans
StoryThe battle lines are drawn with the grieving vengeful mother on one side and the frightened, determined mother on the other.
Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), Alicent’s father and henchman to her husband, King Viserys I, has the kind of unbridled ambition that Macbeth could have used, if not for the milk of human kindness running through his veins. The episode Sea Snake shows Corlys (Steve Toussaint), the head of the wealthy and powerful Velaryon house, recovering from a pirate attack, while Daemon blames Corlys’ wife Rhaenys (Eve Best) for all the misfortunes that have befallen their house.
Kristen Cole (Fabian Frankel) having sex with Alicent is one of the most shocking moments in the film. a son for a son. The common-born Lord Commander of the Kingsguard having an affair with the widowed queen and what it reveals about the two promises great dinner conversation. Rubbing a stain on Alicent’s shoulder brings back ‘Macbeth’ once again. Massaria (Sonoya Mizuno), a brothel dancer with a questionable accent and Daemon’s former girlfriend – who turned out to be a spy (mistress?) named the White Worm – is back, but she’s in quite a bad mood.
Olivia Cooke and Fabian Frankel in a scene from ‘House of the Dragon’ season 2 episode 1 | Photo credit: Max
Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney), by occupying the Iron Throne, brings much-needed light to the dark proceedings. He wants to help the great unwashed and even promises to give the sheep back to the shepherd, before Otto tells him that the sheep are needed to feed the dragons when war comes. He also promises to pay the blacksmith as long as he keeps making those scorpions – the only weapon that can take down a dragon. He takes umbrage at being called Aegon the Generous, insisting that no one will ever know what it means, preferring Aegon the Generous.
Daemon, who has been craving war all episode, orders rat-catchers Cheese (Mark Stobbart) and Blood (Sam C. Wilson) to kill the bright-eyed Aemond. How horrible Blood and Cheese are is shown by the fact that they kicked a dog (was it a terrier?; they are very good rat-catchers, by the way) who was only trying to help. When they meet Helena (Fia Saban), Aegon’s sister-wife (I tell you these are incestuous Targaryens!) in the nursery, they decide to take the easy route. Instead of acting sensibly, they offer her a ‘Sophie’s Choice’ situation and a way to potentially get back on track with the murder.
From that mesmerizing tapestry-themed title sequence to a gruesome climax scene, a son for a son It’s very interesting. The dragons are magnificent, while the high castle rooms where all sorts of horrors are being plotted and carried out are all too ordinary. There’s a lot to like in this first episode, from Rhaenyra’s dragon Sirax comforting her in the face of her quiet, unwavering grief to the discovery of Araxes’ broken wing and Luceris’ clothes – her clothes make you notice, not the body…
House of the Dragon Season 2 will stream every Monday on Jio Cinema till August 5 with new episodes
