House of the Dragon is bringing audiences back to the wild world of Game of Thrones as Season 2 readies for its premiere on HBO and Max. Season1 laid out the twisted family tree of the Targaryen clan, wherein a battle over succession to the Iron Throne was a recurring source of anguish and violence. But after much death, squalid war room debates, and dragon play, Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) and Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) ready for war, as teased in the trailer.
But what else might we expect from this fantasy epic’s second season?
More ghoulish deaths seem a certainty. As House of the Dragon tackles the next section of George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, fans will expect more sex and violence. But our wishlist craves more from some characters, less from others, and overall, more chaos!
Here’s everything we’re hoping to see in Season 2 of House of the Dragon.
Daemon needs to die.
Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO
Matt Smith is devilish fun as the Second Son from hell. In Season 1, he not only metaphorically fucked over his brother the king over and over, but he nonmetaphorically fucked his niece/wife Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy), resulting in several sons/cousins. And yeah, when it comes to catty reaction shots, Daemon delivers so hard you can practically hear the RuPaul’s Drag Race shade rattle. But if Game of Thrones taught us anything, it’s that troublemakers this trouble-making are doomed. We’re ready for it. Blaze of glory — here he comes? — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor
Vengeance for Luke!
Credit: Gary Moyes / HBO
Poor Lucerys Velaryon (Elliot Grihault). He was just a boy, trying to help his mother, Rhaenyra. But he was bested by his cousin/uncle Aemond (Ewan Mitchell), first in the race to gather allies, then in a sky battle that pitted their dragons against each other. Sure, Luke’s Arrax was nimble, but Aemond’s Vhagar is the biggest beast in the skies. One good chomp, and Luke went from could-be monarch to in-flight meal.
Season 1 ended with Luke’s mother learning of the wretched news. Season 2 is sure to kick off with a fiery response from Rhaenyra or her hot-headed hubby/uncle Daemon. And we can’t wait. — K.P.
More dragons.
Credit: HBO
This note is evergreen: Always more dragons. Dragons flying, fighting, serving as the most stress-inducing taxi service in Westeros. Just more. Please and thank you. — K.P.
We want more chaos characters.
When it comes to twisted Targaryens, royal intrigue, and deeply warped romances, House of the Dragons has been delivering as a solid prequel to Game of Thrones. But we would welcome more chaos characters.
Look, there’s a good base with the ever-smirking Aemond, the mercurial Daemon, and whatever the Crabfeeder’s deal was. But there’s no one on the series who is giving us the ruthless wit mixed with the devil-may-care glee of early seasons’ Tyrion Lannister. There’s no dame as cutting as Lady Olenna “Tell Cersei it was me” Tyrell. And frankly, House of the Dragon would be better with a bit more cutting comedy in its castles. — K.P.
A cheeky “Negroni Sbagliato… with prosecco in it” cameo.
Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO
Remember that dastardly anachronistic Starbucks coffee cup that accidentally made its way into Game of Thrones? If a glass of Emma D’Arcy’s “Negroni Sbagliato… with prosecco in it” could just happen to appear in House of the Dragon — surely Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen or Queen Alicent Hightower could use one — we’d likely join whichever team’s home base it appears in. — Shannon Connellan, UK Editor
A Rhaenyra and Alicent reconciliation.
Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO
Before Rhaenyra and Alicent (Olivia Cooke) were mortal enemies, they were the best of friends — and wouldn’t it be lovely to see them rekindle that friendship once more?
We got glimmers of hope in Season 1 just before the death of Viserys (Paddy Considine), but it was all downhill from there. Between Alicent’s play to put Aegon on the throne and Luke’s death, there’s simply no hope of a friendly Rhaenicent reunion. That’s not the kind of conflict you can just hug out.
Still, a girl can dream! — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter
Less incest.
Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO
Having a Targaryen-centric show without incest is like having The Winds of Winter come out this year — it’s not going to happen. But this is our wish list, and I’m shooting for the moon here! And on that moon, I don’t have to keep track of the most tangled family tree this side of the Hapsburgs. — B.E.
More of Aemond being dramatic.
Sporting that stylish eye patch, a rich curtain of blond hair, and a frankly inspiring number of “Strong”-themed jokes, Prince Aemond Targaryen was Season 1’s drama king. We need far more of this in the second season. I want to see him smirking coldly, showing disdain for anything frivolous, and — most important of all — striking fear in the hearts of Rhaenyra’s remaining children. A showdown with Daemon would also be nice. — Sam Haysom, Deputy UK Editor
More scheming from Larys Strong.
Is Larys Strong (Matthew Needham) a terrible person?
Well, given that he arranged the murder of both his brother and dad in Season 1, that seems undeniable. But irredeemable villains are the lifeblood of Westeros, and we absolutely need more of them. Remember how much we all loved to hate Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson) in Game of Thrones? Even though most of the characters in George R.R. Martin’s world are gray, there need to be a few out-and-out monsters just so we have people to root against. — S.H.
More battles.
There were some truly epic battle sequences in Game of Thrones, but so far House of the Dragon has only really had that episode 3 skirmish between Daemon and the Crabfeeder. I’m not saying we need a massive, Battle of Winterfell-scale war, necessarily — these things need to be built up to — but it would be fun to watch another small clash or two this season, just to get that sweet, sword-wielding fix. — S.H.
House of the Dragon Season 1 is now streaming on Max; Season 2 premieres on HBO and Max June 16.
