What Happened on House of the Dragon? Here’s Our Recap of Season 2, Episode 8

The following myth comprises spoilers for Home of the Dragon season 2, episode 8.

“THIS WAR IS appropriate starting up.” Despite being on the tip of its sophomore season, Home of the Dragon feels, in a total lot of how, admire it’s in actual fact appropriate getting started. Whereas final week’s barn-burner of an episode served as the climax to the season, this finale becomes a quieter affair that’s centered on providing some thematic and persona-basically basically based entirely closure to a season that’s seen the series elevate itself to novel heights. Some would possibly perchance merely in actual fact feel rather cheated that there’s no longer one final huge fight to shut issues out, nonetheless as a replace, largely a bunch of table-environment to top next season to return with a yowl. With the promise of predominant battles on the horizon—Fire & Blood heads know that the explicit screen of “Gullet” is teasing the series’ next bloody battle—creator Sara Hess and director Geeta Vasant Patel return to the core relationship between Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) and Alicent (Olivia Cooke) one final time.

Call me extinct-long-established, nonetheless this finale highlights the categorical sides of Dragon, the richly lived-in historical previous between these two ladies folk, and the design, under various instances, their lives will be entirely various. In a season the establish this explicit pairing is so fleeting, it’s good to be aware what’s been misplaced as this battle continues to high-tail Westeros apart.

But that’s no longer to narrate there aren’t some predominant events that happen around the fated reunion between the 2, at the side of a wonderful searching vision of the long term and heaps of various huge inclinations. Let’s gather into it and break it all down.

Rhaenyra Triumphant

After a season spent largely in retreat, Rhaenyra is triumphant. Last week’s coup relating to the novel Dragonseeds is enough to send the Greens spiraling out of retain a watch on—more on that in moderately. But there are cracks within the foundation amongst her novel dragonriders, as evidenced by Jace’s (Harry Collett) doubts around them, pointing out, “It’s a shrinking inheritance of which you realize nothing,” when he finds Ulf (Tom Bennett) lounging around alongside with his ft up on the table. Rhaenyra’s moderately concerned too, remarking that they don’t know the energy of their persona. Whereas that will attain to fruition within the long term, the non permanent is what’s indispensable and with six dragons to the Green’s three, they’re firmly as a lot as speed.

Mix that with a renewed alliance with Daemon (Matt Smith) and issues are gorgeous correct! Though, Daemon’s return comes with a menacing undertone of its win. Having seen rather the vision of the long term within the Harrenhal Godswood, Daemon’s arc for the season comes to a shut, having firmly realized his converse within the larger design of issues. There’s loads in that vision fans of Game of Thrones will acknowledge: White Walkers, Daenerys reborn in flame alongside her trio of dragons, and heaps of dumb dragons. However the inclusion of Bloodraven aka Brynden Rivers, the person with the crimson birthmark who Max Von Sydow performs in Thrones’s sixth season who helps Bran, would possibly perchance merely throw some of us off. But his inclusion here is intentional; as regarded as one of many final defenders of the Targaryen bloodline and as someone who can gaze the long term, he’s bought an indispensable role to play in what’s to attain, especially because it pertains to the larger stakes at play.

The reunion between Daemon and Rhaenyra is a truly very long time coming, and an emotional one at that, as Rhaenyra orders him never to walk away. United within the help of the banner of a pacesetter who objectives to unite them all, the previous reaches out into the long term and rhymes—appropriate admire Dany and Jon, two Targaryens with equal claims to the throne, be half of together in Thrones. “Winter is coming with darkness and doom,” Daemon it appears to be like that evidently states. And with it, what’s in actual fact at stake within the direction of this petty civil battle comes into distinct scrutinize.

The Greens in Retreat, But No longer for Prolonged

Stop you realize who’s facing issues successfully? Surely no longer Aemond (Ewan Mitchell), who burns a complete metropolis in madden after finding out about Rhaenyra’s novel dragon mates. No longer only that, nonetheless he then offers Helaena (Phia Saban) an ultimatum to waft her dragon out into fight. The man who was as soon as reminded no longer to take his madden and frustrations out on the itsy-bitsy folk immediate reveals his ass the second issues don’t walk his design. Truly, the phobia he cultivates within the direction of is enough for Larys (Matthew Needham) to convince Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) to gather out of dodge—and for Alicent to walk to Rhaenyra with phrases for a renounce.

The latter is one thing that’s entirely a narrate invention. Snuck into Dragonstone with help from Maester Orwell, Alicent makes a plea to Rhaenyra to complete the battle. It’s nearly an instantaneous inversion of the conversation between the pair interior the Sept earlier this season. Alicent comes to pled her follies, pointing out that she clung to her self-righteous beliefs attributable to she thought a approach of enlighten would possibly perchance place her—only to gaze her formative years, father, lover, and siblings walk away her high and dry. She’s misplaced it all, and in that direction of, she will at final gaze that this battle isn’t serving anyone. It’s humorous that amid all this chaos, she will at final gaze the larger picture.

And thus, Alicent cuts a deal. She’ll walk away the help door, to be able to talk, to King’s Landing initiate for Rhaenyra to take. Whereas Aemond and the Green army are away, the metropolis will likely be rendered defenseless, and Rhaenyra can walk in and play the hero. In alternate, as to make certain there’ll likely be no likelihood of a coup, Alicent will provide Aegon to the sword. The Dance of the Dragons will cease earlier than it ought to gather worse. Handiest, we’re going to thrill in rather an field when Rhaenyra reveals up and Aegon’s absconded to who knows the establish. What form of punishment would possibly perchance a sizzling-tempered Targaryen dole out? Plus, Alicent will desire to reside with the records that she was within the merely, only to fail—a lot admire how Rhaenyra knew all alongside she was who Viserys wanted.

But that will desire to live up for now, as Patel ends the episode with a help-to-help stunner of photos: Rhaenyra, framed in opposition to the unending scrolls within the help of her, evoking the burden of historical previous and the penal complex of energy she’s cultivated for herself, earlier than cutting to Alicent staring over the water (admire Rhaenyra’s executed time and time again this season) on the cliffside, the mountainous green around her. One is free. One is trapped. And but, the dance of the dragons continues on apace, rendering all in its wake as insignificant as mud.

Odds & Ends

• The blue dragon, Tessarion, you gaze alongside the Hightower army belongs to Dareon Targaryen, Alicent’s youngest son, who we’ll likely gaze next season. Tessarion is is known as the “Blue Queen” and is rather nimble in fight.
• After what appears to be like admire days of hunting, we cease with Rhaena (Phoebe Campbell) coming face to face with Sheepstealer, in regarded as one of many finale’s many cliffhangers. To quote regarded as one of my popular concerns of The Uncanny X-Males, welcome to dragontaming, Rhaena. Hope you live on the abilities!
• Speaking of cliffhangers, we at final gaze Otto (Rhys Ifans), and it appears to be like to be like admire he’s been captured?
• Whereas I’ve been rather disappointed no longer to thrill in as a lot of Cole (Fabien Frankel) within the help half of of this season, I preferred the final check-in with him as he realizes the magnitude of the misfortune. It’s a great button for the persona, even if Gwayne’s (Freddie Fox) accusations about him sleeping with Alicent attain very without warning.
• Speaking of sleeping: let’s give it up for Tyland (Jefferson Hall), who, no subject making a fool of himself, manages to real the Triarchy’s help and gets propositioned to be a seedbearer for Commander Lohar’s (Abigail Thorn) cadre of brides earlier than they head out to meet the Velaryon hasty on the Gullet.
• “You had been swallowed up within the God’s Understanding and never seen again,” Helaena tells Aemond. I’m certain nothing noxious will attain of this premonition!
• Thanks for reading this season. I am hoping you really liked these as a lot as I did writing them and with moderately of luck, I’ll be help the next time this series takes flight. For the time being, don’t strive to narrate any dragons.