PremiumHouse of the Dragon Season 2 finale: Dramatic twists and what's next in Season 3
The House of the Dragon Season 2 finale wraps up with high stakes and prepares for an intense Season 3.
Last Updated: 04.57 PM, Aug 05, 2024
Season 2's cliffhanger on House of the Dragon sets the stage for season 3 to deliver even more mayhem and shocking narrative decisions. The second season finale marks the end of an episodic run that began with several deaths, plot twists on both sides, and the official start of the Targaryen civil war, also known as the Dance of the Dragons. And that's only the beginning, as the ending reveals.
House of the Dragon Season 2 finale overview
Despite not having the same shocking or brutal moment as Aemond Targaryen's (Ewan Mitchell) killing of Lucerys Velaryon in the first season's finale, the House of the Dragon season 2 conclusion packs a punch. Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) and Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) reunite on Dragonstone. Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) sees Daenerys and recommits himself to Rhaenyra. Larys Strong (Matthew Needham) smuggles King Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney) out of King's Landing. And all across Westeros, different forces are advancing towards battle. Season 3 of House of the Dragon promises to be both exciting and full of surprises.
Season 2 built up the Fall of King's Landing, and in Fire & Blood, one key event—the Battle of the Gullet—occurs before that. The exact sequence of events is still up in the air, but this conflict between the two groups that have set sail guarantees that it will happen soon. The Triarchy and the Greens, who are friends, will engage Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) and his fleet as they move towards the Gullet to break the Blacks' siege. While on their route, however, they come across the ship that is taking Rhaenrya's two youngest kids to safety from the conflict. Now that both sides are out on the sea, this plot is taking off.
House of the Dragon Season 3 predictions
HBO has confirmed that House of the Dragon will return for a third season, easing fans' concerns about the resolution of these events. We can anticipate that Rhaenyra will lead Daemon to King's Landing in the very first episode of the third season. Additionally, the first few episodes should feature the Battle of the Gullet. Aemond and Daemon's God's Eye encounter is also almost certainly going to take place, though they might prefer to put it off until later.
In other news, Helaena's (Phia Saban) demise is definitely plausible, and Aegon is claiming Dragonstone is likely to happen in season 3. Everything that happened in the season 2 finale of House of the Dragon is setting the stage for something much greater; therefore, season 3 will include a ton of new content.
Multiple armies in motion
In the second season finale, we see not just the Hightowers but also three additional armies in motion. Daemon has assembled an army of Riverlords in the Riverlands, where Criston Cole's (Fabien Frankel) infantry, the Northerners, and the Lannister force are all gathering. As a result, there are numerous factions to contend with. On their way to Harrenhal, the Lannister army fights in three separate engagements: the Red Fork, Acorn Hall, and the Battle by the Lakeshore. The Riverlanders and Northerners triumph over the Lannister army in the Battle by the Lakeshore, also known as the Fishfeed, despite fierce competition to claim the title of the bloodiest combat in Dance of the Dragons. Many of these fights do not include easily identifiable characters, and the show's time constraints mean that "House of the Dragon" may omit some of them. Since these events have an impact on both sides' stats, Season 3 should at least touch on them.
The most pressing concern is the anticipated release date. It is now common practice for large-scale television shows like this one to have a gap of nearly two years between seasons. Given that A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will premiere in 2025, Season 3 of House of the Dragon is likely to stream in 2026.