9 Biggest Battles & Events Teased In House Of The Dragon Season 2’s Trailer (& What Happens In The Books)

Warning: Contains SPOILERS for the book Fire & Blood.The new House of the Dragon season 2 trailer teases many upcoming battles and events. Based on George R.R. Martin’s book Fire & Blood, a historical text recounting the years of the Targaryen dynasty’s rule of the Seven Kingdoms. While season 1 was primarily build-up and family drama, season 2 will dive into the Dance of the Dragons, a civil war between the Targaryen family. The sides have been established and split into the black and green parties, supporting Rhaenyra and Aegon II’s right to rule Westeros, respectively.

While the series is based on a text, the translation to screen isn’t as direct as it was with early seasons of Game of Thrones. Given the fictional but historical nature of the text, part of the show’s narrative has become about how the events corresponding on screen differ from Fire & Blood, serving as a commentary on how real-world history is documented. With that being said, Fire & Blood can’t be used as a sole reference to what will happen, but major events from the text can still be used to infer on shots from the trailer.

9 Blood And Cheese

The trailer shows Cheese holding a knife to Helaena’s throat.

A significant House of the Dragon trailer reveal is that of Blood and Cheese, a pair of assassins sent to the Red Keep in retaliation for Lucerys’ murder in the season 1 finale. The trailer shows a man, who appears to be Cheese, holding a knife to Helaena Targaryen’s throat. Daemon hires the assassins via Mysaria to get revenge for Lucerys, claiming the life of one of Aegon II and Helaena’s sons, an event that will likely occur in the season 2 premiere, titled “A Son for a Son.” This is set to be one of the series’ most gruesome and shocking scenes.

8 Jacaerys Wins Cregan’s Allegiance At Winterfell

The trailer shows men marching in the North.

While Lucerys was sent to Storm’s End to negotiate with House Baratheon in the season 1 finale, Jacaerys rode north on dragonback to Winterfell. There, he’ll meet Cregan Stark, a young lord about his age with whom he’ll quickly form a brotherly bond. Cregan Stark is one of the most powerful House of the Dragon characters leading into season 2, known as a formidable leader who can offer military contributions to the blacks’ forces. The new teaser showed a quick shot of Northmen traveling through a snowy path, reminding audiences that the Starks will return in season 2.

7 Rhaenyra Hosts The Black Council

Rhaenyra, Daemon, and Rhaenys discuss their strategy.

A shot from the trailer shows Rhaenyra assembling her allies at Dragonstone. She’s already formed the Black Council in season 1, but this shot indicates their first meeting after war has become inevitable. The brief shot shows Rhaenyra, Daemon, Rhaenys, and Ser Erryk Cargyll. Other notable council members include Jacaerys, Baela, Rhaena, and Lord Corlys Velaryon. Following Lucerys’ death and the early stages of the war, this meeting will set the grounds for each character’s strategic positioning throughout the season.

Related

House Of The Dragon Cast & Character Guide

Here are the cast and characters of HBO’s House of the Dragon, which follows House Targaryen at the height of its power as a civil war looms.

6 The Battle At Rook’s Rest

Armies of Westeros mobilize for war.

One of the pivotal battles in House of the Dragon season 2 will be Rook’s Rest, a castle in the Crownlands north of Duskendale. The trailers showed armies mobilizing, which could be building toward a massive battle episode. Director Alan Taylor, who delivered the Game of Thrones episode “Beyond the Wall,” is set to direct episode 4 of House of the Dragon. The episode is titled “A Dance of Dragons,” presumably hinting at the dragon fight that will take place at Rook’s Rest between Meleys, Vhagar, and Sunfyre. The large shot of Vhagar also teases this conflict.

5 The Duel Of The Cargyll Twins

A brief action shot shows a Cargyll twin in combat.

House of the Dragon will have its own Clegane Bowl in season 2 as the Cargyll twins have ended up on opposite sides of the war. Introduced in season 1, Erryk and Arryk were both members of the Kingsguard. Following Viserys’ death, Ser Erryk heads to Dragonstone to swear loyalty to Rhaenyra, while Arryk remains with Aegon II. Season 2 will see the brothers duel when Arryk is sent to Dragonstone to disguise himself as Erryk and assassinate Rhaenyra. In Fire & Blood, his brother catches him in the act, they fight, and both Cargyll twins end up dead.

4 Criston Cole Executes Rhaenyra Loyalists

Ser Criston Cole can be seen beheading someone by the shore.

Ser Criston Cole will continue to earn favor with the greens in season 2 by executing black supporters. His romantic relationship with Rhaenyra in season 1 has set the knight on a path of bitterness and hatred, which he’ll be allowed to carry out in season 2. In the book, Rhaenyra supporters who refuse to acknowledge Aegon II as the rightful king are put to the sword, as shown in the trailer. Cole’s proficiency will make him a trusted ally to Aegon, who eventually names him Hand of the King.

3 New Riders Claim Dragons

The trailer shows Addam of Hull and Seasmoke.

Daemon hinted at new dragons in House of the Dragon season 2 late in the first season, singing to Vermithor and preparing it for a new rider. The blacks hope to bolster their forces by recruiting riders to claim the untamed dragons on Dragonstone, and the teaser shows a glimpse of this. The character depicted is likely Addam of Hull, who actor Clinton Liberty will play. Addam is a bastard of House Velaryon who will claim the dragon Seasmoke, once ridden by Laenor Velaryon.

2 The People Of King’s Landing Revolt

The House of the Dragon teaser indicated that the people would begin rioting in King’s Landing following the outbreak of war in Westeros. A shot shows Alicent caught in the middle of a revolt. In Fire & Blood, the only major riot happens later on when Rhaenyra rules on the Iron Throne as a result of paranoia regarding a siege and dragon assault from the greens. However, given the series’ lens tends to favor the blacks, it appears that riots will occur under the rule of Aegon.

1 Daemon Amasses An Army At Harrenhal

A weirwood tree indicates Daemon will rally troops at Harrenhal.

The House of the Dragon season 2 trailer shows armies mobilizing for both sides, and Harrenhal is a significant castle for the blacks in the Dance of the Dragons. Before the battle at Rook’s Rest, Daemon secures Harrenhal as a stronghold for his side, winning it over without bloodshed. The trailer doesn’t exactly show the castle, but the shots of a Targaryen army appear to be in similar territory, and there’s a shot of Daemon swinging his sword in front of a weirwood tree, which seldom exist in the South, aside from Harrenhal and a few other locations.