'House of the Dragon' Season 2 finale: Rhaenyra-Daemon reunite, jaw-dropping cameos (2024)

New Delhi,UPDATED: Aug 5, 2024 12:26 IST

The last episode of 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 sorted out everything. It straightened the way ahead for both Team Green and Team Black. With more dragons than ever, Rhaenyra is beaming with pride and strength, and is ready to march up the King's Landing to acquire the Iron Throne as its rightful heir after the death of her father, King Viserys. Alicent Hightower has decided that she wants to live a normal life. Quite late at that, alas! And everyone else has pulled their socks up, choosing their respective sides, to participate in the battle of the century - the ultimate Dance of the Dragons.

Spoiler Alert

The entire finale episode seemed like a grand highlight of what's to come in Season 3. The Lannisters appear in their full glory this time, joining the Gullet army via the sea route to fight for Aemond, the King Regent. Aegon, who is tired of nursing his burn wounds, decides to leave King's Landing and go into hiding, to protect himself from his brother's malicious intentions, and the result of the war. While he first wanted to imprison Aemond, Larys Strong, the Master of Whisperers, advises him to flee the place, and return when everything has been restored after the war, as the mighty peacemaker and the king who lived.

At the Dragonstone, Lord Corlys meets Rhaenyra for the last time before the war and asks her not to take anything for granted, even with more dragons by her side. He practically reminds her that no one is invincible, and she shall take advantage of the situation by striking first. He also renames his ship from 'Seasnake' to 'The Queen Who Never Was', in a heartfelt tribute to his late wife, Princess Rhaenys Targaryen.

Daemon knows the future

Back at Harrenhal, Daemon both gets and gives the biggest respite of the season. Turns out Alyss, the witch, was waiting all this time to see if Daemon is ready to meet with his future. And at last, she takes him to Godswood, and shows him the farthest future: the Night Walkers, the battle of God's Eye, Rhaenyra sitting on the Iron Throne, and Daenrys Targaryen becoming the mother of the dragons - everything. That certainly changes things for Daemon and he later, fully and completely, bows down to Rhaenyra, calling her the 'rightful queen of the seven kingdoms'.

That happens when Rhaenyra makes a surprise visit to Harrenhal on Syrax to enquire about Daemon's final allegiance, and to see the army that he has built after a lot of hiccups. As she asks her husband's army who they have bent their knees for, Daemon comes to the front, gets down on one knee and holds her hand.

It's now and forever for Daemon and Rhaenyra

He tells her: "The realm's only hope is a leader who can unite it, and my brother chose you. You are a true queen, Rhaenyra. First of Her Name. Protector of the Realm. I am meant to serve you, and all of these with me. Until death or the end of our story," as the hundreds of men behind Daemon follow suit.

Daemon gets up, raises his sword towards the army, and announces "We fight for our queen". "Leave me again at your peril," an emotional Rhaenyra responds, only to see the flirtatious Daemon at his best, saying, "I could not. I have tried. My Queen."

Halaena plays her part

At the King's Landing, Aemond goes berserk and asks his sister, Queen Halaena, to join the war with her dragon, Dreamfyre. Knowing that she has no intention of fighting or 'burning people', both Halaena and Alicent refuse. Later, on the balcony, Halaena tells Aemond that she has already seen the end of it all, including his own. As he laughs, she tells him: "You were swallowed up in God's Eye, and you were never seen again," hinting at the great Battle of God's Eye between Aemond and Daemon.

Halaena is not the only one who has anticipated and accepted the result of the war. Back on the field, Ser Criston Cole is missing his 'good days' with Alicent, sniffing a handkerchief with her initials embroidered on it. His quiet moment is interrupted by Gwayne Hightower, Alicent's brother, who ridicules him for having used his sister for pleasure. Cole recalls how Alicent and he had a relationship of comfort and the war had made things clear in their heads.

In a moment, quite unlike Cole, he welcomes death and tells Gwayne: "The dragons dance, and men are like dust under their feet. And all our fine thoughts and endeavours are nothing. We march now towards our annihilation. To die will be a kind of relief."

Rhaenyra is still trying to deal with the fact that a lot of innocents will die in the war. "In striking, I doom thousands to death," she tells Mysaria, who asks her to keep her chin up and look forward to the order of peace she will be establishing in the realm once the war is over.

And they meet again!

The biggest highlight of the season was the second face-off between Alicent and Rhaenyra. The former lands at Harrenhal through a secret passage to make her confessions, and asks Rhaenyra to absolve her and her daughter, Halaena, of everything that the war ensues. Rhaenyra laughs and reminds her how she's the very reason the war began in the first place and there's nothing that can be done now.

Alicent tells Rhaenyra: "I lost my way. I have been alone of late. I do not wish to rule. I wish to live. I cast myself on the mercy of a friend who once loved me," as the queen stands still, with a silent laugh on her face, and tears of redemption in her eyes.

Alicent offers her a way away from bloodshed. She tells her that once Aemond is out with his army, she can march to the King's Landing, and they will open the gates without any protest, to welcome her to the Iron Throne. She tells her once the throne is hers, there will be no need to continue the war, and everyone will live in peace. Rhaenyra contemplates and tells her to be ready to see her son, Aegon's head being taken away, in that case. Alicent promises she won't flinch and asks Rhaenyra to trust her once. The queen asks her to leave, not giving any assurance, but not disagreeing with the idea either.

The episode concludes with a glimpse of Otto Hightower embracing the sunlight from what looks like inside a prison or the back of a caged cart. Rhaena, who has been wandering the land for days in search of the Sheepstealer, finally finds the dragon. The armies bundle up to fight as the skies roar with dragons taking over everything. This is both the war cry and the beginning of what history remembers as the 'Dance of Dragons'.