HOTD S2 - Episode 1 Comes Out SWINGING

A review of House of the Dragon Season 2 episode 1: "A Son for a Son". A good start to the season and the ending with Blood and Cheese is an outstanding and shocking scene that offers what fans loved from Game of Thrones.

Thank you to my Patrons: Logan Farmer and Jernej

Music:
Epidemic Sound:
To Make Known - Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen
Rosee du matin - DEX 1200

[SupercutsDelight]

Ideally, I try to post these videos by Tuesday, but I ran into some copyright problems and it took 9 hours to finally figure out what was wrong with the video. Given that YouTube's copyright detection system can be really weird sometimes.

[BarPBarPkoyanee]

Danny and her babies crossed the wall because D&D created that season lul

[misterhoobomaster]

Best scene in the episode was Rhaenyra hugging her son who tried (and fails) not to breakdown.

[gakeon]

The dragon over the wall thing was a nod to the book. But yeah they forgot Dany did it, altho technically D&D would be at fault for letting her go over anyway...

[jazzybee_s]

on the halaena thing: i have no idea who on earth that has seen even clips of the show would expect her to do a big catelyn stark scream. its pretty well established that when bad things happen she withdraws into herself. we see her covering her ears when vaemond gets killed

[AntrozLPs]

That shot of the camera panning over to the twins' beds was absolutely horrifying.

[PrinceIsot]

It's 180 years. It really isn't crazy for Ned to treat the threat North a little differently. But he never dismisses it either

[mewple]

You have to remember about Ned, he wasn't raised in the north. He was raised in the Eyrie with Robert. By the time he returned north the rebellion was over and he was alone save for his younger brother who took the black shortly after. It's not unreasonable to say that he didn't learn to fear or respect what was north of the wall like many of his predecessors. Just my take on that.

[hubertwaliszewski]

One thing about this episode I find interesting is the fact, if I remember correctly, that Rhaenyra doesn't really speak in this episode. Her only words are "I want Aemond Targaryen". I think it portrays her grief much better than if she had a scene where she explains how sad she is. I don't think it's a top-10 writing achievement, but it is a nice little detail.

[bushmaster]

"Aegon never payed any attention to his lessons"--- What ''lessons'' my guy, did you not watch Season 1, Viserys never prepared any of his other kids to rule, it was Rhaenyra and no Plan B.

[Oxcymoron]

I love how they portrayed Aegon this episode. There was a light or innocence in him that made him likeable despite what we know of him. The only time we saw any semblance of anger was when Tyland Lannister was getting annoyed by son. He was trying to be a good king and father but that light in him has surely been snuffed out with son.

[mohirender]

There's also the fact that the Greens are now at the same empasse, daughter for heir or crazy raging brother? Which is poetic and ironic

[greybeaver]

The blood and cheese outcome might also be interesting in that either the daughter or aemond may be heir now. If it's the daughter, that might set up conflict between aemond and aegon and it would also be hypocritical considering the prior female heirs were denied

[shanecoles]

The whole Ned not knowing thing may have an answer.. perhaps its something similar to a secret passed down to an heir. like in house of the dragon season one. But since Ned became Lord of Winterfell unexpectedly following his father and older brothers death, I could see a situation where the actual secrets and true connection of Winterfell to the wall were lost.

[gig]

3:41, that's the thing, he wasn't given any lessons on ruling. That's why he so eager to teach Jahaerys even though he's too young.

[can_of_spook]

Part of what I liked most of Blood and Cheese was how much it humanized a Targaryen since this is the first time we see someone murder a Targaryens child right in front of their own parent. And instead of screaming and fighting back and painting the room red like say Daenerys or Rhaenyra, Helaena instead simply grabs the other child and runs away with her. I just like how it shows that not every Targaryen is a great warrior and fierce and fiery, and that they actually vary. Something about the contrast is interesting, and I think Helaenas as a character does that in spades as she's the only Targaryen thus far that isn't really a fighter.

[JoeUchiha-gsru]

Seems like the stark scene was just an active retcon. This show is trying to be more faithful to book cannon

[chrisr]

Lord Cregan Stark, lecturing the young prince about Duty and Sacrifice for the realm is absolutely amazing.

It is an exposition (for the audience) as well as a much needed counsel for the Targaryens.

It also highlight a stark contrast between the two houses.

[mllx-hwwz]

I spent two years waiting for Cheese to say the iconic line “You hear that little boy? Your mama wants you dead”😭😭

[jeffreytan]

You have to remember 172 years had passed between this show and Game of Thrones. That's a very long time. Enough time that there were no longer any dragons at the start of GoT so I'm not really surprised that Ned Stark treats as legend the threat beyond the wall while Cregan was very serious about it.