Hey friends, today we will break down the preview of House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 8. I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that the finale, at least according to the trailer, looks very impressive. The bad news is that I think this episode is just a big setup that will keep us waiting for Season 3, which could take two years. This doesn’t mean the episode will be bad, but if you are expecting a big battle between the greens and the blacks, we’ll have to wait.
Note: Watch the Episode 8 preview trailer before reading this article for full context.
Dragonstone Training: New Dragon Riders in Action
The first scene is of Dragonstone. I think new dragon riders are being trained here. It could be Vermithor and Silverwing. Remember, these two are couple dragons, as I mentioned earlier, similar to Melis and Vhagar. Their riders, Jaehaerys and Alysanne, were husband and wife. In the next scene, three large hosts are shown. The first host is the Lannister army entering Rhaenyra domain. You can see their banners here, led by Jason Lannister. The second host is the Hightowers, led by Ser Criston Cole, heading towards Harrenhal, where Daemon is already stationed with his Riverlords army. Yes, all the Riverlords have pledged allegiance and their army is ready. Of course, another dragon, Tessarion, is also shown, ridden by Viserys and Alysanne’s son, Daeron Targaryen, whose first appearance we might see in the next episode. This dragon is quite small but will make a big impact because its rider is very formidable.
Harrenhal Conflict and the Dragon Riders’ Arrival
The next scene is of Harrenhal, where two dragons are shown arriving. Finally, Caraxes seems to be screaming, “Get me out of here, brother, I’m stuck.” I can’t say for sure who is with Rhaenyra because, of course, they often change details in the trailer. So, I think it’s Jacaerys, but it could be someone else. After that, we see a dinner table scene where all the dragon riders are present. Syrax, Moondancer, and Arrax are ridden by Rhaena, Baela, and Jacaerys. Bastards Hugh Hammer, Addam of Hull, and Ulf the White ride Vermithor and Silverwing.
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Tully Army Marches and Velaryon Fleet’s Significance
We see a scene of the Tully army, which Rhaenyra leads. This will have a significant impact in the episode, as Rhaenyra and Daemon will finally face each other. If they can resolve their marital problems, I think the tide will turn in favor of the blacks, which we will see in the next episode. The next scene is of the Velaryon fleet on the move. This scene will be big in the next episode. Finally, we will see an invasion in episode 8, which I have been eagerly waiting for. I want to discuss this in detail, but if I do, it will be a huge spoiler for you. So, I’m not saying anything for now. We’ll keep it confined to the next episode, but if I say too much, there will be a lot of spoilers.
Intrigue in King’s Landing: Larys’ Schemes
In King’s Landing, Larys continues his work. He is trying to manipulate the King. Once Aegon rises, Larys will be back on top. I think Larys will play a very important role in the next episode, and such characters are always seen in these cases. As Littlefinger said, “Chaos is a ladder.” Alicent has returned to King’s Landing. In the last episode, she was also partying like Daemon, and she tries to control Aemond, but I don’t think it will work. Aemond is quite strategic like his grandfather, Otto Hightower. I don’t think we will see Otto in this episode, but if he does appear, it will be very exciting.
Aemond, Helaena, and Dreamfyre: A Fiery Discussion
Finally, there is a scene with Aemond and Helaena discussing using Dreamfyre. We have been wanting to see more screen time for it, but it has been completely avoided. Maybe the affair rumors will be proven true here, who knows, but if anything is revealed, it will be very exciting. For book lovers, this is a big issue. Most people actually forget that Helaena, no matter how cute and sweet she is, is a dragon rider. You will remember we saw Dreamfyre in season one; it is a big dragon, and Helaena rides it. So, we will definitely see some action from it in the next episode. The next scene shows Aemond riding Vhagar with a city burning in front. I’m not sure what this is because, as I said, they often edit details in the trailer and present them later like Marvel. It could be Oldtown or King’s Landing, but Aemond will cause a lot of trouble, that’s for sure. Here we see Cregan Stark crossing the Twin Tower with his army. He has finally arrived with his Greybeards, and their army doesn’t look very strong but will make a significant impact because these guys, though few, are experts in striking hard. Tywin Lannister said that whenever the Northern army attacks, it becomes impossible to defeat them, and that’s probably why he killed Robb like that instead of fighting in war.
Fleet and Triarchy Alliance: A New Threat
Here we see a very large fleet, and everyone is confused about who they are, so let me tell you who they are. These people belong to the Triarchy, whom we saw in season one. A few episodes ago, Aemond said that an alliance should be formed with them to give Lord Corlys a tough time. Actually, Tyland Lannister was sent to deal with them, and he went to talk to them, and they will offset him. Ships will be sent to the Stepstones, which we will see directly in the next season. The showrunners have confirmed that this season has been quite expensive for them. So, of course, they will add all these things in the next season. If you are looking forward to the Battle of Gullet, it will be in the next season.
Rhaenyra’s Dragon Claim: A Major Shift
In Episode 8, Rhaenyra will claim a dragon she found in a well. In the Fire and Blood book, the storyline was a bit different, where a girl named Nettles claimed it, but here they have changed the entire storyline, which is quite good. If they copy everything from the books, it won’t be interesting; they should have some of their own elements. All the lords of Riverlands kneel before Daemon and Rhaenyra, and Gwayne Hightower finally gets fed up and raises a sword against Criston. We didn’t see them in the last episode, but their army is heading to Harrenhal, so they will be shown in the next episode.
Conclusion, House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 8 Preview Breakdown
So, these were the things I noticed in the trailer. I hope you liked it and please let me know your thoughts in the comment section.