Quick LinksWhere Can House of the Dragon Season 2 Be Streamed? What Happens in the Premiere?

Summary

Season 2 of “House of the Dragon” depicts the Targaryen civil war, the Dance of the Dragons.
The show premiered on HBO and Max on June 16, with episodes airing weekly.
Season 2 introduces new cast members and boasts better pacing and a bolder tone than Season 1.

Season 2 of the Emmy-nominated HBO series House of the Dragon has been looked forward to with much anticipation, given that the season is taking to screens after a long two-year break. A prequel to the wildly successful and popular Game of Thrones series, House of the Dragon takes place roughly 200 years before the events in Game of Thrones. Similarly to the original show, House of the Dragon, too, is an adaptation, bringing to life George R. R. Martin’s book Fire & Blood.

The prequel’s second season picks up after the death of Lucerys Velaryon, the son of Rhaenyra Targaryen. With Queen Rhaenyra locked in a battle for succession to the Iron Throne with her half-sibling Aegon II Targaryen, war becomes the dominant theme in Season 2 of House of the Dragon. The power struggle of the half-siblings leads to the Targaryen civil war between the Greens and the Blacks, a fight for control of the Iron Throne known as the Dance of the Dragons.

Where Can House of the Dragon Season 2 Be Streamed?

The much-awaited House of the Dragon Season 2 premiered exclusively on HBO on Sunday, June 16, 2024, at 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT. The season was simultaneously made available for streaming on Max. The episode, titled ‘A Son for a Son’, stands as a brilliant entrance to the season. Season 2 consists of eight episodes, with each new episode airing every Sunday.

House of the Dragon Season 2 Release Schedule
Episode Date Time Episode 1 June 16 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT Episode 2 June 23 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT Episode 3 June 30 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT Episode 4 July 7 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT Episode 5 July 14 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT Episode 6 July 21 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT Episode 7 July 18 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT Episode 8 August 4 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT

To stream House of the Dragon on Max, a subscription is required. Viewers are offered a choice between three plans. The plan with ads amounts to $9.99 per month, ad-free is offered at $16.99 per month, and the ultimate ad-free option costs $20.99 per month. At the time of writing, Max offers a one-week trial period for all three plans. Viewers can also subscribe to Max through Amazon Prime Video. A Max with ads plan or Max ad-free plan can be added to an existing Prime Video subscription, providing a way for viewers to consolidate their streaming options. Prices remain the same.

What Happens in the Premiere?

Season 2’s premiere picks up mere days after the events of the first season’s finale. King Viserys is dead and the council has conspired for Aegon II to take the Iron Throne instead of Rhaenyra Targaryen, the king’s chosen heir. The start of Season 2 takes viewers back to Westeros, providing audiences with their first look at the North and Winterfell since the conclusion of Game of Thrones, as Jacaerys, Rhaenya’s son, attempts to obtain the support of Cregan Stark. Jacaerys succeeds in his endeavor, although his success is dampened by his learning that his brother has been murdered.

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Rhaenyra is in mourning over her son’s death at Dragonstone, and despite Daemon’s impulse for revenge, he is held back by Rhaenys. Daemon, who is now intent on taking a “son for a son,” lashes out at Rhaenys, accusing her of not killing Aegon II at his coronation when she had the chance. As the devastation of Lucerys’ death settles in Dragonstone, King Aegon II in King’s Landing is busy paving the path for his son, Jaehaerys, to be king one day. The King is intent on riding out himself to battle against Rhaenyra but is advised against doing so by the council. The fact that a battle is imminent is made clear.

Daemon, still intent on his revenge and wanting to ease his wife’s grief, with the help of Mysaria, hires two assassins, Blood and Cheese, to sneak into the Red Keep and kill Aemond Targaryen, Lucerys’ killer. Blood is a disgraced member of the Kingsguard and Cheese is a rat-catcher. However, instead of Aemond, the two assassins end up gruesomely killing Jaehaerys, the firstborn son of Aegon II, while he is asleep. At the end of the day, Daemon’s ‘son for a son’ revenge becomes a reality and the episode lives up to its title.

Plenty of Familiar Faces

The series premiere brings back many familiar faces from Season 1. Returning cast members include D’Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen, Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen, Ewan Mitchell as Aemond Targaryen, Tom Glynn-Carney as Aegon Targaryen and Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower.

The season also has a few new faces, including those making up the Stark family. A few new additions are Tom Taylor as Lord Cregan Stark, Jamie Kenna as Ser Alfred Broome, Kieran Bew as Hugh Hammer, Tom Bennett as Ulf, Abubakar Salim as Alyn of Hull, and Clinton Liberty as Addam of Hull.

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While the additions to the cast have been commended, viewers are also of the opinion that Season 2 of House of the Dragon portrays the show as it is truly meant to be. Audiences have noted that Season 2 appears to be better paced than Season 1, while also being bolder and more brutal than its predecessor. The season promises quite a few shocking events, and if the season premiere is any indication, Season 2 seems to be on track to be truly thrilling.

House of the Dragon
airs weekly on HBO and Max.