Let’s break down the House of the Dragon season trailer

The burdens of rule

“The burden of this knowledge, it is larger than the throne. It is larger than you,” says King Viserys while holding up the catspaw dagger from Game of Thrones. We saw him wearing this at his hip throughout the season premiere. Given how concerned with duty Viserys is, we’re guessing the knowledge he’s talking about is that Prince that was Promised prophecy that Rhaenyra was reading at the beginning of the trailer.

From there we run through a series of close-ups and shots we’ve seen in other trailers: Emma D’Arcy as adult Rhaenyra, Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen illuminated by firelight, and Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Best) giving Rhaenyra advice about how unlikely the men of the realm are to accept a queen:

But there are also a couple of shots we haven’t seen before, like this one of Rhaenyra decked out in Targaryen black as she stares out at the ocean. Based on the ominous lighting and her choice of garb, I’m guessing that this could be after her claim to the throne starts to be more seriously contested in her adulthood. Greens and blacks and all that.

There’s also this quick shot of King’s Landing, centered on a distinctive building. We’ve already seen the Dragonpit so we know this isn’t it, and House of the Dragon takes place decades before the Great Sept of Baelor is built. Any guesses as to what building this is? Perhaps the Starry Sept in Oldtown?

A few other quick shots, like Rhaenyra and Alicent in the Godswood at King’s Landing and more of the standoff between Otto and Daemon on Dragonstone. Then we get this exciting glimpse at what we are going to assume is the Black Council, when Rhaenyra Targaryen gathers her allies on Dragonstone after she realizes her claim to the throne is being usurped by a former friend:

Speaking of former friends, Rhaenya and Alicent Hightower exchange glances as knives come out. We’ve seen plenty of this scene before, which is referred to in the production as the “Eye for an Eye” sequence. One thing in particular to note from this trailer is that we actually see Alicent draw the dagger. She appears to be pulling it from a sheath on someone else’s belt; perhaps her son Aegon II?

She’ll be trying to give Rhaenyra the ol’ poke-in-the-face with that dagger. It’s going to be a standout scene of the season, mark me.

We’re a million miles from the best friends we saw in the premiere here.