Small Council: Give us your thoughts on the new House of the Dragon trailer

HBO has released the first teaser trailer for House of the Dragon season 2! Watch it below, and then read our thoughts. And be sure to share yours in the comments as well as vote in the poll!

DAN: Short version is that I thought this trailer was great. Got chills, I want it, give it to me. For specifics, I thought I’d break out the bullet points:

• Best line: Rhaenys Targaryen telling Rhaenyra, “There is no war so hateful to the gods as a war between kin, and no war so bloody as a war between dragons.” Oh, if you only knew the full extent of it. Having read Fire & Blood, I know things are gonna get crazy, and bloody, and bloody crazy. And based on the first season, I think this team has the hutzpah to make good on the book’s promises.
• Best shot: There are some great shots in there so this is a hard call, but I’m gonna have to give it to Baela Targaryen screaming her head off as she rides her dragon Moondancer through the skies. You can’t fight a war without unyielding rage and she’s got some.
• Mysteries: Is that the Night’s Watch at 0:34? Why’s Alicent standing by a lake at 0:35? Very Arthurian of her. What’s that building at 0:38? What’s with that mysterious shot of Helaena at 0:39? Man, they packed a lot of mystery into that five-second stretch.
• No release date: Yeah, keep us coming back for more, why don’cha?

What did you all think of the trailer? What stood out to you? Anything you wanted to see but didn’t? Does the trailer have you fired up? Afraid? Undecided? Sound off!

DANIEL: This trailer got me stoked for House of the Dragon season 2! I love that they’re diving right into the heart of the conflict in this trailer, setting up the war to come. That line from Rhaenys is a cryptic one, and for good reason: before the White Walker invasion in Game of Thrones, the Dance of the Dragons was the single worst war in Westeros’ history. Things are going to get brutal.

There are so many exciting things in this trailer. I love our first look at a grieving Rhaenyra, as well as her on dragonback. Is that her facing off with Addam of Hull and Seasmoke at 0:38? That was one of my personal favorite shots of the trailer, although I think the final scene of Vhagar flying over the field at Rook’s Rest probably takes the crown. It gives me chills every time I watch it.

Another highlight: there’s a brief glimpse of Helaena Targaryen in the Blood and Cheese scene at 0:52. This is an iconic part of the book that I’m not gonna spoil here, but if you know you know. It’s coming. And something about actually getting our first look at it in this trailer makes it feel more real.

I’m also very curious about the riot in King’s Landing. We get a few of those during the Dance of the Dragons, but not until later on if I recall right. What have Alicent and her co-conspirators done to stir up the masses?

Really, there’s no shortage of things to gush about in this trailer; pick a scene, and we can dissect it and lose our minds. And I love that for it. It’s been over a year since House of the Dragon season 1, and we’ve been due a trailer like this one to remind us that the upcoming sophomore season is going to blow our minds with an epic war between armies and dragons. Summer 2024 can’t get here fast enough!

CAMILA: Wowie. Wowie, wowie, wowie.

Is it hot in here, or is it just the magnificent *expletive* dragons and dragonriders we just saw?! I am so excited about this second season, I honestly don’t even know where to being with discussing the trailer.

I will say that the shot of Syrax, Rhaenyra, and another dragon and its rider facing each other is the one that stuck with me since the first time I saw the trailer. The intensity in Emma D’Arcy’s face… You can just tell they acted their ass off in order to bring us angry mama bear Rhaenyra this coming season.

My favorite war criminal, Aemond, also shows his gorgeous face during the trailer, and I can’t wait to see him break the news to mommy dearest that, you know, he just started a civil and familial war. Daniel spotted the Haelena appearance as well; it does indeed look like the Blood and Cheese bit. I am very, very excited to see how they bring this to our screens. I am most definitely going to cry the entire time.

I hope viewers aren’t underestimating the pure amount of fire and blood (emphasis on blood) that will be seen in this season. This ain’t a fairy tale.

Much like our dear and beloved Game of Thrones line from our favorite asshole, Ramsay Bolton, “if you think this has a happy ending, you’re not paying attention.” So…pay attention.

NATALIE: I was already anticipating House of the Dragon to be the show of 2024, and this teaser trailer totally solidified that. I fell in love with the show pretty quickly into the first season, and I absolutely got those same butterflies as I pressed play on the teaser and the new footage started to roll. Rhaenyra! My Queen! I can’t imagine the devastation and heartbreak she’s feeling after losing Lucerys. I’m ready for her to stop playing nice. Even seeing stupid Aegon in the teaser got me super excited (sorry, Tom Glynn-Carney — you’re great, but ew.) And Daemon… My favorite. I’m super interested to see where his storyline goes in season 2 and how much it might deviate from Fire & Blood.

I’m Team Black so just seeing Rhaenyra again made my heart so happy, but I’ve got to say I’m eager to see what Alicent’s next move is as well. The same can’t be said for Crispin Criston, however. He needs to be gone ASAP! Love that they’ve given him a new, less flattering haircut.

The second season of House of the Dragon is going to be so much bigger in scope, making the first season feel more or less like an intro to the actual events. The Dance of the Dragons is going to be more intense, shocking, and uglier than anyone can imagine (unless, of course, you’ve read the book, too). Just the quick clip of the highly-anticipated Blood and Cheese moment in the teaser proves there’s a lot of bloodshed ahead. AND THE DRAGONS! The hype is so real.

FEDERICA: The teaser previews a brutal season where war reigns supreme and spares no one. Even if we just got a mere glimpse of actual fighting, everywhere we see the consequences of violence. It reminds us that, not unlike in Game of Thrones, the battle for the throne hurts not only those doing the fighting, but everyone in the Seven Kingdom.

As in the trailer for the first season, Princess Rhaenys speaks the wisest words, while Rhaenyra doesn’t speak at all — still bitter, since this is primarily her story. Someone at Team Green must be in the editing room because Alicent and Otto both got lines, while no one else in Team Black did.

Now, regarding some scenes we see in the trailer… it’s poetic how we don’t see Larys Strong but we all know he’s in the room — always a metaphorical fly on the wall — when Alicent speaks. Also, what’s up with her basically becoming lady of the lake? I’m not sure I can withstand non-prophetic dreams too. At any rate, I’m intrigued to see what Alicent’s conscience has to tell her about the situation they’re in now and her role — both direct and indirect — in it.

It’s interesting how Rhaenyra is being paralleled both with Alicent and with Aegon, judging by how their shots are placed in the teaser. Although you could extend this argument to the entire show, and I just wish they picked one to be her foil once and for all.

ADDAM!!!! Seasmoke!!! That is something I certainly cannot wait to see. And I hope it’s them meeting Rhaenyra in that artistic shot. Baela and Rhaenyra on dragonback? Yes please, give us more.

We got half a second of a shot of one of the Cargyll twins and I already know it’s that scene. I don’t think I’m ready to see that onscreen so soon. I can already imagine the scene fading to black, the episode ending, and the song “Farewell, My Brother” playing over the credits.

This season will be bloody, if this teaser is anything to judge by, but we already knew it. The teaser confirmed many things for book readers, but probably looked like a simple “war is coming” to someone who hasn’t read Fire & Blood. I enjoyed the teaser, but hope the trailer will be more accessible and enticing to the general public.

What did you think of the House of the Dragon trailer? Vote in the poll below!

House of the Dragon season 2 premieres on HBO and Max sometime in the summer of 2024.

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