HBO has dropped a pair of new trailers for the second season of House of the Dragon, its Game of Thrones prequel series. One trailer focuses on the "Blacks," the name given to characters who support Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen's claim to the Iron Throne. The other spotlights the "Greens," who support her half-brother King Aegon II Targaryen. Come June 16, these two sides will clash in what will hopefully be a very entertaining explosion of fire and blood.
In addition to the trailers, HBO has released some glossy photos. Let's look at them below, starting with a picture of Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) standing with her sons Jacaerys Velaryon (Harry Collett) and Joffrey Velaryon. If I had to guess, I'd say they're attending a funeral for Rhaenyra's son Lucerys Velaryon, who was killed at the end of the first season of Rhaenyra's own half-brother Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell). That was a point of no return for Rhaenyra, who will now ramp up her war effort in earnest.
Jacaerys didn't get his own poster, but he's important character so I'm glad to see him feature in this image. Not pictured above is Rhaenyra's husband (and also uncle) Daemon Targaryen, played by Matt Smith. Here he is having a sit-down:
Daemon is violent, ambitious and unpredictable, an exciting combination. Smith did a fabulous job playing him in season 1 so I'm very much looking forward to seeing how he ups the ante now that war has broken out and Daemon is in his element. We're also guaranteed some scenes with him and Caraxes, his long-necked, blood-red dragon:
Daemon has two children from a prior marriage: Baela and Rhena Targaryen, played by Bethany Antonia and Phoebe Campbell respectively. It looks like we'll be seeing more of both of them in season 2. (And if you watch the trailers, you'll catch glimpses of Baela riding her dragon Moondancer through the air.)
We'll end our suite of Team Black images with a picture of Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) and his wife Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Best). Both support Rhaenyra's claim to the throne, although both have reservations. Rhaenys in particular seems to know that this war could cost both sides more than they're willing to spend.
All Must Choose: Black or Green?
HBO is going hard on making people "choose" between Team Black and Team Green, so we'll follow suit. Let's start our parade of Greens with King Aegon II Targaryen himself, played by Tom Glynn-Carney:
Aegon didn't want the throne, but was maneuvered onto it by his mother Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) and grandfather Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), both of whom are convinced that Rhaenyra will kill the lot of them if they don't contest her claim. Aegon is a bit bitter about the whole thing, which you can see in his face above.
Alicent was instrumental in building up the tension that led to this war, but she also seems to have second thoughts. She and Rhaenyra used to be good friends but grew apart over the years, and are now mortal enemies.
Next up we have a picture of Queen Helaena Targaryen, King Aegon's wife. She is also his sister, because Targaryens laugh in the face of your primitive notions of propriety.
Helaena has a gentler heart than the other members of her family, and is involved in this war mostly as a bystander. But that doesn't mean she and hers can't come to harm.
Next, we have a picture of Aegon's brother Aemond Targaryen alongside Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Franken), the Lord Commander of Aegon's Kingsguard:
The one-eyed Aemond is as violent and dark a character as this show has given us. He lusts for power and has the skill in battle to get it. He hungers to prove himself a great warrior and leader, which he'll have ample opportunity to do during this war. Criston Cole taught Aemond much of what he knows about fighting, and also passed down some of his bitterness towards Aemond's half-sister Rhaenyra.
Alright, that's enough white-blonde wigs for now. There are non-Targaryen characters on this show, characters like Larys Strong (Matthew Needham), an advisor to Alicent who may remind you of Varys or Littlefinger from Game of Thrones. He keeps to the shadows, plotting and scheming and only occasionally emerging to eat and look at feet.
Finally, we have the information broker Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno), whose house Larys burned down at the end of the last season. She'll probably be taking her services to the Blacks now.
The images are looking great! The second season of House of the Dragon premieres on June 16 on HBO and Max!
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