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Daemon promises 'a son for a son' in scary House of the Dragon promo

Daemon Targaryen says the words that will have every fan terrified in the fetal position when House of the Dragon starts airing new episodes.
Dan Selcke
Dan Selcke

Winter is Coming

House of the Dragon season 2

Earlier this week, HBO dropped a new trailer for the second season of House of the Dragon, where the war between Rhaenyra Targaryen and her half-brother Aegon will really heats up. Only one of them can sit the Iron Throne, and things are going to get bloody before we see who it is.

If you recall, the first season ended with Aegon's brother Aemond killing Rhaenyra's son Luke. Before that, Rhaenyra had been trying to keep a lid on the brewing war between rival factions of her family, but now the gloves are off. Rhaenyra's husband Daemon Targaryen, Luke's stepfather, will go even further. As anybody who's read George R.R. Martin's book knows, he promises to avenge Luke's death by attacking Aegon, and trading "a son for a son." That's actually the title of the season 2 premiere, which already has us nervous. The scene where Daemon's plan is put into motion is famously gruesome, and I imagine a lot of people will have trouble watching it.

The various trailers have been dropping hints about this event, but Daemon makes it explicit in a short promo video. "We're going to King's Landing," he tells Rhaenys Targaryen, something we hear in the full trailer. But in the promo, he keeps going: "Make it a son for a son." Duck and cover, everyone.

See more footage from House of the Dragon season 2 in alternate trailers

There are a few alternate versions of the trailer floating around out there with additional footage. For instance, take a look at this version of the trailer posted to the House of the Dragon Instagram page, presented in vertical phone format:

We get some brief new glimpses of Rhaenyra's son Jacaerys...

...as well as her best frenemy Alicent Hightower, frolicking miserably through a field of tall grass, something we see from another angle in the full trailer:

Finally, there's a reverse shot of a shot from the trailer where Daemon Targaryen looks at the Iron Throne:

House of the Dragon season 2 premieres on HBO and Max on Sunday, June 16.

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Dan Selcke

Dan Selcke

Dan Selcke is a writer and editor living in Chicago, where he's been writing and podcasting for around 10 years about movies, TV and books, the nerdier the better. He's been published in The A.V. Club and in Metro, in the real-life newspaper with ink and everything. He used to be a lawyer but it didn't work out, although he still likes to argue. When not reading, watching TV or playing videogames, he prefers to be sedentary.