The fantasy series Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon are all about that Succession to the throne. Who has the better claim? And who has the better means of asserting this claim?
Season 1 of HotD focused a lot on the rivalry between Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy), the heir to the throne aka Team Black appointed by her father, and her childhood friend Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke), who gave the king several sons as his wife . Their eldest, Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney), is now the leader of Team Green and a major player in Season 2. Black vs. Green in Season 2 of House of the Dragon
Actor Glynn-Carney has been reluctant to equate King Aegon with the young tyrant Joffrey (Jack Gleeson) from Game of Thrones, but revealed at the Mexican Comic-Con CCXP MX panel that we’ll see his true colors in Season 2 become (via Collider):
We see someone who is trying to cope with his new responsibility with flying colors and to use his power in such a way that it benefits him. He now rules Westeros alone. We also see how divided Aegon is as a person – his weaknesses, his vulnerabilities, his desperation. […] I think when you have nothing to lose, as Aegon experienced for a long time, that makes you pretty dangerous.
HBO
Glynn-Carney as Aegon in the Season 2 trailer
Season 1 ended with Alicent’s son Aemond’s (Ewan Mitchell) dragon killing Rhaenyra’s young son Lucerys (Elliot Grihault). The simmering war between black and green is finally sparked. But the conflict cannot be resolved with dragon fire alone, and the young king also knows that. Glynn-Carney continued:
He begins his journey by ensuring that the people around the Minor Council and the little people of King’s Landing and beyond respect him and understand that he is the king who should be loved and feared at the same time.
See the German teaser trailer for the second season of House of the Dragon here:
House of the Dragon – S02 Trailer Green (German) HD
The Sea Serpent as a strong ally of Team Black in House of the Dragon
Rhaenyra’s side has an extremely strong ally in Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint), whose naval fleet could be a decisive factor in the war. It’s not for nothing that he has the dangerous nickname “the Sea Serpent” and almost got his own spin-off from HBO.
As Collider from CCXP MX reports, actor Toussaint says his series character in season 2 is not about personal enrichment, but about doing the right thing:
I don’t think there’s much in it for House Velaryon for the first time. Throughout Season 1, Corlys was desperately trying to create a great legacy for his family and something that would benefit them, for their legacy. But by the end of Season 1, he was ready to forget all that and just disappear. However, his wife convinced him that this was the right cause to support. That’s why he’s doing it now, because it is the right thing to do and for no other reason.
HBO
Toussaint as Corlys in the trailer for House of the Dragon Season 2
In the end, allies who stand by Team Black out of true loyalty and followers who stand by Team Green out of fear could meet in war. Sounds like a slight advantage on Rhaenyra’s side.
Even more for GoT fans:
When does House of the Dragon Season 2 start?
The second season of House of the Dragon begins on June 16, 2024 on HBO and will be released at the same time on the night of June 17th on Sky Deutschland. Eight new episodes have been announced. The second GoT offshoot called A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, also based on George RR Martin, can be expected next year.