House of the Dragon season 2 episode 2 review: Another tactical episode with a brutal ending 

House of the Dragon season 2 returned with a new episode on Sunday, June 23, 2024, taking viewers on another tour of Westeros, which is on the brink of a war. Yet, this episode stayed on the brink, with things progressing a lot slower than many would want it to. However, this installment also ended on a high note, with Arryk (Luke Tittensor) and Erryk Cargyll's (Elliot Tittensor) tense sequence.

This episode was a direct aftermath of the bloody ending fans witnessed in the previous episode, Son for a Son, which saw one of the most brutal chapters of Fire and Blood adapted for the screen. Those who saw the first episode of the season, already knew that the ending would lead to dire consequences. The new episode did see the consequences, but not as brutally as one would expect.

This episode proved that House of the Dragon is not Game of Thrones, and does not want to be either. It is still taking its strides carefully, balancing politics, battles, and cinematic elements.

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House of the Dragon season 2 episode 2 holds back just enough to keep fans longing for more

House of the Dragon season 2 began with the promise of something fast-paced and delivered at the end of the premiere. It seemed that the series would not hold back after this, but it proved fans wrong again by delivering a slow second episode that spent a lot of time gestating over the death of Jaehaerys Targaryen.

The episode kicks off with fury from King Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney), who lost a son this time. It then escalates to some drastic steps, which include a devious ploy from Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) to have Arryk assassinate Rahenyra (Emma D'Arcy) by sneaking in as his twin brother.

The death of Jaehaerys takes up the first half of the episode, as Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) tries to use the same to garner the public's sympathy. The show's treatment of grief is commendable here, perhaps trumping Game of Thrones in the process.

It is also cinematically brilliant throughout, often spending time on long shots and slow close-ups. For nearly the first half-hour, the series does not move much beyond this point. Yet, when it does, it goes on to deliver another fascinating finale, much like the one featured in the previous episode.

The finale is by far the best part of the episode for those not indulging in the slow and tasteful portrayal of grief, horror, and the toll war can take. The finale sees Arryk sneak into the opponent's territory to find Rhaenyra and murder her while assuming the identity of his brother.

In a rather predictable move, Arryk comes face-to-face with Erryk while trying to murder Rhaenyra, leading to a brilliantly orchestrated battle between the twins, who couldn't have looked more alike in the moment. The way this battle was presented and the way in which it ended, led to one of the best finales of the show.

The ending of House of the Dragon season 2 episode 2 is also left rather ambiguous with either Arryk or Erryk killing the other before killing himself. This intentional vagueness is one of the smartest things that the series managed to achieve this season.

Though it set the stage for the future, there is still a lot that fans want to see soon, given that this season is only eight episodes long and viewers are yet to see big fights, dragons, or a potential war. However, it is possible that all that is reserved for future episodes of House of the Dragon.

For now, fans can stream the first two episodes on Max.