the night parade of a hundred souls
HOUSE OF THE DRAGON SEASON TWO AND OVERALL DISCUSSION

ੈ✩˚⊹ this season was an exquisite journey, woven with tension, drama, and shakespearean gravitas. the infusion of mysticism and magic surpassed nearly everything seen in game of thrones combined. the experience was nothing short of astounding, leaving us in fervent anticipation for the next season. yet, this wait is tinged with a bittersweetness. despite the bounty we received, the knowledge that there is still so much more to unfold, and the lengthy wait that accompanies it, is a challenging reality to accept.

episode 8 was a personal favorite, though i must admit, it didn't quite meet my expectations for a season finale.

let me explain.

as much as i loved this episode, i did have some reservations. the primary issue stemmed from the promotion, which painted it as a grand finale, hinting at another dance of dragons. however, it turned out to be more of a preparatory episode, essentially a trailer for season 3. this discrepancy between expectation and reality left me feeling somewhat let down.

i did think that daemon bending the knee was a bit underwhelming, especially considering the significant advantage they now hold. not only do they have a 7:2 dragon rider ratio, but they also command an army. but speaking of the dragon ratio, i have a small theory about how they might deviate from the books. maybe helaena and dreamfyre will join the fight — not necessarily to the greens' advantage, but joining nonetheless. if hugh and ulf were to betray the blacks and side with the greens, the dragon ratio would balance to 5:5 ❨ including daeron with tessarion for the greens ❩. this balance, coupled with their relatively equal numbers on land and sea, could set the stage for an epic season filled with fierce battles in the sky, on the ground, and at sea.

that's my hope, at least, though we won't know for sure until it airs, and the wait will be difficult.

i was captivated by the prophecy and the inclusion of the three-eyed raven and daenerys. showing daenerys ties into the prophecy being a double-edged sword, a theme that runs deeply through grrm's stories. the conflict between the blacks and greens isn't a straightforward tale of good versus evil; both sides, i suspect, will continue to reveal their darker aspects as the story unfolds.

the show has also set up a fascinating dichotomy: divine purpose versus historical precedent. daemon, unaware that the vision is of daenerys, might even believe it to be rhaenyra.

something that's resonated deeply with me this season is how the prophecy is intricately woven into the characters' lives. rhaenyra, for instance, ties the prophetic vision and her destiny on the throne directly to her father. when alicent conveyed viserys' last words to her earlier this season, it confirmed for rhaenyra that viserys did indeed love her and chose her as his heir.

in this episode, that same connection reassures her of daemon's sincerity. i'd need to revisit the episode for her exact words, but it's something like, "you sound like my father," which is a weird statement to make to her husband-uncle. but it shows how deeply she links her destiny to her father's love and validation, creating a richly layered character moment.

i'm particularly pleased to see characters like ulf stepping into the spotlight. this episode was a treasure trove of exciting moments, especially the final scene between rhaenyra and alicent.

but one aspect that truly frustrated me in this episode was the inclusion of the tyland scenes. they felt misplaced, especially in the finale. even if they wanted to weave them into the story, ending them after lohar's reveal would have sufficed. instead, we're left with a significant portion of the episode wasted on an inconsequential mud fight. it was made worse by the actress's poor performance — her delivery was jarring, reminiscent of amateur theater. dedicating a third of the finale to an irrelevant subplot with subpar acting was a baffling choice.

reflecting on the season as a whole, i do have several concerns. i found it perplexing that they didn't invest more time in developing the stark and black alliances. imagine the richness that could have been added by delving into jace's friendship with cregan or witnessing the greens' reaction to luke's death.

instead, the narrative remained fixated on council meetings, rendering the episodes one-dimensional and monotonous.

it's shocking that they afforded rhaenyra and alicent two secret meetings in enemy territory yet couldn't find the time to explore jace's character through his bond with cregan.

i was also eagerly anticipating aemond's return after killing luke. that scene promised to be a cornerstone of character development, offering insight into his psyche. it never occurred to me that such a pivotal moment would be omitted. the decision to skip it is mind-boggling.

there's an abundance of storylines that could have been expanded upon, making me wish for a longer season. they opted for a less-is-more approach, but if they had taken the time to show how information travels and how characters react, it would have enriched the narrative and deepened character development. while we can rely on our knowledge from the books, witnessing these events unfold on screen would have been far more compelling.

unlike game of thrones, where they eventually ran out of source material, there's no such excuse here. the rich tapestry of stories from fire and blood provides ample material to draw from. yet, the execution has left much to be desired.

i'm not pessimistic about the future of the series, though it's clear that many others are. the comments sections on the stars' instagram pages and twitter feeds are filled with bitterness and frustration.

anyway, i can't think of much else to say. season 3 can't come soon enough. in the meantime, i'm turning my attention to a knight of the seven kingdoms.

much love,