House of the Dragon: What to Know Before Season 2

House of the Dragon returns to HBO on June 16th.

By Charlie Ridgely

After a nearly two-year hiatus, acclaimed Game of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon is finally returning to HBO with new episodes. The hit fantasy series kicks off its second season with an hour-long premiere on Sunday, June 16th. That kicks off more than two straight months of new House of the Dragon episodes, all plunging us deeper into the Targaryen civil war known as Dance of the Dragons. 

Since House of the Dragon hasn't been around for a while, a lot of fans might need a little primer on the show heading into Season 2. If you don't have time to binge back through the first 10 episodes, we've got you covered.

How Did House of the Dragon Season 1 End?

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(Photo:

Emma D'Arcy as Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen

- HBO)

The entirety of House of the Dragon Season 1 followed the reign of King Viserys Targaryen. As he neared the end of his life, a rift was created between his oldest child, Rhaenya Targaryen, and his wife (childhood friend of Rhaenyra) Alicent Hightower. It was customary for the eldest son to succeed as King of Westeros, but Viserys had been raising Rhaenyra to be a leader and she was clearly the best choice to take over. 

There was a discrepancy on the deathbed of Viserys, however. Rhaenyra believed the Iron Throne was hers, while what appears to be a miscommunication with Viserys had Alicent believing that the king wanted their son, Aegon II, on the throne. With the family and their close circle already at odds for a long list of reasons, disagreement about the Iron Throne put them on a path to all-out war.

Battle plans were forming and preparations were being made for war, but seemed as though Alicent and Rhaenyra might try to avoid it, knowing what the violence would mean for both their family and Westeros. Any idea of peace were dashed when Alicent's second-born, Aemond, met Rhaenyra's son, Lucerys, in the skies on the backs of their dragons. Aemond ultimately killed Lucerys, crossing the point of no return and plunging the Targaryens into a civil war.

The second season of House of the Dragon picks up just days after the death of Lucerys. Rhaenyra and her forces, known as the Blacks, made the move to Dragonstone, leaving Alicent, Aegon II, and the Greens in King's Landing. 

There are a lot of characters in this show and it's easy to forget how everyone is related to one another. Fortunately, HBO has an interactive character guide and Targaryen family tree that you might want to keep on hand.

What Happens in House of the Dragon Season 2?

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(Photo:

Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen

- HBO)

When House of the Dragon was initially ordered, fans of George R.R. Martin's fantasy franchise knew that it would ultimately tell the tale of the Dance of the Dragons.

Martin's Fire & Blood is a written history book of the Targaryen line and their civil war is easily one of the most significant moments in the family's history. Dance of the Dragons was a lengthy and brutal war that took out numerous members of the family, as well as multiple dragons, and the ending of Season 1 officially kicked that war into high gear. 

There's no telling exactly how much of the war Season 2 will cover, but be prepared for the entire season to take place within the Dance of the Dragons. It's going to get heavy over the next couple of months.

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How to Watch House of the Dragon Season 2

Things can get confusing in the world of streaming these days, but there are multiple ways to watch House of the Dragon every week. Unlike a show like Peacemaker, House of the Dragon is still an original to the HBO network. 

House of the Dragon episodes will air live on HBO every Sunday night, so they can be viewed on the traditional premium network. If you're all-in on streaming, though, HBO originals work in lock-step with the Max streaming service. The moment a new episode of House of the Dragon begins on HBO, it will be made available on Max to stream simultaneously. 

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