plot cast review episodes 1 and 2 |Style

The wait is over. Almost two years after the release of the first season of House of the Dragonthe first two episodes of are finally available from today House of the Dragon – Season 2the famous series HBO based on Fire and blood Of George R. R. Martin. A real blast from the past for all fans of Game of throneswith the events that saw the protagonist House Targaryen about 200 years earlier of the birth of Daenerys, the histrionic Mother of Dragons Of game of Thrones. A perfectly packaged product which, just like its illustrious predecessor, was able to make thousands of fans of the fantasy genre fall in love with it. And not only.

The first two episodes of the second season of House of the Dragon are available from today, Monday 17 June on Sky and streaming only on NOW. If there was the first broadcast at 3 in the morning, at the same time as the USA, it will be “rerun” tonight. The appointment is on Sky Atlantic at 9.15pm. This will happen every Monday also with the remaining episodes. There are 8 in total.

Because if it’s true that dragons and knights are the protagonists of this story, it is also the case that, unlike most fantasy series, here great importance is given to political themes it’s at court intrigues and family dramas. A series where theaction occupies a key role but which never risks falling into the banal, and around which great, very great expectations revolve. Did he respect them?

We already knew that this second season of House of the Dragon would have revolved around the conflict within House Targaryen. With them Hightower (also called i greensdue to the color of their house), branch of the family to which the current King belongs, oppose the side he sees at the head Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy). The main contender to the throne and half-sister of the ruler. A conflict destined to create havoc throughout Westeros and give rise to one of the greatest wars in history. The legendary Dance of the Dragons.

So if the death of the old King Viserys (Paddy Considine) and the subsequent killing of Lucerys (Elliot Grihault) by Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) laid the foundations for the war to come, this second season will see the battle come alive. With the two factions willing to do anything to ensure final victory and see their leader sit on the coveted Throne of the Seven Kingdoms. A goal which, as we know, often requires great sacrifices.

Green against Black, Aegon against Rhaenyra. In the end, only one will prevail.

From the beginning of this second season, tension within the Seven Kingdoms is very high. On the one hand, Hand Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) and his daughter Allicent (Olivia Cooke) are busy keeping the new King (Tyler Moffett) at bay. On the other we’ll see Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) experiences a period of great pain, as news of her son Lucerys’ death spreads across Westeros. But that is not all.

With war now appearing inevitable, the two factions are busy preparing for conflict. This is the basis for returns as welcome as they are discounted. First of all that of House Stark and Winterfell. In this scenario, however, as always, the unpredictable Daemon (Matt Smith) gives a decisive turning point, determined at all costs to avenge the death of the late Lucerys.

As in the first, also in the second episode we see the two factions bustling about final preparations before the upcoming confrontation. With important shifts in balance. At Dragonstone, the relationship between Rhaenyra and Daemon goes through a period of crisis after the choices made by the latter. In King’s Landing we witness the birth of new and unexpected dynamics, between promotions and bitter-tasting farewells. All obviously seasoned with dragon flights and duels to the deathin full style game of Thrones.

Overall, we can therefore say that these first two episodes of the second season of House of the Dragon they do not disappoint expectations. Although the narrative progresses on quite slow pacethe story staged is in fact immediately capable of to intrigue and induce in viewers the desire to discover what will happen next. This is also thanks to clever use of plot twists and to the excellent ones acting skills of the cast members. Factors that do nothing but confirm what we had already learned during the first season. That is, that House of the Dragon can be included in that short list of spin-off series capable of rivaling their predecessors.

From this perspective, we can therefore consider this start of the season as a test of maturity. Not only from the cast and the production team, but also from the producer HBO itself, which has proven once again that it is capable of not disappointing the initial hype. A pleasant and captivating introduction, useful for laying the foundations of the story and preparing us for what we will see in the next episodes. Providing us with a clear overview of the situation.

The sets and costumes are also exceptional as always. Yet more proof of the immense production work and the undeniable intent to make this series a true cult in every way.

What else to add? Let the dancing begin.