Again in 2022, I used to be considerably in love with Home of the Dragon – I proudly declared my emotions with a poster hung in my flat. The writing for the present was nothing however stellar. The plot was robust, the characters complicated, and the dialogue significant. I adored each second spent on this fastidiously designed world crammed with kings, queens, dragons, and knights.
Two years later, after watching the present’s second season, I as an alternative really feel like I’ve a foul hangover. What occurred in Home of the Dragon season 2 that nearly made me remorse watching it? Why did these eight episodes really feel like a waste of time?
Listed here are six main errors that made Home of the Dragon’s second instalment an sudden disappointment for me.
Main spoilers beneath for Home of the Dragon season 2
Mistake 1: Holding Rhaenyra again
Throughout Sport of Thrones, I witnessed many nice characters ruined, however none misplaced their allure as rapidly as Viserys’ daughter within the newest season of Home of the Dragon.
In season 1, Rhaenyra was plucky and rebellious. She wasn’t a shining instance of an inheritor to the throne, however her flaws made her much more likeable. A lot of that was as a result of her younger age, however as an grownup, she nonetheless had a spark that made it simple to say that I used to be firmly Crew Black.
However when for the Seven Gods did Rhaenyra turn out to be so passive, naive and annoying?
The creators wish to painting her as accountable and noble. Nevertheless, they’ve gone too far. Rhaenyra both doesn’t act in any respect or makes silly choices, like setting off for a harmful assembly with Alicent in King’s Touchdown – who, because the Queen Dowager, has no political energy or affect over her raging sons.
In fact, she has the precise to not know the best way to battle a struggle. As she says, she wasn’t educated for that. However that’s what she has her council for. Nevertheless, all through season 2 Rhaenyra doesn’t take heed to and even respect her advisors (apart from Mysaria), making it troublesome to look at, not to mention assist.
It wouldn’t be so unhealthy if the creators thought of Rhaenyra a weak queen with no imaginative and prescient – or not less than acknowledged her flaws. Nevertheless, they’re satisfied they’re constructing a powerful feminine character, and I firmly disagree.
As Elisa Guimarães factors out in Collider, the characters on this season are primarily based on the easy dichotomy of peaceable girls vs. aggressive males. In that imaginative and prescient, practically all of Rhaenyra’s male supporters have to be vicious or mistaken, whereas all the ladies are noble and cheap, which is totally uninteresting and reinforces gender stereotypes.
As the author Gillian Flynn, creator of Gone Woman and Sharp Objects, mentioned (quote through Vulture):
I notably mourn the shortage of feminine villains – good, potent feminine villains. (…) I’m speaking violent, depraved girls. (…) Girls have spent so a few years girl-powering ourselves – to the purpose of virtually parodic encouragement – that we’ve left no room to acknowledge our darkish facet. Darkish sides are necessary. They need to be nurtured like nasty black orchids.
In season 3, I’m asking the writers to let Rhaenyra be the dragoness she’s meant to embody. We’ve already explored her good facet – it’s time to present the Black Queen again her hearth and blood, and customary sense.
Mistake 2: Making Alicent weak
Alicent isn’t a very likeable character, however she is well-written. Her persona is constructed on the stable floor of responsibility, faith, and obedience, in addition to grief and disappointment. She has internal power and is the inverse of the rebellious Rhaenyra- making them thrilling opponents.
Alicent’s persona disaster within the second half of season 2 is comprehensible – the dying of little Jaehearys, struggle, battle together with her sons, and removing from energy will need to have shaken her to the core. Nevertheless, it might have been rather more compelling if she went radically deeper into the turmoil she brought about herself. Alicent attempting to take her playing cards off the desk throughout the season finale appears pathetic and cowardly, not noble.
In season 3, the writers have to discover a technique to incorporate Alicent into the plot as an important and decided participant. In any other case, they danger the central battle of Home of the Dragon turning into skinny.
Mistake 3: Daemon’s tedious Harrenhal visions
Within the first season, the writers juggled Daemon’s darkish and light-weight sides, making him an ambiguous character who you don’t know whether or not to like or hate. In season 2, all that complexity is gone, changed by insanity and stupidity (as Tywin Lannister would say).
Don’t get me mistaken – in the case of magical visions and dream sequences, I’m all in. However they need to be a facet dish somewhat than the principle course. I get that Daemon is torn between his loyalty to the crown and his thirst for energy, however you don’t want to pull it out for six episodes in a row. Plus, there are such a lot of extra thrilling matters on the desk – elevating armies, the defence of Harrenhal, and the political turmoil in Riverlands.
It’s unforgivable to maintain Daemon (and poor Caraxes) on a leash for a lot of the season. What makes issues worse is that every one these infinite hallucinations lead Daemon again to the start line: bending the knee to Rhaenyra and calling her his queen.
I can’t cease considering how rather more fulfilling it might be if Daemon rebelled towards his spouse. However since we are able to’t depend on that, let the writers not less than convey him again as a person of motion.
Mistake 4: Minimising the political video games
The primary season concluded with Jace and Luke setting off to discount with Home Baratheon, Stark and Arryn. The assembly with the Lord of Storm’s Finish didn’t go effectively, however the finale promised thrilling negotiations with the rulers of Winterfell and the Vale.
None of that occurred. The Starks had been lowered to a cameo, and the Arryns had little to do. Bargaining with the Freys, the Lords of the Riverlands and the Triarchy is resolved in just a few scenes with none rigidity. Sadly, the writers had been extra concerned about ghosts and dust fights than politics – as in the event that they didn’t keep in mind what viewers cherished Sport of Thrones for.
Whereas the primary season was deliberate as an introduction to the civil struggle, in season 2 we had been promised to see the precise struggle. And I don’t imply simply dancing dragons and knights slaughtering one another. There was purported to be a whole lot of technique and constructing alliances throughout Westeros. All this stuff have to be introduced again in season 3, as in any other case, this collection goes to show right into a cleaning soap opera.
Mistake 5: Neglecting the facet characters
Whereas the principle characters in season 2 don’t get a lot growth (with the wonderful exception of Aemond), the facet characters usually battle to justify their existence.
Baela and Rhaena have had nothing to do since season 1. Criston Cole is promising however rapidly loses his hearth, whereas Larys and Corlys’ potential as main gamers stays severely underused. Ulf, Hugh, and Adam’s scenes are bland, and their introductions as dragon riders are totally predictable. Alyn of Hull doesn’t have a objective but. Of all of the newcomers, solely Cregan Stark and Oscar Tully appear to point out genuine allure.
Home of the Dragon has a extreme drawback with the facet characters. In season 3, the writers have to be extra thorough and ingenious to breathe life into them, as proper now they’ve little substance.
Mistake 6: Relying an excessive amount of on Aegon’s Prophecy
When the creators determined to convey again the story of a Music of Ice and Fireplace in season 1, I instantly tensed up. Reminding viewers of the poorly acquired Sport of Thrones finale was dangerous. Plus, the prophecy might need unnecessarily dominated the plot whereas getting used to justify the character’s actions.
As I predicted, in season 2 the writers appear fixated on a Music of Ice and Fireplace, with the ultimate episode as stable proof of that declare. If the creators needed to weave prophecy into the Targaryen Civil Battle, they need to use it as a sprinkle – not exploit it as a lot as attainable.
George Martin’s universe is all about energy, politics, survival, and human passions somewhat than magic. I’d somewhat see Daemon or Rhaenyra make choices primarily based on their political motivations somewhat than visions and omens. That is crucial, if the writers wish to make them sturdy leaders for Westeros.