House of the Dragon season 2 won’t be following the same formula as Game of Thrones season 2, and it makes me more excited about the prequel’s sophomore outing. The spinoff had some broad similarities in season 1, with a lot of table dressing in service of the wars to come, and a major twist towards the end of the season. House of the Dragon season 1’s ending wasn’t quite Ned Stark gets beheaded levels of shocking, but Aemond Targaryen and Vhagar killing Lucerys Velaryon was brutal nonetheless.

House of the Dragon season 2 will be building on from that moment – and Rhaenyra Targaryen’s look of fury when she heard the news. The Dance of the Dragons will truly begin, with Westeros divided into two camps – Rhaenyra’s blacks and Aegon Targaryen’s greens. It’s the war of one King and one Queen, as opposed to Game of Thrones’ War of the Five Kings, and that will lead to big differences in how the story is told moving forward.

Game Of Thrones Season 2 Was More Like A Second Season 1

A Lot Of New Characters & Key Locations Were Introduced

Game of Thrones season 1 did a lot of work in establishing the world and introducing characters, but it was, well, only the beginning. I always felt at the time – and even more so on rewatch – that Game of Thrones season 2 really functioned like a second first season. Yes, it was in part continuing storylines, but there was a massive expansion in terms of location and cast. The table below outlines just some of the key figures who were brought in.

These weren’t just new supporting characters, but some major players who’d be affecting things until Game of Thrones’ ending, and several carried their own separate storylines. My point here isn’t to criticize, but to lay out how much season 2 had to do in continuing world building alongside telling its own great story (and this was a great year). Thrones, like George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, was an outwardly expanding tale for a long time, getting bigger and bigger until things eventually began to coalesce in season 6, and season 2 was a vital building block within that.

House Of The Dragon Season 2 Will Be Progressing Its Story More Rapidly Than GOT Season 2

The Dance Of The Dragons Begins In Season 2

Where Game of Thrones was a story of expansion, I see House of the Dragon season 2 as more one of contraction. There are a few reasons for that: House of the Dragon season 1’s timeline was itself very expansive, spanning decades; the actual Dance of the Dragons itself, however, is only a couple of years in Martin’s Fire & Blood. The prequel has in effect done its setup, and the events are fully in motion, moving at the speed of a dragon.

House of the Dragon also has a far more contained story than Game of Thrones, which had main characters ranging from beyond the Wall to the desert of Qarth. Even in season 2, it had a dizzying number of plot lines to try and keep track of (I hadn’t read the books before season 2 aired and, like season 1, there were moments where it was a struggle to remember exactly who everyone was and where they were).

House of the Dragon season 2’s cast will have several of its own new characters – Lord Cregan Stark, Alys Rivers, Addam and Alyn of Hull, to name but a few. But they’ll all be part of an existing character’s story. The focus will remain on the core characters introduced last season, and while it will venture farther out into Westeros, such as the Riverlands and the Wall, it remains, in essence, a family drama with a broken friendship (that of Rhaenyra and Alicent) at the very heart of things.

There will be fewer episodes in House of the Dragon season 2 compared to Game of Thrones season 2 (eight rather than 10), and fewer characters and plot lines to keep track of. That should also mean, in turn, that there’s a slightly faster pace to things: the Blood and Cheese story will likely happen very early on; the Battle at Rook’s Rest, a massive set piece, seems likely to be at the midpoint, rather than the customary episode 9 position of, say, “Blackwater.”

Why House Of The Dragon Season 2’s Difference To Game Of Thrones Is A Good Thing

The Prequel Can Stand Apart And Tell Its Story In A Unique Way

Again, Game of Thrones season 2 is very good: Tyrion Lannister’s story as Hand of the King, and Arya Stark serving as Tywin Lannister’s cup-bearer, in particular, are among my favorites of the entire show, and “Blackwater” rivals any battle episode that came with a much bigger budget. At the same time, there are slight pacing issues because of how much setup it’s doing, and Daenerys Targaryen’s story feels a little bit meandering (and the House of the Undying sequence doesn’t have the same payoff as the book as it’s significantly reduced).

Ultimately, though, what excites me about House of the Dragon season 2 being so different is that it’s not just trying to replicate a formula for success, but doing what best serves its own story. It’s a very different war in Westeros, and so it’s right that there’s a new way of telling it. This should feel fresh – and different to season 1, now the time jumps are done with – and have plenty of excitement, but (hopefully) without losing the character work and more intimate scenes that make both shows so good.

Is House of the Dragon season 2 only having eight episodes a problem? I mean, it wasn’t an issue for Game of Thrones season 7 and 8, right…? I do think it could be an issue, though my greater worry is the knock-on effect for season 3 and how much will have to happen there, but that’s difficult to know without seeing how season 2 plays out.

There is less story here than Game of Thrones had, so it at least shouldn’t affect it the same way (and I say that as someone who liked season 8). There are plenty of major events in Fire & Blood to adapt, but what House of the Dragon has to invent are details, motivations – arcs, essentially. It did that very well in season 1 and, based on what’s been revealed of season 2, while it probably won’t be perfect (and may not be as good as Game of Thrones season 2), it looks to have done the same again.

• 

  House of the Dragon

  Where to Watch

  *Availability in US

  • stream
  • rent
  • buy

  Not available

  Not available

  Not available

  Taking place about 172 years before the events of Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon tells the tale of the rise of the Targaryens, the only family of dragonlords to survive the Doom of Valyria. The popular HBO spinoff show first starred Milly Alcock and Emily Carey as Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower before they were replaced by Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke, who play the older versions of the characters. Also starring in the series is Matt Smith (Prince Daemon Targaryen) and Paddy Considine as Rhaenyra’s father, King Viserys Targaryen.

• 

  Game Of Thrones

  Where to Watch

  *Availability in US

  • stream
  • rent
  • buy

  Not available

  Not available

  Not available

  Created by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, Game of Thrones is a TV series based on the book “A Song of Ice of Fire” by George R. R. Martin. It tells the story of the ongoing battle between the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros – as they fight for control of the coveted Iron Throne. Friction between the houses leads to full-scale war. All while a very ancient evil awakens in the far north. Amidst the war, a neglected military order of misfits, the Night’s Watch, led by House Stark’s Jon Snow, is the first to encounter icy horrors that threaten all realms of men. The series premiered on HBO in the United States on April 17, 2011, and quickly became one of the biggest event series in the “Golden Age” of TV. Winner of 38 Primetime Emmy Awards, Game of Thrones has attracted record viewership on HBO and has a broad, active, international fan base.

• 

  Game of Thrones

  $55 $85 Save
  $30

  Game of Thrones is a multimedia franchise created by George R.R. Martin. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire is the basis for the award-winning HBO series Game of Thrones, which lasted for eight seasons. After the incredibly divisive final season of Game of Thrones, the series was followed up by the prequel series House of the Dragon, which also received critical acclaim.

  $55 at Amazon

  See at Target

  See at Walmart