House of the Dragon Season 2 Ending, Explained

Warning: The following article contains major spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 8. It also includes potential spoilers for future seasons.

House of the Dragon‘s second season just wrapped up with a doozy of finale, complete with huge cameos and big teases for what’s coming next. It’s a lot to unpack, so we’ve answered all your burning questions about House of the Dragon Season 2’s ending below.

Who Does Tyland Lannister Form an Alliance With?

Tyland Lannister forges a partnership between the Green Targaryens and the Triarchy. Wait, who are the Triarchy, again? As their name suggests, they’re a triple threat made up of forces from the Free Cities of Lys, Myr, and Tyrosh. Remember the War for the Stepstones and all that fuss involving Crabfeeder in House of the Dragon Season 1? That was all the Triarchy.

Since Daemon Targaryen and Corlys Velaryon defeated the Triarchy back then, the Triararchy’s more than happy to team up with the Greens to smash the Black Targaryens’ blockade at the Gullet (a few extra incentives didn’t hurt, either). House of the Dragon Season 2’s ending montage shows Tyland, Admiral Lohar, and the Triarchy armada headed to do just that. Meanwhile, Corlys, Alyn of Hull, and the Velaryon fleet are en route to stop them.

This sets the stage for the Battle of the Gullet – one the gnarliest naval engagements in Westeros’ history – in House of the Dragon Season 3.

What Does Daemon Targaryen’s Vision Mean?

When Daemon touches Harrenhal’s heart tree, he experiences a trippy vision filled with Game of Thrones cameos. There’s Daenerys Targaryen and her newly hatched dragons, the Three-Eyed Raven (both the guy and the bird), the Night King and his White Walkers, and lots of blood. Daemon also sees Rhaenyra sitting the Iron Throne, and encounters Helaena Targaryen, who tells him they all have their part of play in what’s to come.

What does it all mean? Basically, Daemon saw a supercut of the wider Game of Thrones franchise’s future. This includes – spoilers! – Rhaenyra’s eventual (temporary) victory. Getting a glimpse at the bigger picture (“Winter is coming!” He said the thing!) convinces Daemon that Westeros must unite under a strong monarch, and he now believes that’s Rhaenyra. So, after spending seven-and-a-half episodes on the verge of going rogue, Daemon finally bends the knee to his niece-wife.

Why was Helaena in the vision? More on that below…

What Does Helaena’s Prophecy About Aemond Mean?

The House of the Dragon Season 2 finale follows up Daemon’s vision with even more foreshadowing. Next up, it’s Helaena prophesizing Aemond Targaryen’s death. That part’s clear – she outright says he’s gonna die – but the specifics are hella cryptic. What’s all this about “the God’s Eye”?

Again, we’re in potential Season 3 spoiler territory here, so skip this bit if you want to go in fresh. Still here? Great. So, in House of the Dragon‘s source text, Fire & Blood, Aemond dies in an epic aerial duel with Daemon that ends with them crashing into the God’s Eye: a lake near Harrenhal. Incidentally, this also tracks with Alys Rivers’ earlier foretelling that Daemon will die on the castle grounds.

How does Helaena know Aemond’s fate? And what was she doing in Daemon’s vision? It’s possible (but not yet confirmed) that she’s a seer (like Bran in Game of Thrones). This isn’t mentioned in Fire & Blood, however, the book’s faux-historical text format leaves room for embellishment.

Related: House of the Dragon: Who Was Hugh Hammer’s Mother?

What Is the Deal Between Rhaenyra and Alicent?

The final, non-montage scene in House of the Dragon Season 2 sees Alicent Hightower offer Rhaenyra Targaryen a bloodless path to the Iron Throne. Once Aemond Targaryen flies off to the Riverlands, Alicent’s daughter Helaena will have control of King’s Landing. Alicent will convince Helana to open the city gates, Rhaenyra and her forces will march in unopposed, and the war will theoretically end. It’s not good enough for Rhaenyra, though. She demands King Aegon II’s head; otherwise, she’ll be left with a living rival. Understandably, Alicent’s not down with this “son for a son” deal, however, she still offers to go through with her plan in three days time. Presumably, we’ll see whether this actually shakes out early in Season 3!

Does Rhaena Bond With Sheepstealer the Wild Dragon?

Yep, Rhaena bonds with Sheepstealer during House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 8’s closing montage. In keeping with a wider Season 2 pattern, we don’t actually see Rhaena saddle up on Sheepstealer; it’s left for us to fill in the blanks. Rhaena claiming Sheepstealer also doubles as confirmation that House of the Dragon is scrapping Fire & Blood‘s fourth dragonseed, Nettles, and giving her narrative arc – excluding her romance with Rhaena’s dad, Daemon (please!) – to Rhaena.

Who Imprisoned Otto Hightower?

Ser Otto Hightower’s been AWOL for several episodes. Now we finally know why: he’s locked up in a dungeon! Whose dungeon? That’s a question House of the Dragon Season 2’s finale leaves unanswered. The book’s no help, either; there’s no record of Otto being taken prisoner pre-Battle of the Gullet in Fire & Blood. That said, Otto’s captors are presumably aligned with (or keen to get in good with) the Black Targaryens, although you shouldn’t rule out other skullduggery!

Related: House of the Dragon: Who Rides Silverwing?

Where Is Larys Strong Taking Aegon II?

Larys and Aegon II are headed to Essos, the sprawling continent east of Westeros. Larys squirrelled away a pile of cash in the Iron Bank, so they’ll use that to live the high life overseas until the Dance of the Dragons civil war winds down, at which point Aegon will theoretically swoop in and save the day. Relocating to Essos also keeps Aegon safe from Aemond, who will kill his older brother for control of the Seven Kingdoms if he stays.

Is Alicent’s Son Daeron Targaryen in the Closing Montage?

Yes, kinda. Daeron Targaryen’s dragon, Tessarion, flies over Oldtown troops during the closing montage, but Daeron himself is too small to make out. It’s a clever way of introducing Alicent’s youngest son without casting an actor until Season 3. Where are the Hightower troops marching? Probably Harrenhal, as that’s where Ser Criston Cole, Ser Gwayne Hightower, and the rest of the Green Targaryen camp’s troops are headed.

Does House of the Dragon Season 2 Have a Post-Credits Scene?

Nope, when the credits roll on Episode 8, that’s it for Season 2’s story. This shouldn’t come as much of a shock; neither Game of Thrones nor House of the Dragon have historically employed post-credits scenes.

All eight episodes of House of the Dragon Season 2 are currently streaming on HBO and Max.