Why Was House Of The Dragon Season 2’s Finale Disappointing?

House of the Dragon Season 2 has come and gone, and some fans aren’t pleased. There are some high points in Season 2, but there are also plenty of reasons Game of Thrones fans were left wanting more when the credits rolled after the finale.

What’s Wrong With HotD Season 2?

Season 2 of House of the Dragon follows the tragic events at the end of Season 1. Rhaenyra seeks justice for the death of her son Lucerys, and Daemon is dealing with grief in his own twisted ways. Meanwhile, Alicent is facing the consequences of her decision to elevate her sons to power, and Criston Cole is moving to grab power of his own.

After Season 1 ended so explosively with Aemond killing Lucerys, Season 2 had promise to be a fast-paced, action-filled epic. Instead, viewers were greeted with a largely meandering plot that did anything it could to delay the conflict everyone wanted to see.

The biggest problem with House of the Dragon Season 2 is that it felt like more of a prologue to Season 3 than a follow-up to Season 1.

Related: Does House of the Dragon Season 2’s Finale Tie Into A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms?

The Good

It isn’t all bad, though. There is still some fantastic character work done throughout Season 2. Rhys Ifans is terrific as Otto Hightower. The scenes between Otto, Aegon (Ty Tennant), and Criston Cole (Fabian Frankel) almost make the worst parts of Season 2 worth it. Eve Best as Rhaenys is great. Almost any scene involving Daemon (Matt Smith) and his character’s evolution is terrific.

Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) has an interesting journey in Season 2. In the end, though, it still feels a little empty. She is reeling from a problem — her sons’ ambitions and lack of wisdom — that she herself created. Her realization that it has gone too far only comes after she is removed from the small council by Aemond. Alicent only seeks to do the right thing when she no longer has access to power. Even then, she is mostly concerned with self-preservation.

The Bad

House of the Dragon is based on a book (Fire & Blood by George R.R. Martin) that didn’t delve too deeply into character development. Thus, it comes as no surprise that by Season 2 of the show, the development feels a bit empty and forced at times. Since it’s written more as a history than as a tale, converting Fire & Blood to the screen means a lot of creative liberties are being taken. That part can be largely excused; what can’t is the nonsensical decisions and actions that sometimes take place.

Suspicions are heightened because of treachery around every corner. Yet, assassins are able to gain entry to fortified castles with ease. Covert meetings deep into enemy territory are able to take place thanks to the sophisticated disguise known as a hood; It’s almost as if the writers were going for the Westeros version of the mustache and glasses.

Related: House of the Dragon: Do the Season 2 Finale’s Prophecies Come True?

HotD Season 2 Is Just a Season 3 Prologue

Character development is a big part of Martin’s world. However, the on-screen version has always needed more than that. Without a (bloody) payoff, the character development often falls flat. The very best arcs in Game of Thrones see plotting leading to a major conflict or surprise. In House of the Dragon Season 2, it feels the opposite — action is used to set up more plotting.

The battles are great. There just aren’t enough of them. A mid-season clash at Rook’s Rest that has defining moments for Rhaenys, Aegon, and Aemond is fantastic. That entire episode, “A Dance of Dragons,” is arguably the best in the series. Why? Because actions have consequences, plotting results in death, and more than one quest for power converges in battle. In other words, it’s classic Game of Thrones. The beauty of Game of Thrones is that a character’s downfall comes from the places they don’t consider. In “A Dance of Dragons,” Aegon doesn’t consider his own brother atop Vhagar, just like how Robb Stark doesn’t consider the Freys a large threat to him in the Game of Thrones Season 3 episode “The Rains of Castemere.”

But when the villain is obvious and can walk right through the front door, it removes much of the intrigue that made the show great. It also amplifies the lack of consequential events that so often are the centerpiece of Game of Thrones.

There’s nothing wrong with taking an episode or two to set all the pieces on the board. Good shows do it all the time — including Game of Thrones. However, when you seemingly dedicate an entire season to that, it’s hard to expect fans to stay patient. Add in an anticipated wait of more than a year for answers, and it’s an even bigger ask for House of the Dragon fans.

House of the Dragon Season 2 is currently streaming on HBO and Max.