20 months after the first blood was spilled, the Dance of the Dragons will officially begin on House of the Dragon season 2. In its time-jumping first season, House of the Dragon set the stage for the legendary Targaryen civil war—which takes place around 150 years before the events of Game of Thrones—while focusing on the friendship-turned-rivalry between King Viserys' declared heir Princess Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) and his second wife Queen Alicent (Olivia Cooke). After Viserys the Peaceful's (Paddy Considine) death, Alicent and her father Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), leaders of the Greens, placed the king's firstborn son on the Iron Throne before Rhaenyra could even hear news of his father's passing. The season ends with the aftermath of Rhaenyra and her allies, known as the Blacks, learning about the usurpers' rise.
With season 1 serving as a prequel for the conflict that spelled the beginning of the end of the Targaryen dynasty, the jam-packed finale (which aired in October 2022) teased the carnage to come with a devastating tragedy, the first death of many in the civil war. While fans undoubtedly remember the shocking scene, the many machinations of which Westerosi families were siding with which side of the conflict may be difficult to remember before diving into the long-awaited season 2, which premieres on June 16. Below, read on for a breakdown of the episode and how season 1 ended so you can prepare yourself—and perhaps choose a side—for House of the Dragon season 2.
