First off, a spoiler warning: This breakdown includes spoilers, both from the TV show and Fire and Blood, the canon source material. If you wish to be unspoiled, we’ll see you here after Season 2! Also, disclaimer: My roasts here are all in good fun; proceed expecting salt.
Alright, people, we’re back in Westeros! Last season took us through the setup for the Dance of the Dragons, establishing Viserys I’s rule, the strife between Rhaenyra and Alicent, and Alicent’s glaring misunderstanding of the Song of Ice and Fire prophecy. That misunderstanding is about to lead to bloodshed between the two factions of House Targaryen at this time: the Greens and the Blacks. If you couldn’t tell by the title, this review is squarely Team Black. Greenies, scoot–I won’t be providing any faction secrets for you to take back to Queen Ali’s bees.
But if you want a very salty Team Green trailer breakdown, head on over to Michelle’s article here. Why yes, she is also Team Black, but she was nice enough to write your trailer breakdown, so take what you can get and scram.
NOW! Here’s what we’re expecting to see in Season 2 based on the Team Black trailer. If you haven’t seen it yet, here it is:
Rhaenyra’s second-born son Lucerys Targaryen was murdered by his uncle Aemond Targaryen in the finale of Season 1. Aemond sought revenge for the eye that Luke had put out as a child and lost control of his dragon Vhagar, who killed Luke and his dragon Arax in the Dance over Shipbreaker Bay. Early in the trailer, we see Rhaenyra and her family mourning the loss of her son, which is so heartbreakingly soon after the loss of Visenya, her stillborn daughter, in Season 1.
Previously, Rhaenyra sent Jacaerys, her eldest son, to speak with Cregan Stark in the North. In Fire and Blood, they come to an understanding, and Cregan agrees to ride the Winter Wolves south under Rhaenyra’s banners. In the show, it looks like Cregan will take Jace to the Wall. Notably, Alysanne’s dragon Silverwing refused to fly beyond the Wall, a stark difference between show-Drogon and show-Dany in Season 7. See what I did there? “Stark” difference? Of course, you did; let’s move on.
As revenge for Lucerys, Daemon arranges the murder of one of Aegon II’s children. Blood and Cheese, a butcher and ratcatcher in King’s Landing, force Helaena to choose between her sons and decide who should die. Helaena chooses the youngest boy, presumably to spare Aegon II’s apparent heir, but they kill her oldest son anyway, forcing her to live with her choice. This deeply affects Helaena, and her suffering breaks my heart.
In the Season 2 teaser trailer, we glimpse Rhaenyra meeting someone on Syrax, and there appears to be a new member around the Team Black family council table. (Also, the dragonseeds, anyone?) I speculate we’ll meet Addam Velaryon, one of Corlys Velaryon’s sons. Now, in Fire and Blood, there are two sons of Corlys involved in the war: Addam and Alyn. Addam rides Seasmoke, and Alyn Oakenfist, the more seafaring brother, becomes Corlys’s heir to Driftmark. We may see both, or they may combine their storylines. I hope they keep both brother’s stories, as they each add to and affect the Dance in their own way. Either way, these guys have a fantastic story, and I’m looking forward to seeing it.
Daemon deals Aegon II a stinging blow when he takes Harrenhal out from under him. This is very likely where we see him say, “Our terms are very simple: renounce the false king and bend the knee to the queen, or your house burns.” Houses in the Reach further divide, declaring for either Rhaenyra or Aegon II, and Rhaenyra receives the majority of the large Houses to her cause. Aegon II, blaming Otto for his failings, “fires” him and names Criston as Hand in his stead.
You may remember the twin Knights of the Kingsguard Arryk and Erryk Cargyll, who served under King Viserys I. Arryk is loyal to the Greens and Erryk declares for Rhaenyra. Ser Criston, as Commander of the Kingsguard at that time, sends Arryk to infiltrate Dragonstone in what Fire and Blood readers presume to be an assassination attempt. But he stumbles across Erryk, and the two duel to the death. Some accounts say they fought long and hard and professed their love to each other in their final moments, others say they called each other traitors and died within moments. Pick your poison, people–I prefer to think the former is true for these brothers in both arms and blood.
As Green Hand, Criston begins to take down what Rhaenyra supporters he can, and then comes Rook’s Rest. Rook’s Rest defies the Greens, sending a raven to Dragonstone for aid. Princess Rhaenys flies in on Meleys, only to find it’s a trap. Aegon II appears on Sunfyre and Aemond on Vhagar. Rhaenys turns toward the fight, and Meleys flies valiantly. She clamps her jaws around Sunfyre’s neck, only for Vhagar to fall upon them, forcing all three dragons to crash into the ground. Rhaenys and Meleys lose their lives in battle, Sunfyre and Aegon II are gravely wounded, and only Vhagar remains able to fly. As you can imagine . . . Aemond wastes no time styling himself Protector of the Realm and begins to rule in his brother’s stead.
The trailer ends with a very Daenerys-esque shot of Rhaenyra standing before a sunrise or sunset, and we’re left to wonder if she’ll be queen of the ashes. Well, you guys are left to wonder. I read the book. Don’t forget to join us on Watching Now: Decoding Dragons in June and let us know which team you’re on as we fly into the official events of the Dance!
EEEEEEKKKK I can’t wait!
Fire to fire and blood for blood! We’re getting into the TEA this summer.