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House of the Dragon Season 2 was one of the most anticipated shows of the year. Especially since the HBO series was returning after a long wait of two years, viewers had high expectations from it and were eager to see the Dance of the Dragons.
The show, on the contrary, has had to face backlash from fans, who believe that the new season did not make any significant advancement in the storyline and felt like a waste of time. So what went wrong with the show? Here are 6 things in House of the Dragon Season 2 that did not go down well with the viewers.
1. Daemon’s Storyline
The biggest disappointment fans have with this season is that Daemon, the most interesting character from Team Black, lost his charm. In the first season, the Rogue Prince had swagger like no one else and played a key role in almost every episode. However, he spent the entire second season in Harrenhal, having visions about his wife, and brother, and even a disgusting dream about his mother. No doubt, Daemon was in the castle to raise an army that would be pivotal to the war, but the arc got so stretched over eight episodes that the audience felt bored with his hallucinations after a point. That being said, the arc was pivotal to the overall storyline, as it transformed Daemon’s character from an arrogant man who saw himself as the King to a humble personality who supports Rhaenyra’s claim to the throne.
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2. Deviation From Fire & Blood
House of the Dragon seems to be going down the same path as the latter seasons of Game of Thrones as it has stated deviating significantly from its source material. While the first season also featured some changes from Fire & Blood, the second season differed drastically from the book. Whether it is the Blood and Cheese storyline or the change in personalities of Rhaenyra and Alicent, the modifications haven’t been appreciated by the fans. The omission of important characters like Nettles further angered the viewers. Even the book’s author, George R. R. Martin, expressed his displeasure about the changes being made in the show from the source material.
3. Repetitive Sequences
House of the Dragon Season 2 didn’t capture the same excitement as Game of Thrones. While focusing on politics and character relationships was a good idea, the scenes just weren’t as interesting. The show often used extra scenes (not from the books), which felt repetitive and boring. Characters like Lord Corlys and Alyn of Hull had similar conversations in almost every episode, which became dull. Rhaenyra and Mysaria’s scenes also felt like repeats, especially in the finale. Unlike the great character pairings in Game of Thrones, like Tyrion Lannister and Lord Varys, Bronn and Jamie Lannister, and Olenna Tyrell and Tywin Lannister; the conversations in House of the Dragon Season 2 just didn’t have the same spark that made the original series so gripping.
4. Poor Character Dynamics
As the war began to take shape in the second season, the characters moved around and went off to far places, away from each other. Though it was key to the storyline, the show lost some of the best character interactions from Season 1. The first installment gave us some great scenes between Daemon and Viserys, Otto and Alicent, and Rhaenyra and Daemon. Season 2 didn’t have these great dynamics, making it less exciting. Meanwhile, Aegon, who added humor and arrogance to the narrative, was also crippled after the battle of Rook’s Rest, which further hurt the season. Additionally, Aegon and Rhaenyra should have been at the center of the conflict, since they are the contenders to the throne. The makers; however, wanted to make the season all about the relationship between Rhaenyra and Alicent.
5. Underwhelming Season Finale
The House of the Dragon Season 2 finale was good, but we are used to seeing some epic finales in Game of Thrones. Fans expected some high-octane moments in the last two episodes, which did not happen. Moreover, the episode count in the season was cut short from 10 to 8, resulting in some prominent events being shifted to the next season. Showrunner Ryan Condal revealed that costs were a big reason why they had fewer episodes, pushing the Battle of the Gullet to Season 3 instead of ending it in Season 2. Had there been two additional episodes, the season might have felt more complete and better-paced.
6. A Filler Season
Many fans have complained how the entire season felt like a filler and a trailer for season 3 as no event of great significance took place in the eight episodes, except for the Rook’s Rest battle. While it is true that not every episode can be about dragon fights, spending the entire season in lackluster conversations without major action definitely made the show dull. Fans have also pointed out how season 1 ended with the initiation of the Civil War, and the second season also ended on a similar note. Meanwhile, viewers kept waiting for the war to happen during the entire season.
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