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I was right. When the House of the Dragon X (formerly Twitter) page released the Team Black and Team Green character photos Wednesday, I said that the caption ‘Tomorrow' might refer to either to the trailer and/or the release date, I was right. On both counts.
Max just recently dropped two versions of the House of the Dragon season two trailers: one black and one green.
House of the Dragon Team Green: Hightower-Targaryen
The green trailer obviously focused on Alicent Hightower Targaryen's (Olivia Cooke) family.
This trailer teases with Ser Criston Cole's (Fabien Frankel) voice calling out, “For the one true king, Aegon!”
But it officially starts with Alicent reminding the viewers that season one was only a few weeks ago to them and Viserys (Paddy Considine) was still alive. She insists that he knew the realm would have never accepted a female ruler and that Aegon should sit on the throne.
“They wish now not for the good of the realm but for the satisfaction of vengeance,” Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) intones as if this were unreasonable. In case people reasonably forgot, the first season ended with Aemond pursuing Lucerys (Elliot Grihault) as Rhaenyra's son meets with Lord Borros Baratheon (Roger Evans) for an alliance. Aemond was there on the same mission for his brother. That pursuit ended with Aemond's dragon Vhagar devouring Lucerys and his dragon Arrax.
We then hear Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) say, “Plot against the king and I will pay it back a hundred times over.” In the books, Aegon (or Aegon II) is described as a surly and temperamental young man, and in this season, he will definitely show it.
We also hear a voice say, “I'm as fearsome as any of them.” We don't see the who says this, but I'm guessing it was Jacaerys (Harry Collett). In George R.R. Martin's books, he is described as responsible and protective of his family — a much kinder Targaryen than his uncles.
We switch to Alicent reminding Aegon, “You have no idea the sacrifices that were made to put you on that throne.”
He looks up and seems offended that he was placed on the throne — through the efforts of other people and none from him — that he believes is rightfully his.
In another part of the castle, Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) tells Ser Criston, “My uncle is a challenge I welcome, if he dares face me.”
This echoes back to that season in the first season where Aemond and Daemon almost faced off, but the younger bowed out. TikTok had a field day with that with some social media users saying that Aemond sees in Daemon what his father should have been.
Otto tells Alicent, “We will prevail and bring forth peace, but you must accept that the path to victory now is one of violence.” He sounds very much like the Hand of the King he is — and also a man who will do everything to preserve his place in this world. It seems as if in any age and world, there really are people who truly believe that war begets peace.
And Aegon is one of them who gives his assent, “Good. To war then!” He says this even as he will never fight on the frontlines, instead sending young boys and men to to the battlefield.
In all of these machinations, Alicent ruminates by saying, “All my life I've endeavored to serve both my house and the realm. And somehow none of it matters.”
It's as if she read the books!
The green trailer ends with Ser Criston's entreaty, “Hold to your courage. For the one true king, Aegon!”
House of the Dragon Team Black: The Velaryon-Targaryen
The black trailer focused on Rhaenyra.
Following the format for the green trailer, we hear Daemon's (Matt Smith) voice call out, “We fight for our queen!”
Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) tells her family, “My father chose me, his firstborn child, to succeed him. He held to his decision until death. And yet, Alicent's son sits my throne. I mean to fight this war, and win it.”
She says this during what looks like a family dinner. Daemon offers his support in the form of a smirk.
We then hear Jacaerys say, “The realm will soon tear itself apart if men do not remember the oaths sworn to King Viserys, and to his rightful heir.” While we don't see who he says this to, my guess would be it's to Lord Cregan Stark of Winterfell.
Elsewhere on Dragonstone, Corlys (Steve Toussaint) advises Rhaenyra, “The Hightowers are marching. You must crush this beast at its head.”
And still elsewhere, on dragonback, we hear Daemon, never the voice of reason, state, “Our terms are very simple: renounce the false king, and bend the knee to the queen, or your house burns.” We don't see who he says this to, but logic dictates that it's to one of the noble houses allied (or will be allied) to the Blacks.
Rhaenys (Eve Best), the voice of reason in all this, tells Rhaenyra, “When the desire to kill and burn takes hold and reason is forgotten, we will not even remember what began the war in the first place.”
But for now, we do. This is the start of the War of Succession, or more poetically known as the Dance of the Dragons.
Rhaenyra, even as she grieves her son's death, realizes this and says, “I fear what I have begun.”
But begun it has.
House of the Dragon's second season is the start of the war. The trailers promises dragons and battles. The snow also promises the introduction of one of the most highly anticipated characters in this season, Lord Cregan Stark of House Winterfell. We don't really see him in any of the videos, but he and Jacaerys — at least in the books — become swore an oath of brotherhood which will become important in the upcoming events.
House of the Dragon season two will premiere on June 16 on Max.
