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As seen inHouse of the Dragon’s Official Dueling Trailers, the Blacks and the Greens are ready to plunge the realm into the deadliest war of all time: the Dance of the Dragons. The factions will field their swords, battle on waters, and take their dragons to war. As the Dance gains momentum, covert operations will become commonplace.
Lucerys Velaryon’s assassination above Shipbreaker Bay inHouse of the Dragonseason 1, episode 10, “The Black Queen,” kicked off the war and marked the end of diplomacy between Dragonstone and King’s Landing. Failure of diplomacy and the Greens' treachery devolved into war, and Queen Rhaenyra is looking to strike back. Based on the material in George R. R. Martin’sFire and Blood, and snippets fromthe Official Blackandthe Green trailer, these major events will make it toHouse of the DragonSeason 2.
Daemon Targaryen’s Assault On Harrenhal
At the beginning of the Dance,the power-hungry Daemon Targaryentakes the gigantic castle of Harrenhal from House Strong, which has declared for the Greens. Traditionally, the Strongs have been one of the most influential families at court, and their previous lord, Lyonel, served as Viserys' Master of Laws and Hand. Lyonel’s heir, Ser Harwin, served as the Commander of the City Watch andthe biological father of Rhaenyra’s first three sons: Jacaerys, the late Lucerys, and Joffrey Velaryon.
Lyonel met his doom through his second son, Lord Larys. In an attempt to ingratiate himself with the Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower, Larys had his father and brother burned alive at Harrenhal and blamed the incident on the ill-omened castle. The “mysterious” fire incident paved the way forLarys' rise as Lord of Harrenhal. Since he served the court, he left the seat in charge of his great-uncle Ser Simon Strong. According to the books,Daemon will fly Caraxes to Kingspyre Tower of Harrenhal and Simon will surrender the castle in fear.The Assault on Harrenhal is an act of aggression and a declaration of war.
Blood And Cheese
The King Consort, Daemon Targaryen, promises to avenge his stepson Lucerys. Known as the Dance over Shipbreaker Bay, the event occurs after Daemon’s Assault on Harren’s Castle. He sends a raven to Rhaenyra, promising:
An eye for an eye, a son for a son. Lucerys shall be avenged.
In the show’s canon, however, Daemon is present at Dragonstone, and he delivers the news to his wife, Rhaenyra.Either way, Daemon, withthe White Worm’s help, orchestrates the murder of a son of the Greens.Two assassins under the aliases of Blood and Cheese infiltrate the Red Keep through secret tunnels and reach the Tower of the Hand. They gag the Dowager Queen Alicent in her chambers and await her daughter, Helaena, and the children. Blood and Cheese ask Helaena which of her sons she wants dead, and she reluctantly names Maelor. Blood beheads Prince Jaehaerys but spares Maelor. The assassins flee with Jaehaerys' head, and Helaena is never the same again.
Civil War In The Riverlands
The Riverlands are the central region of the Seven Kingdoms, and from time to time, have been a battleground for various factions. The Civil War in the Riverlands brings to the fore the age-old rivalry of Houses Blackwood and Bracken. The former declares for Queen Rhaenyra, and the latter for Aegon II.
The Brackens are on the march after the Greens lose their son, Prince Jaehaerys, inthe Blood and Cheese plot.The Blackwoods invade the lands of the Brackens and defeat them in the Battle of the Burning Mill.The Bracken seat, Stone Hedge, falls to the Blacks, and they surrender to the Blacks.
Aegon II Names A New Hand
As the Greens lose one battle after another, King Aegon II grows weary of his grandfather Otto Hightower’s politicking and advice, and has him replaced. He names his Lord Commander, Ser Criston Cole, as the new Hand.
The Official Dueling Trailers depicts Ser Criston Cole’s utter ruthlessness in the Dance of the Dragons.Otto begins brokering an alliance with Daemon and House Velaryon’s enemies,the Kingdom of the Three Daughters (or, the Triarchy).The Triarchy takes its own sweet time, and Aegon II sees to it that his grandfather is out of the office.
Duel Of The Cargyll Twins
The rift in House Targaryen separates the twins and Kingsguards, Ser Erryk and Ser Arryk Cargyll. Ser Erryk travels to Dragonstone inHouse of the Dragon’s finale episodeand vows to protect Queen Rhaenyra. Ser Arryk remains with Aegon II and is ordered to travel to Dragonstone and pose as his twin brother.
The lore isn’t clear about the motives behind Ser Arryk’s infiltration. Some accounts claim he was ordered to kill the Queen, while others claim that the"Strong Boys"were his targets.Whichever is the case, the infiltration leads tothe Cargyll twins' duelwith half of Rhaenyra’s household as witnesses.Ser Arryk and Ser Erryk Cargyll perish at Dragonstone in the Dance.
The Sack of Duskendale And The Battle At Rook’s Rest
Aegon II sacks Duskendale in the Dance, and brands Lord Darklyn as a traitor to the realm. Rook’s Rest becomes the new battleground for the Greens and the Blacks after Aegon has Darklyn beheaded.
The Lord of House Staunton expects to be supported by the Blacks in the siege, but Rhaenyra is slow off the mark. Princess Rhaenys arrives atop Meleys on the ninth day of the siege, only to be ambushed by Aegon II and Aemond. Meleys is overpowered and loses the battle to Sunfyre and Vhagar.Rhaenys dies at Rook’s Rest, while Sunfyre and Aegon II are badly injured.Aemond and Vhagar, on the other hand, are unharmed.
Dragonseeds And The Sowing Of The Seeds
Prince Jacaerys calls upon the baseborn peopleof unverified Valyrian descent (Seeds)residing on the islands in the Blackwater Bay to master riderless dragons for battles of the future. Many people respond to the call, as Jacaerys promises knighthoods and riches to successful candidates. His lucrative and honorable offer also has knights, men-at-arms, scullions, mummers, and such trying their luck.
Finally, four successful candidates — Addam of Hull, Hugh Hammer, Ulf the White, and Nettles — claim four unclaimed dragons, while dozens lose their lives.Because of the overwhelming human cost of the event, the Sowing of the Seeds is dubbedthe Red Sowing in lore.
The Battle In The Gullet
The Blacks are forced to redirect their attention to the Gullet after the Triarchy ambushes the Pentoshi cog carrying Jacaerys' youngest brothers, Aegon and Viserys.
Prince Jacaerys takes four new Dragonriders to the battle in lore. He flies Vermax; Addam of Hull flies Seasmoke; Hugh Hammer flies Vermithor; and Ulf White flies Silverwing to the Gullet. While a girl named Nettles claims Sheepstealer,House of the Dragonwill likely cut her plot. Jacaerys and Vermax die at the Gullet, but the Dragonriders come out unscathed.The Battle in the Gulletis a blot on the Greens and the Blacks' reputation as each side suffers heavy losses, and it’s difficult to pick a clear winner.
House of the DragonSeason 2 premieres June 16 at 9/8c on HBO and Max.
