HBO’s mega-hit Home of the Dragon simply wrapped its highly-anticipated second season with a whimper greater than a bang. After two lengthy years of ready, the present got here again on June 16 with a shortened season of simply eight episodes, promising to ship an exciting and compelling story regardless of the diminished runtime. Nonetheless, after a powerful begin, the present misplaced steam going into its finale, to the purpose the place it’s no overstatement to say it failed on nearly each stage.
The present’s shortcomings turn out to be extra evident when in comparison with its predecessor, Sport of Thrones. Though it misplaced a lot of its luster due to its now-infamous eighth season, Sport of Thrones was on the peak of its high quality throughout its acclaimed sophomore effort, which produced a few of its most memorable scenes, dialogues, and episodes.
Evaluating Home of the Dragon season 2 and Sport of Thrones season 2 is nearly an assault on the previous, contemplating simply how superior the latter is, outpacing it in each attainable metric, from the writing to the character improvement and even the spectacle. However why precisely is GoT season 2 so significantly better, and the way can Home of the Dragon enhance transferring ahead?
What Sport of Thrones did proper
Following the surprising ending of season 1, Sport of Thrones started its second season on full steam. Each single cliffhanger its predecessor arrange acquired a right away payoff, and the season progressed at a brisk tempo, constructing as much as an thrilling crescendo. Every main character acquired one thing significant to do, respecting the define of its supply materials but nonetheless discovering time to introduce new and thrilling plotlines.
Extra importantly, it truly superior the story, that includes main developments on each entrance, together with Renly Baratheon’s (Gethin Anthony) demise and the next Lannister-Tyrell alliance, Catelyn Stark (Michelle Fairley) releasing Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and weakening Robb’s (Richard Madden) maintain on the North, Jon Snow (Equipment Harington) changing into concerned with the wildlings, and Theon Greyjoy’s (Alfie Allen) betrayal of Robb and his seize of Winterfell.
The season additionally launched a number of main gamers to the story, together with Stannis Baratheon (Stephen Dillane), the pink priestess Melisandre (Carice van Houten), Ser Davos Seaworth (Liam Cunningham), Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie), Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer), Ygritte (Rose Leslie), Gilly (Hannah Murray), and Talisa (Oona Chaplin). All of those characters grew to become essential in future seasons, with their tales receiving sufficient consideration all through season 2 to cement their place among the many present’s already significantly giant ensemble.
Throughout 10 episodes, Thrones season 2 confidently strikes the story ahead, rearranging its items to the place they wanted to be for the finale. The present all the time cleverly used episode 9, somewhat than 10, to current its greatest set piece; in season 2’s case, it’s the now-iconic Battle of the Blackwater, the place Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) dealt with the protection of King’s Touchdown towards Stannis’ forces whereas an more and more jaded Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) hid on Maegor’s Holdfast with the opposite women of the courtroom, together with Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner).
Blackwater is commonly thought of among the many finest Sport of Thrones episodes, and for motive: It was thrilling and technically spectacular, representing a turning level within the story and affecting a number of main characters. The motion in episode 9 allowed for a calmer and extra centered tenth episode, which ended the season on a satisfying observe that promised a brand new but equally thrilling third season.
What Home of the Dragon did fallacious
Distinction that to season 2 of Home of the Dragon. The principle challenge right here is the dearth of any progress within the story; examine each story from the start of the season to the top, and also you’ll discover little to no improvement. Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) remains to be at Dragonstone with out the Iron Throne and can’t combat with out risking her demise. After eight episodes of him tripping on shrooms and making humorous faces, Daemon (Matt Smith) remains to be loyal to Rhaenyra, making her the identical promise he made within the season 1 finale. And the Greens nonetheless have the Iron Throne, Rhaenyra nonetheless has extra dragons, and everybody remains to be making ready for a warfare that’s all the time talked about however by no means truly proven.
The season’s centerpiece, the Battle of Rook’s Relaxation, the place Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Finest) dies, got here in episode 4, and whereas a effective showcase of dragon-on-dragon motion, it lacked the identical emotional influence as Ned Stark’s execution or the infamous Crimson Marriage ceremony.
Season 2 of Home of the Dragon is the epitome of “telling, not displaying:” It constantly says that warfare shall be horrible and goes on and on about what number of lives shall be misplaced and the way it’s all unnecessary with out ever truly displaying any of the ache and destruction these two spoiled and wholly unprepared would-be monarchs are inflicting. It’s all speak, and never even attention-grabbing speak; the as soon as wealthy and revealing dialogues from early Sport of Thrones have been changed with dumbed-down explanations about how, in case you didn’t know, warfare is dangerous.
The lesson that Home of the Dragon has forgotten
Just like the late seasons of Sport of Thrones, Home of the Dragon appears to suppose followers need spectacle somewhat than narrative, and extra somewhat than nuance, which couldn’t be farther from the reality. Thrones grew to become well-known not for its motion set items however for its riveting political drama. All these parts are largely lacking from Home of the Dragon — the closest factor we bought was Otto Hightower’s (Rhys Ifans) monologue in episode 2 and maybe the Inexperienced Council’s energy battle in episode 5. Apart from that, the season was largely spent speaking about dragons, bastards, lack of dragons, extra of bastards, and so forth.
Don’t get me fallacious, I get pleasure from motion set piece as a lot as the subsequent man — Hugh Hammer (Kieran Bew) claiming Vermithor was an exhilarating sequence that ranks among the many finest the franchise has ever achieved — however I care in regards to the story way more. I’m sorry to say Home of the Dragon has achieved little or no to develop its characters past their primary define. Blackwater was intense not simply due to using wildfire and the next combat however due to what the precise battle meant for the story; we had been concerned with these characters — Tyrion, Cersei, Sansa, Davos, Bronn (Jerome Flynn), the Hound (Rory McCann) — and cared about their fates. It wasn’t in regards to the motion; it was in regards to the story, and the motion was a bonus.
Evaluate that to the Battle of Rook’s Relaxation in Home of the Dragons, and also you’ll immediately discover the flaw; it’s not in regards to the story and even the characters however in regards to the dragons and the way cool they appear; it’s about Vhagar, not Aemond (Ewan Mitchell). By inserting extra significance on extra and pageantry, Home of the Dragon has forgotten the core values of the story, which is strictly what occurred to Sport of Thrones‘ finale: It wasn’t about an enormous battle towards the Evening King, it was in regards to the prophecy and the residing bonding towards the lifeless. It was about The Prince That Was Promised and the Three-Eyed Raven and ice and fireplace coming collectively eventually.
We cared about all these issues and wished to see them matter. Sadly, Home of the Dragon doesn’t care in regards to the intricacies of the Dance: the melody, the acoustics, the devices, and the gamers don’t actually matter as a result of it’s all in regards to the steps, the one-two-three that takes you from one aspect of the stage to the opposite.
Two exhibits, one throne
Within the battle of the sophomore seasons, there isn’t a contest right here: Sport of Thrones is the a lot superior present. Its second season was an precise continuation of the story somewhat than an eight-episode setup for a warfare that’s been teased advert nauseam with out truly displaying it. What’s irritating is that Home of the Dragon might’ve simply improved its standing by together with two extra episodes. 9 can be the Battle of the Gullet, the place Jace (Harry Collett) and his dragon, Vermax, die, permitting for a tenth episode the place a grieving and even perhaps extra ruthless Rhaenyra takes King’s Touchdown, thus switching sides with the Greens in comparison with how they began the season.
As a substitute, we get an prolonged montage the place folks put together for a warfare they’ve been making ready for because the first season’s finale. It’s such a cop-out that feels not solely unsatisfying however truly low cost. Evaluate that to GoT‘s season 2 and its ending, which finds Samwell Tarly (John Bradley) misplaced past the wall and coming head to head with the White Walkers and the military of the lifeless.
It was a large second for the present as a result of it was the primary time it confirmed the White Walkers and their highly effective military in full. It was a affirmation of all the pieces it had been promising since its first episode, and a wonderful closing shot for a stellar season that cemented the present as one-of-a-kind on tv.
Home of the Dragon tousled its sophomore season, providing a nothing-burger that could possibly be simply skipped, and nothing would occur. If we as soon as thought this present may restore our tarnished religion within the franchise, we now seemingly have a solution, and it’s a convincing “no.”
Home of the Dragon is obtainable to stream on Max.