House of the Dragon Season 2 ending explained and what it means for Season 3

Season two veered away from author George R R Martin’s original source material, meaning what happens next is a little challenging to predict

Emma D'Arcy delivered another scene-stealing performance as Queen Rhaenyra throughout the show's second season. Photo: HBO Entertainment

The second season of House of the Dragon has ended in the opposite way it began.

Queen Rhaenyra had little support, was grieving the loss of her son and wasn’t seeing eye to eye with her husband Daemon at the start of the season. Now, she has an army, seven dragons and her husband's loyalty back.

But this is the world of the Seven Kingdoms, nothing is secure for long.

The season ended with the most powerful families – the Lannisters, Starks and Hightowers – and their armies marching off to battle one another. The suffering current king of the Seven Kingdoms, King Aegon, has escaped the capital with Larys Strong, his only apparent ally. And the disputed queen of the realm, Rhaenyra, and her foe, Queen Mother Alicent, are contemplating their next moves.

While there is no official release date for season three, eager fans could consult George R R Martin’s book Fire and Blood to find out what happens. Even then, the events as Martin has written them might not be translated to screen.

The book isn’t a novel but written as a historical textbook of the Targaryen dynasty, which has some conflicting details and storylines based on the accounts of various scholars and historians. While this gives some creative freedom to the show’s writers, they have also made some notable changes to the source material in season two, which makes season three a little more challenging to predict.

One thing audiences can be sure of is that there will definitely be battles across the Seven Kingdoms. Here's what could happen in season three.

New Dragon Riders

In the books, four new dragon riders are discovered, not three as depicted in the show. While the decision to write the fourth rider – a woman named Nettles – out is unclear, it completely changes the trajectory of the story.

Based on the books, we know that two of the new dragon riders who will betray Rhaenyra are Hugh and Ulf. However, this might change in season three given the different direction the story will take compared to the books.

What won't change though is Rhaenyra’s constant suspicions that she can’t trust the dragon riders that she desperately needs.

King Aegon and Larys Strong

Larys Strong, who has been working as the Master of Whisperers for the injured King Aegon, has convinced him that they must leave King’s Landing.

Aegon is weak, physically and mentally from the injuries he sustained in the Battle at Rook's Rest. By now it’s clear to viewers and to Aegon that his brother Aemond tried to kill him at the battle but failed.

Aemond, mad with power, will be fighting Rhaenyra who now has three new dragon riders. Larys wants to use this to his advantage. He convinces Aegon to let Aemond and Rhaenyra destroy each other in battle so that he can return to the capital as a king who plans to bring peace.

Larys and Aegon are seen leaving in secret towards the end of the finale.

In the book, Aegon heads to Dragonstone and starts building his army. Larys, however, returns to the city and works behind the scenes to ensure the return of Aegon as king.

What may differ in season three compared to the book is that Larys might have a bigger part to play in Dragonstone.

Throughout season two, Larys pushed Aegon during his recovery, more than was advisable, to keep him on the brink of pain and in turn have better control of him. Larys is not a character to be trusted and is loyal to no one but himself.

Daemon and Rhaenyra

In the final episode of season two, Daemon and Rhaenyra reunite. For almost the whole season, Daemon is in the north, in Harinhale, where he initially went to solidify his and Rhaenyra's influence over the Riverlands. But while there, he found himself in a state between reality, hallucinations and dreams.

His interactions with the seer Alys force him to face the guilt he feels over how he treated his brother, his own desires for the throne and what he should do next.

When Alys guides him to touch the weirwood tree and he sees the prophecy of the real war to come, Daemon understands that he’s only part of a greater story and abandons his desires to take the throne, submitting completely to Rhaenyra.

Here’s where things get complicated. In the book, Daemon falls in love with the fourth dragon rider, Nettles. It’s a betrayal that Rhaenyra doesn’t take well and one that forces more tension between her and Daemon.

By the end of season two, Daemon is depicted as completely loyal to Rhaenyra and her cause. This doesn’t mean their relationship won’t face any obstacles in season three, despite Nettles being written out of the story. While he seems more subdued by the end of season two, Daemon is still a formidable and hot-tempered character who might still find himself at odds with Rhaenyra.

Rhaenyra and Alicent

Perhaps the most stratifying story arc of the season is the conversation between Rhaenyra and Alicent.

In episode three, it’s Rhaenyra who disguises herself and enters King’s Landing to speak to Alicent in secret. Alicent is arrogant and uninterested in creating a truce.

Now, it’s Alicent who arrives at Dragonstone to end the war. She invites Rhaenyra to fly to King’s Landing once Aemond takes off to take Harrenhal. With Helaena in charge as queen, Alicent can guarantee that Rhaenyra can enter as “a conquerer.”

Alicent attempts to spare Aegon’s life in the deal but Rhaenyra tells her that for the war to truly be over, the king must be beheaded. Alicent sobs and nods in agreement. It’s unclear if Alicent is defeated and only wants freedom from this war or is lying and setting up a trap for Rhaenyra.

This is probably the most significant conversation that will set off a series of events in season three.

While the book describes that Alicent doesn’t get the freedom she desires, there’s no guarantee she won't get some of it on the show. What we can expect in season three is a complete shift in power dynamics and relationships between Rhaenyra and Alicent as each of them is now grappling with a new sense of who they are becoming.