HBO has released two trailers for Season 2 of House of the Dragon. The two trailers illustrate the evolution of the plot in the series based on the book Fire and Bloodand the challenges for the future.
Season 2 of House of the Dragon will be available from June 16, 2024, one episode per week. Of course, HBO started promoting it in early December, with a first teaser. Today, again: the television channel published a trailer. Or, more accurately, two trailers.
The first is called “Green Trailer” and the second “Black Trailer”. They are both framed by a fine colored border, similar to that given in the title. That’s not all: the very content of each trailer differs depending on the one you watch: scenes, lines, characters highlighted…
A third, shorter video invites the public to choose one or the other and to pledge allegiance to the Greens or the Blacks. Two camps, two opposing factions, but one war for one reign. All this may seem obscure to those who have certainly seen the first season of House of the Dragonbut ignores the rest of the story.
Warning, the rest of the article contains spoilers.
The Green and Black trailers, reflections of the House of the Dragon factions
Behind HBO’s communication operation lies in reality a very important narrative base. Indeed, the entire story of the work Fire and Blood (Fire and Blood), from which the series is taken House of the Dragonrevolves around a family conflict which seriously degenerates within House Targaryen, and elsewhere among their allies.
Originally, the quarrel came from the difficult succession of King Viserys Targaryen, whose arrival to power was not unanimously accepted either. When the sovereign dies, towards the end of season one, the question arises of who will take his place. Two paths then emerge: Rhaenyra or the eldest son of Alicent Hightower.
Rhaenyra is the daughter of Viserys. However, his status is not enough. She is certainly the legitimate descendant of the king, but she is a woman. However, in Westeros, the kingdom over which House Targaryen reigns, women are not sovereigns. They can at best be regents, guides or advisors.
Alicent Hightower does not aspire to rule directly. On the other hand, she was Viserys’ second wife and was able to give him several children, including males. Viserys also had a son, Baelon, but he died shortly after his death. His mother, and Viserys’ first wife, Aemma Arryn, lost her life on this occasion.
👉Find the Targaryen family tree
So this is the crux of the problem. Rhaenyra considers herself legitimate, especially since Viserys told her that it is she who must recover the throne. But all other great houses belonging to the Seven Kingdoms kingdom have a conservative approach. They prefer a sovereign to a sovereign. The stability of the continent depends on it.
Greens and Blacks in House of the Dragon therefore represent these two possibilities: a reign of Rhaenyra or a reign of Aegon II, the son of Alicent Hightower. The Greens bring together the supporters of Alicent and Aegon II, while the Blacks are made up of the supporters of Rhaenyra. The choice of colors is not accidental either. He also has an explanation.
The growing hostility of the two sides will eventually erupt into open conflict—it’s called the Dance of the Dragons, because each faction can count its own winged reptiles. When they confront each other in the sky, we can believe in an aerial ballet. A choreography. But it is a macabre dance, which will last for years.
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