House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 2 Sets the Stage for War, With Aegon as a Standout

My immediate reaction to House of the Dragon season 2 episode 2 is that it builds on everything I loved about the premiere. I said the first episode was a great setup with an ending that was really hard to watch, one that made me sympathize with characters I wasn't sure I wanted to sympathize with, especially Aegon. This episode is where he really comes to play, and I am digging this season a lot because it is the lead up to war after all the season one buildup over who gets the throne and how this family handles the brewing civil war.

In this episode things start moving. Certain puzzle pieces that seemed set up to play for one side do not work out the way you expect, and when some of those pieces are lost, it raises the question of what that means moving forward. That is what I think this show does so well: every single moment makes you wonder what the repercussions will be and what it is going to mean for the next episode or the next few episodes. There is a heartbreaking scene at the end, just like there was in the first episode, and more moments where you get attached to a character only for the show to suggest maybe you should get attached to someone else, or that the person you liked is not who you thought they were.

Aegon is becoming such a complex character to me. "I was worried that I thought they were going to try to make him Joffrey part two, he's the farthest thing from it," and this episode lets you see the pain he's in right now and exactly why he's making the decisions he's making. I feel like I really get a feel for all of the characters and why they are doing what they are doing. There are two particular standout characters in this episode that I am not naming to avoid spoilers, but outside of those two, I would say Rhaenyra and Aegon fittingly stood out the most. There is also stuff going on with the Hightowers in this one.

Overall, I love this episode. "It really is the definition of Game of Thrones, the puzzle pieces are being played and I love it." There is a lot more setup here, but it pays off.

Did you like this episode of House of the Dragon, or did it leave you wanting more?