If you haven’t yet settled in to check out HBO/Max’s House of the Dragon, a prequel to the iconic series Game of Thrones, it’s really gone a long way in restoring fans’ faith in the franchise. The final GoT season was not well-received by many, but Dragon has this fictional universe created by George R.R. Martin roaring back with a vengeance.
The infighting of House Targaryen as far as who the rightful heir is to the Iron Throne is at the epicenter of the civil war of sorts that’ll unfold in Season 2. In a unique move that would’ve been a fascinating marketing ploy for, say, Captain America: Civil War several years back, House of the Dragon dropped separate “Black” and “Green” trailers on Thursday to give audiences clear perspectives on each side of the heated conflict.
Black Trailer
Green Trailer
Emilia Clarke’s Daenerys Targaryen in the OG GoT series had the X-factor of being the Queen of Dragons. She used that to conquer many lands across the Seven Kingdoms. Another element of what makes House of the Dragon‘s clash of House Targaryen so fascinating is that both sides have that mythical weaponry on their side. The greens have more powerful, larger dragons, but the black side has a greater quantity of the creatures.
Each “green” and “black” camp feel like they have legitimate claims to the throne, too. All the other major houses have to pick a side in the Targaryen duel, which only adds to the complexity and intrigue of the story. Hence the “All Must Choose” tagline in both trailers.
Long story short — again, without giving too much away — is that those on the green side pledge allegiance to Aegon II Targaryen, the son Alicent Hightower bore from the House of the Dragon Season 1 king, Viserys Targaryen. However, Viserys’ daughter Rhaenyra was his firstborn child with his first wife, so she feels she should be next in line for the Iron Throne. In the Black trailer, Rhaenyra talks about how Viserys specifically anointed her as his successor.
It’s easy to see how messy this conflict is, and why it’s going to culminate in the GoT trademark style of brutality and bloodshed. Mark your calendars for June 16 when House of the Dragon Season 2 premieres on Max.
