House Of The Dragon Season 2 Has A Secret, Second Battle: What I Think It Could Be

Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Fire & Blood, the book on which House of the Dragon is based.

Summary House of the Dragon season 2 will feature two major battles, with the Battle at Rook's Rest being a confirmed set piece.

However, the second big battle is more of a mystery, though there are some options based on George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood.

While the Battle of the Gullet may be pushed to season 3, the Battle at the Red Fork could be the second massive battle of season 2.

House of the Dragon season 2 will have two major battles and, while we know about one of them, the other is a mystery right now. However, based on clues from the trailers, production, and George R.R. Martin's book, Fire & Blood, there are a couple of clear contenders I think the show could be going with.

House of the Dragon season 2 is going to be even bigger than the first, with the Targaryen civil war - the Dance of the Dragons - properly beginning. Speaking to Den of Geek, showrunner Ryan Condal teased the epic battles to come, saying:

“The battles are episodes unto themselves. We have two of the largest sequences that we’ve ever filmed on House of the Dragon. Both of them outstrip anything that we did in season one. They are episodes within episodes.”

It's certainly an exciting promise, but also one that made me curious. The House of the Dragon season 2 trailer gave glimpses of one battle that feels like it fits that description - as well as some other smaller ones that wouldn't, really - which makes the second battle a major question.

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The Battle At Rook’s Rest Is One Of House Of The Dragon Season 2’s Huge Battles

The Sequence Will Involve Aemond, Aegon, Rhaenys, And Criston Cole

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The major set piece that is seemingly confirmed for House of the Dragon season 2 is the Battle at Rook's Rest, a key event that takes place at the eponymous location, which is the seat of House Staunton in the crownlands. Ser Criston Cole leads an army of almost 3,000 men here and, while Lord Staunton is able to protect the castle itself, Cole and the rest of the greens lay waste to the surrounding area.

The Battle At Rook's Rest - Key Facts Year 129 AC Location Rook's Rest Key Combatants: Blacks House Staunton Rhaenys Targaryen Meleys Key Combatants: Greens Ser Criston Cole Aemond Targaryen Vhagar Aegon Targaryen Sunfyre Winner Greens

This, however, is all part of a bigger plan by Cole. Lord Staunton, who is loyal to the blacks, requests help from Rhaenyra; eventually, it arrives, in the form of Rhaenys Targaryen and her dragon, Meleys. The dragon's fire is turned upon Cole's army, but that's when he springs his trap: Aemond and Vhagar and Aegon and Sunfyre were lying in wait, engaging Rhaenys and Meleys in a 2-v-1 battle in the sky.

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The House of the Dragon season 2 trailers have shown a few glimpses of this battle, including shots of Aemond on dragonback, Cole riding into battle, Meleys in the sky, and seemingly Baela Targaryen on her dragon, Moondancer, arriving for the fight as well. It looks like it should be a large-scale event, and a 2-v-1 dragon fight fits with the scope Condal was talking about.

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There will also be smaller battles beforehand, such as the Brackens vs. the Blackwoods at the Battle of the Burning Mill or the Sack of Duskendale. However, the nature of them (they aren't as massive in terms of numbers/scale), and the timeline (as they happen before Rook's Rest, which itself seems likely to be season 2's midpoint based on the trailers and the book), makes it less likely they're what Condal meant.

The Battle Of The Gullet May Have Been Pushed To House Of The Dragon Season 3

This Is A Key Sea Battle During The Civil War, Involving The Velaryons And The Triarchy

Based on the Dance of the Dragons, then the obvious contender for another major battle in season 2 - assuming it comes at the end - would be the Battle of the Gullet. This is a massive sea battle that takes place between the Velaryon fleet and the Triarchy, who have around 90 warships. The battle comes as the Velaryons block access into Blackwater Bay while Otto Hightower schemes with the leaders of the Triarchy, and the result is one of the biggest sea battles in Westeros history (and, yes, dragons are involved).

There are a couple of factors that make me think this won't be happening in season 2, even after Condal's latest tease of what's in store. Firstly, there hasn't really been any hint of it in the trailers (that things like set photos haven't shown it is less of an issue, as much of it would be filmed at Leavesden Studio). In an interview with THR last year, stunt coordinator Rowley Irlam confirmed a sea battle was planned, but it didn't sound like it was immediately forthcoming:

"It’s not a secret that in this story there’s a battle at sea. I think that’s where we’re headed. The desire is to expand our repertoire to a large sea battle. You can do a sea battle in a car park, but it won’t necessarily feel the same. But there are water tanks, and there’s a tank here in Leavesden. If you’re going to do it, I think you need to do it in a tank. But let’s see what happens."

Combine this with notes from Deadline who, when reporting on House of the Dragon season 2's episode count being reduced to eight instead of 10, noted that "a portion of the plot originally intended for season 2, including a major battle, [is] moving to season 3." It certainly sounds as though the Battle of the Gullet was set to be in season 2, episode 9 or 10 as an epic close to the season, but that it's now coming early in season 3 instead.

House Of The Dragon Season 2’s Second Battle May Be At The Red Fork

It's A Key Conflict That Notably Involves House Lannister

Although it comes later in the Dance of the Dragons timeline than things like the Battle of the Gullet, I think it's possible for the Battle at the Red Fork to be the second massive battle that Condal is talking about. This takes place at the Red Fork crossing of the Trident in the Riverlands, and sees Lord Jason Lannister leading an army of greens in attacking rivermen loyal to Rhaenyra and the blacks.

In the trailers, there are some shots of a Lannister army in action, and their forces amassing at the Golden Tooth, the castle that serves as a major pathway from the westerlands into the Riverlands. Based on that, then, while the Battle at the Red Fork doesn't technically come until later, it may be that House of the Dragon season 2 is doing it earlier... and bigger. The battle in the book doesn't feature dragons, and isn't on the same scale as Rook's Rest, but they could be expanding it for the show.

It's also worth noting that Condal's note is that the battles are like "episodes within episodes," meaning they aren't full-length battle episodes like Game of Thrones had with, say, "Blackwater" or "Watchers on the Wall."

It's an easy one to move without disrupting the plot too much, and so could've been done as a means of fitting in another battle in the season. It's also worth noting that Condal's note is that the battles are like "episodes within episodes," meaning they aren't full-length battle episodes like Game of Thrones had with, say, "Blackwater" or "Watchers on the Wall." Instead, it could be more like 20-minute sequences, which could make it easier for something like Red Fork to fit Condal's description.

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Could The Fall Of King’s Landing Be In House Of The Dragon Season 2?

Rhaenyra Takes Control Of King's Landing - And The Iron Throne

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Alongside the Battle of the Gullet, the other major sequence that could have been the end of season 2 - if it had 10 episodes - is the Fall of King's Landing, which sees Rhaenyra and the blacks take control of the city, with the Queen claiming the Iron Throne. This happens after the Gullet in Fire & Blood, so the expectation is that would be the case in the show as well, meaning it won't come until House of the Dragon season 3.

Emma D'Arcy, who plays Rhaenyra, was revealed in House of the Dragon season 2 set photos to be in Spain where King's Landing scenes were filmed.

However, it's not impossible things could be changed. Emma D'Arcy, who plays Rhaenyra, was revealed in House of the Dragon season 2 set photos to be in Spain where King's Landing scenes were filmed. So far, there's been nothing revealed about Rhaenyra going to King's Landing, so it could save that for a major late-in-the-season twist.

Doing it before the Gullet could in some ways be more dramatic, but it changes Rhaenyra's motivations (where in the book it's in-part responding to another major death) in a way that could hurt her story. There are also two other obstacles, one of which is time, as it would likely mean a rapid pacing to get to this point by the end of season 2, and the other is that it's another that doesn't really qualify as a huge battle in the book, though again it could be expanded.

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What Other Options Are There For House Of The Dragon Season 2's Major Battle?

The Dance Of The Dragons Has A Lot Of Battles, But No Other Obvious Options For Season 2

Image via HBO

There is no shortage of battles in the Dance of the Dragons, so there are plenty for House of the Dragon season 2 to choose from if it's looking to move something up. There are things like the Battle of the Honeywine, which takes place after the Gullet and heavily involves Daeron Targaryen (Alicent and Viserys' fourth child who has yet to appear), but it means introducing audiences to him before that point and then still getting to the battle. The same is true for others, like Fishfeed (which would advance the North story too quickly), so there's no perfect fit.

Based on the information available, I do think it will be the Red Fork that serves as House of the Dragon season 2's major battle toward the end of the run.

Based on the information available, I do think it will be the Red Fork that serves as House of the Dragon season 2's major battle toward the end of the run. Alternatively, it could be the beginning of the Fall of King's Landing or even a tease of the Battle of the Gullet, though neither quite fits with Condal's description (though a part of that is obviously generating hype), which would certainly be a lot bigger and more exciting, but come with pacing concerns for the story.

Regardless of what it is, the Dance of the Dragons is going to be well underway, and it'll be great to see how House of the Dragon handles these big action set pieces, as there'll be plenty more of them in season 3 and beyond that it needs to get right.

Source: Den Of Geek