House of the Dragon’s season two was met with tremendous hype and expectations following the success of season one. The audience was eagerly waiting on the edge of their seats to witness the thrilling storyline of the Targaryen civil war with the same depth and intensity. But this anticipation quickly turned to disappointment following a major creative blunder.
Instead of delivering an impactful finale, the show creators mirrored a significant flaw from Game of Thrones. By deferring the iconic Battle of the Gullet and using the remaining episodes to merely lead up to the next season.
House of the Dragon Season 2 Mirrors Game of Thrones’ Worst Creative Error
House of the Dragon’s final episode is out, and fans are disappointed, to say the least. The first season of the show had a 10-episode arc, but the second was reduced to eight episodes. This reduction, coupled with the season’s subpar storytelling choices, left much to be desired. Instead of concluding the show with the much-anticipated Battle of the Gullet, the season left the viewers hanging.
Ideally, the cinematic battle should have been showcased in Episodes 9 and 10 (if it wasn’t trimmed to 8 episodes). This would have offered the viewers a gut-wrenching conclusion that would have left a lasting impression. But instead, the entire second season felt like an extended teaser for the next installment.
This further corroborates what Deadline (via The Hollywood Reporter) previously reported, that a major battle was moved from the second to the third season of the show.
This method echoed the same flaw seen in Game of Thrones, where the quality of storytelling declined as the series progressed towards its conclusion. The Emilia Clarke starrer followed a ten-episode pattern per season, but everything changed with season 7, which had only seven episodes.
Not to forget the infamous season 8, which was wrapped up in a six-episode arc. This reduction was widely criticized for contributing to the disjointed ending, which many believed led to the overall decline in the quality of the show.
What Happens in the Battle of the Gullet?
The Gullet was an important stretch of water in the Crownlands. It lay strategically in the middle of Dragonstone and the seat of House Velaryon on Driftmark to the north and Massey’s Hook to the south. House Velaryon, under the control of Corlys Velaryon, established dominance over the Gullet and controlled access to Blackwater Bay.
This attempt was made in order to cripple the Greens’ capacity to receive supplies and reinforcements. To tackle this situation, Otto Hightower, the then-hand of King Aegon II Targaryen, orchestrated a counterplan. In order to break the blockade, he reached out to the Triarchy. Hightower’s plan bore fruit as the Triarchy agreed to the alliance in Tyrosh.
Further, commanded by Admiral Sharako Lohar of Lys, approximately ninety warships were sailed from the Stepstones under the banner of the Three Daughters. These ships headed straight to the Gullet and marked a significant escalation in the naval conflict.
The aftermath of the conflict was disastrous and led to thousands of casualties and the permanent destruction of Spicetown. The Velaryon fleet suffered devastating losses, with almost a third of its ships destroyed. In the midst of the fierce fighting, the heir to the Iron Throne, Prince Jacaerys Velaryon and his dragon Vermax, were also killed.
You can stream House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones on Max.
