As fans wait for more details about the highly anticipated second season of HBO’s House of the Dragon, the set photos and videos leaked online hint at an unexpected plot deviation.
Despite the lingering SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America strikes, production continues at the Leavesden Studios, the source of the aerial images stirring up a flurry of fan speculation. Indeed, we might be heading back to the iconic icy Wall, despite its absence from the relevant section of George R.R. Martin’s Fire and Blood novel, which the series is adapting.
The first season of House of the Dragon saw Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, expertly portrayed by Emma D’Arcy, dispatch her son, Jacaerys “Jace” Velaryon (Harry Collett) to Winterfell. His mission: to secure the loyalty of the young Lord Cregan Stark. And while this storyline follows the narrative of Fire and Blood, the arrival of the Wall as a filming location suggests an intriguing diversion.
The Wall, erected as humanity’s shield against the dreaded White Walkers, played a significant role in the original Game of Thrones series. Now, in a surprising twist, it seems destined to resurface in the prequel’s narrative. This unexpected change doesn’t necessarily have to be disruptive. As we remember from the first season, Jace’s journey northward to Winterfell could feasibly extend to a detour to the Wall, especially considering his close friendship with Cregan Stark.
Perhaps we’ll witness the serious conversation, typical of characters atop the Wall, between the newfound friends. Or, even better, we could be privy to a thrilling dragon joyride along the Wall with Jace and Vermax, his dragon. If nothing else, this would echo the adventurous spirit of Jace’s great-great-grandfather, King Jaehaerys Targaryen. Jaehaerys, along with his wife Alysanne, visited the North, where Alysanne flew her dragon, Silverwing, around the Wall. Bafflingly, Silverwing declined to cross the Wall, causing some disquiet for Alysanne.
This curious dragon behavior could potentially shed light on the wary nature of dragons towards the Wall, as demonstrated by Daenerys Targaryen’s dragons in Game of Thrones season 8.
Both or either one of Jace and Vermax could do the same and purposely stay away from the area surrounding the Wall as an Easter Egg of sorts for audiences that already know about what lies ahead.
The Game of Thrones universe is no stranger to unexpected narrative twists and turns. But, as the characters themselves will tell you, a deviation isn’t always negative. The inclusion of the Wall in House of the Dragon Season 2 might seem like a left turn, yet it’s an opportunity to uncover fresh mysteries and deepen the narrative’s complexity. Of course, we can only guess for now. The possibility remains that what appears to be the Wall might turn out to be Winterfell under heavy snowfall, or another location in the North.
With the second season expected to wrap filming in September and release at some point next year, viewers might have to wait a little longer for their return to the Seven Kingdoms, actors and writers strikes notwithstanding. As the anticipation builds, fans can revisit the first season’s thrilling narrative and speculate about the unexpected return to the Wall.
As we wait for the confirmation, HBO continues its clandestine filming amidst the guild strikes and studio walls. Will Jace and Cregan’s North-bound adventure yield unexpected discoveries beyond Winterfell? Or will the Wall’s appearance simply serve as a nostalgic nod to its imposing significance in the original series? Whatever the case may be, House of the Dragon Season 2 continues to stoke the fires of anticipation, reminding us that when it comes to Game of Thrones, nothing is ever as simple as it seems.
Then again, so long as George R.R. Martin, who is more involved in House of the Dragon than Game of Thrones, has given this the greenlight, then we’re all for it.
The least we can do is to give the famously procastinistic author the benefit of the doubt as he works on Winds of Winter.
In the meantime, let’s all hope that House of the Dragon’s production schedules goes according to plan. At the moment, it’s probably the only multi-million show that isn’t in imminent danger of being postponed. On the other hand, the rest of the Game of Thrones spin-offs are effectively put on ice until the strikes are over.
