New Financial Year 2024/2025 Streaming - House of the Dragon - Season Two

House of the Dragon is the HBO prequel to Game of Thrones (2011–2019), it is the second television series in Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire franchise. 

The much-hyped second season premiered on mid-June, with eight episodes. Down from the first seasons ten episode run.

Ahead of the second-season premiere, the series was renewed for a third season. Which will no doubt be a few years away. Given the costs behind the series, filming and special effects time. Plus HBO has a stacked 2025 line up!

Being a HBO title, the series currently streams in Australia on Binge.

The first episode, A Son for a Son, kicked off at the Wall, Cregan Stark promises Jacaerys Velaryon 2,000 troops for Rhaenyra's forces. Rhaenys, who secured the Velaryons' shipping blockade of the Gullet, refuses Daemon's command to jointly kill Aemond and Vhagar to avenge Luke. 

Meanwhile, Rhaenyra flies to Storm's End and finds remains of Luke and his dragon Arrax. Upon returning to Dragonstone, she demands revenge on Aemond. Aegon II strives to be a benevolent king, but Otto Hightower, his grandfather and Hand, urges toughness towards the smallfolk to secure war resources, despite the blockade. 

Aegon brings his precocious young son and heir Jaehaerys to the Small Council for training. Larys exploits Alicent's fears of betrayal. Guilt-ridden over Luke’s death, she asks Otto to wage war sparingly. Having survived the brothel fire, Mysaria arrives at Dragonstone and is arrested for treason. 

Daemon offers her freedom in exchange for help recruiting two assassins. Sneaking into King's Landing, Daemon bribes a ratcatcher called "Cheese" and a City Watch guard nicknamed "Blood" to kill Aemond.

Unable to find Aemond in the Red Keep, the two enter Queen Helaena's quarters and instead murder Jaehaerys. Helaena, clutching Jaehaerys’ twin sister, Jaehaera, escapes to Alicent's chambers, finding her and Criston Cole in bed together.

However as the season went on, there was a battle brewing. However as we got to the finale, the viewers were tricked into season two, just being one big, eight episode entree for season three. Clearly the creatives knew season three would be a sure thing, as the finale.... well kinda is much ado about nothing. Reviews and online comments are brutal!

For a quick recap, check below. Warning SPOILER alert!

Tyland Lannister allies with the Triarchy, though he must beat Admiral Sharako Lohar in a mud-wrestle first; impressed, Lohar asks him to sire children on her wives. 

Larys persuades Aegon to sneak off to Braavos where Harrenhal's gold is stashed. Rhaena finds the wild dragon. Gwayne challenges Criston, who regrets the war. Aemond and Vhagar lay waste to Sharp Point.

Rhaenyra, who hoped for her dragons to deter war, decides on war. Ulf's rudeness enrages Jace. Corlys renames his flagship The Queen Who Never Was; Alyn rebuffs his attempts at reconciliation. 

Simon tells Rhaenyra that Daemon may be disloyal; she and Addam fly to Harrenhal. Alys leads Daemon to a weirwood tree, where he envisions a future including a white walker and Daenerys Targaryen; seeing himself as part of a larger story, he swears fealty to the newly-arrived Rhaenyra. 

Aemond wants Helaena to fly Dreamfyre; she and Alicent are unhappy. Helaena tells Aemond he will die, and that killing her will not change that. 

Aided by Orwyle, Alicent sneaks onto Dragonstone, offering to surrender King's Landing to Rhaenyra, who replies that Aegon must die to ensure the transition. Otto appears in a cage. Soldiers from across Westeros prepare for war.

And the credits roll. Eight hours and no battles? No dragons raising hell? Well, that was kind of lame.

HBO really needed a hit. Let's hope The Penguin lives up to all the hype now it will move HBO viewers to Thursday night premium content. Another Games of Thrones spin-off, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is set to stream in 2025.