Matt Smith and Emma D'Arcy as Daemon and Rhaenyra Targaryen in "House of the Dragon" season two.
Ollie Upton/HBO
"The seeds of war are oft planted during times of peace. So has it been in Westeros."That's according to George R. R. Martin's "Fire & Blood," the fictional history book and source material for "House of the Dragon." When the series premiered in 2022, it embodied this observation. The first season of HBO's "Game of Thrones" prequel laid the groundwork for the disastrous Targaryen civil war, known as the Dance of the Dragons, by exploring the family's relationships, power struggles, and budding resentments while King Viserys the Peaceful sat on the Iron Throne."House of the Dragon" season one was dense and fast-paced, spanning multiple decades of the royal family's lives. Its successor, however, was a slow burn.Season two, which aired in 2024, featured slow, painstaking plotlines that unfurled over several episodes — sometimes to the audience's chagrin. But those seeds will surely bear fruit as the characters continue to grapple with their demons and hurtle toward their fates.The series returns for its third and penultimate season on Sunday. If you need a refresher before returning to Westeros, keep reading for a summary of everything important that happened in our recap of "House of the Dragon" season two.Jace travels north to secure the support of Houses Stark and Arryn
