The season finale of "House of the Dragon," HBO's much-anticipated prequel to "Game of Thrones," has elicited a largely underwhelming response from both critics and audiences alike. Despite its promising premise and the established lore of George R.R. Martin's expansive universe, the culmination of this inaugural season left many viewers feeling dissatisfied. The series had meticulously built tension throughout its episodes, yet the finale failed to deliver a resolution that felt commensurate with the narrative stakes presented earlier in the season.
One significant issue with the finale lies in its pacing and narrative structure. The preceding episodes carefully developed complex characters and intricate political dynamics, fostering an atmosphere ripe for dramatic confrontation. However, instead of capitalizing on this groundwork, the finale opted for a rushed conclusion that glossed over critical character arcs and pivotal plot points. This lack of depth resulted in a disjointed viewing experience, depriving audiences of the emotional payoffs they had anticipated.
Instead of beginning in Westeros, the Season 2 finale kicks off in Essos, the sandy, pirate-filled continent off to the east. Tyland Lannister (Jefferson Hall) is there to negotiate with the Triarchy to support the Greens in exchange for the Stepstones islands. Sharako Lohar (Abigail Thorn) agrees to lead the naval fleet, after she beats Tyland in a mud wrestling fight, and they set sail to break the blockade around King’s Landing.
And it was a terrible season finale, evasive and deflating. In its final moments, I couldn’t help but obsessively check how many minutes were left. (Could they fit a battle into 15 minutes? Into nine minutes? Into two?) It was always heading right here to this place, yet the series denied its audience and its characters catharsis. War is like the horizon on House of the Dragon, receding no matter how (and how many times) you approach it. I’m so primed for battle at this point that I’m rooting against Alicent’s last-gasp plea for peace. Burn the innocents! Sink the recently rechristened Queen Who Never Was! This series’ most persistent flaw is that it is forever pulling back when it should run headlong, saving “story” for some imaginary later, taking for granted that we’ll keep tuning in. It’s so afraid of running out of gas that it never dares to floor it, which is especially damning for a show that insists its protagonists are reckless, twitchy, dangerous. We already know that the Targaryen tapestry being woven by an invisible hand in the opening credits will end up torn and tattered, the family and its dragons needlessly circling the drain of extinction. At some point, you have to show us.
Alas, we likely have two or even three full years before we get payoff on all these cliffhangers, and for all we know the next season could be just 6 episodes. And the thing about waiting and Game Of Thrones is that we’re far, far too accustomed to it. I’ve waited 13 years for The Winds Of Winter and I’m afraid I’ll be waiting 13 more (and that’s just half the characters; the other half were in A Feast For Crows, published 19 years ago. 19 years! There hasn’t been a Sansa POV chapter since 2005!)
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