House Of The Dragon Season 2 Sparks Fan Fire After Finale
The world of Westeros is no stranger to leaving fans upset. Sometimes, it is intentional, such as through the shocking death of a beloved character, but other times, it is unintentional, such as the series finale of Game of Thrones that left many fans dissatisfied. Unfortunately for the House of the Dragon Season 2 finale, it was a case of the latter as viewers were stunned by the season’s abrupt finish.
A Sudden End
Everyone knew this year’s House of the Dragon finale would not be the end of things, so there would have to be some loose ends for a third season to happen. But Game of Thrones was generally pretty good about giving viewers a memorable big battle episode at least once per season. But Season 2 of House of the Dragon pulled the rug on everyone by calling it a wrap right as the long-awaited battle was about to begin.
The Changing Shape Of TV
What makes the House of the Dragon finale sting a little bit more is that the current nature of TV shows is for shorter seasons with long waits between them. The first season of the show only had 10 episodes and was released back in 2022. The latest season left fans waiting for two years and only had 8 episodes.
Now fans are dreading how long they may have to wait for Season 3 to see a conclusion to the battle they had been waiting for.
Fans Still Loved Season 2
However, that is not to say fans hated this season. While the House of the Dragon finale ended on a sour note for some, for the most part, people praised the season for having many strong moments that continued to flesh out the characters and the world of Westeros.
The fact that fans are saying they wanted more is at least a good sign of continued interest in the show. It suggests many fans will likely be sticking around until Season 3 to at least get the closure they are craving.
Reasons For The Lack Of A Battle
There are varying reports on why the battle was not included in the House of the Dragon finale. Showrunner Ryan Condal initially said Season 2 had been reduced to eight episodes because that would ensure it had a strong beginning and end. But then writer-producer Sara Hess said it was due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike impacting what they were able to accomplish with the season.
If the latter is true, then there really is not much the production side of things could have done since the strikes impacted almost all shows and movies during that time.
A Mixed Reaction
Reactions to the House of the Dragon finale were mixed on social media. Many felt it was still a solid episode and a gripping overall season despite the awaited conflict being postponed. Others were more vocal in their criticism and made it clear they felt the episode had no business being a season finale. Some mentioned that Game of Thrones had conditioned them to expect explosive endings to each season.
The overall consensus might be that the House of the Dragon finale was a bit flat, but it was still one of the most talked about shows this year. In an era of so many must watch shows, HBO has to be happy with the level of engagement that the series continues to receive from fans.
