House of the Dragon star says “expect the worst” with “heinous” Season 2 storyline

House of the Dragon Season 2 is nearly here — and fans should prepare for the worst, as one “heinous” storyline is set to be just as “horrific” as you could imagine.

The Game of Thrones prequel brought carnage to the Seven Kingdoms in its first season. From Daemon slicing Vaemond’s head in front of Viserys, to the City Watch’s wanton killing spree through King’s Landing, and Ser Criston Cole beating Joffrey to a bloody pulp.

However, as we all know, the Dance of the Dragons has just begun — as has the bloodshed, particularly with one inevitable storyline on the horizon.

HBO

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Olivia Cooke — who plays Alicent Hightower — was asked about Blood and Cheese in House of the Dragon Season 2.

“God! I’d just say, it is Game of Thrones, expect the worst. Expect the very worst possible, and then double it. I dunno what else to say without heavily spoiling it, but it is heinous,” she said.

Showrunner Ryan Condal added: “A Song of Ice and Fire and Game of Thrones have really conditioned people to expect the unexpected and expect the horrible. But, yeah, that one’s pretty horrific. We’ll see what people make of what’s to come.”

We won’t get into details — you can read our spoiler-filled breakdown of Blood and Cheese — but we can say this: if it stays loyal to George R.R. Martin’s Fire and Blood, it could be one of the most distressing TV sequences of 2024. Some fans have suspected it may all unfold in Episode 1, so prepare yourself now.

“Season 2 is the march to war. It’s really a cold war because each side is trying to undeniably win the throne for themselves without going to all-out dragon war,” Condal added.

“We do that through plotting and backstabbing and assassination and spy games and all the things that you would see in a classic James Bond Cold War thriller.”

Before Season 2, make sure you know how many seasons of House of the Dragon are in the works, and check out what we know about the Knight of the Seven Kingdoms spinoff. You can also find out more about House of the Dragon’s viewership figures, or discover other new TV shows to stream this month.