‘House Of The Dragon’ Season 2: The 20 Best Quotes From The ‘Game Of Thrones’ Prequel Series' Second Season

After an impressive debut, much was expected of the second season of House of the Dragon, based on George R. R. Martin’s 2018 novel, Fire & Blood, and set some 200 years before the events depicted in the blockbuster series Game of Thrones (2011-2019).

In terms of production, the HBO medieval fantasy series still makes for a compelling watch, with insightful takes on the great divide between the royal class and common folks, memorable quotes, and one soul-wrenching, dragon-driven battle heralding the start of the civil war called Dance of the Dragons.

However, pacing was admittedly slow with minor characters given too much air-time and major characters seemingly prodding along without doing anything significant but displaying their shortcomings. Throw in an underwhelming finale and it is small wonder why many fans and critics felt House of the Dragon Season 2 was nothing more than a 10-episode trailer for Season 3!

Well, before the next season arrives in summer 2026, fans can look forward to yet another Game of Thrones prequel series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, debuting on 18 January 2026 on HBO.

Based on Martin’s acclaimed novellas, Tales of Dunk and Egg, and set 100 years before Game of Thrones, the new series follows two unlikely heroes, Ser Duncan the Tall (a.k.a Dunk) and his squire, Egg, during a dragon-less Targaryen rule. It is guaranteed to be more light-hearted than House of the Dragon but no less intriguing!

In the meantime, here are 20 best quotes from House Of The Dragon Season 2:

20 Best Quotes from ‘House Of The Dragon’ Season 2

1. “Not the dragons. The rats.”

- Queen Helaena Targaryen (Phia Saban) to King Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney,) prophetically foreshadowing their son Jaehaerys’ death at the hands of assassins Blood and Cheese—one of whom works as a ratcatcher in the Red Keep—hired by Daemon Targaryen to kill Aemond Targaryen for murdering Lucerys Velaryon in S2E1, “A Son for A Son.”

2. “I do regret the business with Luke. I lost my temper that day. I’m sorry for it.”

- A remorseful Prince Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) to Madam Sylvi (Michelle Bonnard,) as he seeks solace with the high-end brothel madam in King’s Landing’s Street of Silk in S2E2, “Rhaenyra the Cruel.”

3. “I would remind you only that when the princes lose their temper, it is often others who suffer. The smallfolk, like me.”

- Madam Sylvi to Aemond, reminding the prince it is the common people who are often at the receiving end of repercussions when monarchical quarrels occur, in S2E2.

4. “At least I did something.”

- Aegon II to Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans,) on why he had all the city's ratcatchers hanged for his son’s cruel murder when his Hand was only concerned about propaganda and possible backlash, in S2E2.

5. “There is no war so hateful to the gods as a war between kin, and no war so bloody as a war between dragons.”

- Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Best) to Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’arcy,) beseeching the latter to prevent a civil war by reaching out to Alicent Hightower in S2E3, “The Burning Mill.”

6. “The significance of Viserys’ intention died with him.”

- Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) to Larys Strong (Matthew Needham,) when the Clubfoot asks whether she’d ever doubted the old king’s intentions, in S2E4, “The Red Dragon and the Gold.” After meeting Rhaenyra in the Sept, there was no doubt that the Greens Queen knew she may have made a mistake.

7. “To the discounted, rumors are feed.”

- Lady Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno) to Rhaenyra, counselling the latter (as her unofficial mistress of whisperers) on how the true Targaryen heir can turn the desolated Red Keep folks to her favor in S2E5, “Regent”.

8. “It is not a prize to be worn, but a burden to bear.”

- Alys Rivers (Gayle Rankin) to Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith), advising the power-hungry royal consort to pay heed to his hallucinations in S2E6, “Small Folk”. The mysterious Harrenhal-based healer may yet play a big part in future seasons with another Targaryen prince.

9. “Take heart, your Grace. You’ve already written yourself into legend. You survived dragonfire.”

- Larys Strong to Aegon II, after the king begged for painkillers to ease his severe injuries sustained at the Battle of Rook's Nest, in S2E6.

10. “He was everything I wanted to be. Carefree and dangerous. A man. And I was what he wanted - cherished by my father and made my father’s heir. We were halves of a whole!”

- Rhaenyra to Mysaria, explaining the fatal attraction between her uncle/husband Daemon and herself in S2E6.

11. “And if the gods call me to greater things, who am I to refuse them?”

- Addam of Hull (Clinton Liberty) to Rhaenyra, on being proven as a dragonseed after claiming dragon Seasmoke in S2E7, “The Red Sowing”.

12. “House Targaryen is the blood of the dragon. If others lay claim to it, what are we then?”

- Prince Jaenerys Velaryon (Harry Collett) to Rhaenyra, when his mother insists on looking for dragonseeds which the dark-haired prince fears would encourage silver-haired dragonriders to jostle with ruling the Seven Kingdoms in S2E7.

13. “Do you think I would have dark hair? I’m no fool, mother!”

- Jaenerys to Rhaenyra again, finally saying out loud what he suspected all along that the silver-haired Ser Laenor Velaryon is not his biological father, in S2E7.

14. “They are unhappy. And unhappy people look for someone to hate.”

- Alicent to Helaena, when the latter asks why the common folks were getting increasingly angry with them in S2E8, “The Queen Who Ever Was.”

15. “The dragons dance, and men are like dust under their feet.”

- Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) to Ser Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox,) on why he has grown wary of battles after witnessing dragons burn soldiers to ashes in S2E8.

16. “Aegon will be king again… And you'll be dead. You were swallowed up in the God's Eye, and you were never seen again.”

- Helaena to Aemond, prophesying the latter’s death after he threatens her when she refuses to go to war with her dragon Dreamfrye in S2E8.

17. “Leave me again at your peril.”

- Rhaenyra to Daemon (in High Valyrian), after the latter bends the knee to her along with the armies he has gathered at Harrenhal, in S2E8.

18. “Do not judge me for what you yourself have done.”

- Alicent to Rhaenyra, after the latter chides her for admitting that she has a lover outside her marriage, in S2E8.

19. “If I am to take the throne, I must put an end to the opposition. I must have Aegon’s head. And I must do it for all to see!... A son for a son!”

- Rhaenyra to Alicent, informing the latter that Aegon II will not walk free if she is to take the Iron Throne, in S2E8.

20. "I am at last myself. With no ambition greater than to walk where I please and to breathe the open air. To die unremarked, unnoticed, and be free.”

- A resigned Alicent to Rhaenyra, when the latter tells her that history will print her as a villain and a cold hard queen for giving up Aegon II and King’s Landing, in the Season 2 finale.

House of The Dragon’s Season 1 and 2 are streaming exclusively on HBO Max. Season 3 is due in Summer 2026, with the fourth and concluding season in 2028.

Read also:

* ‘House Of The Dragon’ Season One: The 20 Best Quotes From The ‘Game Of Thrones’ Prequel

* 'Game Of Thrones' Season 8 Episode 6: The 20 Best Quotes From the Series Finale, “The Iron Throne”

* 5 Epic Fantasy Sagas To Watch And Read: From ‘House Of The Dragon’ To ‘The Wheel Of Time’