It’s been a while since HBO cutting to black after an episode has had people saying ‘what the…!’ and not in a good way (the disastrous last season of Game of Thrones was five years ago). It is especially not good when what is supposed to be a season finale starts like one and then ends like it is the penultimate episode of the season. The eighth and final episode of House of the Dragon, ‘The Queen Who Ever Was’, is exciting and very frustrating at the same time.

Season 1 ended on a note of ‘war is coming’. The whole of Season 2 has been a build-up to the war that is coming, and what we are left with after eight weeks is an incredible montage — Addam of Hull (Clinton Liberty), Hugh Hammer (Kieran Bew) and Ulf White (Tom Bennet) being suited up in armour; the Hightowers, Lannisters and Starks marching to the Riverlands; Tyland Lannister (Jefferson Hall) sailing for Westeros with the Triarchy; Corlys Velaryon and Alyn of Hull rowing towards the Queen Who Never Was; Otto Hightower in prison and Aegon and Larys in a cart heading away from King’s Landing — and then nothing. And there will be nothing for at least a year or two and that is an absolute shame. The season could have at least ended with the Battle of the Gullet, for crying out loud.

Season 2 of House of the Dragon has been mostly a slow burn, with more focus on building characters than advancing the story. But sacrificing the story to hold on to more material for more seasons is downright ridiculous. Having said that, the season finale does progress many of the character journeys and those moments are what make this episode exciting.

Rhaenyra Targaryen

Having been confined to Dragonstone for most of the season, Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) has two important meetings in this episode, both of which prove to be a closure. One is with her uncle-husband Daemon (Matt Smith) at Harrenhal and the other with Alicent (Olivia Cooke) who pays a visit to Dragonstone to broker peace by offering up King’s Landing.

Emma D’Arcy is great as usual playing brilliantly off Matt Smith, a chemistry that has been much missed with Daemon roaming around Harrenhal having visions all season. Her face-off with Olivia Cooke was once again a welcome change. With roles reversed, you can see the pain of betrayal and the inevitability of the war on Rhaenyra’s face when she tells Alicent to go after she offers up King’s Landing to stop the needless war.

Alicent Hightower

After having spent the season sidelined by everyone in her life, from her sons to the Small Council and even Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel), and spending her time roaming in the woods and taking baths, Alicent finally takes matters into her hands when she realises there is no stopping her son. She offers Rhaenyra King’s Landing without any bloodshed, saying that with Aemond out for blood and Aegon being his broken self, she would convince Helaena to give up the throne. But Rhaenyra knows that all opposition must be crushed and asks Alicent to give up Aegon’s life which Alicent agrees to, perhaps trying to absolve herself of everything that she and her son started.

Daemon Targaryen

Daemon has his army now and is still planning to betray Rhaenyra till Alys the witch gives him one more vision. This is where the show gets into fan pandering and tries to cash in on Game of Thrones, with shots of White Walkers, three dragon eggs in fire and Daenerys with three hatchlings (seriously, retconning Game of Thrones are we now?). He also sees brutal battle scenes and Rhaenyra on the throne. This makes him have a change of heart (if you can’t find any other way to do it just use the prophecy, it’s faster) and he bends his knee to Rhaenyra who came to squash the treason brewing in the Riverlands. It is absolutely great to see Matt Smith with the smirk and the glint in his eyes after a long while.

The Targaryen children

Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) is living up to his reputation by burning Sharp Point (a place which has never come up before) to the ground because he is angered by the news of Rhaenyra having three new riders. He even tries to force Helaena (Phia Saban) to ride her dragon to battle something that Alicent puts a stop to. Unfortunately there is no character development here and Aemond remains a one-note villain.

Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) however has a more interesting progression. A broken man with a dead dragon is hardly king material and he knows it, but Larys Strong has other plans. In a political move that makes us fondly remember the earlier seasons of Game of Thrones, Larys plays on Aegon’s vanity to convince him to flee to Essos and make a comeback when the ash has settled.

There is also more to Helaena and her visions that is left completely unexplored.

The Velaryon children

Well, Jace (Harry Collett) is acting like a brat, moping around because he is not special anymore since even commoners can ride dragons. He acts rudely with the three Dragonseeds and seethes in anger at being overlooked by his mother in favour of Addam of Hull. Baela (Bethany Antonia) tries to talk some sense into Jace but it seems unlikely that the advice is heeded.

Rhaena (Phoebe Campbell) finally corners the dragon in the Vale known as the Sheep Stealer and we are hoping that she (a departure from the book) will ride it soon (we mean in two years).

The dragonseeds

We don’t see the Dragonseeds much except to set up the difference between the Smallfolk and the high born as they share the same space together. While Addam shrinks to the background not to be noticed, Ulf the White has let his position go to his head and Hugh Hammer has the job of keeping the peace. Ulf adds much needed humour to proceedings in Westeros where humour is in really short supply.

Ser Criston Cole and Tyland Lannister

One of the most hated characters of House of the Dragon has to be Ser Criston Cole but this episode gives him a little more nuance than before when he realises that all he has done is for nought because, as he tells Gwayne Hightower, “dragons dance and men are dust beneath their feet”. After a life of shame and betrayal and confusion, he even seems to welcome the annihilation and the relief it might mean.

Tyland Lannister’s scenes in Essos with the Triarchy seem over long but provides relief from all the dour goings-on in Westeros.

A special mention must be made of Alyn of Hull (Abu Bakar) who finally tells his father Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) to shove it.

Yes, the season finale, and the season, did have their moments, but by focusing on characters that hold back the fight instead of pushing it forward it loses momentum. The only clash between the two sides — the show has clearly picked the right and the wrong side — we’ve seen all season is the Battle of Rook’s Rest and it remains the highlight of this eight-episode run. We wonder how long the showrunners can hold our interest at this pace.