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At the start of House of the Dragon season 2, Team Black backs Rhaenyra Targaryen’s claim from Dragonstone, while Team Green backs King Aegon II from King’s Landing. This guide covers the season’s opening conflict and the broad faction groupings in Sky’s season 2 guide; it does not treat every character’s allegiance as fixed across all eight episodes.
Team Black and Team Green at a glance
| Faction | Claimant and opening power base | Core characters and house ties |
|---|---|---|
| Team Black | Rhaenyra Targaryen; Dragonstone | Daemon Targaryen, Jacaerys “Jace” Velaryon, Rhaenys Targaryen, Corlys Velaryon and Baela Targaryen. Corlys leads House Velaryon, and Rhaenys is his wife. |
| Team Green | Aegon II Targaryen; King’s Landing and the royal court | Alicent Hightower, Aemond Targaryen, Helaena Targaryen, Otto Hightower, Criston Cole and Larys Strong. Alicent and Otto tie the faction to House Hightower; Larys is a Green court figure from House Strong. |
At the season 2 opening, Aegon II sits on the Iron Throne, while Rhaenyra pursues the claim she believes is hers from Dragonstone. Sky’s season 2 guide and The Ringer’s season 2 primer describe these opposing centers of power.
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Why each side says it should rule
Rhaenyra’s supporters point to Viserys naming her heir. Aegon’s supporters point to his coronation and the court’s present control. Those are the rival factions’ arguments, not a settled legal ruling that makes the other claim disappear.
The conflict is called the Dance of the Dragons, but dragons alone do not decide who can command the realm. Each claimant also needs political and military backing from noble houses, and those houses are not automatically won over as a bloc.
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Which houses and characters are aligned with each faction?
Team Black: Rhaenyra’s faction
Rhaenyra is the claimant at the center of Team Black. Her eldest son, Jacaerys (“Jace”), is her heir. Corlys and Rhaenys connect the faction closely to House Velaryon, while Daemon is part of the faction even as his relationship with Rhaenyra is strained after Lucerys’s death. Faction labels describe broad alignment, not necessarily personal agreement.
Sky’s guide also groups Mysaria, Alyn and Addam of Hull, Alys Rivers, Hugh and Ulf under its Black heading. Treat that as the guide’s grouping, not as proof that every character’s position stays the same throughout the season.
Team Green: Aegon II’s faction
Aegon II is king at the season’s opening. Alicent and her father, Otto Hightower, connect his faction to House Hightower. Aemond, Helaena, Criston Cole and Larys Strong are among the other core Green figures.
Sky’s guide additionally groups Gwayne Hightower, Jason and Tyland Lannister, and Shakaro Lohar under its Green heading. That character grouping does not establish the choices of every relative, bannerman or regional branch of a house.
How to read house allegiances without overgeneralizing
- A character’s faction is not the same thing as a house-wide declaration. Corlys’s role makes House Velaryon closely associated with the Blacks; it does not justify assigning every relative or supporter the same position without episode-specific evidence.
- A house connection is not proof of universal loyalty. Alicent and Otto link the Greens to House Hightower, but a character list alone cannot settle every Hightower’s actions.
- Some houses are being courted, not confirmed as supporters. The Ringer’s season 2 primer describes Jace seeking support from Lady Jeyne Arryn and the Starks. At that point, describe them as courted rather than as settled allies.
- Mark the episode when allegiance matters. Support and individual motives can shift during the eight-episode season, so a label without an episode boundary can be misleading.
Season 2 spoiler boundary
This is an opening-conflict overview and a guide to the broad groupings presented in season 2 cast guides; it does not attempt to assign every house or character a permanent position across all eight episodes. It avoids book-only developments. Season 2 picks up after the season 1 finale and consists of eight episodes, according to Sky’s season 2 guide.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Optional background reading
For more Targaryen history, Fire & Blood by George R. R. Martin is an optional companion. The Ringer identifies the book, published in 2018, as a major source of historical context for the series. The show adapts that material, so the book should not be used to assume that an event or allegiance has already appeared on screen.
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