House of the Dragon Fans Furious After Dog Kicked in New Episode

Spoilers follow for House of the Dragon season 2, episode 1! Fans of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon are no stranger to surprise deaths, and they’ve stomached plenty of gruesome ones as well. Even with one of those fully on display in the new episode of House of the Dragon, with the shocking death of Prince Jaehaerys, there was one moment that took fans by surprise and had them seething. As “Blood and Cheese” wandered the Red Keep to locate Aemond Targaryan, the ratcather of the duo gave his helpful little dog a kick, sending him crying in pain in one direction, this aggression could not stand for many House of the Dragon viewers.

“I feel like this episode really would’ve felt fine and complete without that rat catcher kicking the dog,” one user wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “And the purpose of kicking the dog was what exactly? This show remains mid at best,” yet another posted. Not to mince words, another user added, “I got pissed more at seeing the dog getting kicked than hearing a baby getting murdered.”

You can see the variety of reactions to the dog kicking in House of the Dragon season 2 below.

Based on George R.R. Martin‘s “Fire & Blood” book, House of the Dragon is set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones. In Season 2 of House of the Dragon, Westeros is on the brink of a bloody civil war with the Green and Black Councils fighting for King Aegon and Queen Rhaenyra, respectively. New episodes of House of the Dragon premiere every Sunday on HBO at 9 p.m. ET.

The cast for House of the Dragon includes Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen, Olivia Cooke as Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower, Emma D’Arcy as Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, Eve Best as Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon, Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole, Ewan Mitchell as Prince Aemond Targaryen, Tom Glynn-Carney as King Aegon II Targaryen, Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria, and Rhys Ifans as Ser Otto Hightower.