The last scene in the first episode of House of the Dragon Season 2 is harrowing. We imagine that if you’re reading this, you already know what happens; if not, we recommend that you turn back now because many spoilers lay ahead. That said, if you’ve seen the premiere episode of the second season, you might be wondering who the assassins are or at least what their names are, since none of that information is revealed. Fortunately, this pair of mercenaries are named in the books. Here’s what we know so far about the assassins in Episode 1 of House of the Dragon Season 2.
Who are the assassins in House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 1?
The assassins hired near the end of House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 1 are unnamed, but in the books, the City Guard officer is nicknamed Blood (Sam C. Wilson) and the ratcatcher is named Cheese (Mark Stobbart).
It remains uncertain why the writers chose not to reveal the names of this assassin duo in the first episode. It might be because Blood and Cheese are too silly as nicknames or because they want them to remain as mysterious as possible. Perhaps their names aren’t that important at the end of the day.
Either way, even the books don’t reveal what the actual names are for the assassins, as they have been lost to time. That said, their TV portrayals are rather close to the source material. The novels state that Blood is a tall and muscular swordsman who is a serjeant of the Gold Cloaks who was dismissed after murdering a woman in a drunken rage. We don’t know if he’s a serjeant in the show, but he’s still in the City Watch and recognizes Daemon at the gate, which makes sense as Daemon was once the Commander of the City Watch in Season 1 and created the gold cloaks in the first place.
As for Cheese, he’s pretty much on point as well. The books say he was a ratcatcher who, according to a court fool, knew the layout of the secret passages running throughout the castle. This remains true in the show’s interpretation of him too, as he easily navigates the labyrinthine tunnels made by King Maegor. The series fills in a few details, like giving him a dog, a gambler’s debt, and an uncanny insight into discerning facial expressions.
In the novels, despite the pair escaping the castle through the same tunnels, Blood is caught and dies for the murder while Cheese escapes without repercussions. However, the show may handle this differently in the rest of Season 2. Either way, it’s clear from what Blood reveals to Queen Alicent that this was “a son for a son” assassination that points to Princess Rhaenyra’s side as the culprit.
