Is Nettles in ‘House of the Dragon’ season 2?

Fanfare among Game of Thrones fans is at fever pitch following the recent release of the first official trailer for House of the Dragon’s sophomore season.

The promotional clip — which suspiciously dropped on the same day as the trailer for Amazon’s rival fantasy series, Rings Of Power — promises a swathe of dazzling (and expensive) sets, compelling storylines, and returning castmates. 

The second season of House of the Dragon will arrive on June 16 and while the sophomore effort will undoubtedly expand upon Fire & Blood — the George R. R. Martin novel upon which it is based — fans have some lingering questions around what lies ahead for The Targaryens and company.

We already know that new cast members and characters will enter the fold in season two, including Tom Taylor as Cregan Stark, Clinton Liberty and Abubakar Salim as Addam and Alyn of Hull, respectively, and Gayle Rankin as Alys Rivers.

The fate of one fan-favorite character from the book, however, remains unknown. So, we’re answering once and for all; will Nettles appear in season two of House of the Dragon?

Is Nettles in House of the Dragon season two?

Despite her fan-favorite status and importance to the trajectory of Fire & Blood, Nettles doesnot appear in HBO’s official season two cast list for House of the Dragon. In Martin’s source material, Nettles is a 16-year-old bastard girl from Driftmark and a member of a group called “dragonseeds.” In the book, this group fights on the side of the blacks, and come forward to claim dragons during the The Targaryen civil war for the Iron Throne. 

Nettles’ presence in Fire & Blood is notable in that she is recruited as a fighter by Rhaenyra (played by Emma D’Arcy in House of the Dragon) in her quest to reclaim the throne. Adding further plot potential, Nettles becomes involved with Rhaenyra’s uncle and husband,  Daemon (played by ​​Matt Smith in House of the Dragon), and plays a key role in the Dance of the Dragons. 

Nettles’ apparent exclusion from season two of House of the Dragon has confused some fans, especially given her role in the overall timeline of the civil war and Fire & Blood more broadly. Fans are questioning how such an important character, rich with storyline potential, could be omitted completely, particularly considering the now-debunked rumors that she would debut in season two. 

Nettles isn’t the only character whose absence might be felt, with fellow important Fire & Blood character Daeron — one of  King Viserys and Alicent’s four children — also missing from HBO’s official cast list. In any case, we’ll just have to see whether Nettles graces the screen when House of the Dragon’s second season premieres on June 16.