Why Henry IV Part 2 may be Shakespeare's most cynical history play

You can see why Shakespeare's Henry IV Part 2 is rarely performed and rarely read except for those seeking to read the overall arc of S's history plays. Taken alone, it's a great play, of course, in many way, but it is so dark, even cynical - in spirit more like Troilus and Cressida or any of the so-called "problem plays" than like the comedies (w/ which HVI1 bears some similarities - in fact I included a chapter on HIV1 in my book of decades ago on S's comedies). First of all, the historical aspect of the play - the forces and armies massing on the borders, ready to attack England and restore the crown to the House of York - and then the Lancaster forces meet the conspiring generals on neutral ground before the battle. Westmoreland convinces the rebels to give up their arms and he promises on his word of honor to meet the rebels' demands (one of the rebellious forces, Northumberland, has ominously sent a message that he wouldn't join the battle and was retreating I think to Scotland). The rebel leaders agree and dismiss their troops, and then W and others double-cross them and say traitors can never be pardoned, etc., hauling them off for prison and probably execution. What kind of king/kingdom is this? Henry IV - pretty much confined to his castle (and deathbed) throughout this play was rebellious himself and now his forces double down - w/ some obvious parallels to our own time, regarding hypocrisy and treaty-breaking. On the other side, all of the Falstaff scenes are tired, old, and nasty  - the humor (and the byplay w/ Prince Hal) are completely gone. When Hal, as Henry V, banishes Falstaff, we feel like cheering, and yet - Hal/Henry V is such an opportunistic prig. I think his father has him right - he's cutting up as much as he can and just waiting to grab the crown and call the shots. I don't for a second believe his tears for his father nor his many protestations about his plan to surprise the world by his sudden reformation. Like his father, he'll take what he can get. Of all S's history plays, this one may be the most opportunistic and real-politick; Hal/HV is a bully posing as a nobleman, an opportunist posing as an idealist. It's no surprise, therefore, that his next move is to shift the optics, as we say to day, from domestic strife to foreign, as he prepares, for no good reason, to invade France. This, too, sounds sadly contemporary.