Summary
HBO’s prequel seriesHouse of the Dragonhas made some changes to the wayGame of Thronesshould be viewed, with reveals about the history of Westeros or specific noble houses.House of the Dragon’stimelinebegins roughly 200 years before the events ofGame of Thrones, meaning there aren’t many opportunities for the two shows to directly impact one another. While many of the characters in the prequel are ancestors of beloved characters inGame of Thrones, the series can be enjoyed without full knowledge of its parent show.
Despite this,there are moments in the HBO prequel that have directly changed howGame of Thronescan be viewed, with alterations to the show’s canon. Both series are based onGeorge R.R. Martin’sA Song of Ice & Fireseriesand expanded world, but the author has stated that the world of the books and the world of the TV shows are separate canons. Therefore, lore additions specifically refer to changes made to theGame of ThronesTV series, not the books.
House of the Dragonis based on segments of theFire & Bloodbook, a “fictional history” text that examines the Targaryen dynasty, beginning with Aegon the Conqueror.House of the Dragonmakes many changes from the books, varying in size and effect. For example, the change to make Alicent and Criston Cole infatuated in season 2 is interesting, but it’s not earth-shattering.Some lore additions are far more significant, offering a new perspective on the originalGame of Thronesseries.
6Aegon’s Dream Changes Why Aegon Conquered Westeros
Aegon Conquered Westeros To Unite The Continent Against The Long Night
Aegon the Conqueror is a famous figure in Westerosi history, and he’ll be the subject of one of the manyupcomingGame of Thronesspinoffs. Audiences ofGame of Thronesmay remember hearing stories about him from various characters, as he wasthe man who flew to Westeros on dragonback and united the Seven Kingdoms under the Targaryen banner. He established King’s Landing and constructed the Iron Throne, where he became the first single ruler of the continent, beginning the Targaryen dynasty, which would last nearly 300 years.
InHouse of the Dragon’spremiere episode, King Viserys Targaryen passes down theprophecy of Aegon’s Dreamto Rhaenyra. He describes Aegon’s vision of a threat from the north, referring to the White Walkers inGame of Thrones, and explains thatAegon conquered Westeros with the specific goal of creating a unified front under a Targaryen ruler to protect the realm. This is a drastic change to the television universe, as it provides an altruistic motivation for the mysterious Aegon Targaryen’s subjugation of an entire continent. Read the full prophecy below:
“Aegon foresaw the end of the world of men. It’s to begin with a terrible winter, gusting out of the distant North. Aegon saw absolute darkness riding on those winds, and whatever dwells within will destroy the world of the living. When this great winter comes, Rhaenyra, all of Westeros must stand against it. And if the world of men is to survive, a Targaryen must be seated on the Iron Throne. A King or Queen, strong enough to unite the realm against the cold and the dark. Aegon called his dream ‘The Song of Ice and Fire.'”
Directly relating toGame of Thrones, Aegon’s Dream has massive implications for what the world looks like at the start of the series. Robert’s Rebellion ended the Targaryen dynasty, and the Long Night is finally inches away. This meansGame of Thronesbegins in a position where everything Aegon conquered Westeros for has fallen apart, and it only gets worse from there as the War of the Five Kings continues to ravage the realm. It puts the entire series into a new perspective, knowing that the realm had the knowledge to ward off evil but nearly ruined itself.
5Aegon’s Dream Connects To The Prince That Was Promised Prophecy
Aegon Envisioned The Prince That Was Promised Being Of Targaryen Blood
The Prince that was Promised prophecy has more to do with theA Song of Ice & Firenovels than it doesGame of Thrones, but it’s still prevalent in the TV universe. Theprophecy essentially states that an ancient hero will be reborn to ward off eviland defend humanity in the Long Night. In addition to Viserys revealing Aegon’s Dream to Rhaenyra, he also explains the meaning of the words written on Aegon’s dagger inHouse of the Dragonseason 1, which states:“From my blood come the Prince that was Promised, and his will be the Song of Ice & Fire.”
So not only did Aegon envision the Long Night,his dream foresaw the Prince that was Promised, a descendant of Targaryen blood who would protect the realm from darkness. Unfortunately, this is where matters get tricky regarding connections toGame of Thrones, as the TV series never actually answeredwho the Prince that was Promised was. The most common theories are Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen, as they have Targaryen blood, but neither of them was the one to kill the Night King in the original HBO series.
It’s important to note that “The Prince that was Promised” translates from Old Valyrian, so the term “Prince” has no sex and could refer to a man or woman.
Game of Thronesseason 8 has been heavily criticized, with the resolution to the Long Night narrative being one of the most common striking points. IfHouse of the Dragonsuggests that Aegon did envision the Prince that was Promised, the only conclusion that can be drawn is that the prophecy was partially wrong. No character in Game of Thrones fully fits the bill to fulfill this prophecy. It’s interesting for book fans that Aegon envisioned it, but in the TV canon’s context, it doesn’t really add up in a meaningful way. Maybe theAegon’sConquestshowcan provide more definition.
4The Dragonbone Dagger Belonged To Aegon
Littlefinger’s Game Of Thrones Dagger Finally Has An Origin Story
Audiences may remember King Viserys I Targaryen’s dagger inHouse of the Dragon, as it appeared inGame of Thrones. It was first sent to assassinate Bran Stark in season 1 and was later revealed to belong to Littlefinger. In season 8, this wasthe dagger Arya used to kill the Night King. The dagger is made of dragon bone and Valyrian steel, two highly rare materials that make it an incredibly valuable artifact, but its origin is never explained in the TV series or theA Song of Ice & Firenovels.
House of the Dragonseason 1 provides that dagger an origin story, as it’s said to have belonged to Aegon the Conqueror. The fact that it has Valyrian text inscribed onto it is also revealed, showing that it carries part of Aegon’s prophecy. Thisdagger is a relic passed down through members of House Targaryen, which means it was potentially lost in the shuffle of Robert’s Rebellion and ended up in the hands of Littlefinger. It’s an interesting bit of lore that provides context to such a recognizable and fateful object.
3The Starks Send Their Own Kin To Join The Night’s Watch
Stark Tradition Has Changed Between HOTD & GoT
Game of Thronesshowed audiences that the Starks of Winterfell have always had close ties to the Night’s Watch, with Benjen Stark introduced as First Ranger in season 1. Of course, Jon Snow then joins the ancient order. The show never established the premise thatthe Starks select a member of their kin to join the Night’s Watch, which was revealed in Cregan Stark’s opening monologueinHouse of the Dragonseason 2, episode 1. It’s possible that this tradition faltered some time between the two series, but it provides some interesting thought processes regardless.
the fact that this tradition broke beforeGame of Thronesimplies that the realm continued to take the Night’s Watch less seriously
InHouse of the Dragon, Cregan Stark reveals that this tradition began with Torrhen Stark, the last Stark king who bent the knee to Aegon the Conqueror. Theories indicate thatAegon I could’ve told Torrhen about his dream, knowing the importance of the North in defending the realm, and Torrhen began bolstering the Wall with his own family because of it. More concretely, the fact that this tradition broke beforeGame of Thronesimplies that the realm continued to take the Night’s Watch less seriously, laying the foundation for the dire condition of the order at the time Jon Snow joined.
2House Stark Knows “Death” Exists Beyond The Wall
Cregan Stark Is Skeptical Of Threats North Of The Wall
Another detail revealed by Cregan Stark’sHouse of the Dragonscene is thatthe young Lord of Winterfell distinctly mentions that"death"is beyond the Wall. This is a massive revelation, as it’s clear at the start ofGame of Thronesthat, while Ned feels winter is coming, he doesn’t believe in White Walkers and doesn’t consider a massive threat to exist further North. This means that the seriousness with which House Stark took the threats beyond the Wall dissipated at some time between the two shows, as Cregan has his heart set on keeping men in the North.
Tying back to Aegon’s Dream and the theory of Aegon telling Torrhen Stark, the Stark lords could also have been passing this information down the line. Cregan could’ve known, but it must’ve died at some point before Ned, which would make sense since he was never the intended heir. Theories aside, the more concrete implication is that the threat of “death” north of the Wall died over time as centuries passed, and the Night’s Watch was never forced to face any such serious threats.
1The Origin Of Daenerys’ Dragon Eggs
Syrax Is The Mother Of Daenerys' Three Dragons
In theGame of Thronespremiere,Daenerys Targaryen receives a gift of three petrified dragon eggsfrom Magister Illyrio Mopatis of Pentos. While they’re of significant value, it isn’t until they hatch in the season 1 finale that they become a major element of the TV series. Prior to Dany’s dragons hatching, the species was thought to be extinct, with the Last Dragon dying during the reign of Aegon III roughly 150 years before the show started. Given that they were petrified, they could’ve come from any number of eras or locations.
House of the Dragonshows the Targaryen dynasty at its pinnacle of power, at a time when dragon breeding was a consistent process practiced by the Valyrian descendants of the realm. Dragons are shown laying eggs in season 1, allowing for more Targaryen and Velaryon children to have their own, and it would make sense for Dany’s eggs to come from this era, as they easily could’ve been lost in the madness of the civil war.
The exact origin of Daenerys' dragons was revealed inHouse of the Dragonseason 2, episode 3 when Rhaenyra sends Rhaena away with four dragon eggs. While one of them is likely to hatch during the show, the other three wereconfirmed by the episode’s directorto be the eggs that would hatch into Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion roughly 170 years later. Theories previously speculated Dany’s eggs had come from Dreamfyre, Queen Helaena’s dragon, butseason 2 confirms that Syrax is officially their motherinGame of ThronesTV canon.
Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones is a multimedia franchise created by George R.R. Martin. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire is the basis for the award-winning HBO series Game of Thrones, which lasted for eight seasons. After the incredibly divisive final season of Game of Thrones, the series was followed up by the prequel series House of the Dragon, which also received critical acclaim.
