One of the biggest reasons ‘House of the Dragon‘ succeeded as a prequel is that it does far more than tell a new story. The series has filled some of the major gaps left behind by ‘Game of Thrones‘.
From the origins of Daenerys’s dragons to the truth behind the famous prophecy, here are the ten long-standing questions from ‘Game of Thrones’ that were finally answered by ‘House of the Dragon’.
10. What Happened To The Night’s Watch?
By the time of ‘Game of Thrones’, the Night’s Watch was only populated by criminals, debtors, and outcasts. But in ‘House of the Dragon’, it was revealed that this was not always the case during the Watch’s time of glory.
During a conversation with Jacaerys Velaryon, Cregan Stark explained that his ancestor Torrhen Stark, who was the last king in the North, established a tradition of sending one-tenth of his men to serve at the wall every winter.
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9. Where Did Daenerys’s Dragon Eggs Come From?
Daenerys’s dragons are, of course, the game changers of ‘Game of Thrones’, and their origins remained a mystery for years. ‘House of the Dragon’ finally provided that answer.
The eggs were laid by Syrax, the dragon bonded to Rhaenyra Targaryen. Daemon Targaryen later retrieved them from the dragon’s nest. As the civil war approached, Rhaenyra sent the eggs along with her youngest children to Pentos for safekeeping. It was in Pentos where Daenerys received the eggs centuries later.
8. Who Was Rhaenyra Targaryen?
In ‘Game of Thrones’, we came to know her name several times. Joffrey and Shireen Baratheon referenced her tragic history many times, but little was known about this badass.
‘House of the Dragon’ changes that completely. In it, we come to find the protagonist Rhaenyra, the rightful heir chosen by King Viserys I. She was no longer a historical footnote. Instead, we see her fighting against a system that only knows male rulers and fiercely claiming her part in it.
7. What Are The Prophetic Visions Of The Targaryen?
Prophetic dreams were always a part of Targaryen history, but it was in ‘House of the Dragon’ that we see this being explored in far more detail. The series confirmed that the Targaryens possessed “dragon dreams” and were capable of seeing future events.
Daenys Targaryen foresaw the Doom of Valyria, Aegon the Conqueror dreamed of the White Walkers and the coming darkness, and Viserys I experienced visions of his descendants. Even Daemon encounters some very strange dreams during his time at Harrenhal.
6. How Many Dragons Did The Targaryens Actually Have During Their Peak?
In ‘Game of Thrones’, dragons were nearly extinct, making it difficult to truly understand the power that shaped Targaryen history. But ‘House of the Dragon’ didn’t shy away from showing their full power.
During the Dance of the Dragons, Rhaenyra came up with the strategy to recruit Dragonseeds. It drastically increased the number of dragons fighting on her side. The sight of Aemond surveying the dragons at Dragonstone and then retreating with the massive Vhagar truly showed why their dynasty remained unchallenged for centuries.
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5. What Happened In Essos After The Doom Of Valyria?
In ‘Game of Thrones’, we often hear about the Doom of Valyria and Aegon’s conquest, but it rarely discusses the century between those events. But ‘House of the Dragon‘ sheds light on this missing link.
After Valyria’s destruction, Essos was in a period of total chaos known as the Century of Blood. Former Valyrian colonies were fighting for dominance, and powerful cities like Volantis were trying to get control over the whole region. Before conquering Westeros, Aegon Targaryen had to face these conflicts first.
4. What Is The True Relationship Between Targaryens And Dragons?
For years, we assumed that Targaryens could get complete control over their dragons. But in ‘House of the Dragon’, we get to learn that this wasn’t true. King Viserys openly stated that Targaryens never truly control dragons, and he was proven right.
During the confrontation between Lucerys and Aemond, both lose control of their dragons. Despite their commands to retreat, the dragons completely ignored them and acted on pure instinct, and this led to a devastating consequence.
3. Where Did The Dagger Come From?
The Valyrian steel dagger was by far the most important motif in ‘Game of Thrones’. First, it was used for an attempted assassination of Bran Stark. And then later, Arya Stark used it to kill the Night King.
In ‘House of the Dragon’, we learn the dagger’s origin. It originally belonged to Aenar Targaryen and was passed down through generations until it reached Aegon the Conqueror. He inscribed the secret prophecy, and it became a sacred heirloom for the Targaryen rulers.
2. What started the Targaryen Civil War?
The Dance of the Dragon is the most significant event in Westeros history. But ‘Game of Thrones’ only briefly mentions it. We were all curious to know what really happened that caused this civil war, and ‘House of the Dragon’ took up exactly that.
Although Rhaenyra Targaryen was named heir by King Viserys, tensions grew between Alicent Hightower’s children. After Viserys’ death, a misunderstanding involving his final words convinced Alicent that Aegon should rule. This led to a coup by the Greens, who crowned Aegon as king. Even then, Rhaenyra sought peace. The final spark came when Aemond and Vhagar killed Lucerys, and after that, war was inevitable.
1. Who Was The Prince That Was Promised?
One of the greatest mysteries in ‘Game of Thrones’ was the prophecy of the Prince That Was Promised. Introduced to us first by Melisandre, the prophecy seemed too disconnected from the rest of Westerosi history.
‘House of the Dragon’ revealed that the prophecy actually dates back to Aegon the Conqueror. According to the series, Aegon received a vision of a terrible winter and a prince or a princess destined to save humanity from darkness. The prophecy was passed down from Viserys to Rhaenyra and became the cornerstone of Targaryen history.
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