Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Season 2 finale of House of the Dragon.
House of the Dragonis not shy in its connections toGame of Thrones.As the first ina long string of spin-offsto the fantasy series, the show’s success can be at least partially attributed toGame of Thronesfans who came back for more. ThoughHouse of the Dragongoes out of the way to connect to its predecessor, the continuity between them is usually pretty good. Yes, the Iron Throne inHouse of the Dragonis more grand, and other details have changed, but there are not many glaring issues in the story. It helps that the two series are far removed. Becausethere are more than 100 years between them,House of the DragonandGame of Throneshave little opportunity to directly overlap. The family names and locations are the same, but everything else has time to change, exceptthe biggest connection between the shows:the Song of Ice and Fire prophecy.
The most substantial connection between these two stories was added toHouse of the Dragonin the form of an ancient prophecy foretelling the doom of Westeros. The prophecy predicts an enemy from the North that threatens the world of men. When telling Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) of the prophecy, Viserys (Paddy Considine) claims that for the world to survive, a Targaryen must be on the Iron Throne.Aegon the Conquerorsaw this in a dream generations before and passed it down the royal line to prepare his descendants, but the events do not come to pass untilGame of Throneswhen the prophecy has changed names. Now called the Prince That Was Promised, it does require a hero, but there are several contenders.House of the Dragon’s Season 2 finale explores this prophecy, asserting that Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) fulfills it. But what we see inGame of Thronesfits Jon Snow (Kit Harington) better, creating a break in continuity.
House of the Dragon
The reign of House Targaryen begins with this prequel to the popular HBO seriesGame of Thrones.Based on George R.R. Martin’sFire & Blood,House of the Dragonis set nearly 200 years beforeGame of Thrones, telling the story of the Targaryen civil war with King Viserys.
How Does ‘House of the Dragon’ Address the Prophecy?
House of the Dragonhas brought up this prediction many times since the first episode, but before this, there has been no issue.The knowledge of the prophecy may be added to the series, but it only raises the stakes of the war, as Rhaenyra holds the message while Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) does not. Though Viserys did attempt to interpret these words,believing Rhaenyra to be the one the prophecy spoke of, as he accidentally told Alicent (Olivia Cooke) before his death, this was a flawed interpretation that has no impact onGame of Thrones’story. The reference in the Season 2 finale is different. Daemon (Matt Smith) does not learn the prophecy as Aegon told it but sees it himself, though he is not a dreamer. After his visions in Harrenhal,Alys Rivers (Gayle Rankin)tells him it is time to learn his fate, so he places a hand on the Heart tree and sees a similar premonition to his ancestor.
This vision shows the Night King (Vladimir Furdik) as the threat that is coming and provides the same information as the prophecy, even depicting the arrival of the prince that was promised. Proceeded by the comet, referred to as a flaming star," that the characters inGame of Thronesuse as the first sign, isan image of Daenerys with her three baby dragons, implying that she is the fulfillment of the prophecy. However, that doesn’t quite fit withGame of Thrones.
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Who Is the Prince That Was Promised in ‘Game of Thrones’?
Though Aegon I tried to keep the prophecy close, people besides the Targaryens learned of it byGame of Thrones, most notably theprophets of the Lord of Light– and it’s a good thing, too, because the Targaryen lineage got so messed up the secret was lost. Throughout the series, many prospective candidates are believed to be the prince of the prophecy. First, Melisandre (Carice van Houten) bestows the title on Stannis Baratheon (Stephen Dillane), but he dies before the time comes. Next, Melisandre suspects Jon Snow. However, at the same time, other servants of the Lord of Light in Essos preach that Daenerys is the one of prophecy.
There is no consensus as the criteria are mysterious. While some things (like being descendants of Aegon I) fit both Daenerys and Jon, others are clearly just one of them. Daenerys is born amid salt and smoke, receiving the name Stormborn because of it. Yet the words Aegon I inscribed on his dagger, “From my line comes the Prince That Was Promised and his will be the Song of Ice and Fire,” best fit Jon, who is literally the child of both ice and fire, with a Targaryen father anda Stark mother.
Of course, neither Jon nor Daenerys are the ones to officially kill the threat, ajob that, oddly enough, went to Arya (Maisie Williams), who fits no other requirements of the Prince That Was Promised. Because of that twist, the identity of the Prince That Was Promised is slightly ambiguous. However, throughoutGame of Thrones,it is Jon’s plot to fight the White Walkers and protect the realm from the threat. It may be imperfect, but inGame of Thrones, Jon best fulfills the prophecy, which makes it odd thatHouse of the Dragondepicts Daenerys in the role.
Could ‘House of the Dragon’ Be Right?
WhileHouse of the Dragondoes defyGame of Thrones, it is possible that the series based this decision on something else.George R. R. Martin’s still unfinishedSong of Ice and Firenovelsgo deeper into the prophecy, andthe answer to who will be the Prince That Was Promised in Martin’s version of the story is unclear, but Daenerys remains a possibility.This could explainHouse of the Dragon’s choice, or it could simply be that Prince That Was Promised or not, Daenerys plays an important role in that story.
The vision in theHouse of the Dragonfinale does not fully retcon what happens inGame of Thronesdue to the fact that visions are open to interpretation.The prophecy has a different significance inHouse of the Dragon, representing Viserys' trust in his daughter, givingextra motivation for Rhaenyra to fight for the Iron Throne, and now, assuring Daemon’s loyalty to her cause. These things make the prophecy important to the prequel series, regardless of who fulfills it in the end.
House of the Dragonis streaming on Max in the U.S.
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