The connection between House Of The Dragon and Game Of Thrones is a major plot point

The mention of “A Song of Ice and Fire” as a prophecy in the first episode of house of the dragon came as a surprise to book readers. Not because they weren’t familiar with the concept, but because it doesn’t come up anywhere fire and bloodthe book that serves as inspiration for the series. At first it seemed like the showrunners threw it into the premiere to tie the spinoff to its predecessor. game of Thrones The fans certainly knew exactly what Viserys was talking about in that scene. However, now that we’ve seen the end of episode eight, it looks like the prophecy will play a much bigger role in the conflict to come.

What is the prophecy and how does it relate to it? game of Thrones?

This dates back to Aegon the Conqueror, the first Targaryen king who unified the Seven Kingdoms and reigned on the Iron Throne. Aside from being dragon riders, some Targaryens also possess the ability to see visions of the future. Thus the family escaped the fall of Valyria thanks to the premonition of a young Targaryen girl. These seers are commonly referred to as “Dreamers,” and while history has proved them right time and again, there are still many mysteries and suspicions surrounding them. Aegon the Conqueror was such a dreamer. He foresaw the coming of the White Walkers in the north and was convinced that only a Targaryen leader – “the promised prince” – could stop them, who would unite the kingdom to fight together against the forces of darkness.

What he didn’t know was that it wouldn’t happen for about 300 years. We saw how it all played out in the end game of Thrones. Although it has never been officially confirmed, many believe that “the Prince” is Jon Snow, whose real name happens to be… Aegon Targaryen. This name appears a a lot of in the history of Westeros. It will become important later.

How does the prophecy relate to Viserys and his heirs?

Like every Targaryen king before him, Viserys knew the Long Night was coming, but had no idea when. Above all, his most sacred and secret duty was to unite the empire in preparation for the battle to come.

Viserys also believed that he was a dreamer himself. And though he doubted it, that could still be true. In his dream he saw that one day his son would wear “Aegon’s Crown”. That’s why it took him so long to appoint Rhaenyra as his heir, because he kept expecting a son to appear and fulfill his prophecy. However, like the original Aegon, he didn’t get the timing right. After Aemma died in childbirth, he put aside his dream of having a son and named Rhaenyra as his successor, delivering to her the secret prophecy of A Song of Ice and Fire. When Alicent gave birth to Aegon, it was too late to go back on his promise. However, that doesn’t mean his vision was wrong.

What Rhaenyra believes

As Viserys gently walks into this good night, she now assumes that she is the only person alive who knows of Aegon’s prophecy. The responsibility of holding the Seven Kingdoms together in preparation for the Long Night now rests with her. And when the time comes, she will pass it on to her own heir. She is also the only one who knows of the inscription of the prophecy on the Valyrian steel dagger, revealed when the blade is heated. If for some reason this knowledge is not passed on to anyone during Rhaenyra’s lifetime, the secret of the dagger dies with her. In case we need a reminder, there’s a nice shot of the dagger with the fireplace burning in the background just before Alicent leaves Viserys for the last time.

And yes, in case you’re wondering, this is the same dagger that features prominently throughout game of Thronesfrom Petyr Baelish’s plan to pit the Starks and Lannisters against each other, to the ultimate demise of the Night King at the hands of Arya Stark.

What Alicent Believes

This is where it gets complicated. At the family dinner, it looked like Alicent and Rhaenyra had finally put the past behind them. Although Otto clearly disagreed, Alicent conceded that Rhaenyra would make a good queen. Everyone made themselves nice to one another for the evening, for the sake of their king and patriarch, and that seemed to have been it.

And then we get that final scene between Alicent and Viserys that changes everything. Viserys is delirious and thinks he is speaking to Rhaenyra when he says, “You wanted to know if I believe it to be true.” Alicent is confused by his mention of Aegon (there’s that name again). He talks about Aegon the Conqueror, but when he tells her that “the prince” will be the one who “unites the realm against the cold and the dark,” she misinterprets it as her own son.

“It’s you,” he says. Remember, he thinks he’s speaking to Rhaenyra here. “You are the one. You must do this. Can you please do this?”

“I understand, my king,” she replies, not understanding at all.

Alicent believes that she has just been told that her son will be the one who will unite the kingdom and she must see to it. Whatever she said about Rhaenyra before, all bets are void. From now on she has a sacred cause, entrusted to her by the king himself on his deathbed. In the book, Alicent was just fighting for power, but that’s a much better and stronger motivation for her. It’s for the good of the kingdom, after all.

A just cause

We always knew a Targaryen civil war was brewing. We were told that in the first episode. This is how it starts, two opposite sides believing that their cause is the only fair one. Neither side has the full picture or benefit of hindsight like we do. When the very survival of the kingdom is at stake, no amount of diplomacy, compromise, or half-heartedness will do. You win or you die. everyone dies

Now let the dance begin.