It’s hard to believe, but Game of Thrones is back. Already in August, the prequel series House of the Dragon will premiere, which will recount the events 200 years before the start of the original. The creators have already shown several trailers that ruin a lot of interesting plot details. However, only the most devoted fans of George RR Martin’s work will be able to understand them. Why are there so many people with white hair, where do dragons come from and who the hell is the main villain? We decided to simplify the task for you, and in this article we will analyze in detail all the known information about the “House of the Dragon”.
What was in the book?
The events of the new series will indeed take place 200 years before the misadventures of Daenerys and Jon Snow, but the screenwriters will still have no freedom. The story is based on the book Fire & Blood, which fortunately should have happened a long time ago.
The work tells of the reign of the Targaryen house, especially Viserys the First. After the death of the king, a full-fledged civil war broke out between his descendants, which was popularly called the “Dance of Dragons”. The finished resource is definitely one of the biggest pluses of the upcoming project. A dubious ending, as it was in Game of Thrones, and a complete rethink of the characters, you can certainly not be afraid.
An adult Rhaenyra can be much more dangerous than a distraught DaenerysHouse Targaryen has always been famous for its dragons. Terrible monsters acted as pets and unconditionally obeyed the representatives of the dynasty. Daenerys’ three dragons are just echoes of past power. From the book we know about 20 persons who lived during the time of Viserys. That’s why powerful snakes regularly flash in trailers and promotional material – there will be a lot of them.
Apparently the series will start a little earlier than the famous Civil War, it will show the origin of the conflict, meaning it will span at least two time periods. This is easily confirmed by getting acquainted with the cast, with some actors playing the same characters. It’s possible that the “Dance of the Dragons” itself won’t be in the first season at all, and the story will focus on the king and his inner circle. This decision is understandable, because the war itself lasted about three years. You can not stretch such material for five seasons – you need to dilute it with flashbacks.
The role of Viserys the First was played by Paddy Considine (Patrick George “Paddy” Considine). At the same time, the king has been ruling the Seven Kingdoms for quite some time, so we will not see the stage of seizing power by the Targaryen house, and the monarch will appear in old age. Viserys was remembered as one of the most reasonable and kind rulers. He did not tolerate quarrels and senseless conflicts, he deserved the love of both the lords and the common people.
Nevertheless, there was one problem that the king could not solve in any way: the lack of an heir. The Targaryens came from across the sea, so they didn’t care much about following the customs of Westeros, including the Andalusian right of succession to the throne through the senior male line. Viserys did not interfere much in the transfer of power and appointed his daughter, Reynira, as the next ruler. Many lords swore allegiance to the little girl and it seemed that the further fate of the Seven Kingdoms was decided, but you know old George Martin!
Although he was not yet too old, the king married for the second time. The young daughter of the right-hand man of Otto Hightower – Alicent, whose image was embodied by Olivia Cooke – unexpectedly gave birth to the long-awaited boy – Aegon. It completely changed the whole balance of power. Rainier was supported by the Black Party, while the young Prince was supported by the Greens. This separation of colors has disappeared since the tournament, when Alicente dressed in a green dress and Reynira in black and red. On the confrontation of the children of Viserys, the further plot of the “House of the Dragon” will be built.
Can Rainier surpass Daenerys?
What’s happening in the series
The new trailer confirmed many details of the canon, but confused even the most ardent fans. As we mentioned, viewers will see at least two time periods. Princess Reynira constantly appears in the frame, either as a little girl or as a grown woman. The character was played by Milly Alcock and Emma D’Arcy. The role of Reynira is more or less clear to us – the trailer showed the oath of the gentlemen, the wedding with Leinor Velarion and the tournament where the girl will find her lord commander – Kristen Kohl.
African American with white dreadlocks – Corlis Velaryon – the famous navigator and husband of Rhaenys Targaryen. It is his son who becomes the groom of little Rainier. In the original, the Velaryons were distantly related to the Targaryens, so they also had fair skin and ashen hair, but they decided to change this point in the series.
Corlis VelarionAccording to the canon, Damon Targaryen, Viserys’ brother, will be the princess’s second husband. He was played by the inimitable Matt Smith. Damon is one of the main characters, but his role raises questions. The trailer gives the impression that it is the uncle and niece who are vying for the throne, while the “former Doctor Who” is constantly shown as an aggressive villain. In the book, Damon had a really violent temper and arrogant character, but instead of an open confrontation with his niece, he opted for a wedding. Perhaps the uncle will be Rainier’s antagonist, but only for a short period of time.
There is a scene in the trailer where the king’s brother threatens the Hand with his sword. This moment is very interesting, where Damon holds a dragon egg in his hands. It seems that the prince is trying to escape, and the king and the right hand want to intervene.
Apparently, Damon will become one of the main decorations of the series.Above all, the scenes with Alicent Hightower raise questions. Not only does the Queen Stepmother openly rush to Reynira with a knife, she is also above the official heiress in one of the lists. It can be assumed that Aegon will not play a significant role in the first season, and it is his mother who, like Cersei Lannister, will start the entire “Game of Thrones”. This idea is confirmed by the words of Rhaenys Targaryen, who asks Alicente if she wants to ascend the Iron Throne. It seems that the sweet Queen will not only manipulate Viserys, but also become a serious threat to the rightful heiress.
Alicent Hightower – a wolf in sheep’s clothingI would like to say a few words about Kristen Kohl. The same tournament that has been flashed in trailers multiple times is a canonical moment from the book. Young Kristen collided with Damon Targaryen and won. In the future, the knight swore allegiance to Rhaenyra, but after a while he sided with Alycente and Aegon. The man had many reasons for this. One is Reynira’s violent passion, which the noble warrior would not accept. The princess tried to seduce the knight, but he constantly ignored her.
Kristen is a real noble knight. I wonder how he will appear in the seriesAs a result, the girl turned to her uncle for help, who actively began to teach the art of love. As we understand, these were far from theoretical lectures on the pickup. We can expect a few more shocking scenes that could push the gender of Daenerys and Khal Drogo. Corruption of minors and even incest – all in the tradition of George Martin’s books.
The locations of the series deserve special attention. Do you remember the home of the Targaryen family, Dragonstone? In the Game of Thrones the fortress was not in the best condition, but now we will see it in all its splendor. For a moment the famous King’s Landing flashed by, as did the mysterious smoking mountain of dragons. In the books, this description fits Valyria – the birthplace of giant snakes and Targaryens. Showing her in the series would make sense.
We have not found more useful information in the videos. It is already clear that the creators approach even the most insignificant moments of the lore very carefully. The fight between Kristen and Damon is recreated in great detail. However, there are also plenty of freedoms – for example, Velaryons with black skin.
“House of the Dragon” could be a big fix for HBO. The series is all about intrigue and palace compartments, bringing us back to the same Game of Thrones we saw in its first successful seasons. A significant plus was George Martin’s active participation in the filming process. A cheerful old man must help the writers to portray the characters and events as intended. All in all, fingers crossed.
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It’s hard to say how much the canon will change, but we hope for the best. For HBO there is no rush, so every chance for a calm and gradual development of storylines, without sudden clouding (hello Daenerys). We wish the series the best of luck and look forward to its premiere on August 22. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power takes on the House of the Dragon. And this battle will be legendary!
Are you going to watch House of the Dragon?
Source: VG Times