Game Of Thrones’ New Spinoff Challenges The Targaryen Dynasty Like The Franchise Never Has Before

by

The Targaryen family lies at the heart of George R. R. Martin’s world, with a history spanning generations of rulers, conflicts, and deep-seated animosities.

The latest series in the world of Game of Thrones, called A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, tells the story of a new generation of Targaryens. It’s set about a hundred years before the events of Game of Thrones, at a time when dragons are extinct and the Targaryen dynasty still holds the Iron Throne. The show follows Ser Duncan, nicknamed “Dunk” (played by Peter Claffey), as he tries to become a famous knight. He takes on a young boy as his apprentice, unaware that the boy is actually a Targaryen prince.

Aegon, nicknamed “Egg” (played by Dexter Sol Ansell), will experience many adventures alongside Dunk, growing up far from King’s Landing and his family. Like previous installments in the Game of Thrones universe, particularly A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, the story continues to explore whether the Targaryens are portrayed as good or bad. However, this time, the opinions of other characters regarding the Targaryens are especially important.

The struggle for the Iron Throne drives the entire story. After Robert’s Rebellion, that meant power belonged to House Baratheon. During the height of the Targaryen dynasty, as shown in House of the Dragon, their rule wasn’t really challenged. But A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms offers a different point of view on those events.

Raymun Fossoway Reveals A Lot A Contempt Towards The Targaryens To Dunk

Dunk meets Raymun Fossoway (Shaun Thomas) at the Ashford tournament, and the two strike up a conversation. Raymun bluntly describes the Targaryens as outsiders who gained power through conquest and whose rule has been marked by destructive wars and a practice of marrying within their own family. He calls them “incestuous aliens,” reminding Dunk of the history of their reign over Westeros.

Before Aegon Targaryen conquered Westeros around 300 years before the events of Game of Thrones, different societies already existed there. Aegon I forcibly united six of the Seven Kingdoms, and Raymun’s outspoken dislike of the Targaryens shows that some people still harbor resentment towards the royal family for how they came to power.

In Westeros, the Targaryen family is the only one that has historically practiced marriage between siblings, and other noble houses generally avoid openly criticizing this tradition. While Alicent Hightower briefly mentions it in House of the Dragon, Raymun delivers the most straightforward disapproval of the practice that we’ve seen so far.

The Fossoways seem to have resigned themselves to the Targaryens’ rule, acknowledging that resistance is futile. Raymun’s cousin, Steffon, expresses a similar sentiment, though his credibility is weakened by his decision to side with Maekar and Aerion. However, the Targaryens don’t have the same firm control they once did.

The Targaryen Dynasty Is Weaker Than Ever In A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms

As a long-time fan of the series, I’ve always found it interesting how people reacted to the Targaryens. Back when they had dragons, even if lords and commoners weren’t thrilled with their rule, it was just…practical to keep your head down. But in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, things feel different. The dragons are gone, and the Targaryens seem much more vulnerable, more like regular people. It really changes the power dynamics, and how everyone relates to them.

Dunk challenges Steffon’s hesitation to oppose the Dragonlords, and Steffon responds by asking where the dragons actually are. Considering the troubled reigns of kings like Aegon IV and Aerys II, it’s clear that the rebellion led by Robert Baratheon was likely inevitable.

There Is Tension Between All Three GOT Shows With How The Targaryens Are Portrayed

Unlike some other characters, Daenerys Targaryen, played by Emilia Clarke in Game of Thrones, is depicted as a powerful and heroic figure. The show presents her as believing she’s rightfully destined to rule, and as morally superior to the Lannisters. While her descent into becoming the “Mad Queen” surprised many, some viewers feel it was a logical progression, though the final season of Game of Thrones didn’t give her story the time it needed to unfold convincingly.

In House of the Dragon, certain Targaryens are attempting to prevent a devastating war between dragons. Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy), while trying to avoid conflict, is also making decisions based on a prophecy – the “Song of Ice and Fire” – which predicts a future war against the White Walkers and the need to prepare the kingdom.

Okay, so Daemon, played by Matt Smith, has this vision of Daenerys and suddenly decides that backing Rhaenyra’s claim to the throne isn’t just politics – it’s fate. Honestly, watching the show, you start to get the feeling that the whole ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ universe hints at the Targaryens being destined for something great. It’s like there’s this undercurrent suggesting they’re actually meant to do good things with all that power, even with all the craziness that happens.

However, the Targaryen dynasty was plagued by corruption and a sense of privilege, and there are numerous instances of them mistreating common people. They also initiated several wars – like the Dance of the Dragons and the Blackfyre Rebellion – which were essentially internal power struggles over who would rule, resulting in immense loss of life.

It’s possible the Targaryens existed primarily to use their dragons and defend Westeros against the White Walkers. However, Daenerys’ death and the end of her family line could also symbolize the conclusion of that entire purpose, allowing Westeros to move forward on its own.

This Is Why It Will Always Be Disappointing That Bloodmoon Was Cancelled

As a fan, learning more about how people in Westeros really saw the Targaryens in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms just makes me even more bummed that the Game of Thrones prequel, Bloodmoon, was cancelled. I was so excited for a show set thousands of years before Aegon’s Conquest, and it’s a shame we’ll likely never see the pilot they filmed, let alone the full series.

The cast of Bloodmoon featured Naomi Watts, Jamie Campbell Bower, Naomi Ackie, Miranda Richardson, Denise Gough, Georgie Henley, Toby Regbo, and other talented actors. The series was planned to explore the distant past of the Game of Thrones world – specifically the Age of Heroes and the Long Night – showing the early history of families like the Starks and revealing the beginnings of the White Walkers.

As a huge fan of the world of Westeros, I’ve always been fascinated by its deep history before the Targaryens came along, and the show A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms really nails why it’s so important to explore that era. The Targaryens’ time on the Iron Throne was… messy, to put it mildly. But honestly, this new spin-off doesn’t just add to the story, it actually makes the whole franchise richer by digging into those unanswered questions about the past.

Read More

2026-02-14 01:01