House of the Dragon boss explains the role of the Song of Ice and Fire prophecy

As a devoted fan who has traversed the tumultuous lands of Westeros and Essos through George R.R. Martin’s masterful pen and HBO’s captivating adaptations, I must say that the intricate web of prophecies in House of the Dragon is nothing short of mesmerizing. The Song of Ice and Fire prophecy, a tantalizing enigma that has long haunted the Targaryen line, is once again proving to be a powerful catalyst for the characters’ actions and decisions.

Approximately two weeks ago, author George R.R. Martin criticized “House of the Dragon,” a series derived from his book “Fire & Blood,” for making numerous alterations. In reaction to this critique, HBO released an episode on their official “House of the Dragon” podcast where showrunner Ryan Condal justified his adaptation decisions. He touched upon several subjects, including the essence of the Song of Ice and Fire prophecy, which posits that a Targaryen should sit on the Iron Throne to combat an impending apocalyptic danger originating from the distant North.

This prophecy was first delivered to Aegon the Conqueror, the man who united the Seven Kingdoms over a century before the events of House of the Dragon, in a dream. It was passed down through the line of Targaryen rulers before being told to Rhaenyra Targaryen, who is now fighting with her half-brother Aegon Targaryen to sit the Iron Throne. Having seen Game of Thrones, we know that neither of these characters are the chosen one that the prophecy hints at; the White Walker apocalypse won’t happen until the time of Thrones, but the prophecy has an influence on Rhaenyra’s actions anyway. Now that she’s told her son Jace, it may influence him too.

As an enthusiast, I can’t reveal too much just yet, but let me tell you, we’ve carefully planted seeds throughout the story, and they’re blossoming into fascinating elements as we progress. One particular aspect that caught our attention is Aegon the Conqueror’s prophecy – a dream of the impending Long Night, which he carried with him throughout his life and may have passed down to subsequent generations.

And of course, whenever anybody hears a prophecy, particularly somebody who believes themselves to be exceptional by birth or bloodline, they will exploit that and use that as a reason, a manifest destiny for the choices that they’re making and the things that they’re doing. So if Rhaenyra believes or comes to believe that she is meant to be the one, the chosen one, the one that Viserys dreamed of, and that the reason that Aegon passed the dream down was just so it could get to Rhaenyra, the first female sovereign to sit the Iron Throne. We know that it’s not her. But it’s really interesting to see how the belief of that can be doubted or committed to or believed in and then wielded throughout the course of her attempt to claim the Iron Throne.

The pros and cons of prophecy

I like the idea of Rhaenyra latching onto this prophecy and using it as justification for her war against Aegon, which we know gets increasingly brutal and pyrrhic. We see how it might negatively affect her in the scene where Jace questions the wisdom of allowing peasants to ride dragons, a decision that may well backfire. “I cannot gainsay that which the gods have laid before me,” Rhaenyra tells her son, justifying her decision by referencing her great and noble destiny.

The whole “Red Sowing” episode has some good “Rhaenyra might be taking this prophecy too seriously” moments. When she’s trying to recruit peasants to be part of her new Targaryen air force, she basically locks them all in a room with a couple of huge dragons and waits to see if anyone will survive. There’s a bit of a mad glint in her eye when Hugh Hammer manages to claim the dragon Vermithor. I like creepy Rhaenyra and hope she shows back up in season 3.

That said, I didn’t like how the show had Rhaenyra’s husband Daemon Targaryen literally see his own vision of the long night in the season finale; I think the prophecy works better as a narrative device if it’s somewhat ambigous. What might have been lost along the line? Did it ever really exist or is Rhaenyra just telling herself it did so she can do what she already wanted to do anyway? Daemon’s vision clears up waters I would have preferred remained muddy.

As we move forward, it remains to be seen what lies ahead once “House of the Dragon” season 3 is aired, which should be around 2026.

2024-10-02 17:41

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