House of the Dragon is set almost 200 years before the beloved HBO series Game of Thrones events. In fact, the showrunners referenced some interesting elements included in GOT and fleshed out further in HOTD—both as fan service, and a means to weave the two stories together. You can make the comparison by watching Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon; both titles are currently streaming on HBO Go. So sign up now, stream movies online, and experience wider entertainment at home with PLDT Home.
Since we are talking about references, a spoiler alert is now in effect if you haven’t seen the series!
Dragonstone
From Game of Thrones Official GIPHY
Dragonstone played a major role in the history of the Targaryens. It is where Aegon I and his sister wives took refuge before setting his sights on the rest of Westeros. In Game of Thrones, Stannis Baratheon took over Dragonstone after his brother Robert kicked him out of Storm’s End for failing to capture the escaping Daenerys and Viserys III. It was later seen in season 7 when Daenerys chose it as the base of her operation. The castle is run down, unkempt, and infested with vermin in both instances. But in House of the Dragon, we see Dragonstone in all its glory.
Dracarys
From Game of Thrones Official GIPHY
We first heard the iconic Valyrian term for “dragon fire” in Game of Thrones season 3 when Daenerys orders Drogon to kill the Good Master in Astapor. The command is used much more often in the House of the Dragon, given that more dragons exist in the show. It was first uttered by Rhaenyra to set a funeral pyre for her deceased mother and stillborn brother, and later on by Laena Velaryon as she and Daemon rode their dragons in Essos.
Faith of the Seven
From Game of Thrones Official GIPHY
In Game of Thrones, we were introduced to the symbol of the Faith that adorned the Red Keep; but in House of the Dragon, the Targaryen sigil was initially in its place. Thanks to Episode 8, we all know how it changed. It was Queen Alicent Hightower’s doing, in a subtle move to power-grab and take advantage of the now weakened Viserys I. In Episode 10, Rhaenyra also made her sons swear “under the eyes of the Seven” before sending them as messengers to secure their allies from other Houses.
The real Iron Throne
From Game of Thrones Official GIPHY
Book fans have complained about how dull the Iron Throne looked in Game of Thrones. It was meant to look ugly and menacing, with hundreds of blades dangerously sticking out. House of the Dragon addressed this issue by giving us an Iron Throne that looks like it was yanked straight out of hell. The spikes look dangerous; Viserys I could have anyone executed by being thrown into them.
WARNING: Major spoilers ahead!
The Kinslayer
From Game of Thrones Official GIPHY
This was infamously bestowed upon Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones at the beginning of Season 5 after he killed his father, Tywin Lannister, in the previous season. The term dated to the earlier centuries of Westeros and was meant as a derogatory term for anyone cruel enough to betray and slay their own family. While we haven’t heard of the term being used in House of the Dragon yet, there is one important event in Dance of the Dragons (the all-out Targaryen war) that would grant the menacing title to one of its characters: Aemond Targaryen.
Rhaenyra will get murdered…
From Game of Thrones Official GIPHY
Remember Aegon II, the obnoxious, lazy, spoiled brat who keeps chasing after chamber maidens? Well, what if we tell you that brat will bring about the end of Rhaenyra? Joffrey Baratheon actually spoiled this in episode 4 of season 3. Joffrey tours Margaery Tyrell around the Red Keep. They pass along the final resting place of the now long-dead Rhaenyra. Joffrey tells Margaery that Aegon II murdered Rhaenyra by having his dragon Sunfyre devour Rhaenyra alive. This information is actually taken straight from the book, so there is a huge chance it will happen unless the showrunners decide to deviate from the source material.
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