They’re back, and they’ve reeled us in once more.
Game of Thrones ended on a bum note after eight seasons, but House of the Dragon has fans hooked. It’s a prequel to Game of Thrones, set 172 years before Daenerys Targaryen’s reign. The first few episodes are everything audiences wanted and more.
The Targaryens are crazy, but we love them for it.
‘House of the Dragon’ is before Daenerys’ time
You’re severely mistaken if you thought there wouldn’t be blood in this series. Its opening is relatively tame, with King Jaehaerys choosing an heir with the Great Council’s help.
Viserys Targaryen, first of his name, becomes Prince of Dragonstone. A few minutes later, his younger brother, Daemon Targaryen, raises hell. He storms into King’s Landing with the City Watch, exacting his brand of justice. The entire incident takes only two minutes, but it feels longer.
The first episode was interesting. There’s bloodshed, incest, treason, and of course, a lot of sex.
The Targaryens always keep it in the family
You’d be justified in thinking that House of the Dragon is much slower in pace compared to Game of Thrones. It may seem like that at first because of all the dialogue, but those who think so will soon be proven wrong.
There’s incest in the beginning, although it may only be evident to fans who’ve read the book. We’re not spoiling that here since there’s no confirmation if the series will follow the book. But if there’s one thing you should know, the Targaryens always keep it in the family. What better way to do that than by inbreeding?
At some point in the series, Rhaenyra (Viserys I’s daughter) gets picked as the queen. His son, Baelon, died right after Aemma, his wife, gave birth via C-section. Daemon wanted to get picked, but the council deemed him too violent to rule, so Rhaenyra became queen.
Milly Alcock has a royal vibe in episode 2
Viserys I is still king, and he’s not doing anything to change that. Corlys Velaryon, who’s part of his council, advises him to marry again. He offers his 12-year-old daughter to the king, and they go on a date, talking about dragons.
Meanwhile, Daemon Targaryen is squatting on Dragonstone with his mistress, Lady Mysaria. He sends a message to Viserys saying that she’s pregnant and he has taken one of the eggs to put on the baby’s cradle. This specific egg was the one meant for Baelon’s cradle.
Rhaenyra takes matters into her own hands, making a powerful entrance by swooping in on a dragon. She challenges Daemon to kill her, but he backs down and returns the egg. Just royal things.
Matt Smith is the unexpected star of ‘House of the Dragon’
Matt has taken on other significant roles before, like on Dr. Who. He also played Prince Philip on the Netflix series The Crown. But he’s taken the world by storm with his silent performance on House of the Dragon.
By the end of the latest episode, Daemon Targaryen waved a white flag to lure the Crabfeeder out. He slew a couple of men before his men came to help him. The scene ends with Daemon coming out of the cave holding the Crabfeeder’s corpse by the head. Fans are saying that Smith deserves an Emmy for his work.
House of the Dragon is now streaming on HBO Go.
Featured Image Daniella Sison
