Everything you need to remember before watching House of the Dragon Season 2

Second season House of the Dragon This is probably one of the most anticipated small screen releases of the year. Not only because it continues the story between the Targaryen factions vying for power in Westeros. And also because this war is perhaps a scenario that could formulate the great stories that are yet to be told in the saga. With several by-products confirmed and there’s a lot of fabric to be cut around the fictional continent created by George R.R. Martin, This prequel is the perfect place to understand the mythology of the saga.

But precisely because of its breadth, detail and complexity, it is not always easy to delve into the universe that began with Game of Thrones. From long lists of dynasties to various wars, settings, houses, geographical locations, canon events and dragon people. Everything related to House of the Dragon — who started his journey with a book Fire and blood2018 — It becomes a confusing and fascinating collection of data in honor of the central story.

For this reason, and also taking into account how close the new season is to premiere, we leave you with everything you need to remember to better enjoy the story. From a tragic love story to a violent death that changed the history of Westeros forever. This is important information that will also help you take a position on a fundamental issue. Do you support blacks or greens? Here you will find everything you need to take the side of your choice.

King Jaehaerys I and his successor’s dilemma

The whole dilemma is House of the Dragon , starts from a difficult point. There is a succession problem in House Targaryen, owner of dragons and already known 200 years before the birth of Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) for her poor mental health. So, we choose continuity for the new board which would have replaced a highly prized monarch became a minefield.

It was this circumstance that caused the old king Jaehaerys I (Michael Carter) to have no apparent heir. So he asked the Kingdom to name one at a great meeting at Harrenhal, the largest castle in the Seven Kingdoms. The procedure, largely unpublished, He had to choose a successor according to the genealogical line of purity that linked him to the king.

Until then, there was no law on the gender of the chosen one. But the fact that the meeting between the Houses chose Viserys (Paddy Considine) rather than Rhaenys (Eve Best) tacitly established that the men They had priority over women when ascending to the Iron Throne.

King Viserys and his impossible decision

So King Visceris I was crowned, married to Emma (Sian Brooke), the half-Targaryen/half-Arryn of the Vale. The problem arose when, in an attempt to conceive a child, all the heirs of the monarch died before they could receive their inheritance. Everyone except Rhaenyra (Millie Alcott as a young woman, Emma D’Arcy as an adult). Because it was a woman, the king continued to try to conceive his successor.

That’s when Emma died in childbirth, giving birth to a child who also died a few hours later. The critical situation prompted Viserys I to try to analyze who could take a place in The Iron Throne and maintain family unity. He had few options, and none of them were good.

Rhaenyra’s appointment as heiress

Thus, Viserys I’s only legitimate heir was his brother Damon (Matt Smith), known for his abuses of power and how dangerous his behavior was to the stability of the Kingdom. The big question is: if the prince does not ascend, then who will? Although there were no precedents in this regard. Viserys made an unexpected decision. Name his daughter Rhaenyra as heir.

This is in anticipation, at best, of marriage and the birth of a new heir. But given Emma’s recent death, such a possibility seemed unlikely. Therefore, Viserys admitted that there was only one way out. May his daughter reign in the future.

Westeros’ best kept secret

As if all of the above weren’t enough, Viserys had reason to want a responsible – at least sane – heir in the line of succession. As he explained to his daughter the night before he was named as his heir, his ancestor Aegon the Conqueror had a prophetic dream about a White Walker invasion. At the height of the vision, it became clear to the monarch that only House Targaryen could stop the advance of the white threat.

Thus, part of the responsibility of the throne was also to be attentive to the dark destiny in which the Targaryens played a dominant role. You guessed it: this is a revelation, references to House of the DragonWith Saga “A Song of Ice and Fire”.

King Viserys’s new wife

In the midst of this chaos of decisions and influence, Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), Hand of the King, has made his move. Namely: sending his daughter Alicent (Emily Carey as a teenager and Olivia Cooke as an adult) to comfort Viserys in his misfortune. Of course, this was more than a consolation, it was a strategy, and soon the king He needed to marry again to unite the kingdom, and he decided to connect his life with Hightower’s little daughter.

This union produced four children: Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney), Helena (Fia Saban) and the evil Aemond (Ewan Mitchell). The book mentions Daeron, who has not yet appeared in the HBO adaptation. After the Targaryen betrayal, the firstborn married his sister, and they had twins Jaehaerys and Jahera. The novel mentions baby Maelor, who has not yet been included in the television version.

The king does not change his decision

Even though Viserys I had to choose two new sons as heir, he was still determined for his eldest daughter to rule, causing tension in the kingdom. While all this family stuff was going on, Rhaenyra grew up to be rebellious and independent and refused to choose a husband even though she was old enough to do so.

In fact, his bachelorhood became a matter of state, and later a possible cause of insult to the houses that sent suitors. In the midst of such a situation, the princess decided to take her cousin Laenor Velaryon (John MacMillan) as her husband. Last, son of Tidelord and Shipmaster Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) and Rhaenys Targaryen.

Return of Damon

The situation in Westeros became increasingly chaotic, and two difficult events occurred for Viserys. Alone, realizing that the Hand of the King had manipulated him into marrying his daughter, which made the latter the father of the queen and the grandfather of future kings.

At the other end is the return and forgiveness of Daemon, who fought and won an important victory at the Stonesteps alongside Corlys Velaryon. Which once again brought him a place at court and allowed him to get closer to his niece. True to family traditions, both behaved very dissolutely and scandalously. which, however, did not prevent the princess from marrying.

Years of betrayal and rumors

Marrying Laenor Velaryon in a wedding that ended with her lover’s death on the palace floor, Rhaenyra accepted her fate. Or so it seemed. Their brief romance was left behind, and an argument with Ser Christon Cole (Fabien Frankel), which earned him knightly hatred and gossip at court.

However, since Laenor was openly gay, the princess found love and comfort with Ser Harwyn Strong (Ryan Corr), the son of the new Hand of the King Lionel Strong (Gavin Spokes). Together they conceived three children, to whom Laenor gave her last name, although it was more than obvious that this was not her last name.

Laenor’s flight and marriage to Damon

While all of the above was happening, Dimon killed his first wife and quickly married, but was widowed again after a fatal birth. This paved the way for the final union of the prince and princess. She took the lead and helped Laenor escape to Essos after faking her death. Which allowed the union between uncle and niece.

When they married, they both had two sons: Aegon (another on the list) and Viserys. They both had blond Targaryen hair and could be told apart. easily conceived with the heiress’s lover.

Death of Viserys I

Having contracted leprosy, the king died in terrible agony. This left behind years of confrontation between Rhaenyra and Alicent, as well as incurable family hatred. Much more when Aemond Tagaryen He lost an eye in a family dispute and got into a public fight with the queen and princess, which surprised the court.

As if this were not enough, at the time of his death he was suffering from delusions in which he mentioned Aegon’s prophecy. But Alicent, who watched over him at his bedside, He believed that he meant his son and that Viserys had finally decided that he would be the last to rule.

Battle of the Targaryens

Otto Hightower decided to strike and isolate the Red Keep without notifying the princess of her father’s death. And this despite the fact that he managed to establish himself in power. Which, in a sense, he achieved. With the complicity of Christon Cole, he killed the only council member who opposed such behavior. Finally, Cawl crowned Aegon before the people of Westeros.

However, the celebration was interrupted midway when Princess Rhaenys, who was being forcibly held by Alicent in the Red Keep, appeared on the back of her dragon Melais. In his final surrender he avoided shouting. Dracarys!, but something became clearer. Rhaenyr would be informed of this immediately at her residence on Dragonstone. which would set the wheels of even greater conflict in motion.

Son’s death sparks war

In an attempt to reach a majority agreement and not go to war, Rhaenyra sent her two eldest sons, Jace and Luke, as her emissaries to the houses. How did the confrontation end? his eldest son Luke with his cousin Aemondon the backs of their dragons.

Losing control, the latter’s huge dragon ravaged the princess’s son’s smaller beast and killed him almost by accident.Which marked the beginning of the most terrible and terrible war in Westeros.