Fire and Blood; What to Expect in Game of Thrones Prequel, House of the Dragon

Winter has come and gone but the thrill and vibes of the Game of Thrones is still lingering. From season 1 to 6, the GoT series created a one of a kind feeling that won the hearts of millions of fans.

Although the curtain has finally closed on GoT, be not be dismayed as HBO has announced that a prequel to the epic fantasy series is in the works. Titled House of the Dragon, the prequel series follows the aftermath of the death of the Fifth Targaryen king, Viserys I.

Viserys I was known as a kind and fair king. But after his death and without male heirs, there was a division as to who should be the line of succession. His death sparked a civil war that turned Targaryen against Targaryen and sowed the seeds for the most brutal war fought on Westerosi soil.

The prequel is based on George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series and will be directed by Emmy-winning director, Miguel Sapochnik (Game of Thrones) and Ryan Condal (Colony).

Sapochnik is popular for winning the award for directing Game of Thrones episode “Battle of the Bastards”

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Civil War – Dance of the Dragons

Set 300 years before the events of Game of Thrones, House of Dragon begins when House Targaryen, the only family of dragonlords to survive the Doom of Valyria took up residence on Dragonstone in Westeros.

Following the tale in Fire & Blood novel, the series would probably begin with the story of the legendary Aegon the Conqueror, creator of the Iron Throne, and the generations of Targaryens that followed who sat on the throne up until the civil war.

The Dance of the Dragons was a war of succession fought from 129 to 131 AC. AC means Aegon’s Conquest of Wasteros.

The Targaryen civil war was a conflict over who should rule on the Iron Throne. The Targaryens generally followed the system of inheritance by a firstborn child, often the first-born son inherits the castle and lands of his or her father over an older sibling.

However, there were exceptions during Fifth Targaryen king Viserys I reign. Viserys had no male son by his wife so he named Rhaenyra, his daughter as his heir. When he re-married his second wife gave him a son but Viserys didn’t change the succession plan.

When Viserys’ died, his eldest son, Aegon backed by his mother Alicent Hightower instead ascended the iron throne, causing a great rift in the kingdom. At this time, Rhaenyra was also married to her uncle, the “rogue prince” Daemon Targaryen and ruled over Dragonstone.

The civil war that ensued nearly tore the seven kingdoms apart as blood and fire flood as each rival clawed for each other’s throats. The series will reflect love, deceit, betrayal, and bravery.

Oh! expect a lot of dying…

Much of the drama takes place in King’s Landing and Dragonstone, which is familiar from GoT. However, most of the dragon battles, fighting and bloodshed primarily happen in the Riverlands, Harrenhal and The God’s Eye.

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Cast

Main characters to watch out for are Alicent Hightower – Viserys I’s second wife, Daemon Targaryen – Viserys I’s brother, Rhaenyra – Viserys I’s daughter and named heir and King Aegon II – Viserys I’s eldest son by Alicent.

Casting for the series reportedly began in July 2020, and Paddy Considine popular know for the HBO series The Outsider and The Death of Stalin has been cast as the great King Viserys I Targaryen.

The cast for other main characters like Rhaenyra haven’t been selected but looking at the interest selection the directors made in GOT the prequel has a potential to be even better.

Dragons

At the beginning of the civil war, there were many dragons but Viserys’ dragon Balerion, the Black Dread was the oldest. He was the last living dragon to have seen the Freehold, the lands beyond Westeros which the Targaryens fled before the Doom. 

Other major dragons are Daemon Targaryen red Caraxes called “the Blood Wyrm.”; Rhaenyra’s young yellow-scaled Syrax. Ser Laenor Velaryon’s Seasmoke; Helaena’s Dragon Dreamfyre; Princes Jacaerys, Lucerys and Joffrey dragon’s Vermax, Arrax, and Tyraxes and King Aegon II’s Sunfyre, “the Golden.”

The series is expected in 2022, according to HBO programming chief Casey Bloys. So keep your fingers crossed and wait for its landfall. If GOT is anything to go by we are in for a flood of fire, roars of dragons and the drowning sound of a sea of blood!!

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