Summary
House of the Dragondelivered a major retcon with Aegon the Conqueror’s dream, and it unfortunately had a negative impact onGame of Thrones. Aegon’s dream foretold a coming Winter, with a darkness that would destroy the world and everyone in it. Only a Targaryen ruling Westeros could unite the realm and defeat it, which does almost happen inGame of Thrones' ending(Daenerys Targaryen is notquiteon the Iron Throne), but it doesn’t really help its parent series.
Aegon’s Song of Ice and Fire prophecydoes work very well forHouse of the Dragon’s own story, which is, of course, what the prequel should be more focused on. It has made it a core part of Rhaenyra Targaryen’s arc, and the misunderstanding stemming from the prophecy directly led to the Dance of the Dragons. It’s also a smart shift toHouse Targaryen’s history, reframing it and giving it a grander purpose. But as far asGame of Thronesgoes, it’s not so good.
6Aegon’s Dream Proves The White Walkers Died Too Quickly
Westeros' Greatest Threat Needed More Time
Aegon’s dream only reinforces what had been clear throughoutGame of Thrones:the White Walkers were the biggest threat Westeros had ever faced. This wasn’t just another villain, it was death itself. Aegon’s prophecy foresaw a coming darkness that would destroy all of humanity, and the White Walkers inGame of Throneswere built up to that power level… and then were very quickly dealt with.
I likeGame of Thronesseason 8a lot more than most, butrushing through the Night King’s death remains a problematic area. Having been introduced in the pilot’s cold open, even before a single main character, they did deserve more than just three episodes in the final season. Of course, the truncated nature of season 8 meant that wasn’t possible, and the Battle of Winterfell is still good (lighting issues aside), but it’s one of the parts where more episodes really would have benefited things.
The Song of Ice and Fire really just compounds the issue, because it shows this isn’t just a threat that’s re-emerging inGame of Thronesafter thousands of years, but one that House Targaryen, at least, may have spent centuries being prepared for. It defined their story, especially with it being the reason behind two of the biggest events in their history - Aegon’s Conquest and theDance of the Dragons- and that really deserves more than just one episode inGame of Thronesthat properly wrapped it up.
5The Use Of Dragons In The Battle Of Winterfell Is More Underwhelming
Game Of Thrones Season 8, Episode 3 Could Have Done More With Them
The exact meaning of A Song of Ice and Fire can be debated, as it could work as being about Jon Snow (ice) and Daenerys Targaryen (fire) needing to come together, or even just Jon Snow himself (the product of a Stark and a Targaryen). But on a very basic level, it is about the White Walkers and the dragons. And what Aegon’s dream does is take that and make it part of the two shows' canon, suggesting that one is needed to beat the other.
It’s pretty clear that Aegon would have believed his and his sister-wives' dragons - Balerion, Vhagar, and Meraxes - were key to defeating the White Walkers.
His prophecy as a whole, really, implies the importance of dragons in defeating the coming darkness. After all, Aegon conquered Westeros with dragons; Targaryen exceptionalism leads them to believe (whether rightly or wrongly) that they alone have the ability to ride dragons. It’s pretty clear that Aegon would have believed his and his sister-wives' dragons - Balerion, Vhagar, and Meraxes - were key to defeating the White Walkers.
All of that makes it more frustrating thatthe dragons actually played a very small role in the Battle of Winterfell. There was a brief skirmish between Drogon and Rhaegal against the undead Viserion, and Daenerys did help to rescue Jon, but it wasn’t the kind of impact you’d expect from some of the most powerful creatures alive. Although they tried to explain their absence from the fight due to concerns over who they’d hurt, it doesn’t help fix theplot hole regarding the Night King and dragonfire.
It’s never explained how or why the Night King can withstand dragonfire - especially when Valyrian steel kills him. If a metal forged from Old Valyrian, believed to be by magic and dragonfire, can destroy him, why not a creature whose lineage also belongs to Old Valyria and includes magic? It’s possible George R.R. Martin has a solution to it in the book (though the Night King does not exist), but with Aegon’s dream suggesting a key role for the dragons, it made it all the more complicated.
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4Aegon’s Song Of Ice & Fire Means Jon Snow Should Have Killed The Night King
House Of The Dragon Only Adds To The Setup For It
Not to keep going on about the White Walkers (though that’s exactly what I’m going to do), butAegon’s Song of Ice and Fire prophecy does suggest Jon Snow should have killed the Night King. Although Daenerys was the one planning on taking the Iron Throne, it was Jon Snow who had the stronger claim and, as the son of a Targaryen and a Stark, was the embodiment of ice and fire, meaning the"song"in question was about him.
Even when looking at the roles of both Dany and Jon together, they each play a key part in things: neither could truly unite the realm and defeat the White Walkers without the other. But if they’re a pair - Jon the ice, Daenerys the fire - then, with Dany getting to be the Targaryen on the Iron Throne, it still holds that Jon should have killed the Night King.
When it came toGame of Thronesitself, I was always somewhat conflicted overArya killing the Night King, but came down positively on it. Yes,it had absolutely set up Jon Snow more than anyone else, and Arya was an attempt at subverting expectations, but it was also extremely difficult to begrudge her that moment. After so many years of training, for the person who had to forego her identity to kill the Night King while defending her home is powerful. Aegon’s dream takes away from that, and puts the onus back on Jon.
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3Aegon’s Dream Confirms Game Of Thrones Wasted The Prince That Was Promised Prophecy
The Show Could Have At Least Mentioned The Prophecy More
House of the Dragonhas already referencedthe Prince That Was Promiseda couple of times, and made it more important to its story andGame of Throneshistory than its parent show ever did. By directly connecting the two prophecies - the text inscribed on the Valyrian steel dagger says"the Prince That Was Promised"- it has put it at the center of the Dance of the Dragon thanks to the misunderstanding over what Viserys said to Alicent.
Game of Thrones never really did a great deal with the prophecy and didn’t confirm who the Prince That was Promised was.
Game of Thronesnever really did a great deal with the prophecyand didn’t confirm who the Prince That was Promised was. Melisandre made a few references to it, and changed her mind several times on who it might be, but in the end, it didn’t have a tangible impact on things. That was always a bit disappointing: not that the story needed to be defined by the prophecy, but the way these prophecies can determine character decisions, arcs, and show how destiny (or attempts to avoid it) can become self-fulfilling are powerful parts of the books.
The show didn’t need to 100% confirm who the Prince That Was Promised Was - Martin’s books may not, either. But it should have done more than pay lip service to it. That it’s so rooted in Targaryen history only makes that worse.
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2Game Of Thrones Should Have Included Rhaegar In Daenerys' Season 2 Visions
A Lot Of Dany’s House Of The Undying Visions Were Cut
Game of Thronesseason 2 cut Daenerys' House of the Undying visionsdramatically, reducing a long passage that’s full of foreshadowing and meaning into just a couple of scenes. That’s somewhat understandable, since it’s a lot to try and convey to audiences and not all of it is necessary to her TV arc, and some of it does work better with the more internalized nature of the books. At the same time, it does lose some of the richness of the world, and a lot of what underpins Dany’s arc is rooted in those visions.
Among them is one of Rhaegar, who speaks to Daenerys about his son, Aegon. He says that"he is the Prince That Was Promised, and his will be the song of ice and fire.“That was already one of the more egregious cuts: it connects to the prophecy, to Daenerys' arc, seemingly toJon Snow’s parentage, and it is a rare instance where the title of the book series is directly stated in the text. Now that it also connects to Aegon’s dream and is building on centuries of Targaryen history, it further shows it should have been included.
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1Daenerys Should Have Been Queen Sooner - And For Longer
Daenerys Didn’t Become Queen Until Just Before She Was Killed
The point of Aegon’s prophecy is that Westeros can only be saved with a Targaryen ruling it. Daenerys proclaims herself Queen, but she doesn’t actually rule theSeven Kingdoms of Westeroswhen the White Walkers are defeated, but only after they are. Even when she is, it’s a very short reign, before she’s killed by Jon Snow. That isn’t necessarily a huge problem, depending on how your mileage varies with Dany’s ending (and, again, I’m more sympathetic towards it than most), but the prophecy does show it could’ve been handled better.
I think this, in part, actually speaks to how things will happen in Martin’s books, whereDaenerys will burn King’s Landing- likely in conflict with her nephew, Aegon Targaryen, aka Young Griff, who was revealed to still be alive in A Dance with Dragons (or it’s claimed to be him). After that, she could go forth and fight in the Long Night against the Others (whether compelled by prophecy or not), which could make for a stronger story than howGame of Thronesdid it.
Game Of Thrones
Cast
Based on George R. R. Martin’s ongoing A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, Game of Thrones is a fantasy drama set in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos. It follows noble families like the Starks, Lannisters, and Targaryen vying for control of the Iron Throne while a rising threat from the undead looms in the North. The series received significant critical success and amassed a loyal fan base due to its high production values, sprawling sets, iconic characters, and shocking twists.
House of the Dragon
House of the Dragon is a 2022 fantasy drama set in the world of Westeros, chronicling the Targaryen dynasty at its height. The story revolves around King Viserys’s controversial decision to name his daughter Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne, sparking tensions and divisions within the realm.
Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones is a multimedia franchise created by George R.R. Martin. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire is the basis for the award-winning HBO series Game of Thrones, which lasted for eight seasons. After the incredibly divisive final season of Game of Thrones, the series was followed up by the prequel series House of the Dragon, which also received critical acclaim.
