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‘House of the Dragon’, the first official spin-off series from the massively successful, controversial, and game changing, ‘Game of Thrones’, is finally here.
Like ‘Game of Thrones’, which was an adaptation of author George RR Martin’s celebrated “A Song of Ice and Fire” book series.
‘House of the Dragon’ is an adaption of Martin’s prequel novel “Fire and Blood”, specifically the story “Heirs of the Dragon”.
Although, there is always the possibility that the series will also encompass the subsequent stories “The Dying of the Dragon” and “Aftermath” should future seasons be greenlit by HBO Max.
As while the “Fire and Blood” book tells several stories of the Targaryen dynasty beginning with Aegon the 1st’s conquest of Westeros right up to the reigns of his sons and their descendants.
‘House of the Dragon’ instead focuses on the lives and conflicts of the descendants of Aegon’s grandson, Jaeherys the 1st (played in ‘House of the Dragon’ by Michael Carter).
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Latest News
17/10/2022:
The official ‘Game of Thrones’ YouTube page has released the below look into the making of Season 1 Episode 9, focusing on the turmoil and conflict caused by the confusion over who is Viserys’ chosen heir to The Iron Throne:
17/10/2022:
The official ‘Game of Thrones’ YouTube page have released the below teaser trailer for the season finale of ‘House of the Dragon’, Season 1 Episode 10:
14/10/2022:
The official ‘Game of Thrones’ YouTube page has released the below look into how they created the incredible model of Old Valyria belonging to King Viserys:
10/10/2022:
The official ‘Game of Thrones’ YouTube page has released the below look into the making of Season 1 Episode 8, focusing in particular on King Visery’s final attempt to unite all sides of his family under a common cause while dealing with the threats against them from both outside and within their family:
10/10/2022:
The official ‘Game of Thrones’ YouTube page have released the below teaser trailer for ‘House of the Dragon’, Season 1 Episode 9:
07/10/2022:
The official ‘Game of Thrones’ YouTube page has released the below look into how they created on screen, the scenes of young Aegon claiming the great dragon, Vhagar, as his own:
03/10/2022:
The official ‘Game of Thrones’ YouTube page has released the below look into the Dragons of ‘House of the Dragon’, from how the dragons impact the storytelling of the series, to how their created on screen:
03/10/2022:
The official ‘Game of Thrones’ YouTube page has released the below look into the making of Season 1 Episode 7, focusing in particular on the conflict between the children that leads to one of them suffering a lasting wound, and how Leaena’s death causes Laenor to re-evaluate his own future:
03/10/2022:
The official ‘Game of Thrones’ YouTube page have released the below teaser trailer for ‘House of the Dragon’, Season 1 Episode 8:
26/09/2022:
The official ‘Game of Thrones’ YouTube page has released the below look into the making of Season 1 Episode 6, focusing in particular on the deepening divides between the core characters and how these now affect their children’s futures:
26/09/2022:
The official ‘Game of Thrones’ YouTube page have released the below teaser trailer for House of the Dragon, Season 1 Episode 7:
26/09/2022:
The official ‘Game of Thrones’ YouTube page has released the below look into the making of the Driftmark throne room of Lord Corlys Velaryon (played by Steve Toussaint). Paying particular attention to the incredible detailing of the many trophies and souvenirs of Corlys’ adventures that decorate the throne room:
20/09/2022:
The official ‘Game of Thrones’ YouTube page has released the below look into the making of the celebration scenes shown near the end of Season 1 Episode 5:
20/09/2022:
The official ‘Game of Thrones’ YouTube page have released the below teaser trailer for ‘House of the Dragon’, Season 1 Episode 6:
16/09/2022:
The official ‘Game of Thrones’ YouTube page has released the below look into the making of the Targaryen flag ship that Rhaenyra (played Millie Alcock) and Ser Criston Cole (played by Fabien Frankel) are seen aboard as they sail back to Kings Landing in ‘House of the Dragon’, Season 1 Episode 4:
13/09/2022:
The official ‘Game of Thrones’ YouTube page has released the below look into the making of ‘House of the Dragon’, Season 1 Episode 4:
13/09/2022:
The official ‘Game of Thrones’ YouTube page have released the below teaser trailer for ‘House of the Dragon’, Season 1 Episode 5:
12/09/2022:
The official ‘Game of Thrones’ YouTube page has released the below look into the making of Daemon’s (played by Matt Smith) epic beach battle in ‘House of the Dragon’, Season 1 Episode 3:
07/09/2022:
The official ‘Game of Thrones’ YouTube page has released the below look into the making of ‘House of the Dragon’, Season 1 Episode 3:
07/09/2022
The official preview for ‘House of the Dragon’, Season 1 Episode 4 is here:
01/09/2022
As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, ‘House of the Dragon’ showrunner and 1st episode Director, Miguel Sapochnik, will not be returning for the recently announced Season 2 (see below for the news update on 26/08/2022), leaving his Season 1 Co-Creator and Co-Showrunner, Ryan Condal, as the sole showrunner for Season 2. In addition to his showrunning and producing duties, Condal will also continue to work closely with author, George R.R. Martin, on the second season’s storylines.
In an official statement, Sapochnik states:
“Working within the Thrones universe for the past few years has been an honor and a privilege, especially spending the last two with the amazing cast and crew of House of the Dragon,”
“I am so proud of what we accomplished with season one and overjoyed by the enthusiastic reaction of our viewers. It was incredibly tough to decide to move on, but I know that it is the right choice for me, personally and professionally. As I do so, though, I am deeply comforted to know that Alan will be joining the series. He’s someone I’ve known and respected for a long time, and I believe this precious series could not be in safer hands. I am so glad to remain a part of the HBO and House of the Dragon family and, of course, I wish Ryan and his team success and all the best with season two and beyond.”
The “Alan” that Sapochnik mentions in his above statement is Director, and ‘Game of Thrones’ veteran, Alan Taylor (Thor: The Dark World, Terminator: Genisys, The Many Saints of Newark), who directed many of Game of Thrones’ most celebrated episodes such as “Fire and Blood“, “The Prince of Winterfell“, and “Beyond The Wall“.
Taylor is set to join ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2 as an Executive Producer, and is also said to be set to direct multiple episodes of the season as well.
In his own statement regarding joining Season 2, Taylor says:
“It’s a pleasure and an honor to be back at HBO, immersing myself in the world of the Targaryens. I look forward to working closely with Ryan as House of the Dragon grows into its second season. Ryan, Miguel and George have launched an extraordinary story, in a rich and fascinating world. Returning to Westeros will be a huge undertaking and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
29/08/2022
The official preview for ‘House of the Dragon’, Season 1 Episode 3 is here:
26/08/2022
We’re not even on Episode 2 yet but HBO via the official ‘House of the Dragon’ Twitter page have confirmed that the show has now been renewed for Season 2, and although no release date has been confirmed yet, it is likely that we can expect it in either late 2023 or between Easter and Summer of 2024.
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‘House of the Dragon’ Season 1 Episodes – Weekly Recap
Episode 1 – “The Heirs of the Dragon”
This episode lasts 1 hour and 3 minutes and I can assure you that barely a second of that run time is wasted. As over the episodes run time we see that despite being set (as the episode’s title card advises us) 172 years before episode 1 of ‘Game of Thrones’. We see that the Westeros of ‘House of the Dragon’ is remarkably similar to the Westeros we already know. Chock full of intrigue, political manoeuvring and scheming, death, heartbreak, family members even more untrustworthy than those of rival houses, distant battles, and dragons…
The episode begins by establishing the decision that will ultimately lead to the fall of House Targaryen. That of King Jaehaerys I (played by Michael Carter) calling a great council who when asked to choose his successor, choose Prince Viserys Targaryen (played by Paddy Considine), instead of choosing Princess Rhaenys Targaryen (played by Eve Best), whose succession claim as she is his oldest descendant is seemingly only dismissed because she is a woman, a theme common within the history of Westeros.
The episode then moves to Visery’s 9th year reigning as King wherein over a succession of scenes, we are introduced to his first born child, the Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (played by Milly Alcock), her dragon Syrax, her best friend Alicent Hightower (played by Emily Carey), and Ser Harrold Westerling (played by Graham McTavish), Lord Commander of the Kingsguard.
The episode then begins laying its plot points for the rest of the season, first with a conversation between Rhaenyra and her heavily pregnant mother, Aemma (played by Sian Brooke), where Aemma advises her headstrong daughter that her battlefield is not as a knight but on the child bed giving birth to heirs. Before moving to a meeting of the King’s Small Council wherein the revelations include pirates being murdered at sea which Viserys’ Lord Admiral and Master of Ships, Lord Corlys Velaryon (played by Steve Toussaint), who also happens to be the husband of his cousin Rhaenys who he was chosen over, would like to investigate further.
There are also concerns regarding Viserys’ brother Daemon’s (played by Matt Smith) leadership of the crown’s City Watch (familiar to GOT fans as The Gold Cloaks), in particular the money that is being spent on them. As well as concerns regarding the cost of Viserys’ tournament for the birth of his child who he is convinced will be a boy.
We are then finally introduced to Smith’s Daemon as he sits on The Iron Throne, his ambitions crystal clear, before he speaks with Rhaenyra in a scene full of tension, and gifts her a Valyrian steel necklace that he has brought for her.
The next few scenes establish Rhaenyra’s fears over being overshadowed by a brother even if she won’t admit them out loud, followed by Viserys being attended by the Maesters for a nasty wound on his back caused by The Iron Throne, which his hand and close friend, Otto Hightower (played by Rhys Ifans) warns the Grand Maester to keep a secret. Before then showing Viserys and Aemma in a quiet moment as Aemma tells him of her fears of losing another child in childbirth followed by telling him that whatever happens this will be her final pregnancy, foreshadowing the events to come later in the episode.
This quiet scene is then contrasted by a much louder and more gruesome series of scenes as we see Daemon rally his City Watch with a speech before taking them down into the poorer areas of the city and murdering and maiming anyone found to be a criminal, with a thief seen having their hand cut off, while a rapist has another piece of their anatomy brutally cut off for their crime.
This act of violence and final judgement leads to a heated face off between Daemon and the Small Council as they condemn him for his actions with Daemon showing no remorse and justifying his every action. The scene establishing both Daemon’s allies on the Small Council and his enemies, primarily Otto, with it made clear in this scene and later scenes that neither man trusts or likes the other.
Then as is tradition at this point for a ‘Game of Thrones’ show, we have the obligatory character in a brothel scene that serves as plot exposition wherein we see Damon confiding his thoughts to Mysaria (played by Sonoya Mizuno) with the scene establishing a long relationship between them.
The centrepiece of the episode then is the tournament wherein we see Daemon win the majority of his jousts with ease, and almost killing Otto’s son in one joust, before then compounding his taunting by asking Alicent, Otto’s daughter, for her favour (a small wreath hung on the Knight’s jousting lance) which she gives much to her father’s quiet disdain.
As the tournament continues, Viserys is called away to Aemma’s side as the Grand Maester advises him that they can’t get the baby turned for birthing and so now the king must make an impossible choice, either lose his wife and save his baby, or continue trying to turn the baby and possibly lose them both. As Viserys agonises over the decision, we cut back to the final joust of the tournament, Ser Criston Cole (played by Fabien Frankel) against Daemon.
Cole wins the tournament by first unhorsing Daemon with his lance and then beating him in a brutal hand to hand battle forcing the Prince to yield. At the same time, Viserys chooses his unborn baby over his wife, and what follows is a harrowing scene in which Aemma realises what is about to happen and pleads for her life to no avail. The Maesters birth the baby and confirm to the king that it is indeed a son.
Aemma is then laid to rest on a funeral pyre attended by her family and the lords of the realm where we see a hesitant Rhaenyra urged by Daemon to step forward, telling her that her father will need her more than ever, and so she steps forward and quietly speaks the command of “Dracerys” so that the waiting dragon may set the pyre ablaze.
Following this, a tense scene in the chamber of the Small Council ensues, watched unbeknown to the council by Daemon. As it is revealed that the baby passed within a day leaving no clear heir to the throne, and so the council tries to urge Viserys to appoint a new heir, preferring that he appoint Rhaenyra over Daemon, before the king angrily walks out of the chamber calling them all vultures. This is then followed by a moment of political scheming that would no doubt make both Tywin Lannister and Littlefinger proud. As Otto calls Alicent to his office and instructs her to go to Viserys to keep him company and to wear one of her mothers dresses as well, his intent unspoken but as clear as glass nonetheless.
We see Viserys alone, carving a model from stone, as Alicent enters and tells him of how she understands his grief and offers to sit and read to him while he works. This is then contrasted against Daemon who is once more in the brothel, but this time surrounded by his City Watch as they celebrate, and Daemon stands and offers a toast to his nephew, the “heir for a day”.
This news is found out by the Small Council who relay it to a furious Viserys who then demands in a private conversation with Daemon that he confirm if it is true and upon hearing that it is, and after a heated argument between them. Viserys orders Daemon to leave Kings Landing and return to his own lands immediately.
The episode then ends with Viserys naming Rhaenyra as his heir and telling her of this and his reasons why. Then showing Rhaenyra’s naming ceremony as heir to the crown before ending with a reveal, a secret as Viserys says in private to Rhaenyra, that has been passed from father to heir of the Targaryen histories since Aegon’s time.
The secret being that Aegon foresaw in a dream the end of the world of men as an endless winter gusting out of the North, an absolute darkness that would destroy everything it covered. And so Aegon called his dream, The Song of Ice and Fire, and that to stop it from coming to pass, a Targaryen, King or Queen, strong enough to unite the realm, must always sit on The Iron Throne…
‘House of the Dragon’ FAQ
Is ‘House of the Dragon’ going to have a Season 2?
Yes, there will indeed be a second season of ‘House of the Dragon’. As HBO had announced the show’s renewal for a second season before the 2nd episode of the first season had even aired.
Is ‘House of the Dragon’ a sequel to ‘Game of Thrones’?
While the show has been released after ‘Game of Thrones’, its story is set before the events of ‘Game of Thrones’, with the first episode confirming it is set 172 years before.
Is ‘House of the Dragon’ based on a book?
Yes, the show is based on the book, ‘Fire and Blood’, by George R.R. Martin, and tells the histories of Daenery’s ancesters, House Targaryen.
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