HBO’s prequel series House of the Dragon has made some changes to the way Game of Thrones should be viewed, with reveals about the history of Westeros or specific noble houses. House of the Dragon’s timeline begins roughly 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, meaning there aren’t many opportunities for the two shows to directly impact one another. While many of the characters in the prequel are ancestors of beloved characters in Game of Thrones, the series can be enjoyed without full knowledge of its parent show.

Despite this, there are moments in the HBO prequel that have directly changed how Game of Thrones can be viewed, with alterations to the show’s canon. Both series are based on George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice & Fire series and expanded world, but the author has stated that the world of the books and the world of the TV shows are separate canons. Therefore, lore additions specifically refer to changes made to the Game of Thrones TV series, not the books.

House of the Dragon is based on segments of the Fire & Blood book, a “fictional history” text that examines the Targaryen dynasty, beginning with Aegon the Conqueror. House of the Dragon makes many changes from the books, varying in size and effect. For example, the change to make Alicent and Criston Cole infatuated in season 2 is interesting, but it’s not earth-shattering. Some lore additions are far more significant, offering a new perspective on the original Game of Thrones series.

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Aegon’s Dream Changes Why Aegon Conquered Westeros

Aegon Conquered Westeros To Unite The Continent Against The Long Night

Aegon the Conqueror is a famous figure in Westerosi history, and he’ll be the subject of one of the many upcoming Game of Thrones spinoffs. Audiences of Game of Thrones may remember hearing stories about him from various characters, as he was the man who flew to Westeros on dragonback and united the Seven Kingdoms under the Targaryen banner. He established King’s Landing and constructed the Iron Throne, where he became the first single ruler of the continent, beginning the Targaryen dynasty, which would last nearly 300 years.

In House of the Dragon’s premiere episode, King Viserys Targaryen passes down the prophecy of Aegon’s Dream to Rhaenyra. He describes Aegon’s vision of a threat from the north, referring to the White Walkers in Game of Thrones, and explains that Aegon conquered Westeros with the specific goal of creating a unified front under a Targaryen ruler to protect the realm. This is a drastic change to the television universe, as it provides an altruistic motivation for the mysterious Aegon Targaryen’s subjugation of an entire continent. Read the full prophecy below:

“Aegon foresaw the end of the world of men. It’s to begin with a terrible winter, gusting out of the distant North. Aegon saw absolute darkness riding on those winds, and whatever dwells within will destroy the world of the living. When this great winter comes, Rhaenyra, all of Westeros must stand against it. And if the world of men is to survive, a Targaryen must be seated on the Iron Throne. A King or Queen, strong enough to unite the realm against the cold and the dark. Aegon called his dream ‘The Song of Ice and Fire.'”

Directly relating to Game of Thrones, Aegon’s Dream has massive implications for what the world looks like at the start of the series. Robert’s Rebellion ended the Targaryen dynasty, and the Long Night is finally inches away. This means Game of Thrones begins in a position where everything Aegon conquered Westeros for has fallen apart, and it only gets worse from there as the War of the Five Kings continues to ravage the realm. It puts the entire series into a new perspective, knowing that the realm had the knowledge to ward off evil but nearly ruined itself.

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Aegon’s Dream Connects To The Prince That Was Promised Prophecy

Aegon Envisioned The Prince That Was Promised Being Of Targaryen Blood

The Prince that was Promised prophecy has more to do with the A Song of Ice & Fire novels than it does Game of Thrones, but it’s still prevalent in the TV universe. The prophecy essentially states that an ancient hero will be reborn to ward off evil and defend humanity in the Long Night. In addition to Viserys revealing Aegon’s Dream to Rhaenyra, he also explains the meaning of the words written on Aegon’s dagger in House of the Dragon season 1, which states: “From my blood come the Prince that was Promised, and his will be the Song of Ice & Fire.”

So not only did Aegon envision the Long Night, his dream foresaw the Prince that was Promised, a descendant of Targaryen blood who would protect the realm from darkness. Unfortunately, this is where matters get tricky regarding connections to Game of Thrones, as the TV series never actually answered who the Prince that was Promised was. The most common theories are Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen, as they have Targaryen blood, but neither of them was the one to kill the Night King in the original HBO series.

Game of Thrones season 8 has been heavily criticized, with the resolution to the Long Night narrative being one of the most common striking points. If House of the Dragon suggests that Aegon did envision the Prince that was Promised, the only conclusion that can be drawn is that the prophecy was partially wrong. No character in Game of Thrones fully fits the bill to fulfill this prophecy. It’s interesting for book fans that Aegon envisioned it, but in the TV canon’s context, it doesn’t really add up in a meaningful way. Maybe the Aegon’s Conquest show can provide more definition.

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The Dragonbone Dagger Belonged To Aegon

Littlefinger’s Game Of Thrones Dagger Finally Has An Origin Story

Audiences may remember King Viserys I Targaryen’s dagger in House of the Dragon, as it appeared in Game of Thrones. It was first sent to assassinate Bran Stark in season 1 and was later revealed to belong to Littlefinger. In season 8, this was the dagger Arya used to kill the Night King. The dagger is made of dragon bone and Valyrian steel, two highly rare materials that make it an incredibly valuable artifact, but its origin is never explained in the TV series or the A Song of Ice & Fire novels.

House of the Dragon season 1 provides that dagger an origin story, as it’s said to have belonged to Aegon the Conqueror. The fact that it has Valyrian text inscribed onto it is also revealed, showing that it carries part of Aegon’s prophecy. This dagger is a relic passed down through members of House Targaryen, which means it was potentially lost in the shuffle of Robert’s Rebellion and ended up in the hands of Littlefinger. It’s an interesting bit of lore that provides context to such a recognizable and fateful object.

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The Starks Send Their Own Kin To Join The Night’s Watch

Stark Tradition Has Changed Between HOTD & GoT

Game of Thrones showed audiences that the Starks of Winterfell have always had close ties to the Night’s Watch, with Benjen Stark introduced as First Ranger in season 1. Of course, Jon Snow then joins the ancient order. The show never established the premise that the Starks select a member of their kin to join the Night’s Watch, which was revealed in Cregan Stark’s opening monologue in House of the Dragon season 2, episode 1. It’s possible that this tradition faltered some time between the two series, but it provides some interesting thought processes regardless.

In House of the Dragon, Cregan Stark reveals that this tradition began with Torrhen Stark, the last Stark king who bent the knee to Aegon the Conqueror. Theories indicate that Aegon I could’ve told Torrhen about his dream, knowing the importance of the North in defending the realm, and Torrhen began bolstering the Wall with his own family because of it. More concretely, the fact that this tradition broke before Game of Thrones implies that the realm continued to take the Night’s Watch less seriously, laying the foundation for the dire condition of the order at the time Jon Snow joined.

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House Stark Knows “Death” Exists Beyond The Wall

Cregan Stark Is Skeptical Of Threats North Of The Wall

Another detail revealed by Cregan Stark’s House of the Dragon scene is that the young Lord of Winterfell distinctly mentions that “death” is beyond the Wall. This is a massive revelation, as it’s clear at the start of Game of Thrones that, while Ned feels winter is coming, he doesn’t believe in White Walkers and doesn’t consider a massive threat to exist further North. This means that the seriousness with which House Stark took the threats beyond the Wall dissipated at some time between the two shows, as Cregan has his heart set on keeping men in the North.

Tying back to Aegon’s Dream and the theory of Aegon telling Torrhen Stark, the Stark lords could also have been passing this information down the line. Cregan could’ve known, but it must’ve died at some point before Ned, which would make sense since he was never the intended heir. Theories aside, the more concrete implication is that the threat of “death” north of the Wall died over time as centuries passed, and the Night’s Watch was never forced to face any such serious threats.

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The Origin Of Daenerys’ Dragon Eggs

Syrax Is The Mother Of Daenerys’ Three Dragons

In the Game of Thrones premiere, Daenerys Targaryen receives a gift of three petrified dragon eggs from Magister Illyrio Mopatis of Pentos. While they’re of significant value, it isn’t until they hatch in the season 1 finale that they become a major element of the TV series. Prior to Dany’s dragons hatching, the species was thought to be extinct, with the Last Dragon dying during the reign of Aegon III roughly 150 years before the show started. Given that they were petrified, they could’ve come from any number of eras or locations.

House of the Dragon shows the Targaryen dynasty at its pinnacle of power, at a time when dragon breeding was a consistent process practiced by the Valyrian descendants of the realm. Dragons are shown laying eggs in season 1, allowing for more Targaryen and Velaryon children to have their own, and it would make sense for Dany’s eggs to come from this era, as they easily could’ve been lost in the madness of the civil war.

The exact origin of Daenerys’ dragons was revealed in House of the Dragon season 2, episode 3 when Rhaenyra sends Rhaena away with four dragon eggs. While one of them is likely to hatch during the show, the other three were confirmed by the episode’s director to be the eggs that would hatch into Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion roughly 170 years later. Theories previously speculated Dany’s eggs had come from Dreamfyre, Queen Helaena’s dragon, but season 2 confirms that Syrax is officially their mother in Game of Thrones TV canon.