Warning: The article contains spoilers for House Of The Dragon Episode 1.With early reviews coming in positive, HBO’s House of The Dragon premiered Sunday night to a captivated audience. The show acts as a prequel to the mega-hit Game Of Thrones, following House Targaryen and the events that lead into their war of succession, roughly 200 years before the events of the flagship show.
The pilot introduced viewers to a wide variety of new, fascinating characters from the witty Princess Rhaenyra to the unpredictable Prince Daemon, and left fans with many questions to think about in the following weeks as the rest of the season unfolds.
Which Targaryens Have Dragons?
In the opening voiceover from the older version of Rhaenyra, she recalls how at the height of her grandfather Jaehaerys’s rule, the Targaryens had ten dragons. During the episode, viewers only see the dragons of Rhaenyra and Daemon, leaving the question of who controls the other eight.
It’s likely King Viserys has one of his own, but who else? Have any of the dragons perished since King Jaehaerys’s reign? There are many House Targaryen members, so it will likely be revealed what other riders exist sooner rather than later.
Who Is Cragas Drahar?
During a council meeting early in the episode, Lord Corlys Velaryon warns the group of Cragas Drahar, the Prince Admiral of ‘the Triarchy’ who’ve been killing pirates on the Stepstones. Before Corlys finishes his warning, Rhaenyra interrupts the meeting, putting the conversation regarding ‘the Crabfeeder’ on hold.
This could be a red herring, but fans of anything by George R.R. Martin have come to expect even the smallest of characters to have an impact on the overall storyline, so it’s plausible Cragas will eventually emerge in one form or another. For now, the show’s focus remains on King’s Landing.
Will There Be Incestuous Targaryen Relationships?
With its predecessor chock-full of inter-familial relations, many expect to see some sort of romance emerge amongst blood-related members of House Targaryen. Though this didn’t emerge in the pilot, book readers know King Viserys’s stance on the issue. However, as viewers may have guessed based on her hair color, Viserys’s wife in the pilot, Aemma Arryn, is a Targaryen on her maternal side, although they were cousins, so she’s not as closely related to Viserys as many Targaryen marriages were.
From the members of the family introduced in the pilot, relationships don’t seem likely, but that’s not to say other Targaryens won’t become objects of their attraction. It’s also possible the short scene where Daemon gives Rhaenyra a necklace could represent more than just an uncle’s gift.
How Bad Are Viserys Targaryen’s Injuries?
When Viserys is being treated for a small wound, the Grand Maester tells Otto Hightower that it’s not healing, and ultimately they opt to cauterize it. While it’s likely a symptom of the stress Viserys underwent preparing for the tournament and the arrival of his child, like the Grand Maester suggested, a larger health problem could be at hand.
Although the members of House Targaryen supposedly rarely get sick, it’s noted that the wound’s origin is unknown to them, leading Otto to tell the Grand Maester to keep this news quiet. Whether Viserys’s ‘bad humors’ will amount to larger issues or not, only time will tell.
Is Rhaenys Targaryen Up To Anything?
In the pilot’s opening scene, ‘The Queen Who Never Was’ gets passed over in favor of her cousin Viserys, who takes the throne following Jaehaerys’s death. Though she’s yet to speak much, much has been spoken about Rhaenys, with many acknowledging her resentment over her grandfather’s choice.
When Queen Aemma and newborn Baelon die and the question of Viserys’s successor comes to the forefront, it is not Rhaenys but her husband Corlys who advocates for their children’s right to the throne during a session of the King’s Council. Perhaps Rhaenys lets others do her plotting for her, or maybe she’ll emerge from the sidelines in the weeks to come to do her own bidding.
What Is The Extent Of Alicent And Daemon’s Relationship?
Daemon asks for Alicent Hightower’s favor after beating one of her family members in a joust, which she coyly gives to “her Prince.” This blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment carries an underlying tension, one that could come from having bested her family in competition or something more sentimental.
Given that Daemon, one of the most powerful Targaryens in history, is a frequent client at the ‘pleasure house’, it’s more than likely a coy gesture. Yet, it hints at what could be a deeper relationship that has the opportunity to be fleshed out as the season progresses.
What’s Otto Hightower Up To?
The Hand of the King and Viserys’s closest ally, Otto Hightower defends his powerful friend’s decision-making during each council in the pilot episode. Anything that would distress Viserys seems to go through Otto first so that he can help him bear it.
However, Otto clearly has ambitions of his own, showcased in his decision to send his teenage daughter Alicent to Viserys’s chambers shortly after the death of the Queen. While the order alone is already suspicious, his request for Alicent to wear one of her mother’s dresses clearly displays Otto’s own play for increasing his family’s power, offering Alicent up as the Queen’s replacement.
How Much Does Daemon Targaryen Know?
A repeating complaint at each council meeting is Daemon’s lack of attendance. While many at the table want Daemon gone, Viserys’s decision to make him the head of the City Watch keeps him within arm’s reach.
As the King’s opinion of his younger brother sours following a report of Daemon’s slight against him, it’s revealed Daemon has been attending at least some of the meetings, albeit from eavesdropping behind a hole-filled door. Reexamining at the rest of the episode with this context, Daemon appears to be more of a strategist than at first glance.
What’s Going On With Alicent?
The best friend of Rhaenyra Targaryen, Alicent Hightower seems to follow the rules, whether they be the Septa’s or her father’s. Despite obeying them, Alicent appears to be distressed, as revealed by her raw fingernails she continuously picks at.
Through her forced evening with King, it’s clear Alicent can make the best out of bad situations, comforting Viserys when no one else can, proving her house’s unity can make them more powerful than the Targaryens. That said, her loyalty is literally whittling away at her, leaving viewers to wonder whether she has any underlying deeper issues that will be explored later on.
Will Daemon Return To Runestone?
At the end of the pilot, King Viserys commands his brother Daemon to return home shortly before Rhaenyra’s succession announcement. Loading up on the back of his dragon alongside his companion Mysaria, it appears Daemon may do just that, despite his rebellious nature.
Should Daemon really return to Runestone, he likely won’t stay there for long. During the few councils he attended, Daemon bashed the people of the Vale, including his wife. If anything, his return may not be a matter of if, but when, as the blonde-haired fighter has been seen to have a few tricks up his sleeve.
