Aegon's Dream was introduced in House of the Dragon's first episode and served as a plot device to connect the meaning of the prequel show to the events of Game of Thrones' ending. The prophecy essentially states that a Targaryen must be in power to protect the realm from the White Walkers. It's an interesting thematic element, given that the prequel is about a civil war that more or less self-destructs the Targaryen dynasty. It would've been an outstanding addition if it had been left as that, but season 2 continued to play with the idea.
Aegon's Dream Makes Up For Game Of Thrones Ignoring The Prince That Was Promised
House Of The Dragon Is Bringing Back The Mystical Parts Of George R.R. Martin's Books
Game of Thrones is often criticized for having a bad final season, but the roots of the show's problems tie back to plotlines that were abandoned early on. One such plotline is the Prince That Was Promised prophecy, which is a major element of the A Song of Ice & Fire books that suggests that a great hero will defend the realm from the Long Night. While it's mentioned briefly in the TV show by Melisandre, it doesn't have as prevalent of a narrative purpose as it does in the novels.
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Game of Thrones commonly reduced the mystical, fantastical side of George R.R. Martin's world-building, something House of the Dragon has tried to rectify. With the increased volume of dragons, it's much more challenging for the prequel to hide the fact that it's a fantasy show, and they've begun to fully embrace the use of prophecy with characters like Helaena Targaryen and Alys Rivers. In theory, it's a great idea, as it suggests that Westeros had a more magical presence in the past, but the mechanics of prophecy are much different from the books.
House Of The Dragon Season 2 Misunderstands GRRM's Use Of Prophecy
House Of The Dragon Uses Prophecy To Steer Its Plot
One of the biggest criticisms of House of the Dragon season 2's finale was Daemon seeing Aegon's Dream and having a vision of Daenerys and the White Walkers in the future. On the one hand, it's important to note that, in the television universe, the prophecy is wrong because Daenerys doesn't defeat the White Walkers, and she isn't a prophetic hero. This is actually quite a cool idea because it suggests that Targaryen egotism is prompting them to see themselves as futuristic saviors of the realm.
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On the other hand, Daemon deciding to side with Rhaenyra because of a future vision doesn't feel like a faithful use of these prophetic elements. He'd just gone through a season of visions that led him to realize how much Viserys had been burdened by the Iron Throne and that he might not be fit to be king after all. To have that natural growth capped off by an unrelated vision, which ultimately makes up his mind, feels shoehorned.
The Real Purpose Of Prophecy In A Song Of Ice & Fire
Melisandre Is The Perfect Representation Of GRRM's Prophecy Themes
Comparing Melisandre and Alys Rivers is an excellent way to break down George R.R. Martin's use of prophecy in the books and the way it works in House of the Dragon. Even in Game of Thrones, Melisandre's entire arc is that she's a religious fanatic who believes that Stannis Baratheon is the aforementioned prophetic hero. She guides him to make irredeemable decisions and take unprecedented risks in the name of the Lord of Light, and it ends up costing the realm tens of thousands of lives, including his.
The role of prophecy in Martin's story is to lead characters toward making decisions that have disastrous effects, generally on the small folk.
But what's even more confusing about Melisandre is that her magic does materialize in physical forms. As Stannis says, it's hard to deny the existence of her god when she gives birth to a shadow baby to assassinate their enemies. It's a strange obscurity. There might be some real magic, but she undoubtedly gets the prophecy wrong, and it leads people toward paranoia and mass violence. The role of prophecy in Martin's story is to lead characters toward making decisions that have disastrous effects, generally on the small folk.
In contrast to Melisandre, practically everything Alys Rivers says is actually true. She's not just having visions of vague events; she's literally seeing the future. She knows when Daemon will die, and she seems to know the exact role he needs to play in events before they happen, allowing her to guide him toward his purpose in the plot. In House of the Dragon's efforts to bring back Martin's fantastical elements, they've ridden the story of what actually makes them thematically effective.
Taking place about 172 years before the events of Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon tells the tale of the rise of the Targaryens, the only family of dragonlords to survive the Doom of Valyria. The popular HBO spinoff show first starred Milly Alcock and Emily Carey as Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower before they were replaced by Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke, who play the older versions of the characters. Also starring in the series is Matt Smith (Prince Daemon Targaryen) and Paddy Considine as Rhaenyra’s father, King Viserys Targaryen.
Release Date August 21, 2022
Seasons 4
Network HBO Max
English (US) ·