Game of Thrones reached a level of popularity that only a few shows manage, and as a result, HBO is not finished with Westeros. While several spin-offs were discussed, and many are on the way, House of the Dragon was chosen to be the first. The series is a prequel inspired by Game of Thrones. Taking place generations before the original as it tells the story of the ancestors of Game of Thrones characters during a civil war between the Targaryen family known as the Dance of the Dragons. House of the Dragon is not shy about referencing the first show, with an intro that explains the years until the birth of Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), the appearance of the all-important Catspaw dagger, and a focus on the Prophecy of Ice and Fire, which foretells the events in Game of Thrones.
But, as Game of Thrones hasn’t happened yet, none of these references are actual spoilers for the original show. In fact, despite the easter-eggs sprinkled in for fans, House of the Dragon is far enough removed from Game of Thrones that there is little opportunity for crossover. Sure, we see Starks, Lannisters, and Baratheons, all of whom are reminiscent of their distinct descendants, but no matter who survives the Dance of the Dragon, they are long dead before Game of Thrones, so the prequel can’t include spoilers. But the reverse is not true. With a few mentions of the Dance of the Dragons, Game of Thrones now contains spoilers for its own spin-off show. And yes, at one point, Game of Thrones goes as far as to spoil the inevitable end of House of the Dragon.
House of the Dragon
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The reign of House Targaryen begins with this prequel to the popular HBO series Game of Thrones. Based on George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, House of the Dragon is set nearly 200 years before Game of Thrones, telling the story of the Targaryen civil war with King Viserys.
Release DateAugust 21, 2022CreatorRyan J. Condal, George R.R. MartinCastPaddy Considine , Olivia Cooke , Rhys Ifans , Matt Smith , Eve Best , Steve Toussaint , Emma D’Arcy , Milly Alcock , Emily CareyMain GenreDramaSeasons4DistributorHBOHow Does ‘Game of Thrones’ Spoil ‘House of the Dragon’?
House of the Dragon covers an important historical event in Westeros, so all the characters in Game of Thrones know what happened. During the original show, no one knew there would be a prequel, so the story of Rhaenyra and Aegon II is used as world-building. Game of Thrones discusses the Dance of the Dragons a few times. But one moment, in particular, stands out as it spoils what will be a major death in House of the Dragon. This spoiler comes from Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson) because, of course, he would be that cruel. In Season 3, Episode 4, “And Now His Watch Is Ended,” he shows Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer) around the Great Sept as they prepare for their wedding. During the tour, Joffrey gleefully describes the horrific death of Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy), spoiling the eventual outcome of the Dance of the Dragons. Though there are many more twists, the death of one of the claimants to the Iron Throne is a significant reveal. Joffrey explains that the queen was killed by her half-brother Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney). More specifically, she was stabbed and then fed to Aegon’s dragon, Sunfyre, while her young son watched. Joffrey shows Maegaery the remains of Rhaenyra, which are housed in the Sept — though there isn’t much left after Sunfyre.
Fire & Blood does tell a more complete story, which is no surprise (it’s not like Joffrey is particularly studious). Rhaenyra’s death only happens after both sides face considerable losses. Rhaenyra is forced to flee to Dragonstone, where Aegon captures her. At this point, Sunfyre is disfigured and dying, but the spilling of Rhaenyra’s blood rouses him. Burning her, the dragon consumes her body slowly, taking six bites before leaving a single shin-bone behind, which is the remains Joffrey references 200 years later. The Game of Thrones scene not only spoils Rhaenyra’s end but proves that Aegon and Sunfyre will not die from the wounds they received in the Battle of Rook’s Rest, as the show is leading audiences to believe. However brief Jofrrey’s version of events may be, it is a shock to know what will happen to one of House of the Dragon’s leads so early on in the story without first learning how the story gets there. The gruesome death is bound to happen by the end of the series. And thanks to Joffrey, it won’t be a surprise even to those who haven’t read the book.
‘Game of Thrones’ Contains Another Significant Reference to the Dance of the Dragons
Though not as egregious a spoiler as Joffrey’s, Shireen Baratheon (Kerry Ingram) discusses the events of House of the Dragon as well. In Season 5, Episode 9, aptly titled “The Dance of Dragons,” Stannis (Stephen Dillane) asks his daughter about a book she is reading. She explains that it is a history featuring the Dance of the Dragons, which, of course, means she’s reading the story that plays out in House of the Dragon. Excited to discuss something she is interested in, Shireen describes the war of succession between Aegon II and Rhaenyra after the death of their father. Her version of events sticks to the basics as Shireen explains that Aegon and Rhaenyra each thought they should rule, and their war divided Westeros. This serves more as a summary of the conflict, much like what is used to promote the prequel series, rather than giving specifics of the outcome. However, Shireen’s exact description does hint a little deeper at what happens in House of the Dragon, venturing into spoiler territory.
She goes on to say that the Targaryens never fully recovered their power, which is a fact that will be significant at the end of House of the Dragon, especially as the series has explored how only the dragons set the Targaryens apart from the other nobles. But anyone with a passing knowledge of Game of Thrones knew that the dragons would die out eventually. The real spoiler Shireen contributes is after she summarizes the war. Stannis asks a question that many House of the Dragon fans have struggled with: Who would you support? While this has become a volatile question among fans, Shireen gives the correct answer and arguably the biggest spoiler for the prequel. Shireen says, “It’s all the choosing sides that made everything so horrible.” And she’s right. The second season of House of the Dragon deals with Westeros being forced to choose sides, and this horribleness is evident. The war divides neighbors, pits brother against brother, and, ultimately, tears Westeros apart. But Shireen didn’t go into detail about the war. The lack of specifics makes this scene much less of a spoiler for House of the Dragon, yet it is worth noting because it reveals the true horror of the conflict.
The Bigger Issue Is the Parallels Between the Series
Though the Dance of the Dragons is only mentioned in Game of Thrones a few times, there are several spoilers if you are looking. These passing references reveal the future of House of the Dragon, but the biggest way Game of Thrones impacts the new series is through the plot parallels. House of the Dragon is based on George R. R. Martin‘s Fire & Blood, a supplementary novel meant to enhance the original series, so it is riddled with foreshadowing. Both series feature a queen trying to pass her illegitimate children off as heirs to the throne and the subsequent wars resulting from that decision. Cersei’s (Lena Headey) situation differs from Rhaenyra’s because her children have no royal blood, while Rhaenyra passes her lineage to them no matter the father. However, there is a clear comparison. Perhaps more to the point, Fire & Blood and, by extension, House of the Dragon set up the dangers of Targaryen madness. The novel tracks the family throughout their history, showing many examples of Targaryens falling into madness, similar to Daenerys. Rhaenyra’s fate is reminiscent of Daenerys’. In their quest for the throne, both women suffer great losses and grow violent before being killed by a relative and rival claimant.
Game of Thrones even sets up Westeros’ resistance to a ruling queen, a fact that plays an important role in the House of the Dragon, as Rhaenyra and Alicent (Olivia Cooke) face 𝑠e𝑥ism from the men they interact with. However, this is not exactly a spoiler itself. Additionally, when House of the Dragon mentions houses significant in Game of Thrones, this will obviously lead to many comparisons between Game of Thrones characters and their House of the Dragon ancestors. This was certainly true when Jason Lannister (Jefferson Hall) appeared in House of the Dragon Season 1, his arrogance immediately making it believable that his line would lead to Tywin (Charles Dance) and his children. This phenomenon carries into Season 2, which introduces Cregan Stark (Tom Taylor) and takes several opportunities to remind the audience of the Starks’ innate sense of honor. With so many examples of Game of Thrones setting expectations for House of the Dragon, people are already theorizing that they play an important role in the original series. House of the Dragon is certainly taking cues from Game of Thrones, even revealing the potential origins of Daenerys’ dragon eggs. The two series are deeply connected, opening up many parallels, though few are as spoilery as Joffrey’s scene.
As the two shows are set in the same world, fans will always expect House of the Dragon to be like Game of Thrones. But the more direct references have raised debates about what to watch first. Concerned about the spoilers, some fans have attempted to skip the offending scene as they watch (or rewatch) Game of Thrones to preserve the mystery of House of the Dragon’s story. Of course, you can avoid the direct spoilers, but the prevalence of the parallels between the series makes it impossible to avoid them entirely. Fire & Blood was always intended to foreshadow the twists in Game of Thrones, so knowing the original series gives fans a good idea of what will happen in the spin-off, whether they read the book or not. However, knowing the end of the story doesn’t ruin House of the Dragon. In truth, the series has taken its own path, using the book’s unreliable narrators to its advantage and surprising even those who know the end.
