*Contains massive spoilers for Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon.*
House of The Dragon has fully got us hooked, but the true die hard fans will all know exactly where the prequel is going thanks to some massive spoilers that came in Game of Thrones.
The Targaryen prequel takes place nearly 200 years before the likes of Jon Snow, Tyrion Lannister, and Cersei Lannister are even born.
Despite being set several generations in the past, House of the Dragon has still managed to squeeze in a few nods to the original series.
Viserys (Paddy Considine) currently holds the infamous Catspaw dagger that eventually wipes out the Night King, and the show’s very first title card paid a loving tribute to our favourite Targaryen, Daenerys (Emilia Clarke).
But what of the times when Game of Thrones referenced, or even spoiled, events that are yet to be seen in House of the Dragon?
Please tread carefully beyond this point if you haven’t read George RR Martin’s Fire and Blood.
Joffrey literally reveals the biggest death
The first person to reveal how the story might end in House of the Dragon was none other than everybody’s favourite king, Joffrey (Jack Gleeson).
In season three of Game of Thrones, the Tyrells arrive on the scene in King’s Landing following their new alliance with House Lannister and their victory over Stannis Baratheon (Stephen Dillane) in the Battle of Blackwater.
While talking to his bride-to-be Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer), Joffrey points to an opening in the floor of the Sept of Baelor. He points towards it, and begins to tell Margaery exactly what’s buried beneath their feet.
‘Rhaenyra Targaryen was murdered by her brother – or, rather his dragon. It ate her while her son watched. What’s left of her is buried in the crypts right down there,’ he tells her, while giggling with joy at his little story.
Shireen Baratheon confirms another huge death
Shireen Baratheon (Kerry Ingram), Stannis’ daughter and our favourite adorable bookworm, spends a fair portion of her time on the show reading and teaching others, like Davos (Liam Cunningham) and Gilly (Hannah Murray), how to do so.
One of her books, entitled The Dance of Dragons: A True Telling by Grand Maester Munkun tells the story of the conflict that’s currently brewing in the first season of House of the Dragon. But one part in particular made her laugh in season five of Game of Thrones.
She tells her friend Davos about the fatal exploits of Ser Byron Swann (a character we’re yet to meet in House of the Dragon), who, in an attempt to kill Vhagar (a dragon we’re yet to see) polished his shield so that Vhagar would only see her own reflection.
But, unfortunately for Ser Byron, Vhagar saw through his plan and, in the words of Shireen herself, ‘Burnt him to a crisp’. Whether we’ll see these events on screen in House of the Dragon still awaits to be seen.
… and then reveals the biggest battle to come
Not content with spoiling House of the Dragon once in season 5, she then reveals more details about the infamous Targaryen civil war to her father, Stannis – not just in the same season, but in the very same episode!
Stannis comes to speak with Shireen after deciding to do something awful. He sits beside her and asks her what she’s reading about. ‘The Dance of Dragons,’ Shireen eagerly tells him.
She continues: ‘It’s the story of the fight between Rhaenyra Targaryen and her half-brother Aegon for control of the Seven Kingdoms. Both of them thought they belonged on the Iron Throne.’
‘Brothers fought brothers. Dragons fought dragons. By the time it was over, thousands were dead. And it was a disaster for the Targaryens as well. They never truly recovered.’
In the very next scene, Shireen is burned alive by Lady Melisandre (Carice Van Houten) as a sacrifice. But her words are an ominous warning about what lies ahead.
Bran Stark revealed who will survive House of The Dragon
In House of the Dragon, House Hightower are big players in the game: Otto Hightower is Hand of the King (at first) and his daughter Alicent is the queen. But in Game of Thrones, they have a very minimal presence, if any at all, and are no longer a key part of the story.
This has caused some fans to wonder what’s going to happen to Otto and Alicent in the future. Well, fear not – House Hightower does make it through to Game of Thrones, you just have to be watching very, very closely.
In season six, when Brandon Stark (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) sees visions of a young Ned Stark (Robert Aramayo) fighting during Robert’s Rebellion, he witnesses Ned’s victory over Ser Arthur Dayne (Luke Roberts) at the Tower of Joy. Fighting next to Ser Arthur is Gerold Hightower (Eddie Eyre).
The Hightowers have a bigger role in the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, with Lord Leyton Hightower allying first with Renly Baratheon (Gethin Anthony) and then with the Tyrells following Renly’s assassination.
House of the Dragon is available to stream on Sky Atlantic and NOW.
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