The season 2 finale of “House of the Dragon” is finally here and now our watch has ended — but that’s only the start of all the analyzing, theorizing, and nitpicking to come as we prepare for the long wait until season 3. Oddly enough, these eight episodes come to a close by only teasing a few of the major battles on the horizon, which will likely lead many viewers to consider this slow-burn stretch of moving the pieces around as something of a sophomore slump for the series. Still, it’d be a mistake to say that nothing of import truly happens in this final hour. In addition to continued fallout from the dragonseeds storyline, further hints about a new twist on established lore, and another unexpected meeting between friends-turned-rivals Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) and Alicent (Olivia Cooke), we also finally received a major payoff to Daemon’s (Matt Smith) patience-testing subplot with Alys Rivers (Gayle Rankin). The ramifications of this, as viewers can guess, will be felt for centuries to come.
That’s right, we need to talk about the Daenerys Targeryen of it all. While some of us appreciated all of the weirdness going on with Daemon this season at Harrenhal, others felt that all these hallucinations and dreams needed to build to something significant in order to make all the time spent there feel worthwhile. With that in mind, it’s difficult to imagine anything bigger than this cameo (even one played by a stand-in actor, rather than Emilia Clarke herself) and a major confirmation as to the identity of the prophetic Prince That Was Promised. Aegon the Conqueror, please move over. According to the finale, it was Dany all along.
House of the Dragon adds a new twist to the identity of The Prince That Was Promised.
The concept of The Prince That Was Promised, first introduced in George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, has long been a topic of debate and speculation. The prophecy, which was rediscovered by Rhaegar Targaryen, influenced key events in Westeros, including his actions that indirectly led to Robert Baratheon’s rebellion and the fall of House Targaryen. Throughout Game of Thrones, several characters were considered potential fulfillers of the prophecy, including Stannis Baratheon, Jon Snow (the secret child of Rhaegar and Lyanna Stark), and Daenerys Targaryen.
In House of the Dragon, the prophecy is revisited with renewed focus. While King Viserys (Paddy Considine) initially mentioned this prophecy to Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock) in season 1, its exact fulfillment remained ambiguous. In the season 2 finale, however, Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) receives a vision from Alys Rivers involving a weirwood tree. This vision features a red comet and imagery reminiscent of Daenerys’s iconic emergence from fire and smoke with her dragons.
Based on the lore and the finale’s depiction, it suggests that Daenerys might indeed be the Prince That Was Promised, aligning with the longstanding fan theories and textual clues.
What might this mean for *House of the Dragon* season 3?
While the events of *Game of Thrones* are set about 200 years after the timeline of *House of the Dragon*, the show’s creators are laying the groundwork for future developments. According to the prophecy, a future leader is destined to unite the Seven Kingdoms against the looming threat of the White Walkers. This prophecy is echoed in Daemon Targaryen’s vision, which includes a glimpse of these icy beings, as well as imagery of Daenerys and Rhaenyra, reinforcing Daemon’s decision to support Rhaenyra.
However, the connection between Daenerys and the Prince That Was Promised remains complex. While Daemon believes in this prophecy, it’s worth noting that the final outcome of the series remains uncertain, as George R.R. Martin has yet to complete the remaining novels. Additionally, reconciling Daenerys’s portrayal in *Game of Thrones*—where she becomes a tyrannical figure—with the prophecy of a savior is challenging. Prophecies in Martin’s universe often have unpredictable outcomes (such as Cersei’s fate), so the future remains open.
As for *House of the Dragon* season 3, it will likely explore whether Rhaenyra will succeed in the Dance of the Dragons and how this might set the stage for future events, including the eventual rise of Daenerys and her role in fulfilling the prophecy. The story is far from over, and many questions remain.
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