House of the Dragon Episode 1 opens with a flashback as the first Great Council is called by King Jaehaerys Targaryen to determine his heir. Although his granddaughter Rhaenys Targaryen had a stronger claim, the king chose his grand nephew Viserys I Targaryen to be his heir because there has never been a female ruler. The problem with heirs continues with King Viserys as he later loses his wife and son during a difficult birth. Without a male heir, Viserys is forced to choose between his daughter Rhaenyra Targaryen and his brother Daemon Targaryen to be his heir. Considering that Daemon is an unpredictable individual, Viserys ultimately chose Rhaenyra, making her the first potential queen of Westeros.
As Viserys makes up his mind, he then takes Rhaenyra aside to tell her a secret that has been passed on from every Targaryen king and heir. Viserys reveals a prophecy about the Long Night and the savior who will unite all kingdoms in a fight to save the world. It’s a lovely way to remind fans that the Song of Ice and Fire is still very much a part of House of the Dragon although we won’t get to see the battle against the White Walkers for another 200 years. Still, it’s amazing that the Targaryens knew about the impending doom all this time but the information was never passed down again because Daenerys Targaryen’s father went mad before declaring his heir who, ironically, was also named Viserys (although he wasn’t very nice). House of the Dragon Episode 2 is titled The Rogue Prince and will premiere on HBO on Sunday, August 28, 2022, at 9:00 PM EST.
