Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 1.
Season 2 ofHouse of the Dragonhas aired, pulling audiences back into the cutthroat world of Westeros, where everyone vies to one-up their rival and the royal family is engaged in a civil war with dragons on both sides. Following the climax of Season 2, which saw the death of Prince Lucerys Velaryon (Elliot Grihault), Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) processes her grief, while her husband, Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith), makes moves to even the score. This results inhired cutthroats entering the Red Keep and murdering the sonof King Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney) and Queen Helaena Targaryen (Phia Saban).
As the rat-catcher assassin (Mark Stobbart) is left in Prince Aemond Targaryen’s (Ewan Mitchell) room while the gold cloak assassin (Sam C. Wilson) searches other rooms, he briefly waves his torch over a mural detailing dragons and a fortress. It’s only shown briefly, but anyone who knowsthe works ofGeorge R. R. Martinknows that these moments often contain clues about what is to come in the near future. As such, it’s worth reviewing a few possible theories for what the mural represents and how these events will play in the Dance of the Dragons.
House of the Dragon
The reign of House Targaryen begins with this prequel to the popular HBO seriesGame of Thrones.Based on George R.R. Martin’sFire & Blood,House of the Dragonis set nearly 200 years beforeGame of Thrones, telling the story of the Targaryen civil war with King Viserys.
What Castle Is Being Destroyed in the Mural?
AnyGame of Thronesfan worth their salt will recognize the castle in the mural on the wall to be Harrenhal. Those who are familiar with the bookFire & BloodbyGeorge R. R. Martinwill know that this specific mural of Harrenhal in Aemond’s apartments should be the equivalent of a siren going off. The mural depicts thedestruction of Harrenhal by King Aegon Iand his dragon, the mightyBalerion the Black Dread. The day after Harren the Black finished his massive castle, Aegon invaded, and the Ironborn king refused to swear fealty to him. This leads to Aegon burning his castle and the death of Harren and his sons, allowing House Tully of Riverun to become the new Lords of the Riverlands.House of the Dragonviewers will remember Harrenhal from Season 1 as the location where Lord Lyonel Strong (Gavin Spokes) and his son, Harwin (Ryan Corr), died in a fire. Many in Westeros believe that the castle is cursed and haunted, and there have been indications in this season that we will see more of Harrenhal when Daemon arrives there.
We Should Have Seen This ‘House of the Dragon’ Ship Coming
There has always been something between these two.
What Is the Significance of Showing the Mural?
Currently, Harrenhal is loyal to the Greens through its lord,the mysterious Larys Strong(Matthew Needham), who gained his position by orchestrating the deaths of his father and brother. Yep, in case you forgot, he hired the assassins who set that fire in Harrenhal.This castle serves as a powerful strategic locationdue to its size and proximity between King’s Landing and the rest of the Riverlands. Both Aemond and Daemon have voiced their interest in claiming Harrenhal to rally their armies since the majority of the war will take place in the Riverlands due to itsproximity in the middle of Westeros.
However, they’re stymied by their respective war councils. Aemond is not allowed to go because his dragon, Vahgar, is needed to deter attacks against King’s Landing, while Daemon is forced to wait for Rhaenyra to return to Dragonstone before he departs for the Riverlands. Book fans know that Harrenhal becomes an important location for both Daemon and Aemond, with the castle and its inhabitants playing a large part in both men’s stories. Without spoiling too much, keep an eye on Harrenhal. There’s more to this castle than meets the eye.
House of the DragonSeason 2 is streaming now on Max in the U.S.
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