House of the Dragon

How to watch one of the most highly-anticipated premieres of the year, episode 1 of House of the Dragon. Here's the start time, network, and more.

[Get HBO, Starz, Showtime and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels](“https://www.amazon.com/b/?rh=i:instant-video,n:2858778011&ie=UTF8&filterId=OFFER_FILTER=SUBSCRIPTIONS&node=2858778011&ref_=assoc_tag_ph_1465430649312&_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=pf4&tag=fs-livedrops1-20&linkId=90b2815fb79ba0e403137c68e139db16”) While we wait for the new series to premiere tonight, check out some of the stunning images released so far. House of the Dragon, the first spin-off to Game of Thrones, premieres this evening, and fans can’t wait to see it. Just a few hours to wait. And yes, expect a lot of dragons. We’ll get to meet more of the Targaryen family during the height of their reign, including King Viserys I Targaryen, Daemon Targaryen, Rhaenyra Targaryen, and more.

Others also playing principal parts in the show include Paddy Considine as King Viserys, Matt Smith as Prince Daemon, and Emily Carey and Olivia Cooke as the ...

[enraged at worst](https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/a27522397/game-of-thrones-finale-plot-holes-twitter-reactions/), by [GoT](https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/a32600339/game-of-thrones-finale-one-year-later/) ['s divisive series finale](https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/a32600339/game-of-thrones-finale-one-year-later/). Still, “I don’t think anybody is thinking this show will pick up, from a ratings perspective, right where Thrones left off,” HBO's EVP and Head of Drama told the magazine. Production on the series began in 2021, with Milly Alcock and Emma D'Arcy recruited to play the younger and older version of Princess Rhaenyra, respectively. But we tend to like things to air and give it some time. "That said, if I were betting, I’d say there’s a pretty good shot that House of the Dragon will get a season two. The 10-episode series, based off of George R.R.

Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen in a blue robe stands before a temple with a chained. At this time, she and her brother are the last living Targaryens, ...

House of the Dragon will explore the downfall of the house that brings such fear and disdain. The history of the Targaryens help set the world stage for Game of Thrones explaining why the family is something to be feared while the rest of the important families in Westeros also treat the foreigners with disdain. It's important to remember the original series' Targaryen protagonist, Daenerys (Emilia Clarke), beginning to connect House of the Dragon to her and the larger political state Westeros in Game of Thrones, even though this series takes place around 2 centuries before.

Emma D'Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen and Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen discuss their bleach-and-tone routines in HBO's new "House of the Dragon." HBO Max.

- Alicent Hightower is Viserys' second wife and stepmother to Rhaenyra. - King Viserys I is the current king of Westeros. No wonder they all went mad. Are your wheels completely greased for a new era of "Game of Thrones?" - Prince Daemon is Viserys' brother and Rhaenyra's uncle. So at this point in the game, when HoD takes place, the current political system has only seen Targaryen rulers. Another good thing to remember is that many people in Westeros believe the Targaryens have a genetic tendency towards insanity. She is Aegon II's mother and has designs to be Westeros' first queen regnant, so she doesn't get along with her stepdaughter. He's your typical Hamlet-y "always a prince, never a king" kind of figure. Their scaled steeds brought the family from their original home of Valyria and helped them conquer all of Westeros. (The Targaryen family tree is very narrow, yet complicated. Here is everything you need to know before you watch so you can avoid common confusions like "Why are all of these blonde people so sad?"

Published: Aug. 21, 2022, 10:01 a.m.. Milly Alcock, Paddy Considine as Rhaenyra and Viserys. On "House of the Dragon," ...

Both “Game of Thrones” and “House of the Dragon” are based on the “A Song of Ice and Fire” books by George R. If you watched the epic fantasy series “Game of Thrones” over the past decade, you must watch the new “House of the Dragon.” The prequel premieres Sunday, Aug. Among other subplots, the show explores the battle to succeed the Targaryen dynasty and become ruler of the seven kingdoms of Westeros. The new series, which takes place 200 years before “Game of Thrones,” tells the story of House Targaryen and their dragons. House Targaryen was the ruling house of Westeros and its Seven Kingdoms for nearly 300 years. For those who want to catch up or need a refresher, HBOMax is recommending

At the start of the series, we see that King Jaehaerys I Targaryen (Michael Carter) summons a council to settle the question of who will succeed him.

[subscribe now](http://radiotimes.com/magazine-subscription?utm_term=evergreen-article) and get the next 12 issues for only £1. [NOW](https://www.radiotimes.com/streaming/now-tv/) – [sign up for Sky TV here](https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?id=489797&clickref=radiotimes-1690243&awinmid=11005&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sky.com%2Fshop%2Ftv). At the start of the series, Daemon is in a loveless marriage to Lady Rhea Royce, who resides in the Vale of Arryn. But House of the Dragon will chart her ancestors, so we thought she was worth mentioning. The pair have no children. Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) is the second-born son of Prince Baelon, the grandson of King Jaehaerys, and the younger brother to King Viserys. Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock, Emma D'Arcy) is the first-born daughter of King Viserys Targaryen and Queen Aemma Arryn and is the King's only legitimate child at the start of the season. In House of the Dragon, King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine) is a distant ancestor of Daenerys. Rhaenys is married to Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint), also known as the Sea Snake, who is a central character in House of the Dragon, while their son is Laenor Velaryon. At the start of the series, we see that King Jaehaerys I Targaryen (Michael Carter) summons a council to settle the question of who will succeed him. [RadioTimes.com](https://www.radiotimes.com/) we've created a list of key players in the Targaryen family, boiled it down to those who are central to the family at the start of the season, explained what their lineage is and how this leads up to the original show. As is to be expected from the world of Game of Thrones, the Targaryen family tree gets a little bit complicated...

House of the Dragon,” the “Game of Thrones” author's preferred spinoff, premieres on Sunday night. “It had everything that I thought we needed for a ...

And even some of the things I told them are changing as I do the writing. Let’s say “House of the Dragon” is a hit. I always knew once the show got beyond my books — which honestly I did not anticipate — they would start going in directions that the books are not going to go in. The Long Night is mentioned in my books here and there, but it’s an ancient event that people tell stories about — it’s like the Garden of Eden or a biblical flood. As you know, “The Winds of Winter” is very, very late — the last book was 11 years ago, and people are very angry about that. I do like what Marvel is doing because I like the variety of the shows. And the one that really excited me was “Lou Grant.” They took this character from a sitcom and they made him the hero of a serious journalism show. “Game of Thrones” and my book version of it, “A Song of Ice and Fire,” is, in some ways, a classic high fantasy in the mode of Tolkien and many, many writers who followed. [“House of the Dragon”](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/10/arts/television/house-of-the-dragon-hbo-got.html) was ordered straight to series in late 2019. It had dragons — a lot of dragons — and battles and betrayals. And [the “Game of Thrones” creators David Benioff and Dan Weiss] for years were saying they wanted to wrap it up in seven seasons. Martin kept pushing: his rise-and-fall tale of the dragon-riding Targaryen family, set nearly 200 years before the events of “Game of Thrones.”

Which characters matter? Which Houses are a factor? Why are their names so hard to spell? We have viewers of the 'Game of Thrones' prequel covered.

The influential family is a key ally of House Targaryen, so their prosperity — and family trees — are intertwined. The Hightowers are known for their wealth and are affiliated with the Tyrells, a house “Game of Thrones” fans are likely more familiar with. A close friend of Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen and Ser Otto Hightower’s daughter, Alicent grew up in the Red Keep. King Jaehaerys Targaryen’s grandchild who, as his oldest living descendant, had a claim to the Iron Throne. A formidable warrior, Prince Daemon serves as the commander of the City Watch of King’s Landing. The clan of dragon-riders became the first ruling house of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros thanks to a successful conquest led by King Aegon Targaryen; the family ruled over Westeros for almost 300 years.

Matt Smith, Emma D'Arcy and more look very different when they're not in their 'House of the Dragon' wigs and costumes — see the photos.

“I don’t think I am ready for it, but I don’t really think about it,” the Judge Dredd actor told [ The Hollywood Reporter](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/steve-toussaint-house-of-the-dragon-sea-snake-1235189370/) ahead of the show’s August 2022 premiere. [quite prepared for that level of scrutiny](https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/house-of-the-dragons-steve-toussaint-details-racist-abuse/). [Crown](https://www.usmagazine.com/shows/the-crown/) alum told [The Hollywood Reporter](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/house-of-the-dragon-game-of-thrones-premiere-1235188399/) in July 2022. “At the same time, you have to have this appearance. (A younger version of the Targaryen princess is played by Milly Alcock.) The U.K.

When is episode 1 of House of the Dragon Season 1 airing? Where can you watch this fantasy drama? Here's everything we know:

House of the Dragon is available to watch on the HBO channel and HBO Max. House of the Dragon is the long-awaited prequel to Game of Thrones, taking place 200 years before the War of the Five Kings. What do you hope to see as the series progresses?

House of the Dragon showrunners Ryan Condal & Miguel Sapochnik on telling a unique story with prequel series and the possibility of future seasons.

And then, when we finished Game of Thrones, I remember going to Francesca Orsi at HBO and saying, “You should really consider Ryan Condal to write something.” Ryan has read the books and is an encyclopaedia of knowledge of that world. There is really 300 years of Targaryen history to explore, and there are many stories within there that are really fascinating. Plans like that always have to be fairly broad, yet you have an idea of landmarks, and places that you want to go, and a sense of an end point, which I think is really important, particularly with this story. There’s the story of the conquest, the story before the conquest, the Targaryens leaving Old Valyria. CONDAL: I think it was our combined experience, me as a fan of the original books and the original show, and Miguel having made some of the most successful episodes of the original show. I remember really wanting to do that pilot, but it had been taken by the guy called Jeffrey Reiner. Let’s not just make a prequel because there’s a desire to make more money off of Game of Thrones. Our first challenge was to figure out what not to change and what we had to carry forward, as far as the tone, voice, look and feel of the show, the spectacle and the elegance of it. Now, later in my career, I’m more established and trying to find good work and pro projects to work on that I would be proud of and proud to have created. That was before I was married. When you throw in powerful dragons, it becomes impossible to know who to trust or where loyalties lie, and the Iron Throne that they’re all fighting for is not kind in its embrace of whoever sits upon it. At that point, I was really much more focused on just trying to find work.

The “Game of Thrones” spinoff tries to recapture the magic through nostalgic detail, family fights, and grisly scenes of childbirth.

Rhaenyra’s voice-over tells us that the old king knew that “the only thing that could tear down the House of the Dragon was itself.” Ain’t that the truth, king. Like the infamous final season of “Thrones,” “Dragon” doesn’t always make the most of its story’s assets. There’s funny dialogue, but mostly of the unintentional variety: “Laughing with your whores and your lickspittles!” the king yells to a relative, in a rage. Will “House of the Dragon” have us obsessing about the Crabfeeder? “Game of Thrones,” for all its flaws, was a Sunday-night treasure for a reason: its wild inventiveness and beauty, its overstuffed intrigue and action, its humor, its characters. (Did they always sound so Wookiee-like?) And it’s hard not to love a show in which hundreds of flickering votive candles surround not rose petals and a proposal but a dragon skull the size of a Humvee. The Daemon-Rhaenyra dynamic, and Daemon’s flaxen wig and eyes narrowed in constant scheming, recalls the Targaryens we know best: Daenerys and her brother, also named Viserys, whose death in “Thrones” involved our rejoicing while he encountered a faceful of molten gold. “Dragon” swiftly provides some of the old “Thrones” pleasures. Inside the palace, Rhaenyra and her friend Alicent Hightower visit the hugely pregnant queen (“This discomfort is how we serve the realm,” she says, proud and grim), and then Rhaenyra zips off to a meeting of the king and his advisers, where, as she pours water for them, undercover-Arya style, she listens to the proceedings: reports that begin “We’ve all been poring over the moon charts”; a discussion of a pirate-punishing madman called the Crabfeeder. Martin’s “ [Fire and Blood](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0593598008),” tells the story of House Targaryen in an era well before our old friends showed up—a hundred and seventy-two years before the death of the Mad King, the opening titles inform us, and the birth of his daughter Daenerys Targaryen. Like Rhaenyra, he’s a dragon rider—not just anybody can pilot those things—and, also like her, he’s a possible contender for the Iron Throne. The show opens not with a grim ice-monster sequence, as “Thrones” did—hat tip to that—but with the announcement, in a grand hall, of Prince Viserys (Paddy Considine) as the next king.

Here's the episode release schedule for 'House of the Dragon,' the new 'Game of Thrones' prequel series,

Episode 5: Sunday, September 18 Episode 4: Sunday, September 11 Episode 3: Sunday, September 4

In a reminder that dragons aren't the whole show, this "Game of Thrones" prequel takes a while to find its momentum. By Melanie McFarland ...

She's learning the price of capability and lessons about what it means to be a Targaryen, and a woman, from noble sources and unseemly ones. In the past, the Night King is a shadow and a myth, and the Lannisters are a family of try-hards. But if its early episodes indicate the tone Condal and his co-showrunner and director Miguel Sapochnik are going for, [they seem to have dialed that back](https://www.salon.com/2022/08/18/house-of-the-dragon-will-not-depict-violence_partner/). Alicent accepts her duty without fuss, following the steps set for her by a father that assures her that if she obeys the men in her life, she'll be rewarded with an elevated status. The difference is that Rhaenyra may never see a battlefield – although that's not a certainty – and Alicent definitely won't. Considine is a wonderful actor, but Viserys' duty fatigue is wearying, and everyone else in his court holds their emotions too close to the vest to add much spice. Her point of view informs the more balanced way the writers present women in a society programmed to write them off. Rhaenyra is younger when we first meet her (and played by Milly Alcock), with a slight build and quietude that belie a ferocious worthiness to rule. Martin](https://www.salon.com/2022/05/08/george-rr-martin-the-winds-of-winter-may-be-the-longest-bookin-the-series_partner/)'s Westeros sagas held off introducing its dragons until the last moment of the first season. Popular thinking may suppose that we could do without everything else but those fire-breathing terrors, but " [House of the Dragon](https://www.salon.com/2022/03/30/of-the-dragon-game-of-thrones-hbo/)" tests that theory. Since "House of the Dragon" is set 172 years before the Mad King's overthrow and the birth of Daenerys, sightings are far more common; when one screeches over King's Landing in the opening episode, the commonfolk barely blink. His cousin Rhaenys (Eve Best) was passed over by the old king despite being well-liked and married to Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint), head of the wealthiest house in Westeros.

Viserys succeeded King Jaehaerys Targaryen, his grandfather, when he was chosen by the Lords of Westeros for the Iron Throne. When he ascended the throne, he ...

Daemon is not only a threat to Rhaenyra, he's also a threat to his own brother and Otto will do anything to protect Viserys. The incredibly loyal Otto Hightower is the Hand of the King. Alicent is the daughter of Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King, and the second wife to Viserys. Rhaenyra is the first-born child of Viserys and his first wife Aemma Arryn. Later called “The Dance of the Dragons,” the war concerns who will be ascending the Iron Throne and, once again, gender is at the heart of the issue. Martin’s two volumes that cover the history of the Targaryens and their wild dragonriding ways.

Milly Alcock as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, a highlight of House of the Dragon's opening episodes. HBO. Heavy is the head that wears the crown. The opening ...

As the first episode of House of the Dragons finished, I asked myself whether it was as captivating as Game of Thrones' first. Even after six episodes of the show, House of the Dragon's scope is still mysterious. But the shining star of House of the Dragon's opening episodes is surely Milly Alcock as Rhaenyra. In contrast, House of the Dragon is all about the internecine conflict generated by different Targaryens all laying claim to the same Iron Throne. Much of Game of Thrones centered on the combative houses of Westeros vying to become the dominant clan. Perhaps more importantly, House of the Dragon will give lapsed Game of Thrones fans reason to love again.

House of the Dragon, now released on HBO and HBO Max, is playing its hand a little slower than Game of Thrones, as its pilot focuses on setting up the whole ...

Extending the show a bit of benefit of the doubt, House of the Dragon’s first episode is designed to be one part of a complete story, built to live in HBO Max’s content library forever as a brief snapshot of a fictional universe’s history. By the time the show reached its cultural apex, even fans who had never touched Martin’s original novels had crafted elaborate theories and could tell you all about the [prophecy of Azor Ahai](https://www.polygon.com/2019/4/9/18302196/game-of-thrones-azor-ahai-prophecy-jon-snow-daenerys). But even with all that in its favor, it’s purposefully not as quick or instantly enthralling as Game of Thrones’ debut episode was more than a decade ago. House of the Dragon’s pilot is still entertaining and intriguing. Game of Thrones opens with an ice zombie, then slowly, step by step, introduces you to all of its main characters — some who are only around for a season and some who last the entire series. And it appears to be taking its time and getting there carefully — in fact, the pilot is basically a prequel to the prequel, set over a decade before the major fighting in the Dance of the Dragons will occur and featuring its two most important characters as teenagers rather than adults. In the beginning of the original series, showrunners David Benioff and D.B. The series throws you into a sea of laws, plots, blond wigs, and complicated names, assuming that you’ll figure most of it out eventually. But with half a book coming before we get to all that, House of the Dragon has a whole lot of table setting to do before things really get going. [the book Fire & Blood](https://www.polygon.com/23057740/read-fire-blood-house-of-the-dragon) by A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. The series will tell the story of an event known as the Dance of the Dragons, essentially a Targaryen civil war over the succession of the Iron Throne, which turned all of Westeros against itself. But that’s not the case with HBO’s new successor show [House of the Dragon](https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516586&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hbomax.com%2Fseries%2Fhouse-of-the-dragon%3Foffer_id%3D5%26transaction_id%3D102c87c7%255B%25E2%2580%25A6%255D4ed39326beedc6012ca%26utm_source%3DVox%2BMedia%26utm_medium%3Daffiliate&referrer=polygon.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.polygon.com%2F23287745%2Fhouse-of-the-dragon-pilot-game-of-thrones-hbo-fire-and-blood).

We recap the debut episode of the Game of Thrones prequel, in which tragedy strikes the Seven Kingdoms, and a new heir is named for the Iron Throne ... for ...

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A Targaryen-centric prequel begins in typical Game of Thrones fashion: well-acted, violent, revolting, CGI'd to the max, and more than a little horny.

(And what did Otto write in the letter that he sent to Oldtown?) When he came to Westeros, Aegon had a dream: He foresaw the end of the world of men. But that doesn’t mean that their female characters will escape the fates of so many women of earlier ages (and let’s be honest, so many women of our own age). Rhaenyra and Daemon’s moments together are some of the most charged and exciting — their conversations in Valyrian edge them closer to dragon than human, and that little trill of desire when Daemon clasps a necklace around Rhaenyra’s throat has some big incest energy. The intertwining sequence of the tourney and Aemma’s brutal childbirth is this episode at its most vicious and its best. That is, we expect, one of the major questions House of the Dragon will explore. Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint, with just the right amount of swagger) is Master of Ships, a fitting role for a man known as the Sea Snake. Nine years into Viserys’s reign, and 172 years before the birth of Daenerys (a fact that the showrunners proclaim in big bold letters), another silver-haired dragon-rider swoops into frame. To his right stands his grandson Viserys (eldest son of his second son) and pregnant Aemma. So far the series feels expansive enough not to get bogged down in a Succession-like teeter-totter, where the balance of power swings back and forth to the point of nausea. [House of the Dragon](https://www.vulture.com/article/house-of-the-dragon-game-of-thrones-prequel-review.html) has no such protections in place. [told the New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/10/arts/television/house-of-the-dragon-hbo-got.html) that his ending for books six and seven — The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring, respectively — will substantially differ from Dave Benioff and D.B.

The Game Of Thrones prequel brings us back to King's Landing in “The Heirs Of The Dragon”

The lords of Westeros pledge fealty to their future queen, looking so young and lost in her royal raiment, over Viserys delivering the rest of his message to his daughter and heir. Viserys begins with a warning: The control their family holds over the dragons is an illusion that led to the infamous Doom of Valyria, and if they forget their history, they’re doomed to repeat it. - Aemma tells Rhaenyra that the way women serve the realm is by bearing children, but her headstrong daughter would rather be a knight. If this first episode is anything to go on, House Of The Dragon will be a more staid affair than Game Of Thrones, for better or worse. Still, the princess steps forward and utters the first “Dracarys!” of the series, and the king’s dragon sets the bodies aflame. The subject of the day is planning a jousting tournament in honor of the maybe-prince’s maybe-birth, and it seems like these guys are really playing dice with the Old Gods and the New. The gore gets so intense, in fact, that a young squire on the sidelines vomits in the dirt—and I almost did too. In any case, it was all for nothing: It’s only minutes after the prince is born (and named Baelon by his stricken father) that he starts struggling for breath. Then everything goes fine and Aemma has a healthy baby boy, and the rest of the show is just the royal fam being happy-go-lucky sweethearts. Jaehaerys did this to prevent a civil war, because, as a voiceover warns us, “the only thing that could tear down the House Of The Dragon was itself.” The kingdom goes to the dude. Martin, is set 172 years before the overthrow of the centuries-long Targaryen reign that kicked off the events of Game Of Thrones.

The 'Game of Thrones' prequel series, 'House of the Dragon,' begins with a flailing king, his calculating brother, and a young girl thrust into power.

- Aefon Targaryen foresaw the "end of the world of man" via a "terrible winter" than can only be survived with a Targaryen on the throne. He is clearly undervalued in the court of Viserys, and his exhaustion with the state of the realm is evident. He recounts to Viserys an orgiastic party where Daemon appeared to be celebrating the death of Baelon, whom he called "The Heir For a Day." A seafarer, he is also known as the Sea Snake and the Lord of the Tides. Viserys declares he won't be naming Daemon as his heir, ordering him to return to the Vale. [Matt Smith](https://ew.com/person/matt-smith/), the perfect mix of caddish charm and teeth-gnashing malevolence), for instance. The maester tells Viserys that she's going to die, but that there's a chance to save the child. Viserys scoffs at the idea of Rhaenys sitting on the throne — she's older than him, after all — and this upsets her husband Corlys Velaryon ( He spends no time in the Vale, preferring to be close to the royal family in King's Landing. Viserys isn't pleased with his brother, and a tense argument reveals that Daemon despises his wife, Lady Rhea Royce, heir to Runestone in the Vale of Arryn. (Contrast his comfort with Viserys, who nurses multiple wounds from the throne, including a pus-oozing hole in his back that won't seem to heal.) Daemon believes he'll be next in line for the throne if Aemma's child isn't a boy. As such, a voiceover at the beginning of the premiere helps us get our bearings.

We see a silver-haired woman gliding along on a dragon, introducing us to Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, the daughter of King Viserys. After dismounting from her ...

"Aegon foresaw the end of the world of men. The Grand Maester says that in these circumstances, it wouldn't be improper for the king to name a heir. He gets to choose which of the knights he wants to joust with, and points to a knight from House Hightower -- a knight that's the eldest son of Hand of the King Otto Hightower. "I made Daemon master of laws, but you said he was a tyrant," King Viserys barks at Hightower. "There is a chance we can save the child," but the resulting blood loss is likely to kill the mother. "Congratulations your grace," the maester says over Viserys' shoulder as the king weeps over his dead wife's body, "you have a son." After the funeral, the king finds himself at a Small Council meeting in which Otto Hightower, the Hand, implores him to immediately name a new heir. Daemon is obviously a troublesome guy, but he descends the throne and shows his niece a necklace with a pendant made with Valyrian steel. "There's a boy in the queen's belly, I know it. We see a silver-haired woman gliding along on a dragon, introducing us to Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, the daughter of King Viserys. Instead, they begin to focus on the Heir's Tournament, a jousting championship held on the day of Viserys' child's birth. "It is now the ninth year of King Viserys I Targaryen's Reign.

(Bloomberg) -- The hotly anticipated debut of the “Game of Thrones” prequel saw a vast number of users flock to HBO Max, overwhelming the service for some ...

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Who is Ser Otto Hightower? Rhys Ifans role explained. The Hand of the King is *always* an interesting character. **WARNING: May contain spoilers for House of ...

[subscribe now](http://radiotimes.com/magazine-subscription?utm_term=evergreen-article) and get the next 12 issues for only £1. [NOW](https://www.nowtv.com/) on Monday 22nd August 2022. **WARNING: May contain spoilers for House of the Dragon** And what does he want? What are his connections? The Hand of the King is an iconic character in the Game of Thrones world, and in

Introducing Rhaenyra Targaryen, another platinum-blonde, dragon-riding princess, and her entire dysfunctional royal family.

Only in the wake of her mother and brother’s death does Rhaenyra finally allow herself to voice the rage she’s felt toward her father, and his inability to see her as worthy of the Iron Throne: “I wonder if during those few hours my brother lived, my father finally found happiness.” Just as a mystery knight named Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) bests Daemon at the height of the tournament, tragedy strikes House Targaryen, when both Aemma and her child die in Viserys and his beloved wife Aemma (Sian Brooke) are due to bring a new child into the world, and Viserys is convinced it will be a boy, thanks to a dream, “clearer than a memory.” The king is so sure of his son’s imminent arrival that he throws a lavish tournament in the baby’s honor, an event that quickly descends into typical Thronesian bloodshed, both on and off the battlefield. With the end of his life in sight and without a clear heir to his name, Jaehaerys Targaryen summons a council to untangle the matter of succession between two choices: his eldest heir, Princess Rhaenys (Eve Best), and his eldest male heir, Viserys (Paddy Considine). (The erstwhile Eleventh Doctor’s introduction to the world of House of the Dragon, in which he leads the gold-cloaked City Watch through a fire-and-bloody raid of King’s Landing, immediately ranks among the most violent in the entire Thrones franchise.) There are legitimate concerns about this man ascending to the throne, most repeatedly raised by Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), Hand of the King. Up in the sky, a platinum-blonde princess rides her dragon over the streets of King’s Landing.

The 10-part Game of Thrones prequel takes us back 172 years to tell the story of Daenerys Targaryen's ancestors. Plus, Disability & Abortion.

Zuu is at his best here, opening his foodie world to Big Narstie – who has a new restaurant in Tenerife, so spicy, wrinkled potatoes are the dish of the day. And how do governing bodies tackle the matter in a meaningful way? In this complex documentary, actors Ruth Madeley and Ruben Reuter – who both live with a disability – listen to a range of perspectives.

We see a silver-haired woman gliding along on a dragon, introducing us to Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, the daughter of King Viserys. After dismounting from her ...

"Aegon foresaw the end of the world of men. The Grand Maester says that in these circumstances, it wouldn't be improper for the king to name a heir. He gets to choose which of the knights he wants to joust with, and points to a knight from House Hightower -- a knight that's the eldest son of Hand of the King Otto Hightower. "I made Daemon master of laws, but you said he was a tyrant," King Viserys barks at Hightower. "There is a chance we can save the child," but the resulting blood loss is likely to kill the mother. "Congratulations your grace," the maester says over Viserys' shoulder as the king weeps over his dead wife's body, "you have a son." After the funeral, the king finds himself at a Small Council meeting in which Otto Hightower, the Hand, implores him to immediately name a new heir. Daemon is obviously a troublesome guy, but he descends the throne and shows his niece a necklace with a pendant made with Valyrian steel. "There's a boy in the queen's belly, I know it. We see a silver-haired woman gliding along on a dragon, introducing us to Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, the daughter of King Viserys. "It is now the ninth year of King Viserys I Targaryen's Reign. [House of the Dragon](/culture/entertainment/house-of-the-dragon-will-let-you-love-game-of-thrones-again/) dropped, setting the stage for a Targaryen clash.

Westeros isn't real. Ad – content continues below. George R.R. Martin's epic A Song of Ice and Fire novels and the HBO series upon which ...

The final moments of “The Heir of the Dragon” also contain the promise that the show is willing to test the limits of its “just the facts, ma’am” historical format. The jousting scenes in general are this episode’s finest achievements and the best evidence that House of the Dragon has the capacity to reach the same level as Game of Thrones and perhaps even surpass it. With the sastsifyinging kinetic jousting scenes presented in its very first episode it seems as though both House of the Dragon’s budget and storytellers are already ahead of the curve of their parent series. Ser Criston is certain to play a major role in the Wars to Come and this is quite the introduction. With that in mind, the most interesting of House of the Dragon’s creations so far is undoubtedly the king’s brother, Daemon Targaryen. Though she loves to spend time on the back of her dragon Syrax (and subsequently always reeks of dragon to her parents) she also appears comfortable at court. The realm is still enjoying the peace of the Jaehaerys years and Viserys hasn’t done anything to screw that up just yet. The memories of that Great Council in Harrenhal hang over the rest of the episode like a dark shade. Enter the Great Council of Harrenhal, where all of the great lords of Westeros gather in the ruined castle to debate and ultimately vote on the issue. And it’s in this first scene that we see the unfortunate precedent of primogeniture get established. Martin](https://www.denofgeek.com/george-r-r-martin/)’s epic A Song of Ice and Fire novels and the [HBO](https://www.denofgeek.com/hbo/) series upon which they’re based are works of pure fantasy fiction. Despite an increased budget that allows for [many more shots of CGI dragons](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/house-of-the-dragon-introduce-17-new-dragons-game-of-thrones-world/), “The Heirs of the Dragon” may as well be a lost pilot of a royal period drama like The Crown or The Tudors.

We've watched them, under the command of Commander Janos Slynt, betray Ned Stark and murder his men when he tried to usurp Joffrey's rule. Most importantly, and ...

Daemon Targaryen gifted each of his his City Watch maniacs with golden cloaks, likened them all to a pack of hounds, and announced that he wanted King's Landing to "fear the color gold." Daemon, not one to avoid getting his hands filthy, also joined them for parts of the rampage. Most importantly, and also fitting considering what we just witnessed on House of the Dragon, we witnessed them spread out across King's Landing and murder all of King Robert's bastard-born children. One that saw his newly trained City Watch soldiers don golden cloaks and then run through the boroughs of the city unleashing terror and violence. We watched Matt Smith's Daemon Targaryen bitterly live in the shadow of his older brother King Viserys I (Paddy Considine), resentful that he was never brought in as a full, true confident. If you're not caught up yet, check out our spoiler-free [House of the Dragon Series Premiere Review](/house-of-the-dragon-series-premiere/167994/review/house-of-the-dragon-series-premiere-review).

Exclusive: House of the Dragon showrunners and cast open up about that major revelation that changes Game of Thrones mythology.

“Rhaenyra wants change, and she views the opportunity of sitting on the Iron Throne as an agency of change,” Alcock says. However, as we know from Game of Thrones, that knowledge, and that claim to the Iron Throne, is eventually lost—putting an added anxiety on Rhaenyra’s position as she faces the intrigues and conspiracies to come. Now Rhaenyra is the only Targaryen of her generation who knows the precious secret that the Targaryens must maintain from one century to the next, which will make it all the more vital that she retains her claim on the Iron Throne. So that core mythology of the original series, keeping that alive and this idea that somebody has been aware of this or seen this as a vision 300 years before it happens was really compelling to us and made it feel really epic and appropriate for the world of Game of Thrones.” Says Alcock, “I think that ultimately what’s going through her mind when she hears her father say this isn’t the significance of what is to come. But we don’t have those things, so we needed to find something to hang the hat on of the spirituality, which plays such a large part. He told us that Aegon was a dreamer and that was the reason he decided to go and conquer, and unite, Westeros. He’s remembered as a conqueror, but he really meant to be a uniter, which is why he approached things the way he did.” However, never before—not in Game of Thrones, not in Martin’s literary source novels of “A Song of Ice and Fire,” nor even in Martin’s expanded literature like Fire & Blood, on which House of the Dragon is based—has it been revealed that Aegon Targaryen conquered Westeros to save it and the world from the White Walkers. Nor did we know that Aegon called this vision “A Song of Ice and Fire.” The Targaryens are a family comprised of secrets within secrets, and mysteries within mysteries. Early in the scene, Rhaenyra scoffs at the mystique the Targaryens have cultivated among the smallfolk, who are prone to say “the Targaryens are closer to gods than men.” She knows they only seem so supernatural because of their dragons.

In House of the Dragon episode 1, now released on HBO and HBO Max, Rhaenyra Targaryen has to come to terms with how women are pawns in the games of powerful ...

With that in mind, House of the Dragon may be following a similar arc to Game of Thrones, where it breaks down its female characters in [order to build them back up later on](https://www.polygon.com/game-of-thrones/2019/5/20/18632523/game-of-thrones-finale-ending-sansa-queen-north). This is the norm in Westeros, a kingdom whose mores and attitudes are based on the similarly misogynist world of medieval Europe. It’s a decision that [sets the tone for not only the premiere](https://www.polygon.com/e/23051786) episode of [HBO’s Game of Thrones](https://www.polygon.com/game-of-thrones) [prequel](https://www.polygon.com/23292279/house-of-the-dragon-mushroom-canon), but for the fate of [the entire Targaryen dynasty](https://www.polygon.com/game-of-thrones/23058669/house-of-the-dragon-cast-characters-story-fire-and-blood-targaryens). It’s as dangerous as it gets […] We have a number of births in the show and basically decided to give them different themes and explore them from different perspectives the same way I did for a bunch of battles on Thrones.” Later in the episode, Viserys’ decision to make Rhaenyra his heir is motivated more by his anger towards his brother Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) than his faith in Rhaenyra’s abilities. [House of the Dragon](https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516586&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hbomax.com%2Fseries%2Fhouse-of-the-dragon%3Foffer_id%3D5%26transaction_id%3D102c87c7%255B%25E2%2580%25A6%255D4ed39326beedc6012ca%26utm_source%3DVox%2BMedia%26utm_medium%3Daffiliate&referrer=polygon.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.polygon.com%2F23315490%2Fhouse-of-the-dragon-episode-1-review) shows us what happens when women are treated as vessels and incubators. While Aemma attempts to deliver a baby who’s breeched (i.e., is turned with the feet downward instead of the head, a common and dangerous complication), the maester pulls the king aside and tells him it’s time to “make an impossible choice.” Who will live, and who will die? And so she ceases to be of value to the realm, as is illustrated in the bloodiest scene in an episode full of them. in recent months, where the repeal of Roe v. Director Miguel Sapochnik begins with a closeup of blood dripping from the maester’s hands, ramping up the gore as he cuts back and forth between the violence of Aemma’s murder-by-surgery and the bloodshed of the tournament happening outside the castle walls — a tourney put on, ironically enough, in the baby boy’s honor. In fact, she’s surprised and terrified when her husband kneels down beside her, strokes her hair and tells her not to be afraid, and nods to the maester to begin cutting. As Rhaenyra’s mother, Lady Aemma Arryn (Sian Brooke) tells Rhaenyra early on in the episode, “the childbed is our battlefield.” Aemma’s — and therefore her daughter’s — power lies in her capacity to get pregnant and bear a male heir.

HBO's new Game of Thrones prequel drama series, House of the Dragon, leaked online over the weekend. Thousands of people started torrenting, ...

Game of Thrones was the most-pirated TV show of the year globally for several years. While the new TV series closely adhered to George R.R. The versions are reportedly pristine high-definition (HD) 1080p, full surround sound with an HBO logo in the top-right corner and enabled subtitling in various languages.

'House of the Dragon' Season 1 premiere: We have questions about King Viserys' sculpture hobby in Episode 1.

And, like all the crafters I know (including myself), does he have a highly delusional sense of the latter? I don’t get the sense that Viserys spends a lot of time in the city’s streets. Prior to watching, I wasn’t sure how seamlessly Game of Thrones’ prequel spinoff would mesh with the original series, which I loved — yes, even the final season — and covered in full for TVLine.

Milly Alcock as Young Rhaenyra, Emily Carey as Young Alicent in "House of the Dragon." The following contains spoilers about the premiere episode of " ...

contained in Martin's writing and the earlier series. Martin's struggles for the Iron Throne, the producers were clearly mindful of early criticisms of "Game of Thrones." Her husband, King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine), is desperate for a son in order to secure a male heir to the throne, in accordance with tradition. That included incorporating people of color into the "House" cast and, as , fueling fierce debate about issues of forced birth and women's freedom to make their own healthcare choices. As

While House of the Dragon takes place 200 years before Game of Thrones, it's very much in keeping with that show's sex scenes. And Matt Smith is the actor ...

That is the world of House of the Dragon. [Matt Smith is the star who](https://www.polygon.com/game-of-thrones/23058669/house-of-the-dragon-cast-characters-story-fire-and-blood-targaryens), in the pilot of [House of the Dragon](http://voxmediapartner.go2cloud.org/aff_c?offer_id=2&aff_id=1&source=Polygon&aff_sub=HouseDragonsMattSmith082222&aff_unique1=https://www.hbomax.com/series/urn:hbo:series:GYsYeoAxKH8LCwgEAAAOR), gets saddled with helming two sexposition scenes, in very different ways. And such a strange moral compass — which is warped, but it is a moral compass, in his own way.” The brothel scene is certainly one way of showing how devoted Daemon’s men are, and how much their relationship is, in some ways, built on mutual respect. Though the showrunners have said [they plan to “pull back”](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/house-of-the-dragon-news-1235184887/) over time on prolific sex scenes that earned [Game of Thrones a certain reputation](https://www.polygon.com/game-of-thrones/2019/5/7/18535611/game-of-thrones-sansa-stark-hound-season-8), the first chapter of House isn’t a huge break from the tradition. [House of the Dragon](https://www.polygon.com/e/23051786) has little choice but to follow suit.

The show billed as the Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon is finally here and it seems to be all South African fantasy fans can talk about.

House of the Dragon will also be available on the DStv Catch Up platform. Alicent Hightower: Viserys’ second wife and stepmother to Rhaenyra. One thing to be weary about, however, is all the graphic violence that comes with a show set during such a time. Release dates will be confirmed at a later stage. Sadly, the show will not be available on Showmax as of yet but the box set will be available for binge viewing sometime towards the end of the year. The show billed as the Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon is finally here and it seems to be all South African fantasy fans can talk about.

House of the Dragon introduced House Stark with Rickon Stark swearing fealty to Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen. Here's what to know about Rickon Stark.

Cregan will likely become Lord of Winterfell by the time of the civil war. It’s fitting that House Stark is shown swearing fealty in this moment; House Stark and House Targaryen will eventually unite to defeat this threat, the Starks' past loyalty to the Targaryens perhaps one small signal of this future alliance.) [ 200 years before Ned Stark is named Hand of the King](https://www.menshealth.com/entertainment/a40896343/house-of-the-dragon-setting-time/)—the first season of Game of Thrones. We, of course, know this threat to be the White Walkers and the (One house swearing fealty before Stark: “Baratheon,” the surname of King Robert who rules the Seven Kingdoms at the start of Game of Thrones.) The name “Rickon” will also seem familiar, as this is the name of Eddard (Ned) and Catelyn Stark’s youngest child, who died at 11 during the Battle of the Bastards.

In the bloody, fiery wake of last night's House Of The Dragon premiere on HBO, Twitter's resident Westeros experts (and amateurs) had plenty of thoughts on ...

HBO Max crashed repeatedly for many viewers during the premiere of the streaming platform's highly anticipated “Game of Thrones” prequel on Sunday night, ...

The prequel, helmed by different directors than its predecessors, could provide a comeback of sorts for HBO. “House of the Dragon is being successfully viewed by millions of HBO Max subscribers this evening,” HBO said in a statement provided to multiple media outlets Sunday. The crashes introduced a technical hiccup into one of HBO’s most hotly awaited shows in years.