monish ! This article contains major SPOILERS for House of the Dragon time of year 2 , episode 1 and George R.R. Martin ’s Fire & Blood book , on which the show is based !
Summary
The absence of one theatrical role inHouse of the Dragonseason 2 , episode 1 ’s return to Winterfell kill the dream of a scene that I ’ve been waiting for sinceGame of Thronesended . After ground the location as a familiar setting throughoutGame of Thrones , Winterfell was totally missing fromHouse of the Dragonseason 1 in favor of more Targaryen - related name and address like King ’s Landing , Dragonstone , and Driftmark . However , after plenty of anticipation , Winterfell and the Wall returned duringLord Cregan Stark ’s introductioninHouse of the Dragonseason 2 , episode 1 .
As was expected , given George R.R. Martin’sFire & Bloodis told through the write up of unreliable teller , the prequel show makes some meaning changes and leave out some of import details from the book ’s segment at Winterfell . Ultimately , what could have been an entire episode ’s subplot of Jacaerys and Cregan ’s story at Winterfell was bound to a brief possible action scene . In addition toHouse of the Dragonomitting the Pact of Ice and Firesealed by the Starks and Targaryens , the installment ignores the 2018Fire & Bloodbook ’s descriptions of a part named Sara Snow andavoids showing Jace ’s dragon Vermax at Winterfell .
Vermax’s Absence In HOTD Season 2, Episode 1 Kills My Dream Of Seeing Dragons Fly At Winterfell Before Daenerys
Dragons had been to Winterfell on very few occasions before Daenerys Targaryen
While it ’s clear thatVermax is present at Winterfell off - screenafter Cregan Stark tells Jace he had the “ mercifulness not to imperil [ him ] with [ his ] dragon,”House of the Dragonseason 2 , episode 1 does n’t actually show the dragon in the North . In addition to mydisappointment with Cregan’sHouse of the Dragonintroductionbeing so short , it was aletdown that the prequel did n’t show Vermax flying at Winterfell . Dragons seldom ever came all the way north throughout House Targaryen ’s history in Westeros , so I was extremely excited to see one of these few occasions predating Daenerys inHouse of the Dragon .
Game of Thrones season 7 allow behind a major plot hole with Daenerys Targaryen and her dragons , and House of the Dragon season 2 tot up to the problem .
As Cregan states , he had only find out history from his father about receive King Jaehaerys and Queen Alysanne to the North with their dragons before Jace ’s visit . This was also the case withGame of Thrones ’ northerly characters recalling long - agone stories of firedrake at the Wall , until Daenerys Targaryen finally brought hers in season 7 . However , House of the Dragonseason 2 , episode 1had the opportunity to really show another flying lizard at Winterfell over a century beforehand . Instead , Vermax ’s appearance at Winterfell was hold in to fictional character talking about the dragon rather than show it .
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Daenerys first brought her dragon to the deep North inGame of Thronesseason 7 , episode 6 , " Beyond the Wall , " to hold open Jon Snow and his political party from an attack by wights .
It ’s possible that the decision to leave out Vermax was budgetary given the CGI costs , but could also have been a thing of meter restraints . The prequel does n’t even bring audiences into Winterfell , where Vermax was being obligate , with Cregan and Jace – just to the Wall . Still , this was the last clip that a tartar had been to Winterfell before DaenerysinGame of Thrones , marking an of import moment in the historical human relationship between Houses Stark and Targaryen .
Not to mentionHouse of the Dragon ’s reveal aboutAegon ’s Song of Ice and Fire dreamthat further ties the Starks , Targaryens , their dragons , and the Wall together , I’m surprised the Northerners ’ reaction to a dragon in their realm was n’t explored . Despite how many more firedrake there were in Westeros duringHouse of the Dragon ’s timeline , they were just as strange of a concept to Northerns then as they were when Daenerys brought hers 170 year afterwards . I was look forwards to seeing a dragon at Winterfell when theWhite Walkers were n’t actually assail inHouse of the Dragon , but sadly the prequel did n’t fulfill that wish well .
Custom image by Debanjana Chowdhury
House Of The Dragon Avoids Confirming A Wild Winterfell Dragon Rumor From George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood Book
Fire & Blood included a rumor that Vermax laid eggs in Winterfell
By not showing Vermax on - screen inHouse of the Dragonseason 2 ’s opening move scene , the HBO show also avoids confirm or debunking a rumor posed inFire & Blood . While the most scandalous hearsay about Jacaerys ’ head trip to Winterfell was that he marriedCregan ’s half - sister Sara Snow , who was cut from season 2 , there was alsoa rumor that Jace ’s firedrake pose eggs in the crypt of Winterfell . The claim has never been substantiated inGame of ThronesorHouse of the Dragonlore , but would suggest that dragon eggs may have been in Winterfell throughout the original show ’s timeline .
Fire & Bloodreveals that there ’s no grounds Vermax ever laid an egg at Winterfell or anywhere else .
The rumour is more than likely false , but it ’s also potential that one of the Targaryens know about the claim of eggs in Winterfell and took them once thedragons originally died out beforeGame of Thrones . Additionally , Fire & Bloodreveals that there ’s no grounds Vermax ever position an testicle at Winterfell or anywhere else . With Vermax ’s use at Winterfell inHouse of the Dragonseason 2 being go forth a mystery , the truth of that hearsay remains a interrogative that will probably forever go unanswered .
House Of The Dragon Season 2’s Missing Winterfell Dragon Scene Makes Me Excited For 2 Potential GOT Prequels
There are other opportunities to show dragons at Winterfell before Daenerys
House of the Dragonmay not show a flying lizard at Winterfell , but that does n’t mean another Targaryen prequel show wo n’t . One of theupcomingGame of Thronesprequelsthat I ’m most excited about espouse Aegon ’s Conquest , and it ’s all but guaranteed that Aegon will fetch his flying dragon to the North to make Lord Torrhen Stark bend the knee . Additionally , I ’ve been holding out hope that HBO will make a prequel about the reign of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen , whichwould probably include scenes of Jaehaerys and Alysanne bring their dragons to the Wall . If so , these appearance could fulfill the scene thatHouse of the Dragonwas missing .
New episodes ofHouse of the Dragonseason 2 handout Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max .
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Cast
Taking position about 172 year before the issue ofGame of Thrones , House of the Dragontells the narrative of the rise of the Targaryens , the only family of dragonlords to survive the Doom of Valyria . The popular HBO spinoff show first starred Milly Alcock and Emily Carey as Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower before they were replaced by Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke , who work the one-time version of the characters . Also starring in the serial is Matt Smith ( Prince Daemon Targaryen ) and Paddy Considine as Rhaenyra ’s Church Father , King Viserys Targaryen .
Custom image by Debanjana Chowdhury
Taking place about 172 years before the events ofGame of Thrones,House of the Dragontells the tale of the rise of the Targaryens, the only family of dragonlords to survive the Doom of Valyria. The popular HBO spinoff show first starred Milly Alcock and Emily Carey as Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower before they were replaced by Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke, who play the older versions of the characters. Also starring in the series is Matt Smith (Prince Daemon Targaryen) and Paddy Considine as Rhaenyra’s father, King Viserys Targaryen.
