Episode 8 of Household of the Dragon released one more soar ahead in time — 6 decades to be precise. Now, King Viserys would seem to be the walking dead, Rhaenyra and Daemon are happily coupled and producing babies, and Alicent and the Hightowers have created their mark on King’s Landing, introducing religion in a significant way.

But that closing scene was the huge kicker: King Viserys unintentionally discussing the Targaryen’s significant family magic formula — with the mistaken particular person. Let’s discuss what that could mean going ahead in the spoiler-packed portion under.

Warning: Spoilers in advance.

What accurately is the Prophecy?

All the way back in episode 1, King Viserys passes onto his daughter Princess Rhaenyra a family magic formula — a doomsday prophecy telling of the conclusion of adult men. Let us split down what Viserys says:

“Our histories… they tell us that Aegon seemed throughout the Blackwater from Dragonstone, and saw a loaded land ripe for the capture. But ambition by yourself is not what drove him to conquest. It was a aspiration. And just as Daenys foresaw the conclusion of Valyria, Aegon foresaw the conclude of the planet of adult men.”

Aegon refers to Aegon the Conqueror, the to start with Lord of the 7 Kingdoms in Westeros. He was the founder of the Targaryens’ ruling dynasty over Westeros but, as his Prophecy reveals, he also wanted to unify the land against a prevalent enemy. His Prophecy just isn’t to be dismissed, for the reason that in advance of him a Targaryen — Daenys the Dreamer — had a appropriate prophetic desire of Valyria’s destruction by hearth. Twelve many years afterwards, Valyria — the cash of the Valyrian Freehold, a large civilization in Essos ruled by dragonriders — was in fact destroyed by an unexplained cataclysm.

“‘Tis to start out with a horrible wintertime gusting out of the distant north. Aegon saw absolute darkness driving on those winds. And whatever dwells within will damage the world of the residing. When this Terrific Winter arrives, Rhaenyra, all of Westeros should stand towards it. And if the entire world of adult males is to survive, a Targaryen have to be seated on the Iron Throne. A king or queen, strong adequate to unite the realm towards the chilly and the dark. Aegon known as his desire “The Song of Ice and Fireplace.”

As we see in Recreation of Thrones, this prophecy of a terrible winter arrives correct. An undead army of White Walkers threaten to bring a Extended Night time around Westeros. It truly is the duty of every Targaryen king (or queen) to pass the top secret Prophecy onto their heir so that just one working day all gentlemen can unite to fight the “cold and the dark.”

“This key… it really is been passed from king to heir since Aegon’s time. Now you need to guarantee to carry it… and shield it.”

Alicent and Rhaenyra holding hands in a large hall

Alicent and Rhaenyra’s friendship briefly seems to be on the mend.


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What does Rhaenyra inquire Viserys in episode 8?

Twenty a long time afterwards (from the situations of Household of the Dragon, episode 1), a lot has took place. Rhaenyra has a brood of small children and a new spouse in Daemon, her uncle. She visits her father Viserys just one night time, realizing he is likely going to die before long, to crystal clear up the indicating driving their mysterious spouse and children magic formula just before it can be way too late.

“‘The Music of Ice and Fireplace.’ Do you consider it to be accurate?”

“Aegon’s dream.”

“You told me it was our obligation to maintain the realm united versus a frequent foe. By naming me heir you divided the realm.”

Viserys is so out of it, drugged up on anaesthetic milk of the poppy, that he in no way finishes answering Rhaenyra on regardless of whether he thinks Aegon’s prophecy, named the Tune of Ice and Fire, will come legitimate.

What does King Viserys inform Alicent?

As a substitute, Viserys unintentionally presents his spouse Alicent his get on Aegon’s Prophecy.

In a haze, on his deathbed, Viserys starts by apologizing. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” This is presumably an apology for forcing Rhaenyra, whom he thinks he is chatting to, into getting on everything that arrives with turning into the Targaryen heir, together with bearing the family members key.

“But you preferred to know… if I believe it to be correct.”

Alicent, of training course, has no notion what Viserys is talking about. Viserys proceeds to inadvertently inform her to the concept of a “Prince That Was Promised.”

“Aegon.”

“Our son?” asks Alicent, referring to her and Viserys’ firstborn Prince Aegon, who was observed to have raped a young servant in episode 8.

Viserys shakes his head — he’s of training course referring to Aegon the Conquerer. “His Dream. The Track of Ice and Fi — It is true. What he saw in the North. The Prince That Was Promised.”

Alicent even now thinks Viserys is conversing about their son Aegon — not Jon Snow, aka another Aegon Targaryen.

“The Prince,” Viserys carries on. “To unite the realm towards the cold… and the darkish. It is you. You are the just one. You should do this.”

What will Alicent do with the Prophecy?

From Alicent’s point of view, it undoubtedly sounds like Viserys is inquiring her, his wife, to make certain their firstborn Prince Aegon inherits the Iron Throne — in excess of the named heir Princess Rhaenyra. It seems like Viserys is telling Alicent she is “the a single” to be certain this transpires, that the “Prince That Was Promised” comes from her line.

Of class, this is not the case — Viserys assumed he was talking to Rhaenyra. This is obviously going to tear one more big rift concerning Alicent and Rhaenyra, which is unfortunate provided their friendship seemed to be on the mend thanks to the king’s inspiring speech at the fancy reunion supper. Rhaenyra tends to make a toast to Alicent, thanking her for generally keeping by her father’s side. Alicent is seemingly genuine in declaring that Rhaenyra will a person day make a fantastic queen, implying she’s not heading to struggle Rhaenyra’s assert as heir.

But just after hearing some of the Prophecy, Alicent will most likely improve her brain and make a declare for the throne via her eldest son Aegon. In episode 6, Alicent warns Aegon that one day he’ll have to struggle Rhaenyra for the throne.

The factor is, Rhaenyra and Daemon also have a son named Aegon — their firstborn little one, a child launched in episode 8. The two Aegons could possibly be pitted towards one particular an additional. As episode 7 confirmed, Alicent is inclined to turn out to be violent if it usually means preserving her small children.

How is the catspaw dagger linked?

In episode 1, you could possibly have discovered Viserys absentmindedly touching an ornate dagger he carries on his belt although he tells Rhaenyra about the Prophecy. This dagger again appears in episode 8, beside Viserys’ deathbed when he talks about the Prophecy when more.

Viserys explains the origins of the dagger in episode 4. He tells Rhaenyra that the dagger “at the time belonged to Aegon the Conquerer. It was Aenar’s before that. And just before that… well it is complicated to know.” Everything’s connected! Aenar Targaryen was Daenys the Dreamer’s father, whom she convinced to move absent from the Valyrian Freehold soon after obtaining a appropriate prophetic aspiration of the Doom of Valyria.

Somewhere alongside the way, this special dagger landed in the similarly prophetic Aegon’s arms. The dagger is designed from Valyrian steel, crucially a single of the few recognized substances that can get rid of White Walkers. It performs a massive element in making Aegon’s wish to avoid the end of men occur genuine.

In Game of Thrones, the dagger was first utilised in an assassination attempt on Bran Stark (an assassin is identified as a “catspaw“). In the ultimate period, Arya kills the Evening King utilizing Aegon’s dagger, blocking the undead from “erasing the globe” as Bran clarifies in period 7 on the Night time King’s motivations.

Who’s the Prince That Was Promised?

In episode 4 of Home of the Dragon, Viserys says that, in advance of Aegon’s death, the final of the Valyrian pyromancers hid “his tune” in the steel. Rhaenyra reads the inscription, seen when the blade is heated in fireplace: “From my blood come the Prince That Was Promised and his will be the Song of Ice and Fireplace.”

As we uncover in Sport of Thrones, the Prince That Was Promised is Jon Snow, aka an additional Aegon Targaryen. Jon’s genuine identify and royal lineage — his moms and dads are Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen — are concealed to safeguard him from these searching for to annihilate all Targaryens. Jon helps fulfil Aegon the Conquerer’s desire by making an alliance with Daenerys Targaryen against the White Walkers. Starting to be a dragonrider, Jon allows defeat the Night time King in the Struggle of Winterfell, the White Walkers getting extinct for great.

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