Summary
House of the Dragonseason 2, episode 1 makes one Daenerys Targaryen plot hole fromGame of Thronesa lot worse. For the most part,House of the Dragon’s timelinemeans it doesn’t have too much of an impact on its predecessor, since this is all happening 170+ years earlier. There are some exceptions, however, such as Aegon the Conqueror’s A Song of Ice and Fire recontextualizing the White Walkers’ defeat.
There’s nothing quite so dramatic inHouse of the Dragonseason 2, episode 1, but there is one story that has an impact on Daenerys. More specifically, it’s related to a plot hole with Dany flying her dragons North of the Wall inGame of Thronesseason 7, episode 6, “Beyond the Wall.” That had seemed like a contradiction of lore, and its prequel just made it worse.
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Daenerys' Dragons Flying Over The Wall Makes Less Sense After House Of The Dragon
Fire & Blood Created The Original Problem
Daenerys flying her dragons beyond the Wall to save Jon Snow et al didn’t seem too problematic at the time, but did become so when George R.R. Martin’sFire & Bloodwas released just a year later. The book revealedthe story of Queen Alysanne’s visit to the Wall, and how her dragon Silverwing refused three times to go beyond it. Why did her dragon refuse - or was magically unable - to go beyond the Wall, when Daenerys’ weren’t?
House of the Dragon
House of the Dragon is a 2022 fantasy drama set in the world of Westeros, chronicling the Targaryen dynasty at its height. The story revolves around King Viserys’s controversial decision to name his daughter Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne, sparking tensions and divisions within the realm.
House of the Dragonseason 2 doubles down on this plot hole.Cregan Stark tells the story to Jacaerys Velaryon, which ensures that it exists in the TV show canon, meaning this can’t just be hand-waved away as a discrepancy between book lore and the show. In fact, it not only happened, but is important enough for Cregan to tell Jace about it even in such a brief scene.
In Fire & Blood, it’s just Silverwing who won’t/can’t go beyond the Wall, but in House of the Dragon, it was King Jaehaerys’ dragon, Vermithor, too.
TheGame of Thronesprequel also changes the story, too. InFire & Blood, it’s just Silverwing who won’t/can’t go beyond the Wall, but inHouse of the Dragon, it was King Jaehaerys’ dragon, Vermithor, too. That means it wasn’t just one dragon acting of their own accord, but two - both of whom are bigger and more powerful than Dany’s - who either couldn’t or wouldn’t fly beyond the Wall.
Every Dragon In House Of The Dragon Explained
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Obviously, there’s the timeline with the source material to consider, sinceFire & Bloodwasn’t released when Dany was flying beyond the Wall. In fact, Martin’s novellaThe Rogue Prince, from 2014, included a story told by Viserys to his grandchildren about Jaehaerys:
“His Grace gave the babe a pearl ring off his finger to play with, and told the twins the story of how their great-great-grandsire and namesake Jaehaerys the Old King had flown his dragon north to the Wall to defeat a vast host of wildlings, giants, and wargs.”
That meansthe plot hole really came fromFire & Blood, which told a different version of events and left out that tale (though it’s very likely Viserys’ account was an exaggerated take to entertain kids). That’s not reallyGame of Thrones’ fault, of course, butHouse of the Dragoncertainly exacerbates the problem when it could instead have looked to offer an explanation.
So, Why Did Daenerys’ Dragons Fly Over The Wall When Silverwing & Vermithor Refused?
Can The Game Of Thrones Plot Hole Be Fixed?
House of the Dragondidn’t give an answer to the plot hole and instead compounded the issue, but it’s worth considering if there are any potential fixes for the plot hole. After all, the White Walkers were more active inGame of Thrones, so if they were the reason for Silverwing and Vermithor not crossing, then Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion would have greater reason not to.
Wait, Are There White Walkers In House Of The Dragon Season 2?
House of the Dragon season 2’s return to the Wall comes with an ominous warning from Cregan Stark, but does that mean there’ll be White Walkers?
It could simply be that these are different dragons in different circumstances. Perhaps the nature of the moment, with Jon Snow and company needing to be saved, and Dany’s desperation to do so, helped override any reluctance the dragons may otherwise have had. Perhaps the impending war against the dead, the entire purpose of the Targaryens in Westeros as perAegon’s A Song of Ice and Fire dream, meant that now was the time for them to go beyond the Wall.
There’s also the matter of magic to consider here. One possibility is that it’s related to the Night King’s mark: Bran had this when he crossed back through the Wall, which was before Daenerys and her dragons flew over it. If the magic worked both ways, could it have somehow broken it, allowing dragons to cross over? All of these are possible, if not perfect, explanations.
Episode 8
August 4
Ultimately, it comes down to discrepancies in the show and book, whichHouse of the Dragonseason 2 has made worse. It’ll be interesting, then, to see whether Martin himself includes dragons going beyond the Wall in eitherThe Winds of WinterorA Dream of Spring, and, if so, whether he addresses how they do it. Until then, it’ll just have to remain a frustratingGame of Thronesplot hole.
Game Of Thrones
Cast
Based on George R. R. Martin’s ongoing A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, Game of Thrones is a fantasy drama set in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos. It follows noble families like the Starks, Lannisters, and Targaryen vying for control of the Iron Throne while a rising threat from the undead looms in the North. The series received significant critical success and amassed a loyal fan base due to its high production values, sprawling sets, iconic characters, and shocking twists.
Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones is a multimedia franchise created by George R.R. Martin. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire is the basis for the award-winning HBO series Game of Thrones, which lasted for eight seasons. After the incredibly divisive final season of Game of Thrones, the series was followed up by the prequel series House of the Dragon, which also received critical acclaim.
