The Return of Game of Thrones: 'House of the Dragon'

It's been five years since HBO's biggest hit, ‘Game of Thrones’, came to an end. First aired on HBO in 2011, Game of Thrones gained popularity with its diverse and complex characters and unpredictable plots filled with conspiracies and betrayals. The series finale, which aired in 2019, was watched by 13.6 million households, becoming the **most successful show in HBO history**.

However, the latter half of the series received scathing criticism. When the show first began in 2011, the production team had five volumes of the source novel to adapt. George R.R. Martin, the author of the original novels, seemed confident that he would be able to complete the novel before the TV series reached the fifth installment. But, the sixth volume wasn't published until 2015, even though the fifth installment (Season 5) had already aired. As of now, 13 years after the first episode of Season 1, the sixth volume **has still not been published**.

Ultimately, George Martin shared the ending he had in mind with the series creators. He also offered to write the TV series scripts if needed. In Martin's opinion, the conclusion of the series required at least 10 seasons to fully explain. Given that George Martin had been a long-time TV series screenwriter, completing the script might have been faster for him than finishing the novel. On the other hand, the producers may have been apprehensive about continuing such a large-scale series for another 10 years. They decided to conclude the story with Season 8.

And so, Game of Thrones, without a source novel, began its seventh season. George Martin declared that he would no longer be involved in the TV series. The producers crammed all the narrative and storylines into the ending that George Martin had revealed to them. The personalities of characters who should have evolved over multiple seasons suddenly changed in just a few minutes. Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage), who was once known for his eloquence and wit, was reduced to mumbling meaningless words, and Daenerys, who was the liberator of slaves, **transformed into a ruthless killer** in a flash.

Following the shocking conclusion of Game of Thrones, HBO executives were plunged into deep contemplation. They had witnessed firsthand how much the latter half of the show fell short of expectations, despite its widespread popularity. HBO requested that George Martin write a novel that could be adapted into a Game of Thrones spin-off series. Furthermore, they stipulated that the novel should have a **complete narrative**.

And so, George Martin wrote a novel titled ‘Fire & Blood’. Although it is a novel, it is written in a historical record style. The book is presented as a historical record written by a scholar within the world of Game of Thrones, recounting past events. (While it might take a long time for George Martin to write everything as a novel, creating a historical record style outline of the story seemed to be faster.) Based on this fictional historical account, the new HBO series is titled ‘House of the Dragon’.

Spoiler Alert!

House of the Dragon is set 170 years before the events of Game of Thrones. During this time, the Targaryen dynasty, which had already fallen into decline in Game of Thrones, is at its zenith. Each member of the royal family possesses a dragon, and no one dares to challenge the Targaryen house, who ride dragons. That is, until the Targaryen house splits into two and **engages in a civil war**.

Princess ‘Rhaenyra’, a direct ancestor of ‘Daenerys Targaryen’ played by Emilia Clarke in ‘Game of Thrones’, was officially named heir to the throne by her father, ‘Viserys’. However, her father has a younger son with his new and younger queen, ‘Alicent’. From that moment, Rhaenyra senses that her position is threatened.

Her ominous premonition comes true when her father and king, Viserys, passes away. Queen Alicent declares her son, ‘Aegon’, the rightful new king and places him on the Iron Throne. Rhaenyra, determined to reclaim the throne, holds a coronation ceremony at ‘Dragonstone’, the former stronghold of the Targaryen house, proclaiming herself the true ruler of the kingdom.

Aegon and Rhaenyra gather their supporters from across the kingdom. The Stark family, who were almost like protagonists in the previous series, pledge their allegiance to Rhaenyra, while the Lannister family supports Aegon. Both sides, with royal dragon riders, try to avoid an all-out civil war. But unforeseen betrayals and conspiracies could not be avoided even 170 years ago. The first season concludes with unexpected and horrific deaths, signaling the beginning of another ‘Game of Thrones’ in Westeros.

The series, which premiered on HBO Max in 2022, garnered over 20 million viewers, achieving a level of success comparable to Game of Thrones. It is widely regarded as a successful endeavor in rekindling viewers' interest in this world, especially those who were disappointed with the ending of Game of Thrones. While Game of Thrones suffered from a decline in quality in the later seasons due to the incompleteness of the original novel, this series benefits from having a predefined ending, minimizing the possibility of a disappointing finale.

For fans who enjoyed Game of Thrones, there is no more captivating prequel. Milly Alcock's portrayal of the young Rhaenyra has drawn comparisons to Emilia's Daenerys, sparking discussions among viewers. The Iron Throne, an iconic symbol of the series, makes a grand reappearance. Notably, the mystery surrounding ‘the song of ice and fire’, a plot point left unresolved in Game of Thrones, resurfaces in this series. Will viewers finally get an answer to what ‘the song of ice and fire’ truly is this time around? The second season of ‘House of the Dragon’ is set to premiere in **summer 2024**.