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 was popular for its diverse, three-dimensional characters and its unpredictable plots filled with conspiracies and betrayals. The final episode of the series, which aired in 2019, was watched by 13.6 million households, becoming the most popular show in HBO history.

However, the latter half of the series failed miserably in terms of critical reception. When the show premiered in 2011, the producers had five source novels to adapt. George Martin, the original author, seemed like he would be able to complete the novels before the TV series began adapting the fifth book. However, the sixth book wasn't published until 2015, when the fifth book, season 5, was broadcast. The sixth book, still remains unpublished even after 13 years since the first episode of season 1 was broadcast.

Eventually, George Martin told the producers of the series the ending he had in mind. And he also said that he would write the TV series script if necessary. According to Martin, it would take 10 seasons to properly explain the ending of the series. From George Martin's point of view, who has been a TV series screenwriter for a long time, the completion of the script may have come sooner than the completion of the novel. On the other hand, the producers may have found it burdensome to drag on this large-scale series for 10 years. They said they would end the story with season 8.

Thus, Game of Thrones without the source material began with season 7. George Martin announced that he would no longer be involved in the TV series. The producers crammed all the stories and narratives into the ending George Martin told them. The characters' personalities, which should have changed over several seasons, change abruptly in just a few minutes. Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage), who was popular for his eloquent speech, only mumbles meaningless words, and Daenerys, the liberator of slaves, suddenly becomes a murderer.

After the shocking ending of Game of Thrones, HBO executives fell into deep thought. Because they knew how much the ending fell short of expectations, even though Game of Thrones was a huge hit. HBO asks George Martin to write a novel that could be adapted into a Game of Thrones spin-off series. And they also asked for the novel to be a completed story.

So, George Martin writes a novel titled “Fire & Blood”. "Fire & Blood" is a novel, but it is written in a historical style. The book is set up as a history book written by a scholar in the world of Game of Thrones, using events that took place in the past. (If George Martin had to write it as a novel, it would take a long time, but writing a general outline as a history book concept seemed to be faster.) That's why the new HBO series based on this fake history book is called “House of the Dragon”.

Spoiler alert!

House of the Dragon is set 170 years before Game of Thrones. The Targaryen dynasty, which had already fallen in Game of Thrones, was at its peak during this period. Each member of the royal family has a dragon, and no one dares to challenge the Targaryen family, who ride dragons. Until the Targaryen family splits into two and begins a civil war.

Princess “Rhaenyra”, a direct ancestor of “Daenerys Targaryen”, played by Emilia Clarke in ‘Game of Thrones’, was officially named heir by her father “Viserys”. But her father and his young new queen “Alicent” have a late son. From that moment, Rhaenyra senses that her position is shaky.

Her ominous premonition comes true when her father, King Viserys, dies. Queen Alicent places her son “Aegon” on the Iron Throne and declares him the legitimate new king. Rhaenyra holds a coronation at “Dragonstone”, the Targaryen family's old stronghold, to reclaim the throne, declaring herself the true ruler of the kingdom.

Aegon and Rhaenyra each gather supporters from across the kingdom. The Stark family, who were like the main characters in the previous work, are loyal to Rhaenyra, and the Lannister family supports Aegon. Both sides try to avoid civil war between royal families who have dragons. But unexpected betrayals and conspiracies cannot be avoided even 170 years ago. The first season ends with a terrifying death that no one could have predicted, and the “Game of Thrones” begins once again in Westeros.

The series, released on HBO Max in 2022, has been viewed by over 20 million people, making it a hit that rivals Game of Thrones. It is considered a success in bringing viewers back to this world who were disappointed by the final season of Game of Thrones. While Game of Thrones fell sharply in quality in the latter half due to the unfinished original novel, this series already has a predetermined ending, reducing the risk of disappointment at the end.

If you enjoyed Game of Thrones, there is no more captivating prequel. Milly Alcock's portrayal of Rhaenyra's childhood has drawn attention for its subtle resemblance to Emilia's Daenerys. The series' iconic Iron Throne also makes a comeback in a more majestic form. In particular, the “Song of Ice and Fire”, a plot point that was not resolved in “Game of Thrones”, has reappeared in this series. Will viewers finally get an answer to what “Song of Ice and Fire” is this time around? The second season of “House of the Dragon” is scheduled to be released in the summer of 2024.