‘House of the Dragon:’ King Viserys’ Episode 8 Prophecy Scenes Explained

Episode 8 of Home of the Dragon introduced yet another leap ahead in time — six yrs to be precise. Now, King Viserys seems to be the walking useless, Rhaenyra and Daemon are happily coupled and generating babies, and Alicent and the Hightowers have created their mark on King’s Landing, introducing faith in a big way.

But that closing scene was the massive kicker: King Viserys unintentionally speaking about the Targaryen’s essential loved ones top secret — with the completely wrong man or woman. Let us focus on what that could mean heading forward in the spoiler-packed portion beneath.

Warning: Spoilers forward.

What precisely is the Prophecy?

All the way again in episode 1, King Viserys passes onto his daughter Princess Rhaenyra a spouse and children key — a doomsday prophecy telling of the conclude of adult men. Let us split down what Viserys states:

“Our histories… they notify us that Aegon looked throughout the Blackwater from Dragonstone, and observed a wealthy land ripe for the capture. But ambition on your own is not what drove him to conquest. It was a desire. And just as Daenys foresaw the end of Valyria, Aegon foresaw the conclusion of the entire world of adult males.”

Aegon refers to Aegon the Conqueror, the very first 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 widespread enemy. His Prophecy just isn’t to be dismissed, since in advance of him a Targaryen — Daenys the Dreamer — experienced a correct prophetic dream of Valyria’s destruction by fire. Twelve yrs later on, Valyria — the capital of the Valyrian Freehold, a massive civilization in Essos dominated by dragonriders — was indeed destroyed by an unexplained cataclysm.

“‘Tis to start with a horrible winter gusting out of the distant north. Aegon saw absolute darkness driving on all those winds. And whatsoever dwells within will damage the globe of the living. When this Great Wintertime comes, Rhaenyra, all of Westeros must stand towards it. And if the world of adult males is to endure, a Targaryen must be seated on the Iron Throne. A king or queen, powerful adequate to unite the realm against the cold and the darkish. Aegon called his dream “The Music of Ice and Fire.”

As we see in Game of Thrones, this prophecy of a terrible winter season arrives genuine. An undead army of White Walkers threaten to deliver a Lengthy Night time over Westeros. It is really the duty of each Targaryen king (or queen) to go the magic formula Prophecy onto their heir so that 1 working day all men can unite to fight the “cold and the dark.”

“This mystery… it is been handed from king to heir considering that Aegon’s time. Now you will have to assure to carry it… and guard it.”

What does Rhaenyra question Viserys in episode 8?

Twenty many years afterwards (from the gatherings of Home of the Dragon, episode 1), a great deal has took place. Rhaenyra has a brood of little ones and a new spouse in Daemon, her uncle. She visits her father Viserys a person night, being aware of he’s most likely likely to die before long, to obvious up the that means powering their mysterious household top secret in advance of it truly is too late.

“‘The Tune of Ice and Fireplace.’ Do you feel it to be genuine?”

“Aegon’s desire.”

“You explained to me it was our responsibility to keep the realm united in opposition to 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 never finishes answering Rhaenyra on no matter if he thinks Aegon’s prophecy, named the Tune of Ice and Fireplace, will arrive legitimate.

What does King Viserys tell Alicent?

As a substitute, Viserys unintentionally provides his wife Alicent his just take on Aegon’s Prophecy.

In a haze, on his deathbed, Viserys commences by apologizing. “I am sorry. I’m sorry.” This is presumably an apology for forcing Rhaenyra, whom he thinks he’s speaking to, into taking on every little thing that will come with getting the Targaryen heir, which includes bearing the household top secret.

“But you required to know… if I believe that it to be real.”

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

“Aegon.”

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

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

Alicent nonetheless thinks Viserys is chatting about their son Aegon — not Jon Snow, aka yet another Aegon Targaryen.

“The Prince,” Viserys continues. “To unite the realm in opposition to the cold… and the darkish. It is you. You are the a person. You should do this.”

What will Alicent do with the Prophecy?

From Alicent’s perspective, it certainly sounds like Viserys is inquiring her, his spouse, to make sure their firstborn Prince Aegon inherits the Iron Throne — more than the named heir Princess Rhaenyra. It seems like Viserys is telling Alicent she is “the a single” to guarantee this transpires, that the “Prince That Was Promised” comes from her line.

Of program, this isn’t really the circumstance — Viserys believed he was speaking to Rhaenyra. This is evidently going to tear yet another major rift amongst Alicent and Rhaenyra, which is sad specified their friendship seemed to be on the mend many thanks to the king’s inspiring speech at the fancy reunion supper. Rhaenyra helps make a toast to Alicent, thanking her for constantly keeping by her father’s side. Alicent is seemingly authentic in declaring that Rhaenyra will a single day make a very good queen, implying she’s not likely to combat Rhaenyra’s assert as heir.

But following listening to some of the Prophecy, Alicent will likely transform her thoughts and make a declare for the throne by means of her eldest son Aegon. In episode 6, Alicent warns Aegon that a person day he’ll have to combat Rhaenyra for the throne.

The issue is, Rhaenyra and Daemon also have a son named Aegon — their firstborn kid, a infant introduced in episode 8. The two Aegons could most likely be pitted in opposition to a person a different. As episode 7 confirmed, Alicent is inclined to develop into violent if it implies preserving her children.

How is the catspaw dagger linked?

In episode 1, you may well have found Viserys absentmindedly touching an ornate dagger he carries on his belt even though he tells Rhaenyra about the Prophecy. This dagger once more seems in episode 8, beside Viserys’ deathbed when he talks about the Prophecy after a lot more.

Viserys explains the origins of the dagger in episode 4. He tells Rhaenyra that the dagger “after belonged to Aegon the Conquerer. It was Aenar’s right before that. And in advance of that… perfectly it is complicated to know.” Everything’s related! Aenar Targaryen was Daenys the Dreamer’s father, whom she persuaded to move away from the Valyrian Freehold just after obtaining a proper prophetic desire of the Doom of Valyria.

Someplace alongside the way, this particular dagger landed in the similarly prophetic Aegon’s palms. The dagger is built from Valyrian steel, crucially one of the several known substances that can eliminate White Walkers. It performs a large section in building Aegon’s desire to avoid the conclusion of guys occur legitimate.

In Video game of Thrones, the dagger was very first used in an assassination try on Bran Stark (an assassin is acknowledged as a “catspaw“). In the last year, Arya kills the Night King utilizing Aegon’s dagger, protecting against the undead from “erasing the earth” as Bran describes in year 7 on the Night King’s motivations.

Who’s the Prince That Was Promised?

In episode 4 of Dwelling of the Dragon, Viserys states that, just before Aegon’s dying, the past of the Valyrian pyromancers hid “his tune” in the metal. Rhaenyra reads the inscription, obvious when the blade is heated in hearth: “From my blood appear the Prince That Was Promised and his will be the Track of Ice and Fire.”

As we learn in Video game of Thrones, the Prince That Was Promised is Jon Snow, aka another Aegon Targaryen. Jon’s genuine title and royal lineage — his mothers and fathers are Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen — are concealed to defend him from those looking for to annihilate all Targaryens. Jon will help fulfil Aegon the Conquerer’s dream by making an alliance with Daenerys Targaryen versus the White Walkers. Turning into a dragonrider, Jon aids defeat the Night King in the Struggle of Winterfell, the White Walkers getting extinct for great.