Warning: Spoilers are included in this post for season 1. House of the Dragon
A recent trailer for House of the Dragon declared that Targaryens would be “just like everyone else” without their dragons. That’s not entirely true. One Targaryen has another powerful power, prophecy.
Based on the premiere episode, it seems like visions will play an important part in the finale Game of Thrones prequel series. King Viserys I discusses several prophetic Targaryen dreams. His dream of his son wearing the crown was shared by him. Later, he reveals that Aegon the Conquerer—the Targaryen who united the Seven Kingdoms—had a vision of a threat from the North that would imperil the lives of everyone in Westeros.
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George R.R. Martin’s Song of Ice and FireBücher, on which Game of ThronesThe prophecies are emphasized in the Bible, upon which it was founded. You can expect them to bring bad tidings. Martin didn’t confirm Aegon was aware of White Walkers threat. Now, it appears that this vision has become canon.
Viserys and Aegon are far from the first Targaryens to have visions of the future—and they won’t be the last. Here’s everything you need to know about Targaryen visions.
Daenys the Dreamer’s vision of the Doom of Valyria
Daenys, the Dreamer is the one who traces the lineage of Targaryens. Martin’s version of Cassandra, Daenys had dream that the powerful kingdom of Valyria where her family lived would meet a cataclysmic end. Though the other noble families mocked him for doing so, Daenys’ father Aenar Targaryen believed his daughter. His family packed their belongings and he moved to Dragonstone, an island in Valyria.
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The Doom of Valyria was a 12 year later. An earthquake swept away all of Valyria’s dragons and inhabitants. Targaryens were made the sole dragon riders in the entire world.
Targaryens therefore take visions seriously. You can find them during House of the Dragon, Viserys references Daenys’ dream and how it saved the Targaryen family.
Aegon the Conquerer’s vision of the White Walkers
Vladimir Furdik, Night King.
HBO
In a major break from what we know from Martin’s books, House of the DragonIt is revealed that Aegon, the Conquerer chose to conquer the Westeros warring tribes not out of greed for power but rather because he saw a North threat. Aegon decided that to defeat this threat, the Seven Kingdoms needed to unite.
At the end of Episode 1 House of the DragonViserys gives Rhaenyra this family secret.
“Ambition alone is not what drove him to conquest. It was just a dream. Aegon predicted the end to the world of men, just like Daenys saw it. It will begin with the terrible North wind blowing from the far North. Aegon saw the absolute darkness that was riding on these winds. Anything within the realm of the living will cause it to endanger the entire world. Rhaenyra must oppose the great winter when it comes. If the world of man is to survive, a Targaryen, a king, or queen, must sit on the Iron Throne. Aegon called Aegon’s dream the song made of fire and water. This secret has been passed from king to heir since Aegon’s time. And now you must promise to carry it and protect it.”
We all know that. Game of ThronesThat vision came to be. The White Walkers, who arrive from the North to attack Westeros, are called in by the Northerner Jon Snow. It’s only through an alliance between two Targaryens—the Northerner Jon Snow and the banished Daenerys Targaryen—that the kingdom is able to gather enough men to beat the Night King back.
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In Martin’s books, Aegon’s reasons for conquering Westeros are more mysterious. It has been suggested that Aegon might have dreamed of the danger 300 years into the future. It seems that this dream has become canon.
Viserys’ vision of his son born wearing a crown
The king first describes to Aemma a dream in which their son is born wearing the crown.
“The dream was clearer than a memory. Our son was born wearing Aegon’s iron crown. It was thundering, with splintering shields and rings of swords. And I placed our son upon the Iron Throne as the bells of Grand Sept tolled, and all the dragons roared as one.”
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Yes, his wife did indeed bear a child. And perhaps the sounds of hooves and shields and swords refer to the tournament that’s ongoing when the queen goes into labor. However, both the mother and her son are killed in childbirth.
Daenerys’ vision of the Iron Throne in the snow
In season 2 Game of ThronesDaenerys sees two visions as she enters the House of the Unborn. Another vision is of a fake unattainable world that allows her to reunite with her husband and their child. A second picture shows the Iron Throne, which she considers the future. It is sitting out in open air and has snow falling onto it.
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In the final episode, the Iron Throne vision comes to life. Game of Thrones. When Daenerys takes King’s Landing, she destroys the Red Keep. It is found in open air with the ash from the city Daenerys falling on it.
It turns out the prophecy also had a symbolic significance: The “snow” falling on the seat predicts threat of another Targaryen, Jon Snow, in who has the blood of the North within him. Jon kills Daenerys as soon as she is able to see the throne.
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