The final season of Game of Thrones may have been polarizing (to put it mildly), but the show was a global phenomenon based on a beloved series of books. And it spent the better part of a decade racking up awards, including 59 Emmys. Now, HBO and its premium streaming service HBO Max are hoping to tap back into that fan excitement with a Game of Thrones prequel: House of the Dragon.
There’s a lot to keep straight in the world of Westeros, with a huge catalog of backstory and worldbuilding. So, before the show premieres, here’s a rundown of what to expect, from what it’s about, to where it fits in the Game of Thrones timeline, to who’s involved, and more. Read on for everything we know about House of the Dragon.
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What is House of the Dragon about?
Based on George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood novel, House of the Dragon takes place within the Game of Thrones universe.
According to HBO, the Game of Thrones prequel series “tells the story of House Targaryen,” which has already fallen by the start of Game of Thrones, with the young Daenerys Targaryen seeking to regain her family’s throne.
HBO has revealed little else about the plot of the series, and the official teaser doesn’t reveal much, though conflict does appear to be brewing.
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Fire & Blood has received mixed reviews since its publication in 2018 and is often seen as a dry, fictional history rather than an engaging novel in its own right. As such, it may well be only a jumping-off point for the series rather than acting as strict source material. The trailer certainly gives the impression of a show very similar in tone and style to Game of Thrones.
Then again, it could be a faithful adaptation. HBO is leaving itself a lot of room to surprise us either way.
How does it tie into Game of Thrones?
It’s hard to say exactly how much House of the Dragon will tie into Game of Thrones, if at all. It takes place very much in the same fictional world of Westeros, but it also takes place “200 years before the fall of the throne.”
For non-Game of Thrones fans, the fall of the throne refers to the events of that series. And unlike other fantasy epics like The Lord of the Rings, characters in Westeros generally seem to live lives comparable to those of humans in the real world. In short, these will be new characters with new stories. It’s like looking back to the early 1800s from today’s point of view.
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