Summary
- House of the Dragon
focuses on developing individual dragons with unique relationships, setting it apart from
Game of Thrones
. - The prequel has introduced over a dozen new dragons with specific personalities and connections to their riders.
- Attention to detail in characterizing dragons adds depth to the show, setting a strong foundation for future seasons.
As a long-time fan of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series and the Game of Thrones adaptations, I’ve always held a soft spot for the dragons in Westeros. Their majesty, power, and mystery have captivated me since I first read the books back in my teenage years. So, when HBO announced House of the Dragon, a prequel series focusing on the Targaryen dynasty and their dragons, I was beyond excited.
This article contains spoilers for episodes 1-5 of House of the Dragon Season 2.
As a passionate gamer and avid fan of epic storytelling, I’ve been eagerly awaiting the latest installment in the world of Westeros: HBO’s House of the Dragon. After an explosive debut in 2022, this series has reeled me back in with its highly anticipated second season. Plunging us once more into the heart of the Targaryen civil war, we have King Aegon II Targaryen and his Greens camped on one side, while Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, Corlys Velaryon, and their Blacks formidably stand on the other.
Many factors have established House of the Dragon as a quality successor to Game of Thrones, but there’s one specific arena in which the prequel series has run laps around the original Thrones show. Of course, we’re talking about the dragons. Both Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon have heavily relied on the awe and spectacle of their dragons in their marketing. However, the approach that House of the Dragon has taken to incorporating them into the show and its story has been much more effective in making them a crucial part of the show.
Daenerys’ Dragons in Game of Thrones
In the original “Game of Thrones” series, Daenerys Targaryen’s three dragons – Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion – significantly contributed to the show’s grandeur with their breathtaking appearances. Their hatching from eggs in the Season 1 finale was a spectacular sight, while they sailing with Daenerys to Westeros at the end of Season 6 left an indelible impression. Viserion’s transformation into an undead ice dragon by the Night King in Season 7 and Drogon’s melting of the Iron Throne in the series finale are moments that continue to leave audiences in awe. Many iconic and awe-inspiring scenes from “Game of Thrones” revolved around these dragons.
However, the trio of dragons seen in Game of Thrones were far from perfect. Firstly, they spend much of the series as adolescent creatures, leaving much of the grand spectacle to the latter seasons. This isn’t a flaw exactly, as the growth of the dragons serves the larger story at work in Game of Thrones, but it does feel a bit strange that a show pitched so heavily on its dragons doesn’t actually feature them as full-grown fire machines until its final couple of seasons.
From a devoted fan’s perspective, I believe there’s a significant imbalance in how the three dragons were portrayed in the series. I can’t help but notice that Drogon, being the largest and seemingly the leader among the trio, has captured most of our collective screen time. The pivotal and critical moments featuring dragons were largely devoted to Drogon. Furthermore, the profound connection between Daenerys Targaryen and Drogon has been meticulously developed throughout the show, leaving Viserion and Rhaegal somewhat underdeveloped as a result.
In simpler terms, Drogon stood out as the most notable dragon in the series with distinct character traits. In contrast, Viserion and Rhaegal primarily contributed to the action with their firepower. However, Viserion’s significant moment – his death and resurrection by the White Walkers – would have held greater emotional impact if he had been developed further as an individual dragon.
House of the Dragon’s Focus on the Dragons
In the show “Game of Thrones,” there was concern about how well the spin-off series “House of the Dragon” would handle the introduction of over a dozen new dragons into the Westeros narrative. Fans were initially introduced to several dragons in Season 1, such as Caraxes, the red dragon ridden by Daemon Targaryen; Syrax, the golden dragon of Rhaenyra; and Vhagar, the massive and ancient dragon ridden by Aemond Targaryen. Throughout both seasons, other dragons have been introduced, including Meleys (ridden by Rhaenys Targaryen), Sunfyre (ridden by Aegon II), Moondancer (ridden by Baela Targaryen), Seasmoke (ridden by Laenor Velaryon), and Vermax (ridden by Jacaerys Velaryon).
In “House of the Dragon,” there are more dragons appearing on-screen than just those mentioned, and we anticipate seeing even more as the story unfolds. The abundance of dragons in this series is not what sets it apart from “Game of Thrones” though; it’s the focus on individual development for each dragon and its rider. Unlike the similar designs with slight color variations seen in Drogon, Viserion, and Rhaegal, every dragon in “House of the Dragon” has a distinctive appearance that sets it apart from the others. This difference makes identifying dragons like Caraxes, Vhagar, Meleys, and Seasmoke much simpler.
The most essential aspect of the story lies in the unique bonds between the dragons and their riders. These connections are highlighted through various instances, such as Sunfyre affectionately touching Aegon II’s chest before they go to war, revealing one of the few favorable relationships for the king. On a larger scale, Vhagar disregarding Aemond’s orders and killing Lucerys and Arrax at the end of Season 1 adds depth to their characters. These dragons exhibit distinct personalities that make them endearing (or despicable), significantly enhancing the significance of the Dance of Dragons conflict. For instance, the battle between Meleys, Sunfyre, and Vhagar in Season 2 transcended a simple CGI spectacle as viewers became invested not only in the human riders but also in the well-being of their dragonic companions.
How this Bodes Well for the Future of HotD
The level of attention that House of the Dragon has been paying to the actual dragons in its story does more than make audiences care about them in the short-term, it also builds a stronger foundation for the show to build on as it progresses into its third season and beyond. As the Dance of the Dragons continues to escalate, we will see many more battles of blood and fire in the skies. We’ve already gotten two incredible dragon fight sequences, with the Vhagar / Arrax fight at the end of Season 1 and the Meleys / Sunfyre / Vhagar fight midway through Season 2. Given how many more dragons are already on the playing field and the more to come that were teased at the end of Episode 5 of Season 2, things are just beginning to heat up.
In contrast to Game of Thrones, House of the Dragons gives its dragons more depth as distinct characters rather than just serving as spectacular elements. Each dragon, such as Vhagar, Syrax, and Caraxes, possesses unique personalities, leading to conflicts that feel like tragic events instead of entertaining battles. These clashes are not met with cheers from the audience but rather a sense of sadness and regret for the unavoidable consequences had wiser decisions been made. House of the Dragon is currently available to stream on Max.
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2024-07-22 04:31