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House of the Dragonpaces the affairs of King Viserys' household with various time jumps between its episodes. The cold opening features King Jaehaerys Targaryen’s Great Council Of 101 AC and jumps straight into Viserys' rule. Similarly, there’s pacing between Aemma Arryn’s death and Alicent Hightower and Viserys' marriage, and them having their first child.
The time jumps inHouse of the Dragonare crucial to get to the main parts of the story, whilst providing adequate information on the key events that lead to the present. ThoughHouse of the Dragonseason 1 is told through various time jumps, not once does it neglect character development. The show focuses on significant events and here isthe timeline of when and how the story unfolds.
101 AC
103 AC
105 AC
King Viserys proclaims Rhaenyra as heir
106 AC
107 AC
109 AC
Prince Aemond’s birth
110 AC
The Greens and the Blacks gained coinage at the Great Tourney
111 AC
113 AC
Rhaenyra and Laenor Velaryon’s marriage
114 AC
117 AC
Laena Velaryon gives birth to Daemon’s twins Rhaena and Baela
116 AC
Laena’s death
The beginning of 120 AC
Laenor’s death (faked inHouse of the Dragon)
120 AC
Lyonel Strong and Ser Harwin Strong’s assassinations
Daemon and Rhaenyra’s marriage
Barely six months after Laenor’s death, 120 AC
Daemon’s and Rhaenyra’s son, Prince Aegon the Younger’s birth
Daemon’s and Rhaenyra’s secondborn Prince Viserys' birth
122 AC
Princess Helaena is married to her older brother Prince Aegon
Helaena gives birth to twins Jaehaerys and Jaehaera
A year into her wedding
Helaena gives birth Maelor (in lore)
127 AC
129 AC
Princess Visenya’s stillbirth
Note: The above-mentioned events count up from Aegon’s Conquest. AC is an abbreviation for - After the Conquest.
A Brief Overview Of Time Jumps InHouse Of The Dragon
In contrast to its predecessor,Game of Thrones,House of the Dragonadapts major events that lead up to the civil war and scraps the rest. The HBO adaptation is home only to the significant events between Viserys' succession and his death. The storytelling is done through time jumps and with every new episode, the events progress for better or worse.
The hours after Viserys' death are about the Small Council Meeting at the Red Keep,Aegon II’s Coronation, the Coronation of Rhaenyra on Dragonstone, the Black Council, and the Fight Above Shipbreaker Bay. The said events are covered inHouse of the Dragonepisodes 9 and 10, namely “The Green Council,” and “The Black Queen.”
House of the DragonEpisodes
Events Covered
House of the Dragonseason 1, episode 8 “The Lord of the Tides”
House of the Dragonseason 1, episode 9 “The Green Council”
The Small (Green) Council Meeting, Aegon’s II Coronation
House of the Dragonseason 1, episode 10 “The Black Queen”
Visenya’s stillbirth and funeral, Rhaenyra’s Coronation, the Black Council, the Fight Above Shipbreaker Bay
The Assault On Harrenhal Marks The Opening Of Hostilities In Lore
Prince Daemon leads the charge and captures the castle of Harrenhal in the name of his wife, Queen Rhaenyra, before Lucerys' assassination above Shipbreaker Bay. Known asthe Assault on Harrenhal, Daemon is absent from Dragonstone when Prince Lucerys is killed. He writes to his wife from Harrenhal, promising to avenge his stepson’s death:
An eye for an eye, a son for a son. Lucerys shall be avenged.
The Brackens yield in the aftermath of the Blacks' victory in the Battle of the Burning Mill, and at Stone Hedge. The Riverlords, more notably, the Blackwoods, rally around Daemon at Harrenhal, while he approvesthe clandestine Blood and Cheese plot.House of the Dragon’s canon is yet to shine a light on the fall of Harrenhal, Burning Mill, and Stone Hedge. But by the looks of the Final Trailer, Daemon should capture Harrenhal at the beginning of Season 2. He brings Queen Rhaenyra the news of Lucerys' assassination in Season 1 and she gives a stare into the camera as the curtains close.
Note: Martin has writtenFire & Bloodas an in-world history book by Archmaester Gyldayn.
First Time Jump In House of the Dragon
Rhaenyra’s voiceover in the cold opening explains that the Old King called a council in the year 101 to empower the lords paramount and lords vassal ofthe Seven Kingdomsto choose an heir. The prologue is on-brand withFire & Blood,but the rest of the events are moved around.
House of the Dragonseason 1, episode 1 “The Heirs of the Dragon” picks pace nine years into Viserys' ruleover theSevenSix Kingdoms. The title card says thatHouse of the Dragonstarts in the ninth year of King Viserys I Targaryen’s reign. It’s 172 years before the Mad King’s death, and the birth of his daughter, Princess Daenerys Targaryen. Viserys ascended the throne in 103 AC whileHouse of the Dragonstarts in 112 AC.
Second Time Jump In House of the Dragon
Towards the beginning ofHouse of the Dragonseason 1, episode 2 “The Rogue Prince,” Rhaenyra tells Alicent that it’s been half a year since her mother died and that the lords are conniving to marry her father and have her replaced. Corlys also mentions that Daemon and his army of Gold Cloaks have occupied Dragonstone for"over half a year,“which is in harmony with Rhaenyra’s statement. Viserys convenes a Small Council meeting at the episode’s end and announces his plan to marry Alicent Hightower before spring’s end. Corlys storms offto secure the Stepstones. He invites Daemon to Driftmark to ask for his support in the War for the Stepstones against the Myrish Prince, aka the Crabfeeder.
Third Time Jump In House Of The Dragon
House of the Dragonseason 1, episode 3 “Second of His Name,” opens on Prince Aegon’s second nameday. It’s been three years since Viserys' wedding to Alicent. She ispregnant with Helaena. When Tyland Lannister brings Viserys the news of the Crabfeeder amassing on Bloodstone, the latter replies:
It’s been three years. It can wait another three days.
Fourth And Fifth Time Jump In House Of The Dragon
InHouse of the Dragonseason 1, episode 4 “King of the Narrow Sea,” Alicent has given birth to Helaena, while Daemon returns home from winning the war againstthe Crabfeeder and the Triarchyin the Stepstones. Not a lot of time has passed between Episodes 3 and 4, but Alicent has delivered her baby girl. Similarly,House of the Dragonseason 1, episode 5 “We Light the Way” is in a linear narrative with younger iterations of Daemon’s second wife, Lady Laena Velaryon, Queen Alicent, Princess Rhaenyra, and her husband, Ser Laenor Velaryon on the screen.
Sixth Time Jump In House Of The Dragon
House of the Dragonseason 1, episode 6 “The Princess and the Queen,” moves the board dramatically by ten years. Rhaenyra, Alicent, Laenor, and Laena have older iterations now. Rhaenyra’s third son, Prince Joffrey, arrives at the beginning whileAlicent’s secondborn son, Aemond wants to claim a dragon.
Daemon has married Laena, and they live with their daughters, Baela and Rhaena in Pentos. Towards the episode’s end, Laena chooses to die a Dragonrider’s death by commanding Vhagar to burn her when her labor fails to progress. Her funeral is held at Driftmark inHouse of the Dragonseason 1, episode 7 “Driftmark.” It is here that Prince Aemond claims Vhagar andpostures the balance of power in favor of the Greens.
Seventh Time Jump In House Of The Dragon
House of the Dragonseason 1, episode 8 “The Lord of the Tides,” features the final time jump. Six years later, Daemon and Rhaenyra are married and live on Dragonstone with their children; Jacaerys, Lucerys, Joffrey, Rhaena, Aegon, and Viserys. Rhaenyra’s children and Alicent’s children, viz, Aegon the Elder, Helaena, and Aemond have grown. Laena’s mother, Princess Rhaenys has taken Baela as a ward while Rhaenyra is pregnant with Visenya.House of the Dragonepisodes 9 and 10 have a linear plot.The finale concludes with Lucerys' assassinationand the onset of war.
House of the DragonSeason 2 premieres June 16 at 9/8c on HBO and Max.
House of the Dragon
House of the Dragon is HBO’s prequel series to Game of Thrones. Set hundreds of years earlier, the show follows the inner machinations and rivalries of the Targaryen royal family. The show was created by Ryan Condal and George R.R. Martin, and stars Matt Smith, Emma D’Arcy, Rhys Ifans, and Olivia Cooke.
