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

Episode 8 of Home of the Dragon launched one other soar ahead in time — six years to be precise. Now, King Viserys appears to be the strolling lifeless, Rhaenyra and Daemon are fortunately coupled and making infants, and Alicent and the Hightowers have made their mark on King’s Touchdown, introducing faith in a giant means.

However that last scene was the large kicker: King Viserys unintentionally discussing the Targaryen’s vital household secret — with the flawed particular person. Let’s focus on what that might imply going ahead within the spoiler-packed part under.

Warning: Spoilers forward.

What precisely is the Prophecy?

All the way in which again in episode 1, King Viserys passes onto his daughter Princess Rhaenyra a household secret — a doomsday prophecy telling of the tip of males. Let’s break down what Viserys says:

“Our histories… they inform us that Aegon appeared throughout the Blackwater from Dragonstone, and noticed a wealthy land ripe for the seize. However ambition alone isn’t what drove him to conquest. It was a dream. And simply as Daenys foresaw the tip of Valyria, Aegon foresaw the tip of the world of males.”

Aegon refers to Aegon the Conqueror, the primary Lord of the Seven Kingdoms in Westeros. He was the founding father of the Targaryens’ ruling dynasty over Westeros however, as his Prophecy reveals, he additionally needed to unify the land towards a typical enemy. His Prophecy is not to be dismissed, as a result of earlier than him a Targaryen — Daenys the Dreamer — had an accurate prophetic dream of Valyria’s destruction by fireplace. Twelve years later, Valyria — the capital of the Valyrian Freehold, a big civilization in Essos dominated by dragonriders — was certainly destroyed by an unexplained cataclysm.

“‘Tis to start with a horrible winter gusting out of the distant north. Aegon noticed absolute darkness driving on these winds. And no matter dwells inside will destroy the world of the residing. When this Nice Winter comes, Rhaenyra, all of Westeros should stand towards it. And if the world of males is to outlive, a Targaryen have to be seated on the Iron Throne. A king or queen, robust sufficient to unite the realm towards the chilly and the darkish. Aegon known as his dream “The Music of Ice and Fireplace.”

As we see in Recreation of Thrones, this prophecy of a horrible winter comes true. An undead military of White Walkers threaten to carry a Lengthy Evening over Westeros. It is the obligation of each Targaryen king (or queen) to move the key Prophecy onto their inheritor in order that sooner or later all males can unite to struggle the “chilly and the darkish.”

“This secret… it has been handed from king to inheritor since Aegon’s time. Now you could promise to hold it… and defend it.”

What does Rhaenyra ask Viserys in episode 8?

Twenty years later (from the occasions of Home of the Dragon, episode 1), rather a lot has occurred. Rhaenyra has a brood of kids and a brand new husband in Daemon, her uncle. She visits her father Viserys one evening, realizing he is most likely going to die quickly, to clear up the which means behind their mysterious household secret earlier than it is too late.

“‘The Music of Ice and Fireplace.’ Do you imagine it to be true?”

“Aegon’s dream.”

“You instructed me it was our obligation to carry the realm united towards a typical foe. By naming me inheritor you divided the realm.”

Viserys is so out of it, drugged up on anaesthetic milk of the poppy, that he by no means finishes answering Rhaenyra on whether or not he thinks Aegon’s prophecy, named the Music of Ice and Fireplace, will come true.

What does King Viserys inform Alicent?

As a substitute, Viserys unintentionally offers his spouse Alicent his tackle Aegon’s Prophecy.

In a haze, on his deathbed, Viserys begins by apologizing. “I am sorry. I am sorry.” That is presumably an apology for forcing Rhaenyra, whom he thinks he is speaking to, into taking over every little thing that comes with turning into the Targaryen inheritor, together with bearing the household secret.

“However you needed to know… if I imagine it to be true.”

Alicent, after all, has no concept what Viserys is speaking about. Viserys proceeds to inadvertently alert her to the thought of a “Prince That Was Promised.”

“Aegon.”

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

Viserys shakes his head — he is after all referring to Aegon the Conquerer. “His Dream. The Music of Ice and Fi — It’s true. What he noticed within the North. The Prince That Was Promised.”

Alicent nonetheless thinks Viserys is speaking about their son Aegon — not Jon Snow, aka one other Aegon Targaryen.

“The Prince,” Viserys continues. “To unite the realm towards the chilly… and the darkish. It’s you. You’re the one. You will need to do that.”

What is going to Alicent do with the Prophecy?

From Alicent’s perspective, it actually feels like Viserys is asking her, his spouse, to make sure their firstborn Prince Aegon inherits the Iron Throne — over the named inheritor Princess Rhaenyra. It feels like Viserys is telling Alicent she is “the one” to make sure this occurs, that the “Prince That Was Promised” comes from her line.

After all, this is not the case — Viserys thought he was speaking to Rhaenyra. That is clearly going to tear one other large rift between Alicent and Rhaenyra, which is gloomy given their friendship gave the impression to be on the mend because of the king’s inspiring speech on the fancy reunion supper. Rhaenyra makes a toast to Alicent, thanking her for all the time staying by her father’s facet. Alicent is seemingly real in declaring that Rhaenyra will sooner or later make an excellent queen, implying she’s not going to struggle Rhaenyra’s declare as inheritor.

However after listening to a number of the Prophecy, Alicent will possible change her thoughts and make a declare for the throne through her eldest son Aegon. In episode 6, Alicent warns Aegon that sooner or later he’ll need to struggle Rhaenyra for the throne.

The factor is, Rhaenyra and Daemon even have a son named Aegon — their firstborn little one, a child launched in episode 8. The 2 Aegons may probably be pitted towards each other. As episode 7 confirmed, Alicent is keen to change into violent if it means defending her youngsters.

How is the catspaw dagger related?

In episode 1, you may need observed Viserys absentmindedly touching an ornate dagger he carries on his belt whereas he tells Rhaenyra in regards to the Prophecy. This dagger once more seems in episode 8, beside Viserys’ deathbed when he talks in regards to the Prophecy as soon as extra.

Viserys explains the origins of the dagger in episode 4. He tells Rhaenyra that the dagger “as soon as belonged to Aegon the Conquerer. It was Aenar’s earlier than that. And earlier than that… nicely it’s troublesome to know.” Every part’s related! Aenar Targaryen was Daenys the Dreamer’s father, whom she satisfied to maneuver away from the Valyrian Freehold after having an accurate prophetic dream of the Doom of Valyria.

Someplace alongside the way in which, this particular dagger landed within the equally prophetic Aegon’s fingers. The dagger is constituted of Valyrian metal, crucially one of many few recognized substances that may kill White Walkers. It performs an enormous half in making Aegon’s want to forestall the tip of males come true.

In Recreation of Thrones, the dagger was first utilized in an assassination try on Bran Stark (an murderer is called a “catspaw”). Within the last season, Arya kills the Evening King utilizing Aegon’s dagger, stopping the undead from “erasing the world” as Bran explains in season 7 on the Evening King’s motivations.

Who’s the Prince That Was Promised?

In episode 4 of Home of the Dragon, Viserys says that, earlier than Aegon’s dying, the final of the Valyrian pyromancers hid “his music” within the metal. Rhaenyra reads the inscription, seen when the blade is heated in fireplace: “From my blood come the Prince That Was Promised and his would be the Music of Ice and Fireplace.”

As we uncover in Recreation of Thrones, the Prince That Was Promised is Jon Snow, aka one other Aegon Targaryen. Jon’s true title and royal lineage — his dad and mom are Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen — are hidden to guard him from these searching for to annihilate all Targaryens. Jon helps fulfil Aegon the Conquerer’s dream by making an alliance with Daenerys Targaryen towards the White Walkers. Turning into a dragonrider, Jon helps defeat the Evening King within the Battle of Winterfell, the White Walkers turning into extinct for good.