How House of the Dragon solidifies the ‘Chosen One’ troupe in Game of Thrones, explains showrunner Ryan Condal

The season 2 finale of House of the Dragon has left fans excited and curious. One scene that has sparked intense discussion is Daemon Targaryen’s vision of Daenerys Targaryen. This narrative choice has raised questions about the significance of Daenerys’ appearance and what it might mean for the larger Game of Thrones universe. In this breakdown, we’ll examine the reasoning behind this creative decision and explore its implications.

The Chosen Ones

Ryan Condal emphasizes the need for a connection between House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones, despite the time gap between the two series. Some have wondered why Jon Snow, played by Kit Harington in Game of Thrones, didn’t appear in the vision instead.

However, this choice was likely made to emphasize Daenerys’ significance in the Targaryen lineage and her connection to the prophecy of the “Prince That Was Promised”. By having Daemon see Daenerys, the showrunners may be hinting that she was indeed the chosen one, destined to play a crucial role in the battle against darkness. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Ryan Condal explains,

“House of the Dragon is a prequel to a famous story, one of the biggest, if not the biggest, television story of all time. There needs to be some interconnectivity. And because so many years have passed, there are really no characters that would be alive from from our time period that exists in the the subsequent series.

And the story of the Targaryen dynasty … which is the height of Targaryen power, in terms of this Shakespearean tragedy we’re experiencing in the Dance of the Dragons, the dying of the dragons, we don’t know how exactly the events will play out in this history. But we do know at the end it, there are no dragons left in the world until they’re reborn to Daenerys.”

Credit: HBO

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Ryan Condal on the Significance of Daenerys’ Appearance

Ryan Condal delves into the themes of prophecy and power in the series, drawing parallels with George R.R. Martin‘s A Song of Ice and Fire and Game of Thrones. He emphasizes that the connectivity between House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones lies in the dragons and the Targaryen family’s legacy. The image of Daenerys in the finale is significant because Daemon is unaware of his potential future connection to her through his daughter with Rhaenyra.

“He continued, “Remember that Game of Thrones, A Song of Ice and Fire, House of the Dragon in many ways, are warnings about the perils of power and people in power and absolute power … [and the reason there was no Jon Snow was] the connectivity for us is specifically in and around the dragons. The connectedness between this family and the family to come.

We know who Daenerys is watching that image, but Daemon has no idea — that could be his future daughter with Rhaenyra. So for that reason, I think it was important that it was Daenerys the image. We are not trying to make any kind of specific interpretation of a prophecy that has yet to be revealed by its author. That is George’s space to tell that story.”

READ NEXT: Phia Saban imagined Helaena “coming out of an egg and crawling over” in Daemon’s vision in House of the Dragon Season 2 finale

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