Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 1.
The Big Picture
House of the Dragon
‘s Season 2 unfolds with political intrigue and murder in Westeros.
A mysterious mural of Harrenhal hints at future events and power struggles in the series.
Harrenhal’s strategic importance and dark history foreshadow its pivotal role in the Dance of the Dragons.
Season 2 of House of the Dragon has aired, pulling audiences back into the cutthroat world of Westeros, where everyone vies to one-up their rival and the royal family is engaged in a civil war with dragons on both sides. Following the climax of Season 2, which saw the death of Prince Lucerys Velaryon (Elliot Grihault), Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) processes her grief, while her husband, Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith), makes moves to even the score. This results in hired cutthroats entering the Red Keep and murdering the son of King Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney) and Queen Helaena Targaryen (Phia Saban).
As the rat-catcher assassin (Mark Stobbart) is left in Prince Aemond Targaryen’s (Ewan Mitchell) room while the gold cloak assassin (Sam C. Wilson) searches other rooms, he briefly waves his torch over a mural detailing dragons and a fortress. It’s only shown briefly, but anyone who knows the works of George R. R. Martin knows that these moments often contain clues about what is to come in the near future. As such, it’s worth reviewing a few possible theories for what the mural represents and how these events will play in the Dance of the Dragons.
House of the Dragon
The reign of House Targaryen begins with this prequel to the popular HBO series Game of Thrones. Based on George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, House of the Dragon is set nearly 200 years before Game of Thrones, telling the story of the Targaryen civil war with King Viserys.
Release Date August 21, 2022
Creator Ryan J. Condal, George R.R. Martin
Main Genre Drama
Seasons 4
What Castle is Being Destroyed in The Mural?
Any Game of Thrones fan worth their salt will recognize the castle in the mural on the wall to be Harrenhal. Those who are familiar with the book Fire & Blood by George R. R. Martin will know that this specific mural of Harrenhal in Aemond’s apartments should be the equivalent of a siren going off. The mural depicts the destruction of Harrenhal by King Aegon I and his dragon, the mighty Balerion the Black Dread. The day after Harren the Black finished his massive castle, Aegon invaded, and the Ironborn king refused to swear fealty to him. This leads to Aegon burning his castle and the death of Harren and his sons, allowing House Tully of Riverun to become the new Lords of the Riverlands. House of the Dragon viewers will remember Harrenhal from Season 1 as the location where Lord Lyonel Strong (Gavin Spokes) and his son, Harwin (Ryan Corr), died in a fire. Many in Westeros believe that the castle is cursed and haunted, and there have been indications in this season that we will see more of Harrenhal when Daemon arrives there.
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There has always been something between these two.
What is the Significance of Showing the Mural?
Currently, Harrenhal is loyal to the Greens through its lord, the mysterious Larys Strong (Matthew Needham), who gained his position by orchestrating the deaths of his father and brother. Yep, in case you forgot, he hired the assassins who set that fire in Harrenhal. This castle serves as a powerful strategic location due to its size and proximity between King’s Landing and the rest of the Riverlands. Both Aemond and Daemon have voiced their interest in claiming Harrenhal to rally their armies since the majority of the war will take place in the Riverlands due to its proximity in the middle of Westeros.
However, they’re stymied by their respective war councils. Aemond is not allowed to go because his dragon, Vahgar, is needed to deter attacks against King’s Landing, while Daemon is forced to wait for Rhaenyra to return to Dragonstone before he departs for the Riverlands. Book fans know that Harrenhal becomes an important location for both Daemon and Aemond, with the castle and its inhabitants playing a large part in both men’s stories. Without spoiling too much, keep an eye on Harrenhal. There’s more to this castle than meets the eye.
House of the Dragon Season 2 is streaming now on Max in the U.S.
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