Warning: Contains SPOILERS for House of the Dragon season 2’s finale, “The Queen Who Ever Was.”
Summary
Jon Snow doesn’t appear inHouse of the Dragon- and won’t even be born for another 150 years or so from its timeline - but theGame of Thronesprequel still finds a way to insult him. For the most part, the spinoff has avoided too many direct connections to its parent show, save for the broadest strokes that come with taking place in Westeros. Ithadpreviously introduced Aegon the Conqueror’s dream, but even that was more contained to the prequel’s story. However, things changed somewhat inHouse of the Dragonseason 2’s ending.
“The Queen Who Ever Was” saw the tie-ins become much more overt, asDaemon Targaryen had a vision of Daenerys Targaryen, a White Walker and wights, and Brynden Rivers (the man who assumes theidentity of the Three-Eyed Raven). There are several layers to what Daemon sees and what it all means but, while he doesn’t even appear (or rather, because he doesn’t), it meansJon Snow is very much left out in the cold.
House Of The Dragon Suggests Daenerys, Not Jon Snow, Is The Prince That Was Promised
One of the biggest interpretations of Daemon’s vision, at least as I see it, is that it’s hintingDaenerys is the Prince That Was Promised, the prophesied hero who will lead Westeros in the battle against the White Walkers. Her introduction is heralded by a red comet, one of the signs of the prophecy, and features her waking dragons from stone (which is another). Some of this comes from the prophecy of Azor Ahai but, for show purposes at least, it’s safe to assume they’re one and the same.
There’s only one person who has been discussed as likely a candidate for the Prince That Was Promised/Azor Ahai as much as Dany, if not even more likely, and that’s Jon.
It’s also doing all of this while clearly connecting to Aegon’s dream (which itself also ties in the Prince That Was Promised), the White Walkers, and a Targaryen on the Iron Throne.Ryan Condal said it doesn’t confirm the Prince That Was Promised, and instead that’s for George R.R. Martin’s books to confirm. That’s very fair, butseeing Dany as the prophesied savior after this vision is absolutely a valid reading, and intent does not rule out interpretation.
With all of that, though, is the downside for Jon Snow. There’s only one person who has been discussed as likely acandidate for the Prince That Was Promised/Azor Ahai as much as Dany, if not even more likely, and that’s Jon. He fulfills a lot of the criteria, and did more than anyone in working to unite the realm against the army of the dead. And yet, he’s nowhere to be seen in Daemon’s vision.
That doesn’t necessarily mean he couldn’t be the Prince That Was Promised in the books, as it’s something Martin could do. But, if we take Dany as being the prophesied savior (and again, that’s just my reading of it, and it’s questionable how much it matters, since it didn’t factor intoGame of Thrones’ ending), then it also means Jon Snow isn’t.
I don’t think that’s a particularly bad thing, because Dany is a compelling choice, but it does mean the poor bastard is once again being overlooked. GivenJon is, as the product of a relationship between a Stark and a Targaryen, the son(g) of ice and fire, it’s at least a little surprising that it’s not a card they decided to play.
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Even setting aside notions of prophecy, what the vision ofDaenerys inHouse of the Dragonis also doing is showing the future of House Targaryen. It’s notable we see her dragon eggs in the flames; the same eggs, perhaps, that Rhaenyra said were the future of the house earlier in the season, should all else fail.It shows Dany bringing back dragons, clearly highlighting her importanceas a Targaryen.
Again, that’s a stark contrast to Jon Snow, who doesn’t appear in the vision and, in truth, is not important to the house of the dragon’s future. Jon Snow is a Targaryen, but the prequel is just further highlighting how that didn’t really matter to his story, and certainly didn’t really change his character. Yes, it increased Daenerys’ anger, isolation, and paranoia ahead of her burning King’s Landing, but we probably get that regardless of who Jon’s parents are.
That he’s not even a blip in the vision of the house’s future and its greatest threat… feels less like “you know nothing, Jon Snow,” and more like “f**k you, Jon Snow.”
That itself isn’t an inherently uninteresting choice, as it brings in the idea of nature vs. nurture, and that Jon’s blood isn’t what defines him. He may have been born a Targaryen in the south, but he was raised a Stark in the north, andGame of Thronesconsistently showed he was truly Ned Stark’s son to the very end.
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But with all that, and somethingHouse of the Dragondoubles down on, is the exclusion of his Targaryen identity, that he’s not really one of them. That he’s not even a blip in the vision of the house’s future and its greatest threat (which he helps fight, and ends up as the last Targaryen alive), feels less like“you know nothing, Jon Snow,”and more like“f**k you, Jon Snow.”
House of the Dragon
Cast
House of the Dragon is a 2022 fantasy drama set in the world of Westeros, chronicling the Targaryen dynasty at its height. The story revolves around King Viserys’s controversial decision to name his daughter Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne, sparking tensions and divisions within the realm.
Game Of Thrones
Based on George R. R. Martin’s ongoing A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, Game of Thrones is a fantasy drama set in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos. It follows noble families like the Starks, Lannisters, and Targaryen vying for control of the Iron Throne while a rising threat from the undead looms in the North. The series received significant critical success and amassed a loyal fan base due to its high production values, sprawling sets, iconic characters, and shocking twists.
Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones is a multimedia franchise created by George R.R. Martin. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire is the basis for the award-winning HBO series Game of Thrones, which lasted for eight seasons. After the incredibly divisive final season of Game of Thrones, the series was followed up by the prequel series House of the Dragon, which also received critical acclaim.
