The first episode of House of the Dragon just dropped this week and it's currently living up to the hype. Even HBO's streaming service crashed due to the sheer volume of people trying to catch the latest entry into the franchise Game of Thrones started. But like its predecessor, almost every episode is filled with fun trivia and hidden details fans shouldn't miss. We take a look below at the best House of the Dragon episode 1 easter eggs and what they really mean.
House of the Dragon episode 1 easter eggs
7. The opening scene
Right before the first episode starts, an opening scene shows Viserys being chosen over Rhaenys as the heir to the Iron Throne. What follows is an opening text that establishes the events of this series 172 years before the death of Aerys and the birth of Daenerys. What's curious is that the other words disappear, leaving only the phrase 172 years before Daenerys Targaryen.
Both the opening scene and the text that followed it serve the purpose of establishing the world of House of the Dragon and its connection to Game of Thrones, primarily to Daenerys' lineage. In this alone, fans of the franchise can make the connection between the two shows.
6. Valyrian steel swords
During Game of Thrones' run, Valyrian steel swords were made to be a big deal, thanks to their insane durability and effectiveness against White Walkers. Here in House of the Dragon, viewers got to see two of most prominent swords in House Targaryen history – Blackfyre and Dark Sister.
In the books, Blackfyre is the same Valyrian sword used by Aegon the Conqueror when he invaded Westeros and established the Seven Kingdoms. Dark Sister, meanwhile, is the blade wielded by his sister-wife, Visenya. But while these swords have carried so much history in them and they'll have more adventures to come in the official timeline, they were never seen in Game of Thrones at all. Nevertheless, seeing them both establish House Targaryen's history with this kind of blade and how they were used by its rulers.
5. Tourney of the Heir
As the episode progresses, we see Viserys eagerly awaiting the coming of his child and expecting it to be a boy to continue his lineage. In honor of the baby's arrival, a tourney is held in King's Landing, one in which Daemon Targaryen, the king's brother, and other knights from Westeros join. And just like any tourney in the Seven Kingdoms, this one mostly has knights from the franchise's noble Houses.
Fans can pause the video and see that these tourney competitors come from Houses Targaryen, Stark, Lannister, Baratheon, Tarly, Hightower, Velaryon, Tully, Mallister, Lefford, Corbray, and Cole, among others. While most of these Houses don't factor in that much in Game of Thrones, the first three play the biggest parts in that series. Here in House of the Dragon, set more than a hundred years before Robert's Rebellion, these Houses are merely vassals to the Iron Throne and the Targaryens on it.
4. Queen Aemma and Baelon's funeral pyre
Although Viserys desperately hoped for a son to continue his lineage, he would both lose him and his wife as the tourney occurred. Right after, a funeral was held outside of King's Landing for both Queen Aemma and Prince Baelon, with Viserys, Rhaenyra, Daemon, the Small Council, and other members of the royal court in attendance.
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With a signal, Rhaenyra tearfully orders her dragon, Syrax, to burn the queen and the prince in a funeral pyre. The princess utters Dracarys, the Valyrian word for dragon-fire. It's also the word used by a Targaryen to burn something or someone, as popularly used by Daenerys during multiple instances in Game of Thrones.
3. Balerion
Between the death of his wife and son and naming his heir, Viserys meets Rhaenyra in a crypt. Above them sits the skull of a huge dragon, one that plays a very important role in the history of the Seven Kingdoms – Balerion the Black Dread.
In the books, Aegon rode on Balerion and wielded its destructive power to unite the seven kingdoms of Westeros. Unlike other dragons of his era, Balerion lasted long enough to carry Viserys on his back until it died of old age. As it can be seen in the first episode, the dragon's massive skull has been kept preserved by Viserys, in reverence to it.
2. A Song of Ice and Fire
With the skull of Balerion in the background, Viserys revealed to Rhaenyra that she will be named heir to the Iron Throne. Along with that revelation, the king also told his daughter about Aegon's dream about the future and why there must be a Targaryen on the Iron Throne.
Just like the Doom of Valyria, an event that decimated Old Valyria and one that the Targaryens escaped from, Viserys foretells of another disaster waiting from the North. This dream of Aegon involves a cold and terrible winter and called it A Song of Ice and Fire. As fans know, this is the title of George Martin's novels and the world Game of Thrones is set in. This revelation by Viserys ties into House of the Dragon's predecessor and connects the two shows together.
1. Arya's Dagger
Another hidden House of the Dragon trivia fans would be happy to see is a curious Valyrian steel dagger kept by Viserys. This is the same dagger owned by Tyrion Lannister and used by Petry Baelish to trick Houses Stark and Lannister to go to war with each other. Later on, the dagger would end up in Arya Stark's hands and be used to kill the Night King himself.
These are just some of the best House of the Dragon easter eggs to be found in the first episode. For sure, there'll be a lot more in the coming weeks and those that will tie this series to the larger history of Westeros.
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