Rhaenyra Just Sealed Her Fate in House of the Dragon By Revealing Her Family’s Secret to Everyone (Also, She’s Wrong)
The very first episode of House of the Dragon had a poignant moment between King Viserys and his daughter, Princess Rhaenyra. In the scene, Viserys told his daughter of a secret passed down from king to successor since Aegon the Conqueror, that of his dream. Game of Thrones fans were excited to hear this exchange as it concluded with Viserys revealing the details and name of “The Song of Ice and Fire” to his kin. As viewers, we already know who the prophecy from Aegon’s vision is speaking about, but for the Targaryens at the time of House of the Dragon, it was seen as their family’s legacy to protect the realm of men against the oncoming threat.
Viserys revealing the secret to Rhaenyra as a young woman was just the first step in her eyes to being made the legitimate heir to her father, something that he made public not long after. Rhaenyra even felt more steadfast in her belief that she was rightful to take the Iron Throne after learning that her dad never told Aegon II about Aegon’s Dream. Now that Rhaenyra has been backed into a corner with the “resurrection” of Aegon and his dragon, the queen spends the Season 3 finale of House of the Dragon making plans to legitimize her claim to the Iron Throne, including revealing “The Song of Ice and Fire” to the entire population.
Rhaenyra Just Revealed the Targaryen Family Secret
Facing the reality of Aegon’s return alongside his dragon, Rhaenyra makes a plan to have her claim to being queen legitimized in the eyes of the small folk. Given the chatter already that Aegon being “resurrected” means the gods have chosen him, Rhaenyra plans to force the High Septon’s hand to claim otherwise in front of everyone. On her way to the Great Sept of Baelor, Rhaenyra continues the line of rulers to successor by revealing to her son Joffrey the details of The Song of Ice and Fire.
After entering the Great Sept of Baelor and forcing Alyn to kill the High Septon, Rhaenyra makes a plea to the public that her claim to the throne isn’t just thanks to her father naming her his heir, but that it was foretold in prophecy. Rhaenyra then goes on to detail Aegon’s conquest, and how the title “Protector of Men” was given to him thanks to the prophecy of his dream, noting that only “the might of dragons” can stand against the looming threat in the north (which Game of Thrones fans know is the wights and the Night King).
Rhaenyra concludes her reveal to the world with a bold claim, noting “I must light the way. I am the shield of the people. I am Rhaenyra the chosen,” before adding one last detail, though one spoken in High Valyrian, annoiting herself as “The Prince that was promised.” It’s worth noting that in this case, “prince” is a gender neutral term in High Valyrian, so Rhaenyra isn’t just talking out of school with her assertion. For fans of Game of Thrones, though, we know that she’s wrong.
The prophecy of the Prince that was promised was a focal point of the original TV series, with multiple characters over time being convinced that they’re the one spoken about in its words. By the end of the series, there’s even some confusion about who was the one from the prophecy, be it Daenerys, Jon Snow, or even Arya Stark, thanks to her killing the Night King. Though some debate still lingers among fans about who it really is, we know that it’s not Rhaenyra.
Small Folk Will Turn on Rhaenyra After Season 3 Finale
It’s worth noting that Rhaenyra’s proclamation and reveal of The Song of Ice and Fire isn’t the reason that the people will turn on her; in fact, they might even forget that she mentioned it at all. A major throughline across the narrative of House of the Dragon Season 3 has been Rhaenyra’s paranoia and descent into perceived madness, which may be what her grand speech will be boiled down to, resulting in this public talk of the prophecy being forgotten for the hundreds of years between it and Game of Thrones.
There are two things that will cause the people of King’s Landing to turn on Rhaenyra. The first is her command of the death of the High Septon, an act that she was advised against doing earlier in the season because of how it might make the smallfolk feel about the crown. The second is the death of Helaena, though an act of suicide by the princess, the pages of Fire & Blood reveal that many believe Rhaenyra directly ordered her death. Book spoilers follow.
Fans of George R.R. Martin’s books know that these two acts will end up being Rhaenyra’s undoing in King’s Landing, with a riot set to break out when news of Helaena’s death is made public. In the pages of the text, this riot spreads quickly and results in a mob of people storming the dragonpit, which not only results in multiple dragons being killed but also Rhaenyra’s son, Joffrey.
By having Rhaenyra make the grand proclamation to the public about her legitimacy as queen, along with the reveal of Aegon’s dream and the Targaryens’ dynasty’s alleged place in protecting the world of men, House of the Dragon is gearing up for the show’s endgame. A confrontation between Rhaenyra and her half-brother Aegon II is looming, and it will call into question her reveal of the prophecy, if anyone even remembers it.
