What did you think of House of the Dragon? Also, this is me trying something new, so all comments/shares/likes are appreciated as I'd really like the video to succeed! ~ Tim

The scene of Aemma's death/murder/dying in childbirth disturbed me more than all of the gory/graphic scenes in GOT put together

Paddy Considine’s Viserys was written and portrayed so perfectly in this episode, as a man who wants what’s best for everyone but doesn’t know how to cope with difficult or hard decisions very well. His raw emotion in the throne room at Daemon was so well delivered. You can hear the anger at the “heir for a day” remark, the contempt for the man his brother is, the betrayal he feels as an older brother, the sorrow that Daemon isn’t who Viserys wants him to be, the pity that their relationship soured so much and the determination that he won’t let him get away with another slight at his expense again. Everything about it was as well executed a scene as it could be, and it was the high point of the episode for me.

I like the dragon guard in the show, reminds me of shepherds since Valyrians were shepherds before they tamed dragons.

My interpretation of the "song of ice and fire" prophecy is that Aegon saw the long night, but it was his own arrogance/desire for legacy/hubris/etc. that made him insist that the vision was given to him because he or his descendants were the ones who were supposed to stop it. Prophecies in GRRMs world rarely turn out the way characters or the reader expect, they're often misinterpreted and lead to ruin when people pursue them for their own gain (Rhaegar and Stannis being prime examples as people who chased the legend of Azor Ahai reborn/the prince that was promised to their own doom). It fits, imo, that the "song of ice and fire" was passed down among the Targaryens - and potentially lost for a time until Rhaegar rediscovered it - and it was the Targaryens vanity and belief in their own superiority that they believed the vision was one that placed them as the conquering heroes of Westeros rather than simply a dream of an inevitable evil that anyone with the ability of foresight could have seen and predicted. Even stories told to children in the North warn of a return of the long night, so it's not impossible that more than just the Targaryens had a similar vision - they simply didn't interpret it as being a sign they would be responsible in stopping it. It doesn't necessarily mean a Targaryen *will* stop the long night when it comes again, only that Aegon *believed* that a Targaryen must be there to stop it. Perhaps as a way to justify to himself the mass conquest and subjugation of Westeros.

Some argue that making Aegon's conquest about saving the world undermines the brutality of the war he started and excuses the suffering it caused. I see it a bit differently. Conquerors have always made "noble" reasons for their war mongering. It makes it easier for them do these brutal acts and lessens the guilt. Also, the prophecy can be interpreted incorrectly or Aegon could've intentionally morphed it to suit his needs. The ending of GOT proves that there wasn't any need to have a Targaryen on the iron throne or have the whole Westeros as one. So Aegon is still the same ambitious conquerer he always was.

31:06 to be fair, there is at least one hint of the Others in Fire and Blood - when Good Queen Alysanne goes to the North with Silverwing and Silverwing categorically refuses to fly over the Wall, which is speculated to be one of the reasons Alysanne gives The New Gift to the Night's Watch. Mind, I mainly remember that because of a seven-minute long rant I went on after GoT Season 7 regarding both that and the wight hand Alister Thorne brought to King's Landing wherein I spoke the immortal line 'If you're going to make plot holes, could you at least not make plot holes the books already fucking solved?', but still.

Can't wait for this. I became such a Targaryen nerd after reading Fire and Blood and World of Ice and Fire. I even at one point memorized the entire Targaryen family tree from Aegon to Daenerys. The Dance of Dragons is such an epic war story that it made subsequent wars feel petty. Save for maybe the Blackfyre Rebellion. The Targaryens are the real protagonists of Ice and Fire and finally they're right at the center of the attention of the show.

I was favorably impressed with it. I could have done without the Prophecy, but so far so good. I really enjoyed the casting. What it seems like though is that they left alot of room for show before we get to the actual dragon boogie, since I’m under the impression that the civil war is like a couple decades and two husbands away for Rhaenyra.

In the books there's all this prophecies about "the prince that was promised" and it makes sense a whole empire started because of this, since even Rhaegar started a war just to give birth to that chosen one. Its not about the prophecy itself, and more about what men do to fullfill it.

One note about the dragon guard and their armor: their main purpose was to protect the dragons and eggs from people, not themselves from the dragons necessarily. I imagine they're gonna change that for the show either way, but those handlers at the beginning of the episode might not necessarily be dragon guard, and even if they are, they might not need the armor for that part of the job.

I actually have a similar, if slightly softer take, on the ending prophecy. I actually think the prophecy makes sense for the Targaryans and Martin’s Azor Ahai is kinda already a “Chosen One(s)” prophecy, it probably just won’t resolve in a vanilla Harry Potter-type way. It being dropped in HOTD is probably significant since it’s knowledge like this that is lost when the realm tears itself apart in war, until it’s rediscovered in Rhaegar’s time even if the Others aren’t present during the Dance. But I do share the thought that this is brought down by it being so connected to the GOT show canon specifically, where we see none of this setup amounts to anything. The timing is also super weird. With Viserys’s urgency in saying this right out the gate of episode 1, I see what you mean by “then why keep it a secret?” Like if it was dropped in season 2 or 3 and the prophecy was kept in more vague terms, I think it would’ve made it a more palatable reveal.

Definitely a solid first episode, hopefully they can keep it up for the entire season. It will definitely be interesting to see which possibilities they canonize and what plot points they change to fit the medium. I am currently rereading Fire and Blood so I can spot more of these.

20:20 I really appreciate your analysis of this show and contrasting it with the book Fire and Blood. However, at the timestamp I provide the quote about the Old King is regarding jaehaerys i while he lie on his death bed... Not Viserys, as he is around 28 years old when Aemma Arryn dies.

To me, the idea of Aegon having the prophecy and that being his motivation to conquer Westeros just... really chafes. Aegon can be a conqueror for imperialism's sake. There was nothing wrong with that. We didn't need to redeem him with a "I killed thousand of people and slaughtered entire families, but I did it for your own good!" backstory. it also muddies the agency and motivation of other characters, if the idea is that the Targaryen kings always knew this and acted to ensure it. I'd rather have characters making their own choices, than having a looming world-ending prophecy over them that tips the scale on what they do or don't.

Btw love the sword designs. Blackfyre and Dark Sister looks as badass as I thought it would

I was pretty hyped for this after the first episode. I wasn't aware that Fire & Blood was written as an in-world history book. I'm so much more excited for this now. As far as the new format goes, I really like this type of breakdown. Since I haven't read the books the information in this is really helpful and interesting. I just hope it sticks the landing and doesn't trip at the finish line.

My frustration with George is he’s basically written his entire world to lead up to one central conflict. I felt like they could of introduced something else this show outside of white walkers.

I have both the Fire & Blood book and the deep lore book for all of SOI&F so I'm pretty excited for this series. And like you said since both those books are in universe made by unreliable narrators so I'm also looking forward to see what changes they make instead of dreading them in the original series

I like what they did with the prophecy, especially with dragon dreams often being a metaphor for ambition. Of course Targaryens would interpret Aegon's dream as meaning THEY need to be on the throne. Aegon himself was very ambitious. I suspect his reasoning for not creating like, a cult around the prophecy was that he was said to have been careful to not step on the toes of the worshipers of the Seven in order to help keep stability in his realm.

All of a sudden, Tim hears the word "M A C H I C O L A T I O O O O O O O O O N S !!!" as he sees a certain author charging at him with a giant honking sword.

Incredibly comprehensive and well flowing coverage of the elements of backstory and the issues at hand. But why are we surprised? Great content as always. Best of luck.

Did not expect this type of video from you but it's really good. Fits with your writing and worldbuilding analyses surprisingly well so I don't think it would be out of place on the main channel. The adaptation of a fictional historical text into a tv show is very unique and so has a lot to look into which I hope you continue!

I loved the first episode, and this kind of post-episode book-comparison is exactly the kind of video I've been searching for since sunday! I appreciate the balance between not spoiling major things but also not being so spoiler-phobic you can't say anything. Great video! I hope you do more!

Finally! Been waiting for this since the premier!

É pedir demais um vídeo desses para cada episódio da série!!??? Me ajudou a entender *tanta coisa* que eu havia deixado passar durante o primeiro episódio!

About the "preparing the realm for the long night", it makes sense that it is a Targ secret, because it's 8000 years after the first Long Night no one would have believed and they probably only half-believe that the Targaryens have prophetical powers anyway. But in the context of the books, it makes total sense. Aegon is described as being an odd king, leaving most of the ruling to his sister-wives and seldom interfering. Before marching to take Westeros he even lamented having to do it. There has to be a reason for this rather than just ambition, because he cleary "didn't want it", to quote Jon Snow's favorite phrase. The Valyrians are even said to have prophecied that the Doom of Man would come from Westeros - that is one of the reasons they didn't try to conquer it for so long.

Never clicked faster on a video 🤣

I’d love to get something like this each week! Probably something small ofc to not be too much work, but this video really helped me remember and keep track of everything that’s gone on so far.

Episode 1 was fantastic!!! I even rewatched the next day👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽

I've been waiting so long for Tim to talk about this.

I thought a really great detail was during the oaths scene, the Baratheon and Stark house leaders’ oaths weren’t fully heard; the audio fades out after they introduce themselves. I took that as a nod to Robert’s rebellion that finally ended the Targaryen reign.

I loved this! I hope you do it for every episode

Great breakdown! Actually made me appreciate the episode a little more.

I’d love for you to do a re-write series of seasons 5-8 like your Kora series

Really looking forward to see how this plays out!

Instant sub to your second channel. Love your vids. Keep doing what you do :)

as someone who never got round to reading the books and just know the tv shows, i quite liked this first ep and honestly am quite excited to see where it goes. thank you for being careful with spoilers!!

I really dug this first episode! I was thoroughly entertained and it didn’t really feel like a Pilot about halfway through, which I really liked. I also really enjoyed the format of this video!! A verrry unique form of review/breakdown that’s specifically unique to you. As a non-book reader this is really cool to add some more details to make episode rewatches more fun!

Would love to see more of this type of content! Go you! :D

amazing vid. loved it.

Nice vid, I loved that episode!!!

I think the quality of this is honestly so excelent it could fit here if it's not too much trouble & if it's gaining enough traction

love your videos man :)

I follow a lot of game of thrones channels and this was the best video I’ve seen about hotd! I really enjoyed watching it although I’m nervous about where they are going after the end with the prophecy. But hopefully it will be great

Was not expecting a video of this kind on this channel, but I'm not complaining. I will happily watch future videos of this type on whichever channel you choose, though. I rather enjoyed the premiere, more interested in the courtly machinations of this series than even Game of Thrones left me after its premiere, but that's just comparing first episodes. I think the "Song of Fire and Ice" is a reference to the entire Night King saga in GoT rather than just The Long Night, but that's a minor quibble, and I agree there's something odd to me about giving this world more of a "chosen one" element - it's actually one thing I pushed against in the GoT fandom, as I believed Martin was always writing the Night King and Lord of Light stuff as prophecy you'd expect from epic fantasy but never planned to fulfill in that way because that's not how his world worked, that's how the tropes of epic fantasy work.

30:30-30:50 Tim doesn't show any footage of Legend of Korra here, but it really feels like he's talking about Avatar Wan and the Beginnings episodes.

I have just decided the new throne is impractical. 1: The guards cant protect the king (the guards are placed at the side) but if someone runs at the king from the FRONT (the only path to the throne) the guards cant intercept, there's 50 swords in the way! 2: The king has no escape route, the king has to move forward like 5 meters to get out, he is trapped 3: No one can come from the side and whisper in the kings ear a crucial piece of information at a crucial time!

I loved the ep, exept for the part where the King told the Rheanyra about the profecy.

I like the format! Haven't watched the vid fully yet, so I got nuthin else to say! :P

I like this episode it was a great set up a few things, I like Corlys Velaryon even though he’s scheming to put his blood on the throne but he also shows competency when he sees the threat of the Triarchy. Rhaenyra Targaryen is a strong character so far i like the strength and independence she shows is great. Her dragon looks amazing and I hope we see how her personality is reflected in Syrax Daemon Targaryen he’s a great grey character love his look and his armor. I like his loyalty to his family he’s definitely abrasive to others though and a bit entitled he definitely bought in to the Targaryen PR. I absolutely love Caraxes he already is reflecting the characteristics of Daemons personality. Otto Hightower and Viserys I distance them both they are both horrible people and hope they die horribly. :) Viserys didn’t deserve Balerion

I liked your review good job and I'd like to see more for future episodes. I don't have anything particularly interesting to say so here is my prayer to the almighty algorithm!! :)

I find that the prophecy does add a layer to the whole story, I can’t say that it’ll work the way I think it will, but I feel prophecies are often a mirror to those who they’re about, Circe is said to be killed by the younger brother, and so she’s assumes it’s Tyrion and bases her actions toward him on that, and making him hate her, and in Dunk and Egg the blackfyre kid thinks he will be the great dragon, but it’s not him, people seem to think that prophecies are obvious in GOT but they never are, it always adds an element of mystery that drives the plot forward, and the fact the Aegon had this prophecy meant that he took the easiest most immediate way to fulfill it by conquering Westeros in a massive bloody conquest over the realm. I heard some people think that “oh they’re just trying to justify his actions” but does it really? I feel most of the flattening of characters when it comes to prophecy comes from the outside and I feel GRRM and the writers of the show might just play with it in a fun way, I hope so at least…

Great video, Tim

On the note of the Dragonkeepers, in the book lore, the original Valyrians were shepherds. So I think your take is right (or at least not wrong, it makes a lot of sense), but with their monkish robes and big sticks I saw them as sort of shepherd-like. Which is interesting and unfortunate given later book context about the Dragonpit going to ruins. Anyway, I love seeing a KZfaqr I love covering a series I love, I adored the book since it came out and the show has been absolutely stunning. I can't wait to see your future videos on it.

didn’t expect this vid at all from u slayyyy

Solid first episode, even though I think tying in the prophecy on the Long Night backfired cuz it just made me ANGRY about stupid Game of Thrones all over again, though I don't have an issue with the Targaryens having had some dragon dreams about it, just its inclusion in THIS story. One thing I liked about the show is that it's giving me more of a chance to properly get to know and get attached to characters than I got with Fire and Blood, because of how removed the storytelling could be in the book given that it's in-universe basically a textbook. In particular getting more of the interpersonal relationships, like Aemma and Rhaenyra, or Daemon and Criston, was very interesting, especially in the character drama it can provide for later episodes and conflicts. Also whoever they got to play young Alicent is wonderful because I can't STAND Alicent in Fire and Blood but after the first episode she's honestly my favorite character, I loved all her scenes and her chemistry with everyone she was acting with, even if only for a second, and I liked all the stuff we already got about her internal struggles and her own thoughts and feelings on things (also, gonna launch Otto and Viserys into the sun for respectively pimping out his young teenager and being open to receive this young teenager, "wear one of your mother's dresses" and then seeing how much more revealing it was made me want to HURL).

The episode was a great start to the show 😊

29:45 And if it's passed from heir to heir, it probably would've been lost between Aenys and Maegor because of Aegon's (son of Aenys) death, no ? Or between Maegor and Jaehaerys if Aegon I told both his sons (or Visenya told Maegor)

Great video!

I was looking at a poll asking which character deserves the throne? Most are picking Rhaenyra and they're correct. Viserys chose her. Daemon and Alicent's offspring don't have the claim.

The ending of all your videos makes me want to fall asleep

I would love to hear your thoughts on the rest of S1 now that it's finished! Edit: oh never mind, I just saw on the other video that you have a second channel! Woot!

Please do more of these, on this main channel. I like this

I loved this episode

I was curious and hopeful….so now I want to go off and watch it :)

Got an ad for the show before the video which was useful, actually

loving it

Yeaaaaah. Rhaenyra and Alicent are "friends", that's absolutely the dynamic shown in the show.

I'm just glad there more focus on character, politics, and world building than going with safe option of having a Tyrion like joker.

Idk much, but the profecy thingy, the part about “a targaryen must seat at the throne….” Feels like an add-on one of them added to feel stronger, the important part is “the seven kingdoms must stand together”

Very informative video thanks Tim! I thought I saw you in Glidus' chat the other day? Would love to see you come hang out at David Lightbringers channel after the episodes finish on Mondays (for us people living in the future haha)!! Defs keep the hotd content coming it's great 👏👏

I wasn't planning on watching the show after the GoT finale, but now I /have/ to

Tim Hickson, becoming a full Historian: oh Rhaenyra and Alicent? They were good FRIENDS. Just best FRIENDS. Zero longing glances, no holding hands, prolonged touching, and definitely no cuddling under a tree.

I could have done without the excessive gore, but I liked it. Got chills towards the end. Matt Smith did such a great job, I already loath Daemon. 😂 And Viserys's actor too was phenomenal! Especially loved seeing them arguing in the throne room. 😘👌

Great video.

Apsolutly fantastic start to the show Id say. Nicely sets up our core characters and Im looking forward to see how things go and altered from the book to fill in the gaps. Loved the dragons and your theory of them been trained with spears is intresting. Even more so the fact that Syraxs seems to have a metal spike or nail jamed into the scales of her neck. Not really sure why that is there or why but curently Im thinking its for some kind of chain atachment. Id definetly say that Daemon and Viserys are like the main stars in the episode tho Queen Aemma definetly stoll the show with how incredible her performance was in the short time we knew her and how much you felt for her at the end. Intrestingly her death is lifted from Fire & Blood as Alyssa Velaryon went into labour a month early and was dying from it, her husband Rogar Baratheon had become drunk upon hearing the new and was unwilling to enter his wife's bedroom till Jaehaerys forced Rogar into the room and gave him the choice to either loose both the baby and Alyssa or both, Rogar asked for it to be done and then left. tho the child was saved and named Jocelyn Baratheon. Rhaena Targaryen did blame the death on Rogar tho as he was the one that got her mother pregnent again despite already having a son been Boremund Baratheon, who does show up in the show asking for Rhaenys favour. The Ice And Fire prophecy is something that personaly I liked and found a bit unexpected. And even tho it feels like its more for a conection with the last show I think it may have some of Georges influence behind it.Sure it definetly is a bit odd that its a secret passed from king to king and there doesnt seem to be any grander preperation for when it does happen. But such is the nature of Dragon Dreams, their vague, hard to fully understand and chacing them can have sometimes have chatastrophic consequences, as seen by Viserys trying to chace the dream he had about his son. I also think that as a few long time readers and analysts of the books have mentioned and pointed out, a Targeryen needed to fight the Long Night might be a set up for Dany, for her to realise that its not the quest for the Throne that matters,but the fight to save the world. As seen in her first chapters the quest for the throne is her brothers dream, Dany's is only to have a safe home, which later turns her into fusing her memories of the house with the red door and Kings Landing and Dragonstone as she sees that as her home. And theres also the fact of her dragons, using them to gain the throne could result in countless deaths of her future subjects that is including the ones that would burn in the battlefield, but what they would be useful for is burning the others, and in a way breaking them free of their chains of resurection and leting the bodies and souls finally at peace. Or at least its how Ive understood it.

Great video as always, just one correction. It’s Velaryon, not Valeryon.

*Mysaria:* You are Daemon Targaryen. Rider of Caraxes. Wielder of Dark Sister. The King cannot replace you.

Quick note for 4:35, in CK games we used to just call it a genealogic tumbleweed

I don't plan on watching the show so it's nice to get an easy summary from you.

“Much of the battle took place on water” The riverlands: am I a joke to you?😐

I groaned when the "prophey" came up

Might want to read the room on this one....

Please please do these per episode

I have read the book and loved it. It's interesting to me that it is written as a 3rd hand account of events in Westeroes and even the Maestor giving the account admits to gaps in his knowledge of events as they occured. The show, I've noticed, is filling in those gaps and I'm here for it!!!

Having seen the second episode I really think they should have released the first two episodes together. The first one has a lot of information and very little action and having episode 2 gives the characters personality and starts interest in them as people

"Australians are all lying criminals" Not all of us, there are three good eggs.

Constant outrage from "fans" is exhausting and it's so refreshing to hear a nuanced, leveled-take about something. While I'm not a big Tolkien fan like you or many of your viewers I didn't see anything worth getting outraged over. It's great to see the good, bad, and mediocre parts of the shoe described in your review and is another reminder of why I am subscribed to your first and second channel. Keep up the great work!

I can't believe I didn't pick up that you were also a New Zealander. I guess I'm just not used to hearing our accents in the online space! Anyways, great video - thanks!

Seeing Matt Smith's characterr in the thumbnail makes me think he would make for a great young Count Dooku/Darth Tyranus in a prequel spin-off for Star Wars

18:44 I took this more as her anxiety being shown physically, as she’s already developed an understanding of what her father is playing at

Here's the thing: in F&B Misery is a magic user as well as a spy/brothel worker. When Daemon was celebrating Baelon and Aemma's deaths, I thought the subtext was that he and Misery were responsible for it, the way Tyanna of the Tower caused Maegor's dragon babies or Mirri Maz Duur killed Rhaego. That the show didn't blame Daemon at all is surprising especially since there are two more "suspicious" birthing incidents coming up so I guess they aren't going to suggest a pattern lol. It's also suspicious that the show seems to be ignoring the role a specific religion based in Oldtown plays in all this.

Are you gonna do the One Musical Scene? I'm so eagerly waiting what you're gonna pick for that collab if you do it. I've even seen some love sent towards Transformers and I'm wondering if shows are allowed, I'd wonder if people would use Game of Thrones or Arcane.

I think a key point about 'the passing on of the prophecy' is how that would actually happen. Prior to the TV series there are a few places where there is no way that it could, or would, be passed on. Really it is just a way to tie the two series together for those that aren't story nerds

House of the Dragon is not only based on Fire and blood, but also the books the Princess and the Queen, the Rogue Prince and the World of Ice and Fire.

I had no idea this show was following the dance of the dragons. Alright you’ve convinced me to give it a shot now haha

it is said that dragon scales grow and thicken over time offering more protection against fire and heat. it would actually make sense for the dragon keepers to use these in their armors

I haven’t read the books yet because I’m waiting for George RR Martin to finish writing 😄 and I realize I might wait forever, but I appreciate you, Tim, having these episodes and breaking them down further so someone like me can understand what’s happening. Reading comprehension was never my strong suit and I have little kids that I can’t really watch these episodes over and over without exposing them 😄 so thank you Tim. It’ll make rewatching in the future more enjoyable

The birth scene is definitely heavy but what I'm unclear on is if there was actually any way to prioritize keeping the Queen alive even if they had wanted to. Like the Maester frames at as a choice between the life of the mother or the child but doesn't actually describe a scenario in which the mother doesn't die.