The epic HBO fantasy sequence “Home of the Dragon” has exceeded fan expectations in some ways, giving those that had been burned by “Sport of Thrones” one other likelihood to like and grieve the unbelievable characters of franchise creator George R. R. Martin’s worlds. Happening roughly 200 years earlier than the occasions of “Sport of Thrones,” “Home of the Dragon” accommodates the entire nice facets of its tv predecessor, simply performed a lot better, and that features every kind of difficult household drama. Actually, “Home of the Dragon” just about triples down on the household drama (and incest) as a result of it is centered on the “Dance of the Dragons,” a warfare between two factions of the dragon-riding Targaryen household. On one facet is Workforce Inexperienced, headed up by Queen Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) and her son Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney), whom she topped as king after the dying of his father Viserys I (Paddy Considine) and a little bit of a misunderstanding. On the opposite facet is Workforce Black, headed up by Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy), who was truly named inheritor to the throne by her father Viserys, and she or he’s miffed that her youthful half-brother bought put there as a substitute.
As a result of it is a fantasy world loosely based mostly on our personal Center Ages, folks are likely to have fairly a couple of kids, and Rhaenyra isn’t any exception. She has six kids in each the sourcebook “Fireplace & Blood” and “Home of the Dragon,” and whereas a few of them do not survive to maturity, those who do find yourself being influential on all of Westerosi historical past.
Rhaenyra had three sons with Ser Harwin Sturdy — Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey
Rhaenyra, because the daughter of Viserys I together with his first spouse, Aemma Arryn, was compelled into an organized marriage along with her second cousin Laenor Velaryon (John Macmillan). Nevertheless, she had a secret affair with Ser Harwin Sturdy (Ryan Corr), and it is fairly doubtless that every one three of her kids from the time she was married to Laenor are literally his. (Not solely do the children look an incredible quantity like Ser Harwin, however he is very connected to them as nicely.) The pair had three sons: Jacaerys “Jace” Velaryon (performed by Leo Hart as a toddler and Harry Collett as a younger grownup), Lucerys “Luke” Velaryon (performed by Harvey Sadler as a toddler and Elliot Grihault as a younger grownup), and Joffrey Velaryon (Oscar Eskinazi). Sadly, Ser Harwin dies in a hearth on the extraordinarily cursed citadel of Harrenhal, which prevents Rhaenyra from having any extra kids by him, and Laenor fakes his dying and leaves for Essos with Rhaenyra’s blessing, though it is doubtless that he is not alive as of the tip of season 2.
Jace is an earnest, good-hearted soul who actually believes in his mom’s declare to the throne (which might place him second in line). He rides the dragon Vermax and does his greatest to function a member of his mom’s small council and envoy, together with petitioning for an alliance with Home Frey. His youthful brother Luke has a bit extra Targaryen hearth in him, and through a nasty combat as kids together with his uncle-cousins Aegon II and Aemond Targaryen, he sliced Aemond with a knife and triggered him to lose his eye, which might have devastating penalties down the road. His dragon is Arrax, and he’s the inheritor to Driftmark. Youngest son Joffrey is bonded to the dragon Tyraxes and we all know little or no about him in any other case, as he is nonetheless fairly younger within the sequence.
Lucerys Viserion was murdered by his cousin
Whereas the battle of the “Home of the Dragon” children ending with Luke giving Aemond a basic villain look with one eye is actually type of humorous and well-deserved, it additionally, sadly, impressed a deep hatred in Prince Aemond, who’s to not be trifled with. Performed by Leo Ashton as a toddler and Ewan Mitchell as a younger grownup, Aemond is impressively merciless and manipulative, and usually higher at taking part in the sport of thrones than his older brother Aegon. After demanding that Luke lower out certainly one of his personal eyes with the intention to make it proper, Aemond and Luke get into an argument. Luke flees on his dragon Arrax, and Aemond pursues him in a rage.
Driving on his absolute behemoth of a dragon, Vhagar, Aemond catches up together with his youthful nephew-cousin and issues get ugly. Each dragons disobey their riders, resulting in Arrax attacking Vhagar in an try to guard Luke and Vhagar chomping down on each dragon and rider, killing them each. Aemond was indignant however doubtless didn’t imply to kill Luke, understanding simply how intense the fallout can be for such an act, and it makes the incident all of the extra tragic and Aemond a extra complicated character than his e book model, who flat-out murdered Luke deliberately.
Daemon Targaryen fathered Rhaenyra’s two youthful sons — Aegon and Viserys
Along with her sons by Ser Harwin Sturdy, Rhaenyra additionally had two youthful sons by her uncle-husband Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith). The 2 have a deeply difficult relationship that is probably the greatest within the franchise, however to this point on the sequence, their progeny are simply younger kids. Rhaenyra and Daemon had been in a position to introduce the boys to their grandfather/uncle King Viserys I earlier than he died, naming them Aegon and Viserys, in honor of earlier Targaryens. Funnily sufficient, even supposing as Rhaenyra’s youngest son, he can be a good distance from the throne by way of lineage, Viserys jokes that his namesake has a reputation “match for a king” and this seems to be by accident prophetic.
In season 2, Rhaenyra despatched Joffrey, Aegon, and Viserys to the Eyrie for security, and so they then boarded a ship for Essos, the place they might hopefully be protected from the warfare between Inexperienced and Black. The kid actors for younger Viserys and Aegon have been modified a number of occasions and typically it is tough to search out confirmed info, although Aegon was performed by twin actors Jake and Cory Heard in season 1.
Rhaenyra had a stillborn daughter named Visenya
On “Home of the Dragon,” the birthing mattress is a battlefield all of its personal, and it results in among the present’s most tragic moments. Although Rhaenyra doesn’t die in childbirth like her mom or Daemon’s first spouse, Laena, she does endure a horrible finish to her last being pregnant. After studying the information that Aegon II has taken her throne from her and has been topped king, she is so distressed that she has a miscarriage. Her solely daughter, Visenya, was stillborn with beginning defects that made her seem dragon-like, together with scales and a stubby tail, in accordance with the e book “The World of Ice & Fireplace.” On the HBO sequence, she wasn’t proven intimately however the particular results firm that created the silicone doll used for the scene have shared photographs, and poor Visenya had a misshapen head, no nostril, and a crown of scales.
The lack of Visenya is the ultimate straw for Rhaenyra, pushing her from hating Alicent and her kids to genuinely wanting them to pay for every thing they’ve performed. It is the ultimate catalyst for the warfare itself, which may have devastating penalties for all of Rhaenyra’s kids.
What occurs to Rhaenyra’s kids within the books?
As of the tip of season 2, Jace, Joffrey, Aegon, and Viserys are all protected and principally sound, however we already know the way issues are going to end up for them (roughly) due to each “The World of Ice & Fireplace” and “Fireplace & Blood,” and it isn’t nice. The Velaryon and Targaryen children are all fairly darn doomed in a method or one other. Jace and his dragon would each be killed by Workforce Inexperienced forces on the Battle of the Gullet, whereas Joffrey would die in a dragon using accident whereas making an attempt to show himself to his mom.
Not like their Velaryon half-brothers, each Daemon and Rhaenyra’s sons would reside to not solely see maturity but in addition sit on the Iron Throne. Following the deaths of each his mom and her rival, Aegon II, Aegon III was topped as Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, the King of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Males. Sadly, he was additionally deeply disturbed by the entire dying and bloodshed he witnessed, together with his mom’s personal dying on dragonback, and he grew to become generally known as “Aegon the Damaged” and “Aegon the Dragonbane,” as he hated dragons fiercely. Aegon died from consumption in his 30s and his eldest son, Daeron, succeeded him.
Viserys would function Hand of the King for Aegon, Daeron, and Daeron’s youthful brother Baelor, earlier than ultimately changing into king himself after Baelor died (both from fasting or from being poisoned by Viserys; “Fireplace & Blood” is unclear on this. Viserys II would solely reign as king for a yr earlier than being succeeded by his eldest son, Aegon IV, who might have poisoned Viserys. That bloodline would ultimately result in Daenerys Targaryen, Aemon Targaryen, and Jon Snow, organising a complete new recreation of intrigue, incest, and sure, thrones.
