Note: This section contains spoilers for the first episode of season two of House of the Dragon, “A Son For A Son.”
OVERVIEW
The White Walkers are mentioned in House of the Dragon season 2, as Cregan Stark claims the Wall was constructed to keep out “death.”
Though he claims to be divided between the North and the South, it’s likely that the White Walkers won’t truly make an appearance in the program.
Because of Aegon the Conqueror’s prophecy from A Song of Ice and Fire, the White Walkers do pose a threat to House of the Dragon.
A significant doubt concerning the presence of White Walkers in House of the Dragon is raised by the second season opener. In the second season of HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel, Lord Cregan Stark of Winterfell makes his first trip to the North. He meets with Jacaerys Velaryon and consents to promise Rhaenyra Targaryen and the blacks the North’s backing. At least some of his backing, anyhow.
His eyes are always divided between the North and the South, as Cregan observes. He gives Jace a terrifying explanation when he asks why the Wall was constructed in the first game and what the true threat that lurks in the uttermost corners of the globe is: “Death.” Nevertheless, House of the Dragon takes place about 170 years after Game of Thrones. But are the White Walkers going to show up?
Most Likely, White Walkers Won’t Appear in House of the Dragon
Do They Still Exist Now in the Game of Thrones Chronology?
The Dance of the Dragons is a major theme in House of the Dragon. Sara Snow, his illegitimate half-sister, gets entirely eliminated from the first episode of season 2, and Cregan himself only appears in a very brief part that may not be seen for long time. That implies that there won’t be many deviations, which makes it unlikely that White Walkers will appear anytime soon.
This does address one of the most important unsolved mysteries surrounding the White Walkers: what exactly were they up to prior to Game of Thrones?
One small issue with that is that images from the House of the Dragon set appeared to hint at wights, with a box labeled “undead.” It was suggested that this might indicate the appearance of wights, and that is still possible, though at this stage it is probably more likely to be a vision or dream sequence. After seeing the Wall, it does appear more likely that the term “undead” refers to something different, like a dead body or a killed character making a reappearance in a nightmare or dream.
Still, this does address one of the most important unsolved mysteries surrounding the White Walkers: precisely what were they up to prior to Game of Thrones? They were vanquished at the Battle for the Dawn, which put an end to the Long Night, and it is known that they made a comeback in Game of Thrones. That only leaves a tiny window of, oh, around 8,000 years without explanation.
Were the White Walkers conscious and living at that time? Were they hibernating, or were they just lounging around in the Lands of Always Winter, slowly assembling their armies? To be honest, we don’t know enough about them to be able to respond. In season one of Game of Thrones, Osha claims that they had been “sleeping,” however that statement can be taken too literally.
Release Schedule for House of the Dragon Season 2: Episode #, Release Date: June 16 for Episode 1, June 23 for Episode 2, June 30 for Episode 3, June 31 for Episode 4, July 7 for Episode 5, July 14 for Episode 6, July 21 for Episode 7, July 28 for Episode 8, and August 4.
Because it is so well-established, Craster’s sacrifices, for example, appear to predate the events of Game of Thrones by a significant amount. In season eight of Game of Thrones, Bran Stark mentions that the Night King has come for several forms of the Three-Eyed Raven, although he doesn’t go into great detail.
In House of the Dragon, the White Walkers will theoretically exist in some capacity, but it doesn’t imply they’ll make an appearance.
The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle: a kind of semi-hibernation, time building the army of the dead (keep in mind that time doesn’t pass in the same way for immortal beings; centuries may seem like a few years), and a culmination of growing magic and a great Winter (possibly partially influenced by them) that finally caused them to act. In House of the Dragon, the White Walkers will theoretically exist in some capacity, but it doesn’t imply they’ll make an appearance.
White Walkers Remain Crucial To The Narrative of House of the Dragon
Aegon’s Dream Continues to Play a Significant Role in the Background
The White Walkers are nonetheless significant even though House of the Dragon (probably) won’t feature them. Aegon the Conqueror’s dream—which he named A Song of Ice and Fire—of White Walkers was made public in Season 1. He predicted a dark Winter that would overtake Westeros and that the only person who could bring the country together to face it would be a Targaryen seated on the Iron Throne.
When Viserys made Rhaenyra his heir, he told her about Aegon’s dream. Unknowingly, as he was dying, he told Alicent the same dream, which she interpreted to indicate their son should rule as king. Therefore, even though White Walkers won’t be making an appearance, they are inextricably linked to the plot of the entire series and the Targaryen dynasty in general.
Even though viewers aren’t able to see the White Walkers directly in the prequel, they are a constant threat.
It will be intriguing to observe how it plays out in season two of House of the Dragon. Jacaerys’s ignorance of Aegon’s dream is evident from their talk at the Wall, but Rhaenyra will undoubtedly need to bring up the subject at some point. The threat posed by the White Walkers is a major driving force behind her ascent to the Iron Throne in the prequel, despite the fact that viewers are not able to physically see it.
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