Did you spot these Dragon (Easter) Eggs in House of the Dragon?
House of the Dragon brings fans back to Westeros and The Game of Thrones world. The prequel series is based on George R. R. Martin's novel Fire and Blood and is set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones.
Of course, with the new series, fans can be on the lookout for many Easter Eggs.
The Catspaw Dagger
While watching House of the Dragon, you may have noticed the Catspaw Dagger being held in fire by Viserys and Rhaenyra. And in episode 7, Queen Alicent is wielding it as she attacks Rhaenyra.
We also saw the dagger used in Game of Thrones once to assassinate Bran. And the last time we saw it, Arya used it to kill the Night King.
Nymeria's 10,000 Ships
In the series' first episode, Alicent reads a Westeros history book with Rhaenyra. The two begin discussing the Rhoynar Queen Nymeria. She sailed 10,000 ships away from her ancestral lands in Essos, escaping the conquerors of Old Valyria. Nymeria and her fleet landed in Dorne, where she married Mors Martell.
Also, Nymeria burned the 10,000 ships to show her people there was no turning back. In Game of Thrones' first episode, Arya names her direwolf Nymeria after the same queen.
The death of a Falcon
House of the Dragon begins with Aemma Arryn dying in childbirth because Viserys makes the difficult decision to save their unborn baby over Aemma's life.
Similarly, in Game of Thrones, the catalyst that starts the events of the series is the death of Jon Arryn, who was the Hand of the King to Robert Baratheon.
The Black Dread
In Game of Thrones, fans see the skull of Balerion, the Black Dread, under the Red Keep.
House of the Dragon brings back Balerion's skull, except this time, it is larger and has a menacing aura about it. If you don't know, Aegon Targaryen was Balerion's rider when he conquered the Seven Kingdoms, gaining the name Aegon the Conqueror.
A Song of Ice And Fire
Aegon Targaryen had a dream of cold North winds bringing darkness over the Seven Kingdoms, and the dream was named A Song of Ice and Fire.
As fans all know, that is also the name for the book series and the name of the book that Samwell Tarly writes at the end of Game of Thrones.
"Promise Me"
In front of Balerion's skull, in House of the Dragon, Viserys tells Rhaenyra about Aegon's dream. And asks her to keep it a secret, saying, "Promise me, Rhaenyra."
Reflecting this, in Game of Thrones, Lyanna Stark says, "Promise me, Ned." She asks him to protect her newborn son, Aegon, aka Jon Snow, from Robert because she fears that Robert will kill him.
Wine, Boar, and Deer
In episode 3 of House of the Dragon, Viserys goes on a hunting party to celebrate his son's second birthday. During the hunt, Viserys looks like a fool because he struggles to kill a tied down deer.
This parallels Robert's hunting party in Game of Thrones, because Robert becomes so drunk that he is killed by a boar. So both kings are shown to be incompetent, all the while in HotD, Rhaenyra kills a boar, showing her strength.
Candle Messages
In season 5 of Game of Thrones, Sansa puts a lit candle in a window to signal Brienne for help.
While it is not for help, in House of the Dragon, Talya, a spy for Mysaria, lights candles in a window to notify the White Worm that the King has passed away.
Dark Sister
During the Heir's tournament in House of the Dragon, Prince Daemon Targaryen wields the Valyrian steel sword, Dark Sister, against Ser Criston Cole.
However, it's not the first time fans have heard of Dark Sister; in Game of Thrones season 2, Arya explains that Visenya Targaryen used Dark Sister during battle.
The White Hart Stag
In episode 3 of House of the Dragon, while King Viserys is out on the hunt, Rhaenyra runs into the mystical White Hart Stag, symbolizing that she is the true heir to the throne.
Many connect this scene to Game of Thrones season 8 in episode 5 when Arya sees a white horse in King's Landing. Since both Rhaenyra and Arya love Nymeria and both have no interest in marriage, many try to make connections between the two characters.
The Lannister Twins
You can't talk about the Game of Thrones world without talking about the Lannister family. In House of the Dragon, we are introduced to the Lannister twins Jason and Tyland.
And some fans are probably wondering where they've seen them before. Well, the twins are played by Jefferson Hall, who portrayed Ser Hugh of the Vale in Game of Thrones.
Greyscale
In episode 2 of House of the Dragon, fans are introduced to the Crabfeeder, a man who wears a mask has a crazed look in his eyes and is covered in Greyscale. Of course, the show is setting up his battle with Daemon Targaryen in the War for the Stepstones.
Of course, Greyscale was also seen in Game of Thrones because Shireen Baratheon and Jorah Mormont suffered from the disease. Luckily, they did not go mad from it.
"You are no son of mine."
In Game of Thrones, Tywin Lannister gets the crap end of the stick. It's a satisfying death for fans and Tyrion, especially when Tywin's last words are, "You are no son of mine."
While it's not a deadly situation, the phrase is said again when Queen Alicent hears that her son, Aegon, has been acting spoiled and assaulting the handmaids. Alicent unleashes her motherly fury and says, "you are no son of mine."
Greens and Blacks
Queen Alicent showed up to Rhaenyra's wedding late, wearing a green dress - the color of her house. In the scene, Larys Strong explains that the lighthouse lamp in Alicent's hometown is changed to green when they are at war.
In the book series, those who wear green are supporters of Aegon II's claim to the throne. In comparison, those who wear black are supporters of Rhaenyra's claim.
Mushroom
During Rhaenyra's wedding, fans can see a glimpse of a jester playing the drums. Although it hasn't been confirmed, many speculate that this is Mushroom.
Who is Mushroom? Well, Fire & Blood, the book House of the Dragon is based on, is a fictional historical account, and one of the apparent eyewitnesses is Mushroom, who serves as a jester for Viserys I and Rhaenyra.
The Pink Dread
In episode 8 of House of the Dragon, during dinner, a roasted pig is placed in front of Aemond, which his Lucerys laughed at.
Why was it so funny? Although it had been years ago (two episodes for viewers), Lucerys was reminded of "the Pink Dread" prank that he, his brother, and Aegon II played on Aemond. Bringing him a winged pig instead of a dragon.
An ugly game
House of the Dragon's episode 7 reminded fans what the series has always been about. While talking with his daughter Alicent, Otto Hightower reminds her, "We play an ugly game."
Of course, this phrase rings in our ears because it reminds us of Cersei's line from Game of Thrones, "When you play the Game of Thrones, you win, or you die."
A Spider's Knowledge
Spy networks and espionage are significant plot points in the Game of Thrones world. In House of the Dragon, the sneaky, know-it-all spy is Mysaria, nicknamed White Worm.
Her network of spies is vast, and they are called Spiders. As GoT fans recall, the Spider is the nickname of fan-favorite Varys, who also dabbles in spying and espionage.
Spiders Know Power
When Otto Hightower meets Mysaria in episode 9, they have a conversation about power. Mysaria reminds him that "power is given by the people."
If this sounds familiar, that's because, in Game of Thrones, Varys discusses with Tyrion a similar idea about power, "Power resides where men believe it resides." Clearly, both Mysaria and Varys have similar ideas about power and how to influence it.
Yi Ti
While Aemond is looking for his brother Aegon II, in passing, he says, "he could be on a ship to Yi Ti by now."
If you've only watched Game of Thrones, you'll have no idea what Yi Ti is. But readers know that Yi Ti is the GoT version of Imperial China, and since it's reported that HBO is working on an animated series set in Yi Ti, fans should be excited!
Queens of Ash
When the line is drawn between Rhaenyra and Queen Alicent, Daemon says they should take King's Landing because they have more dragons. However, Rhaenyra refuses because she knows the destructive powers of dragons and says, "I do not wish to rule over a kingdom of Ash and Bone."
Similarly, in GoT, Daenerys says the same thing when she comes to Westeros, "I do not wish to be Queen of the Ashes." Unfortunately, we all know how that turned out in the show.
The Dragon Pit
When we see the dragon pits in GoT, they are in ruins and used for meetings. In HotD, we see it again, except the enormous and grand building is standing tall among King's Landing's skyline.
Too bad the pit was detrimental to dragons' growth and almost led them to extinction!
Valyrian Bloodmages
Viserys and Alicent have a conversation at King's Landing about the Bloodmages of Valyria. These mages were practitioners of blood magic, and most died out.
However, blood magic was seen in Game of Thrones season 1 when Daenerys lost Khal Drogo and her unborn son to Mirri Maz Duur and her blood magic.
Rhaenyra's Necklace
While this is a small easter egg and might be hard to see, in episode 1 of House of the Dragon, if you look closely at young Rhaenyra's golden necklace, you can see the emblem of each house.
This includes Tully, Stark, Martell, Arryn, and Lannister. Such ornate details on an exquisite piece of jewelry!
Black Swann
In House of the Dragon, the Highborn ladies discuss the War of the Stepstones and that Lady Johanna Swann was being held for ransom by the Crabfeeder.
However, In Fire & Blood, Johanna plays a more prominent role. Her uncle refuses to pay her ransom, so she is sold to a pillow house, where she becomes a famous courtesan and rises to power as The Black Swan.
The Targaryen illusion
In episode 1 of House of the Dragon, King Viserys tells his daughter Rhaenyra that the Targaryens have never controlled the dragons.
And if that wasn't the biggest piece of foreshadowing! Because in the last episode of season 1, we see both Aemond and Lucerys can not control their dragons, which leads to the death of Lucerys and his dragon.
The Red Spring
When episode 6 begins, fans learn there has been a ten-year time skip, and due to several events in the episode, there can be an assumption that we're in the year 120 a.c.
What's so special about that? Well, in the book Fire & Blood, 120 a.c. is filled with many deaths and is noted as The Red Spring.
Gold Dragons
When Aegon II is crowned the new King in episode 9, fans can notice that the Targaryen symbol has different colors. The three-headed dragon is gold, and the banner is red.
While the gold is meant to symbolize Aegon II's dragon, Sunfire, it is definitely a stark contrast from the typical red three-headed dragon on a black banner.
The Seed is Strong
Game of Thrones' first few episodes followed Ned as he unraveled the truth of the Lannister children's parentage. With Cersei's children missing the black hair of the Baratheon bloodline.
And in House of the Dragon, fans are gifted another cheating scandal when it's clear that Rhaenyra's children are not her husband's because of their black hair.
Dracarys
"Dracarys" is a simple word that holds such power. Fans loved seeing Daenerys say the word in Game of Thrones as she vanquished her enemies.
However, in House of the Dragon, fans are given solemn sight of it. As Laena Valeryon says Dracarys to Vhagar, the Queen of Dragons, while she's in the middle of a miscarriage - she'd rather die a dragon rider's death.
The Great Council
The beginning of House of The Dragon starts the same way Game of Thrones ends, with a council of lords and ladies deciding who should be the next person to take the throne.
In House of the Dragon, it is decided that Viserys is the successor of King Jaehaerys I, while Bran Stark is crowned king in Game of Thrones.
Hot Baths
One nod to the lineage of House Targaryen is the fact that they can withstand scolding hot temperatures. A Little nod to Daenerys actually happens in House of the Dragon, when Aemma Arryn is in a hot bath, saying, "it's all the Maesters will allow."
This makes people believe she would like the bath to be hotter, as seen in Game of Thrones when Daenerys is in such hot water her servants are afraid she'll burn herself.
The Opening Credits
While the song and visuals for the opening credits are different for Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, they are similar enough to warrant calling it an Easter egg!
In HotD, the map (similar to that of GoT) is tied together with blood, showing how the Targaryen lineage is tied together. The music and font are also the same.
Three Dragon Eggs
For die-hard fans, one Easter egg was tied into the story of Princess Rhaena Targaryen, who rides the dragon Dreamfyre. Together, they hide away on Fair Isle, where Dreamfyre lays two batches of eggs.
Sadly, three were stolen by Elissa Farman and brought to Pentos. There they were bought and gifted to a certain bride on her wedding day -- Daenerys.
The Iron Throne Shot
One eagle-eyed fan noticed something very similar in both Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon -- a specific shot of the Iron Thorne.
In Game of Thrones, fans see a shot of the throne in ruins with Daenerys off to the side, her back facing the camera. The same shot is seen in HotD, with her ancestor Rhaenyra.
House Crakehall
In a "blink and you'll miss it" moment, Otto Hightower mentions House Crakehall, one of the most loyal houses to the crown and, according to him, a better choice for Rhaenyra to appoint to the Kingsguard than Ser Criston Cole.
In Game of Thrones, House Crakehall is briefly mentioned in a conversation between Tyrion and Sansa. Both Tyrion and Rhaenyra agree that House Crakehall is not the best house.
The Lannister Twins Might Look Familiar
Actor Jefferson Hall plays the roles of Lord Jason and Lord Tyland, twins in House Lannister, in House of the Dragon.
Something only eagle-eyed fans might realize, though, is Hall was also in Game of Thrones. Albeit a small part, Hall can be seen playing the role of Ser Hugh of the Vale in season one of GoT.
A Few Game of Thrones Locations Were Mentioned
In Game of Thrones, viewers are brought all around the kingdom of Westeros. Some of the locations are the Lannister's castle, Casterly Rock, the Wall where Jon Snow goes, and the Sunset Sea, where Arya sails off in the series finale.
These three locations are actually mentioned in House of the Dragon by Jason Lannister in his efforts to befriend and woo Rhaenyra Targaryen.
The White Book
In season one, episode 3 of House of the Dragon, Ser Criston mentions the White Book, a ledger depicting all of the Kingsgaurd, their legacies, and their deaths.
The book is seen very briefly in Game of Thrones, as Brienne of Tarth takes it upon herself to write Jamie Lannister's death within the book.
"The Laws Of Gods And Men"
One Easter egg only die-hard fans might have noticed is the phrase "The Laws of Gods and Men." It is first seen in Game of Thrones as the title of the sixth episode of season four.
In House of the Dragon, Otto Hightower utters the phrase in reference to what's right and proper in the realm.
Battle Of The Bastards Parallel
The War for the Stepstones in House of the Dragon has a lot of parallels to Game of Thrones' Battle of the Bastards. First, Daemon heads straight to fight Crabfeeder as Jon does with Ramsay.
Second, Daemon gets surrounded by the enemy, just like Jon and his army. And Laenor Velaryon coming in on the back of his dragon at the last minute to help win the battle is just like what happens to Jon when the Knights of the Vale show up at the last minute.
Ser Ryam Redwyne Had A Huge Influence On The Stark Boys
In Game of Thrones, Jon Snow would pretend he was Ser Ryam Redwyne of the Kingsguard while sparring with Rob Stark. Bran Stark would even dream of becoming a knight like Redwyne when he was older.
In House of the Dragon, viewers are finally introduced to Ser Ryam Redwyne, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard.
"Second Sons"
In episode two of House of the Dragon, Lord Corlys Velaryon meets with Prince Daemon Targaryen and mentions that they are "the realm's second sons." This phrase actually draws parallels to Game of Thrones.
The episode where Tyrion, the second son of House Lannister, marries Sansa Stark is also called "Second Sons."
