A look at all the Game of Thrones references you missed out in Episode 1 of House of the Dragon

The first episode of House of the Dragon , which serves as a befitting prequel to the Game of Thrones saga, is full of callbacks, references and some blink-and-miss Easter Eggs that allude to its predecessor. The first episode opens with the Great Council which shows the succession of Viserys Targaryen I to the throne. It is followed by an opening text which sets the timeline of the show - 172 years before the death of the Mad King, Aerys and the birth of his daughter Daenerys Targaryen. The opening text is itself a nod to GoT and the history of Targaryen reign, much of which the viewers know through Daenerys and her majestic dragons. Aemma Takes A Bath, Just Like Danaerys in GoT One of the highlights of the opening episodes of GoT was Danaerys, effortlessly played by Emilia Clarke, stepping into burning hot water to take a bath. In the opening episode of House of the Dragon, we see Aemma take a bath for help during later stages of her pregnancy. It is worth noting here that while Danny’s bath water in GoT opening episode was burning hot, Aemma’s bath water is only lukewarm - even though her husband Viserys suggests that ‘the dragon needs heat’. It is almost as if the showrunners wished to make the distinction between Aemma and Daenerys crystal clear - while the former wishes to serve the throne by bearing a child, Daenerys wishes to claim the throne herself. What is almost prophetic is when Aemma foreshadows Danny’s fate. At one point in the scene, Aemma tells Viserys - “After this miserable pregnancy, I wouldn’t be surprised if I hatch an actual dragon.” This is exactly what happened in GoT season 1 finale when Daenerys, after Khal Drogo’s death, gives birth to the dragons by hatching the egg. Princess Nymeria’s Arya Stark Connection In what can be called one of the most endearing moments of the episode, we see Rhaenyra and Alicent discuss the legend of Princess Nymeria - a fierce warrior who invaded Dorne, thereby aiding the establishment of the rule of House Martell. It is interesting to note here that Arya Stark’s direwolf in GoT is named after Nymeria. The reference shows how carefully the fables and legends of George RR Martin’s universe are interwoven and interlinked. It is almost like the Butterfly Effect - where one character’s action has an impact which lasts generations after their death. Daemon Targaryen Channels King Joffrey’s Madness In a ruthless display of violence and torture, Daemon Targaryen, who is the Commander of the City Watch, goes on slaughtering people in King’s Landing who he feels are a threat to the upcoming Heirs Tournament. The criminals are slaughtered brutally - so much so, that their dismembered body parts fill up two carts. It seems like a callback to just how brutally Janos Slynt - who was the Commander of the City Watch when Joffrey Baratheon was the King - killed bastard babies of Robert Baratheon so they don’t pose a threat to his succession on the Iron Throne. Daemon in HoD seems to be cut from the same cloth as Joffrey from GoT - both are ruthless men who wouldn’t flinch once before murdering in cold blood for the Throne. Aemma’s Death Foreshadows Jon Arryn’s Death In an emotional and gut-wrenching moment we see Viserys choose to sacrifice his wife Aemma Arryn to save his heir - a boy who ends up dying shortly after. Aemma’s death resulted in the loss of a potential heir to the Throne which eventually led to Rhaenyra being named as the successor to King Viserys. It seems as if Aemma Arryn’s death kickstarts a series of events which will lead to bloodbath and absolute chaos that we’ll see in HoD. In the first episode of GoT too, it was the death of an Arryn which led to major ramifications for the realm. Before the introduction of Jamie and Cersei Lannister, we see the death of Jon Arryn who is named as the key instigator of the events that follow. It is almost as if Aemma’s death foretells Jon’s death and the beginning of an era of bloodshed and murders committed to sit on the Throne. Rhaenyra Echoes Daenerys’ iconic ‘Dracarys’ After her mother Aemma’s death, Rhaenyra says ‘Dracarys’ - a word all of us have come to associate with the Targaryens - particularly Daenerys who uses it many times in GoT. However, unlike Danny who uses the word to set her enemies ablaze, Rhaenyra uses it to light up the funeral pyre of her dead mother. Again, this shows the stark contrast between Rhaenyra and Daenerys - both powerful Targaryen women - who bond with their dragons differently. While one forms an emotional connection with them, the other uses them to set kingdoms on fire. Towards the end of the episode, we also see a stunning reference to Aegon’s dream of a terrible winter - which will be the end of the world for men. Aegon called his dream A Song of Ice and Fire, because he believed only a Targaryen on the Iron Throne (the fire) would lead to the realm defeating the White Walkers (the ice). The callback beautifully ties up the storylines of HoD and GoT. All in all, the first episode of the House of the Dragon introduced fresh storylines and set up intriguing plots that set it apart from its predecessor but also paid homage to the legacy of GoT through several Easter Eggs and callbacks so that the fans of the good ol’ GoT stay hooked to the new show. Deepansh Duggal is an entertainment, pop-culture and trends writer based in New Delhi. He specializes in op-eds based on the socio-political and gender issues in the world of entertainment and showbiz. He also writes explainers and occasionally reviews shows in the OTT space. He tweets at @Deepansh75.  Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News ,  India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.