House of the Dragon trailer: Majestic dragons, fierce female characters make it a compelling prequel to GoT

Let’s face it - most of us, if not all of us, were highly disappointed by the series finale of Game of Thrones . The finale was so anticlimactic and underwhelming that some of us didn’t want anything to do with George RR Martin’s epic fantasy world - for a while, at least. However, 3 years after the disappointing GoT finale aired, HBO is now back with the prequel House of the Dragon . It won’t be an exaggeration to say that the trailer piqued the curiosity of all who watched GoT for the last 8 years or so - and gave them hope that the House of the Dragon, might just work - it is oddly reminiscent of earlier seasons of GoT, has fierce female characters and majestic dragons that look every bit stunning and breathtaking.

Oddly Reminiscent of GoT

Rhaenys Targareyan: Rhaenyra’s succession will be challenged. Knives will come out…

And boy did the knives come out! In many ways, the House of the Dragon trailer will remind you of the good old seasons of GoT and even make you nostalgic. The character arcs, double-crossing, hand-to-hand combat and the bloodlust is oddly reminiscent of the hit show where the Kings and Queens of Westeros would go to any length to sit on the Iron Throne. The sheer anxiety and desperation of the Targareyans to sit on the Throne can be felt by the viewers while watching the trailer. The sound of ‘thundering hooves, splintering shields and ringing swords’ will remind you just how far the characters can go for the Iron Throne and that human life, as we know it, holds little-to-no value for them. Add to it, the majestic and roaring dragons as they fly over the cities and spew fire and inspire fear in the heart of commonfolk and you have the near-perfect, nail-biting and suspenseful George RR Martin fantasy series.

Otto Hightower: Our hearts remain as one… Alicent Hightower: Our hearts were never one

The above exchange between the Hightowers is testimony to the fact that just like GoT, House of the Dragon will also see characters betraying and back-stabbing the ones closest to them. The lust for power will put loyalties, love and emotions to test and only those who are willing to be ruthless will make it and of course, no one will be spared. In many ways, this ruthlessness and borderline insanity that accompanies the bloodlust to sit on the Throne is what propelled GoT to worldwide fame and House of the Dragon has done a commendable job at bringing this mercilessness to life - with characters who are soft-hearted enough to invest in relationships but also cold-hearted to break them if need be. It keeps the suspense going and keeps the viewers on the edge of their seat as they run their minds trying to figure out the next move of these characters. Much like in GoT, it seems that in House of the Dragon, no character is indispensable or off-limits when it comes to being killed off.

Powerful Female Characters

Rhaenys Targareyan: A woman will not inherit the Iron Throne. Because that is the order of the things

Rhaenyra Targareyan: When I am queen, I will create a new order.

This exchange is proof that House of the Dragon has powerful female characters who are just as ruthless and conniving as their male counterparts, if not more. Women like Rhaenys, Rhaenyra and Alicent belong to the middle ages so one can expect that they live in a highly patriarchal and misogynistic society where women do not have half the agency men do. But that doesn’t stop these women from dreaming big and aspiring to sit on the Iron Throne - despite everything - from the system to the men around working against them. While her mother constantly puts her down, Rhaenyra confidently says that she will be the one to ‘break the order’ and become the first Queen to sit on the Iron Throne. It also shows how Rhaenyra paved the way for women like Cersei and Sansa who we see much later in the Game of Thrones series and made it somewhat acceptable for a woman to dream of sitting on the Iron Throne. One has to dare to dream big first, no matter how difficult and impossible it might be to make it come true. Those who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do and Rhaenyra Targareyan did just that.

Alicent Hightower: If Rhaenyra comes to power, she can cut off any challenge to her succession…

What’s particularly intriguing is that the show does an excellent job at portraying women characters who won’t just tear down the men but even women if they dare to come in their way. The trailer shows Alicent and Rhaenyra - two women who are very powerful and fiercely independent, lock horns with each other. While sisterhood and female solidarity are important in the modern context, in House of the Dragon, only one person can sit on the Iron Throne which leads to a tough, high-stake battle between two powerful queens.

It is yet to be seen how HoD will be able to pique the curiosity and interest of the viewers and meet the benchmark set by GoT. However, from the trailer, it seems that the show will definitely not go out without a bang.

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. 

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