The House of the Dragon timeline so far
House of the Dragon season 1 did a lot: It set the scene for a Targaryen civil struggle, adopted the waning glory days of a peacetime king, slot in the story of a fast struggle earlier than it received to the most important occasion, and even traced the dissolution of a number of relationships (all whereas forging new ones). It jumped in time with calculated abandon, with a 10-year leap between episode 5 and 6. Given all that was packed into the first season, it might be straightforward to overlook particulars right here and there. Keep in mind how essential that inexperienced gown was to the shifting allegiances? Keep in mind the Crabfeeder?!
It’s doable you’re saying, “Oh shit, I really don’t.” Fret not; that is sensible! House of the Dragon’s time jumps make George R.R. Martin’s “history” of Westeros from the e-book Hearth & Blood come alive with equal significance. Figuring out that each week, viewers would catapult forward by a couple of months, and even years, meant episodes might simply ship the good things. Recreation of Thrones discovered epic scale in the map (which it typically needed to reduce corners to completely chart); House of the Dragon finds that very same scope in time. Plus, HBO anticipated this. It ready an easy-to-digest recap video you’ll be able to watch to recollect the finer factors of season 1 forward of the second-season premiere (as you’ll be able to see above).
However if you happen to want somewhat extra of a timeline about the place — and, extra importantly, when — all that is going down, we’ve received a useful information for you. With Rhaenyra (now Emma D’Arcy) and her story charting a couple of a long time’ value of Westeros historical past, it may be useful to recollect how lengthy all these gamers have been circling one another, and even simply how a lot youthful her brother/rival Aegon (now performed by Tom Glynn-Carney) is than her.
Episode 1, ‘The Heirs of the Dragon’ chilly open
Martin paperwork time in his A Tune of Ice and Hearth texts utilizing a B.C./A.D. equal known as “AC,” an abbreviation for “After the Conquest.” In 1 AC, Aegon I Targaryen was topped king after conquesting his approach by Westeros.
House of the Dragon opens in 101 AC, 197 years earlier than the occasions of Recreation of Thrones’ first season. We get one main scene on this time interval: King Jaehaerys I Targaryen asserting that, after his son Baelon kicked the bucket, his new inheritor wouldn’t be the genealogical alternative of his eldest grandchild, Princess Rhaenys, however his eldest grandson, Prince Viserys. What we don’t see is Jaehaerys die — in 103 AC, in line with Hearth & Blood — and cross the crown to Viserys.
Later in episode 1, aka most of ‘The Heirs of the Dragon’
It’s powerful to say precisely when House of the Dragon will get going, however a title card explains that the present picks up 9 years into King Viserys’ reign. Do the math, and we’re at round 112 AC.
That is when Rhaenyra loses her mom (and Viserys his spouse and queen), and — largely as a strategy to spurn Daemon — Viserys declares Rhaenyra his inheritor.
Episode 2, ‘The Rogue Prince’
The present’s first time leap leaps forward by six months, as tensions with Daemon Targaryen — to not point out the factions in the Stepstones — start to escalate. Daemon is squatting in Dragonstone with Mysaria, who he claims (learn: lies) is carrying his inheritor as he makes a play for the throne. Rhaenyra sees by him and collects some dragon eggs he has. Additionally everyone seems to be attempting to marry their daughters to Viserys, however in the end Otto Hightower succeeds in getting his daughter (and Rhaenyra’s greatest buddy!) Alicent betrothed to him.
Episode 3, ‘Second of His Name’
Three years later — so, round 115 AC — shit is getting actual in the Stepstones. No matter speak of struggle there was again in episode 2 has exploded into true violence, with Prince Daemon wiping out the Crabfeeder with the assist of Lord Corlys Velaryon. That is additionally when Alicent Hightower is sort of pregnant together with her and Viserys’ first child, who we’ll ultimately see as extra of a worthy inheritor to the throne after the subsequent time leap.
Episode 4, ‘King of the Narrow Sea’
The time leap in episode 4 is a bit murky, however we all know that Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen has been urged to discover a husband, and has spent at the very least a pair of months since Daemon’s triumph in search of somebody value her whereas. That is additionally when Daemon and Rhaenyra have a bit of a fling. Right here, the present diverges from Martin’s Hearth & Blood timeline, which noticed Daemon announcing himself King of the Slender Sea round 109 AC.
Episode 5, ‘We Light the Way’
House of the Dragon and its supply materials proceed to separate in episode 5. Most of Daemon’s exploits in Hearth & Blood are going down round 115 AC, however after we decide up with the troubled fella, doubtless round 114 AC on the present, he’s already staging his new-ish spouse Woman Rhea Royce’s premature dying. We additionally see Rhaenyra’s marriage ceremony to Ser Laenor Velaryon, which has been barely shifted up in time from when it happens in the books. However Condal has lined all of it as much as make historical past extra digestible for when the huge leap occurs…
Episode 6, ‘The Princess and the Queen’
The midway level of House of the Dragon’s first season makes a 10-year time leap (confirmed when Laenor says, “And I have played my part here, faithfully… for 10 years”) to round 124 AC. As anybody who has flipped by Martin’s Hearth & Blood will inform you: That is when shit will get ugly. And it’s already been fairly ugly. However at the very least we all know when the ugly shit is occurring.
Episode 7, ‘Driftmark’
This episode picks up roughly precisely the place the final episode left off, provided that it’s time for Laena Velaryon’s funeral. (She’s Corlys and Rhaenys’ daughter, and spouse and mom to Aemond.) The household! is! combating! Not as badly as they will be, of course, however after Aemond will get a dragon and loses a watch, the Targaryen household is tense to make sure. Viserys does his greatest to maintain individuals from combating, however Alicent and Rhaenyra are nonetheless smarting.
Episode 8, ‘The Lord of the Tides’
The calm earlier than the storm, “The Lord of the Tides” picks up six years after “Driftmark,” so round 130 AC. Each Rhaenyra’s and Alicent’s youngsters are grown, and Viserys is close to absolutely grown — in reality, that is the episode he dies. Sadly, his dying comes mere moments after Alicent and Rhaenyra have been about to bury the hatchet, and seconds after Alicent misunderstands Viserys’ final phrases, and mistakenly believes he known as for Aegon to be king in any case.
Episode 9, ‘The Green Council’
This takes place in the single day after the final episode, so there’s actually not a time leap. However quite a bit occurs right here: The Hightowers, Criston Cole, et al. conspire to get Aegon on the throne earlier than anybody outdoors the titular insurrectionist council is aware of what’s what. Rhaenys is taken prisoner however escapes, due to the assist of a twin in the Kingsguard, and declines to burn Staff Inexperienced alive together with her dragon however does head out to Dragonstone to let Rhaenyra know what occurred right here.
Episode 10, ‘The Black Queen’
As soon as once more, House of the Dragon does away with the time jumps in favor of quick response. Whereas it’s been a bit of time since the occasions of “The Green Council” in comparison with the leap between the final episodes, “The Black Queen” picks up roughly immediately after episode 9, with Groups Inexperienced and Black every attempting to shore up help (and spherical up extra dragons) round the Seven Kingdoms.
This results in Aemond inadvertently killing Rhaenyra’s son Lucerys, and mainly kicking off a full-blown struggle that may change into the most important occasion of the sequence — and brings us in control in season 2!