Top 10 Game of Thrones Easter Eggs in House of the Dragon
#10: The Beginning Is the End & the Beginning
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“The Heirs of the Dragon” …which is all to say that “House of the Dragon” starts off similarly to how “Game of Thrones” ends…and begins. To clarify, the prologue for the former shows us the appointment of King Viserys after a Great Council ponders the succession with no clear-cut heir. Something similar happens in the finale of “Thrones” when the sitting Lords of the Seven Kingdoms settle on Bran. Meanwhile, “House of the Dragon” also echoes the previous show’s premiere by depicting the death of an Arryn. Much like how the murder of Hand of the King Jon Arryn kicks off the War of the Five Kings, the death of Queen Aemma lights the spark for the Dance of Dragons. As George Lucas would say, it’s like poetry - it rhymes.
#9: “The Laws of Gods & Men”
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“Second of His Name” Unless you know the name of every episode of “Game of Thrones,” you’re liable to miss a few references here and there. Case in point, Ser Otto Hightower’s conversation with Alicent in Episode 3. With Alicent reluctant to have her son Aegon usurp Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne, Otto reminds her of Aegon’s birthright with a very familiar phrase. Indeed, “The Laws of Gods and Men” is the title of the sixth episode of “Thrones” Season 4, which is memorable for seeing Tyrion put on trial for Joffrey's murder. Honestly, we love any reference to that standout episode, but the only further connection we can think of is the “House of the Dragon” one also featuring the Lannisters, and often not in a becoming light.
#8: A Familiar Actor
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Various Speaking of Jason Lannister, you might be thinking to yourself that he and his twin brother Tyland look awfully familiar. Both are played by the actor Jefferson Hall, whom you might recognize for being in the 2018 “Halloween” movie. However, you’d be forgiven for forgetting that Hall has played a Westerosi character before. Back in “Game of Thrones” Season 1, Hall appeared as Ser Hugh of the Vale. He doesn’t last long, as he is promptly killed in a joust with Gregor Clegane. Thankfully for Hall, his characters manage to survive the first season. And even if they don’t last much longer, they likely won’t have to posthumously deal with false claims of killing the Hand of the King like Ser Hugh did.
#7: “Kingdom of Ash & Bone”
“The Black Queen” Though they’re different in their own right, Rhaenyra and Daenerys Targaryen were going to be compared to each other no matter what, and this callback will only further that likeness. In the season finale, when Daemon suggests leaning into their dragon advantage in dealing with the Greens, Rhaenyra shrewdly rejects this notion, aware of the fiery devastation that campaign would have on Westeros. Her use of the “ash” motif harkens back to something Tyrion says and Dany echoes during the latter’s conquest in Season 7 of “Thrones.” Despite Dany’s best intentions, that is exactly what she becomes when she sacks King’s Landing. Let’s just hope Rhaenyra can resist the temptation of abusing that kind of power.
#6: Wedding Traditions
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“We Light the Way” Weddings can be a royal pain… especially in Westeros. The Red Wedding in “Game of Thrones” did not go as planned. Neither did Joffrey’s wedding to Margaery, although we can’t say we were sorry. “House of the Dragon’s” wedding between Rhaenyra and Laenor stays true to this tradition. At the welcome feast, Ser Criston Cole brutally beats Laenor’s lover Joffrey Lonmouth to death. Joffreys don’t seem to fare very well on either show. At least “House of the Dragon” is keeping things consistent. Incidentally, in the book “Fire & Blood,” things play out slightly differently, with Criston fatally wounding Joffrey during a joust.
#5: “Promise Me”
“The Heirs of the Dragon” Viserys’s speech to Rhaenyra at the end of the first episode has oodles of callbacks to “Game of Thrones,” but we bet this one flew under most people’s radars. The exact words, “Promise me this, Rhaenyra. Promise me,” may not seem like much, but they’re actually eerily similar to another pivotal moment in “Game of Thrones.” In the Season 6 finale, Bran’s vision takes him to the Tower of Joy where Lyanna Stark gives birth to Jon Snow. We don’t hear Lyanna telling her brother Ned that Rhaegar Targaryen is the father, but when she similarly has Ned promise to keep Jon safe, her words are almost the same as Viserys’s save for the name change.
#4: The Crabfeeder’s Mask
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Various While many fans were debating on whether or not the Crabfeeder has greyscale or not - he does - another aspect of his appearance is perhaps an even curiouser detail. As is plain to see, the Crabfeeder - real name Craghas Drahar - has taken to covering his face with a broken mask, one he got from a shipwreck. The mask itself is of Ghiscari origin, so it’s unsurprising that it’s fashioned after the symbol of the Ghiscari Empire, the harpy. Anyone who watched “Game of Thrones” Seasons 5 and 6 will know the Sons of the Harpy, a brutal gang of Meereenese rebels who oppose Daenerys’s rule; they too wear harpy masks. It’s an interesting connection between two insurgencies that take place centuries apart.
#3: “You Are No Son Of Mine”
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“The Lord of the Tides” Obviously, “House of the Dragon” has a lot of dialogue that recalls famous “Game of Thrones” quotes. And this one is no different. Upon learning of Aegon’s transgressions with Dyana the serving girl in Episode 8, Alicent scolds her son with the words, “You are no son of mine.” Though the inflection and delivery are not entirely the same, the words are shared with someone else who also virtually presided over the realm, Tywin Lannister. Tywin says this to his son Tyrion, though they turn out to be famous last words as Tyrion then fatally shoots him with a crossbow. Thankfully, things go a little better for Alicent here, as her familial relationships seem at least a little bit better. Baby steps.
#2: Dreamfyre’s Daenerys Connection
“The Rogue Prince” The great McGuffin in Episode 2 is that of the dragon egg Daemon spirits away to Dragonstone. As mentioned, the egg is from the dragon Dreamfyre, who may have a serious connection to “Game of Thrones’” Daenerys. In the books, Dreamfyre is ridden by Aegon the Conqueror’s granddaughter Rhaena Targaryen. At one point, Rhaena’s sister-in-law / lover Elissa similarly steals some of Dreamfyre’s eggs. While not confirmed, it’s been speculated that these eggs are the ones that eventually end up in Daenerys’s possession at the very beginning of “A Song of Ice and Fire.” While we barely see Dreamfyre herself in the first season of “House of the Dragon,” she could just be the mother to Drogon, Rhaegal and Viserion. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Ser Harrold Westerling Resigns, “The Green Council”
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Play, “King of the Narrow Sea”
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Rhaenyra & Daemon Witness a Political Play in Much the Same Vein as the One Arya Watches
Candle in the Window, “The Green Council”
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Royal Inhairitance, “The Princess and the Queen”
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Jace & Luke Look Even Less Like Laenor Than Joffrey Baratheon Looks Like Robert
“Choose Violence,” “The Rogue Prince”
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Otto Hightower & Cersei Lannister Have Similar Vocabularies
#1: Valyrian Steel Dagger
Various This Easter egg may be obvious for those who recognize it, but it’s undeniably the single greatest connection to “Game of Thrones” on “House of the Dragon.” Though not outright stated, it’s evident that the Valyrian steel dagger in the possession of Viserys for most of the season is the same one that appears in pivotal moments on “Thrones” - first when an assassin fails to kill Bran, and second when Arya slays the Night King and ends the Great War. This proves especially thematic considering the text etched into the dagger, as Aegon the Conqueror’s prophecy foretells of the Prince That Was Promised who’s destined to save the world of the living.