House of the Dragon: King Viserys Episode 8 Prophecy Scenes Explained

Episode 8 of House of the Dragon introduced another leap forward in time — six years to be exact. Now King Viserys looks like the walking dead, Rhaenyra and Damon are happily married and making babies, and Alison and the Hightowers have left their mark on King’s Landing, introducing religion in a big way.

But that final scene was the big punch: King Viserys inadvertently discusses an important Targaryen family secret—with the wrong person. Let’s discuss what this could mean going forward in the spoiler section below.

Warning: Spoilers ahead.

What exactly is Prophecy?

All the way back episode 1, King Viserys passes on to his daughter Princess Rhaenyra a family secret – a prophecy about the end of the world, telling about the end of people. Let’s break down what Viserys says:

“Our stories… they tell us that Aegon looked across the Black Water of Dragonstone and saw a rich land ripe for the taking. But ambition alone was not what drove him to conquest. It was a dream. And just as Daenys foresaw the end of Valyria, Aegon foresaw the end of the human world.”

Aegon refers to Aegon the Conqueror, the first lord of the Seven Kingdoms in Westeros. He was the founder of the Targaryen dynasty ruling over Westeros, but as his prophecy reveals, he also wanted to unite the land against a common enemy. His prophecy must not be dismissed, for before him Targaryen… Dainis the Dreamer — had a proper prophetic dream about the destruction of Valyria by fire. Twelve years later, Valyria – the capital of the Valyrian Freehold, a great civilization in Essos ruled by dragon riders – was indeed destroyed by an unexplained cataclysm.

“It’s to start with a terrible winter coming up from the far north. Aegon saw absolute darkness riding on those winds. And whatever dwells within will destroy the world of the living. When this Great Winter comes, Rhaenyra, all of Westeros must stand against it. And if the human world is to survive, a Targaryen must sit on the Iron Throne. A king or queen strong enough to unite the realm against the cold and darkness. Aegon named his dream A Song of Ice and Fire.”

As we see in Game of Thrones, this prophecy of a terrible winter is coming true. An undead army of white walkers threatens to bring a long night upon Westeros. It is the duty of each Targaryen king (or queen) to pass on the secret prophecy to his heir so that one day all men can unite to fight against the “cold and the dark”.

“This secret… it has been handed down from king to heir since Aegon’s time. Now you must promise to carry her… and protect her.”

What does Rhaenyra Viserys ask in episode 8?

Twenty years later (since the events of House of the Dragon Episode 1), many things have happened. Rhaenyra has a brood of children and a new husband in Daemon, her uncle. She visits her father Viserys one evening, knowing that he will probably die soon, to find out the meaning behind their mysterious family secret before it is too late.

“‘A Song of Fire and Ice.’ Do you believe it’s true?”

“Aegon’s dream.”

“You told me it was our duty to keep the kingdom united against a common enemy. By appointing me as heir, you divided the kingdom.”

Viserys is so out of it, drugged by intoxicating milk of the poppy, that he never finishes answering Rhaenyra about whether she thinks Aegon’s prophecy, called A Song of Ice and Fire, will come true.

What does King Viserys say to Alicent?

Instead, Viserys unwittingly gives his wife Alicent his opinion on Aegon’s Prophecy.

In a fog, on his deathbed, Viserys begins with an apology. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” This is probably an excuse for forcing Rhaenyra, who he thinks he’s talking to, to take on everything that comes with being a Targaryen heir, including carrying the family secret.

“But you wanted to know… if I believed it to be true.”

Alicent, of course, has no idea what Viserys is talking about. Viserys continues to inadvertently warn her about the idea of ​​”The Prince That Was Promised”.

— Aegon.

“Our son?” Alison asks, referring to her and Viserys’ firstborn Prince Aegon, who was found to have raped a young servant in episode 8.

Viserys shakes his head — meaning Aegon the Conqueror, of course. “His dream. The Song of Ice and Fay — It is true. What he saw in the north. The prince that was promised.”

Alicent still thinks Viserys is talking about their son Aegon — not Jon Snow aka another Aegon Targaryen.

“The prince,” Viserys continued. “To unite the realm against the cold…and the dark. You are. You are the one. You must do this.”

What will Allison do with the Prophecy?

From Alison’s point of view, it definitely sounds like Viserys is asking her, his wife, to ensure that their first-born Prince Aegon inherits the Iron Throne – instead of the named heiress, Princess Rhaenyra. It sounds like Viserys is telling Alicent that she is “the one” to make sure this happens, that “The Prince That Was Promised” comes from her line.

Of course, that’s not the case — Viserys thought he was talking to Rhaenyra. This will obviously tear another big rift between Alicent and Rhaenyra, which is sad considering their friendship seems to be on the mend thanks to the king’s inspirational speech at the fancy reunion dinner. Renira toasts Alicent, thanking her for always being there for her father. Alicent seems sincere, stating that Rhaenyra will one day make a good queen, hinting that she will not fight Rhaenyra’s claim as heir.

But after hearing part of the Prophecy, Alisant will likely change her mind and claim the throne through her eldest son Aegon. in episode 6Alicent warns Aegon that one day he will have to fight Rhaenyra for the throne.

The thing is, Rhaenyra and Daemon also have a son named Aegon – their firstborn child, a baby introduced in episode 8. The two Aegons could potentially be pitted against each other. Like episode 7 showed, Alicent is willing to become violent if it means protecting her children.

How is the cat’s paw dagger connected?

in episode 1, you may have noticed Viserys absently touching an ornate dagger he wears on his belt as he tells Rhaenyra about the Prophecy. This dagger reappears in episode 8, by Viserys’ deathbed, when he again speaks of the Prophecy.

Viserys explains the origin of the dagger in episode 4. He tells Rhaenyra that the dagger “once belonged to Aegon the Conqueror. It was previously Aenar’s. And before that… well, it’s hard to know.” It’s all connected! Aenar Targaryen was To Dennis the Dreamer a father whom she convinced to move away from the Valyrian Freehold after having a correct prophetic dream of Valyria’s doom.

Somewhere along the way, this special dagger ended up in the equally prophetic hands of Aegon. The dagger is made of Valyrian steel, exceptionally one of the few known substances that can kill white walkers. He plays a huge role in fulfilling Aegon’s wish to prevent the end of men.

In Game of Thrones, the dagger was first used in an assassination attempt on Bran Stark (the assassin is known as “cat’s paw“). In the final season, Arya kills Night King using Aegon’s dagger, preventing the undead from “erasing the world,” as Bran explains in season 7 about the Night King’s motivations.

Who is the prince who was promised?

in episode 4 of the House of the Dragon, Viserys says that before Aegon’s death, the last of the Valyrian pyromancers hid his “song” in the steel. Rhaenyra reads the inscription visible as the blade heats in fire: “From my blood comes the Prince that was promised and his shall be the Song of Ice and Fire.”

As we discover in Game of Thrones, the prince who was promised is Jon SnowAlso known as another Aegon Targaryen. Jon’s true name and royal parentage – his parents are Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen – are hidden to protect him from those who want to destroy all Targaryens. Jon helps realize Aegon the Conqueror’s dream by forging an alliance with Daenerys Targaryen against the White Walkers. Becoming a dragon rider, Jon helps defeat the Night King at the Battle of Winterfell, the White Walkers disappear forever.