We have been away from the dirty politics of Westeros for far too long, and House of the Dragon feels like a fresh breath of air. Well, with various characters and connections to Game of Thrones, fans are wondering if the Mad King will be featured in this prequel series. In order to understand the same, let us break down everything known to us till now. House of the Dragon is set years before the events of Game of Thrones.
We see an introduction to King Jacaerys, who names his grandson, Viserys, his heir to the Iron Throne. Given that Viserys can now not have a son with his wife Aemma, he still has to continue the Targaryen dynasty and legacy and, thus, named Rhaenyra her heir. He later gets married to her best friend, Allicent. The rivalry between the women starts somehow and is taking a solid turn with the most recent episode, 7 of the series.
The time featured on the show right now portrays the Targaryens at their peak before a civil war will wipe half of them out. Given the fact that every person in the Red Keep is trying to rule and put their blood on the Iron Throne, be it Lord Corlys Velaryon or Ser Otto Hightower, it’s all about the throne and power.
Among these, we are all reminded of a certain Targaryen, Daenerys, the first of her name and heir to the Iron Throne in Westeros during Game of Thrones. She got the right name and the rightful claim to the same. Although, what was her tragedy?
About King Aerys II Targaryen, The Mad King
Diving deeper into the same, her father and the King of the Seven Kingdoms was considered to be a psychotic killer. He got so drunk on his power and the fact that he is a Targaryen that King Aerys II Targaryen (his real name) started burning his subjects. Yes, as we saw Cersei make use of the wildfire in the show, it all belonged to the Mad King.
Throughout the flashbacks provided to us back in Game of Thrones, his commonly used phrase was, “Burn Them All!”. This was when Robert Baratheon raised his banner along with Starks and Lannister to kill King Aerys and ensure the realm’s safety. Although, his men killed all the remaining Targaryens in the Red Keep and even in Dragonstone.
Amidst all the chaos as the Storm ensured the shore, Viserys and her sister Daenerys were able to escape across the Narrow Sea. Now that House of the Dragon is bringing characters we have never seen before, will they also bring the Mad King to the screen?
Is The Mad King In House Of The Dragon Season 1?
No, the Mad King or King Aerys II Targaryen will not be shown on House of the Dragon Season 1. The prequel series is set 172 years before Daenerys Targaryen. It was clarified that the two “heirs to the Iron Throne” are 8 generations apart. Now that House of The Dragon is leaping so much through time, it still will not cover the course of Aerys II Targaryen or the Mad King.
The show focuses on the Targaryen civil war, which took place all those years ago and is a prominent history of Westeros. During this, the family fought amongst itself. It will be a fight for power and the throne among Queen Allicent’s children as well as the kids of Princess Rhaenyra. The civil war is called Dance of the Dragons, and we have already seen a variety of these mighty beasts on the screen right now. It will be interesting to see the fight in battle against each other.
Also read: House of the Dragon Season 2 Won’t’ be Happening Until 2024
