The tragic fallout of any queen’s death—the requirement for the king to choose a new wife—is the subject of House of the Dragon Season 1 Episode 2 “The Rogue Prince.” Even though Laena Velaryon is incredibly underage and a Targaryen, the majority of the court wants Viserys to wed her. Her family is strong. And it would ease tensions with the Sea Snake. But the king likes Alicent, who may be his teenage daughter’s closest friend, but she also enjoys nerdy history books and is willing to help him with his scale model of Old Valyria.
You noticed that Alicent fixed a small stone dragon and wore a dress with peek-a-boo sleeves to win the king’s love, right? However, did you notice Viserys mentioning some symbolically deadly Old Valyrian lore in that scene? Or perhaps it’s the fact that young Laena Velaryon is much more interested in stories of Viserys’ time spent riding Balerion the Black Dread than in the chance of getting hooked up? Or how about the fact that Dreamfyre’s egg is the one that Daemon steals? In light of this, could it also be one of the three eggs that eventually make their way to Daenerys in Game of Thrones?
It’s totally fine if some of these details slipped your mind like a Syrax swooping over Dragonstone! We’re here to help you find every Easter egg in Episode 2 of House of the Dragon that you might have missed. Here are some easter eggs that you might have missed in House of the Dragon Episode 2 “The Rogue Prince” on HBO, including the backstory on a dragon literally named Dreamfyre and more information on the three female stars cast as Laena Velaryon — Nanna Blondell and Savannah Steyn will take on the role from Nova Foueillis-Mosé after multiple periods jumps in the weeks to come.
Here are House Of The Dragon Episode 2 Easter Eggs:
Old Valyria History
The Game of Thrones characters understood very little about the Targaryen link with their dragons and even less about the Old Valyrian way of life. Therefore, it’s really cool to have a history nerd like Viserys give Alicent Hightower a history lesson. Viserys says that his large model city is the center of Old Valyria and that, like Dragonstone, it was carved into a volcano. The highest ranking nobles of the civilization, the dragonlords, were said to have lived inside the volcano face in order to be near the source of their magic and strength. This largely supports the information we’ve received from the books’ scattered sources, but Viserys then gives us some additional information.
He points at something and says, “And this was the Anogrion, in which the blood wizards practiced their art.” We already knew that the Valyrians had blood mages and that they got their power from fire and blood, but the Anogrian seems to be a completely new name in the lore, and I very well want to know more!
However, Alicent compliments Viserys on his accomplishments, and he humbly acknowledges that he did not construct the model city in a sort of darkly humorous symbolic moment. He did nothing more than gather information and create plans. The hard work was done by stone masons. The fact that the Valryians were magical but relied on slave labor to build their empire stood out to me. Viserys mentions a volcano where millions of people worked and were used in blood magic practices to strengthen the Valyrians’ power. Once more a dragonlord, Viserys is dependent on outside help to achieve his vision of Old Valyria.
Little Laena More Interested In Dragons
One of the most unsettling scenes in House of the Dragon Episode 2 involves the political maneuverings to wed the widower Viserys to the twelve-year-old Laena Velaryon. On paper, the union makes sense because it will benefit the Targaryen family and the kingdom as a whole. It’s actually pretty creepy. We see Viserys and Laena walking around a garden, trying to find some kind of common ground. Laena is mainly interested in learning from Viserys how it felt to ride Balerion the Black Dread. Viserys does not have a dragon in this period because he connected to the same dragon that Aegon got to ride a century before. Shortly after Viserys’s one and only ride, Balerion passed away.
Laena’s interest in Balerion is sort of an Easter egg because it is mentioned in Fire & Blood that while everyone is upset that Viserys picked Alicent Hightower over her, Laena is okay with it. Her maester reportedly wrote, “Her ladyship shows significantly more interest in flying than men,” in the letter. So, congrats to her! Laena will ultimately mount Vhagar, the only left alive dragon from Aegon’s Conquest. Vhagar, who was traveled by Visenya, is the oldest and biggest of dragons in this era. We won’t see her sit on the dragon until afterward in the series.
Now, it’s okay if you’re unclear about who played Laena. In order to fill important roles as kids, teens, and adults, House of the Dragon has cast a few actors. You may already be aware that when the show jumps ahead ten years, Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke will replace Rhaenyra and Alicent, respectively, but there are still two more actresses playing Laena. After a ten-year time leap, Nanna Blondell will take over as Laena from Savannah Steyn, who will play the teenage Laena. There are a lot of Laenas, yet they all have the same messy curls and rebellious nature.
Dreamfyre
In Episode 2, King Viserys I Targaryen learns that his brother Daemon Targaryen has stolen a dragon egg and plans to link it to the supposed child he and Mysaria had together. Rhaenyra Targaryen asks about which dragon egg Daemon had taken, and is informed that it was one of Dreamfyre’s. The dragon egg that Rhaenyra had previously chosen for her late brother, Baelon, is said to have been stolen by Daemon. Rhaenyra thereafter sets out to recover the dragon egg, but Episode 2 doesn’t tell any more info about its mother, Dreamfyre.
Luckily, we already know a lot about Dreamfyre and her role in the overall story thanks to Fire & Blood, the 2018 book that served as inspiration for House of the Dragon. Without giving any show spoilers, let’s discuss Dreamfyre’s past in the House of the Dragon universe.
Dreamfyre Story In Fire & Blood
Dreamfyre is described in Fire & Blood as a female dragon with silver markings and skin that is a light blue color. She was born under the rule of Aegon the Conqueror and eventually formed a link with Princess Rhaena Targaryen, the first grandchild of Aegon I. Rhaena’s uncle ascended to the Iron Throne following the death of Rhaena’s father. Rhaena and her husband Aegon Targaryen were compelled to leave King’s Landing together with their dragons Dreamfyre and Quicksilver as a result of this. He and Quicksilver died in the fight Rhaena’s husband fought against Maegor. As a result, Rhaena and Dreamfyre escaped. Rhaena finally made it out of the Red Keep, despite Maegor forcing her to go back to King’s Landing.
Rhaena took a flight with Dreamfyre to visit her brother Jaehaerys, who would later become King Jaehaerys I Targaryen and whose Great Council meeting opens the first episode of House of the Dragon. Throughout Rhaena’s lifespan, Dreamfyre produced an abundance of dragon eggs, to the point where the Lords of Westeros she visited started to ask about purchasing some of Dreamfyre’s eggs. King Jaehaerys handed up control of Dragonstone to Rhaena because she was unhappy with the attention Dreamfyre and her dragon eggs were receiving. Years later, when Rhaena’s daughter Aerea disappeared, it is said that Rhaena searched for her by flying Dreamfyre all over Westeros.
Later, when Aerea passed away, Rhaena made the decision to spend her final days alone at Harrenhal, where Dreamfyre stayed right up until Rhaena’s death. Dreamfyre moved to the Dragonpit in King’s Landing after her rider’s death. Although Dreamfyre has not yet made an appearance in House of the Dragon, it is safe to assume that she is currently just chilling out in the Dragonpit and waiting for a fresh mating attempt. While we won’t reveal who it ultimately turns out to be, viewers of the HBO series House of the Dragon can relax knowing that Dreamfyre will surely make an appearance at some time. That is, of course, assuming that House of the Dragon will continue to faithfully adapt its source material.
Ser Criston Cole Is Different Than Others
Last week, we learned that the somewhat Dornish knight, Ser Criston Cole, had what it took to defeat Prince Daemon in a contest. His actual fighting background offers him an advantage this week. We learn very early on in Episode 2 “The Rogue Prince” that the great Ser Ryam Redwyne, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, has passed away due to old age. As a result, Ser Harrold Westerling has been appointed Lord Commander, and a position is available on Team Whitecloak.
Rhaenyra is told to choose the newest member of the Kingsguard, but she is immediately turned off by the rich, inexperienced knights of the realm. Ser Otto Hightower warns that the knights she is rejecting are well-connected, but Rhaenyra counters that the Kingsguard’s duty is to…literally guard the king. Instead of a family connection basis, she would prefer the best possible candidate to get the position.
This scene uses two different visual cues to convey Ser Criston’s low position. First of all, he only has a stick, unlike all the other knights who have these awesome custom statues to stand in for them. Second, the other knights are equipped with retinues and lavish banners. Of course, it’s possible that Rhaenyra is considering hiring the hottest guy as well as the best candidate. Last week, when the princess gave the knight a favor, there was a flirtatious exchange between them. Anyway, the Kingsguard now includes a knight with great combat background who, like Corlys and Daemon, has much to prove.
The Second Sons
In the dramatic moment from the ending of House of the Dragon, Corlys Velaryon explains to Daemon Targaryen that, despite having roots in Old Valyria, his family was not a dragonlord. Therefore, although having Valyrian ancestry, they were never offered the same respect as people who could stake a claim to a dragon. The riches and influence of the Sea Snake’s family had to be almost entirely built from scratch as a result. Due to this, he now holds a grudge against Viserys for their interactions. “We are the realm’s second sons,” Corlys says to Daemon at one point. Sure, that’s an appropriate metaphor now, but wait! In Game of Thrones, isn’t there a band of mercenaries named the Second Sons? Are we seeing their prequel? Oh, no.
It may be a little unclear, but the Second Sons, a band of mercenaries, were established following the Doom of Valyria. All hell broke loose after the dragonlords left. Mercenary organizations and slave armies gained popularity as Dothraki hoards rose up to seize cities that had previously been ruled by the Valyrians. One such group was The Second Sons. Since the term has a second meaning in this universe by coincidence, I just think it’s a nice thematic homage to the position Corlys and Daemon are in. It’s fascinating to observe that the Targaryens were also regarded as the dragonlords’ lower-class family. They weren’t able to fully develop their strength until they moved to Dragonstone from Valyria because they were the only dragonlords left in existence.
Putting His Head On A Spike Or To The Wall
King Viserys is confused about what to do as things with Daemon Targaryen have heated up. He talks about putting his head on a spike or sending him to the Wall, which is both impossibilities. Both appeared regularly in Game of Thrones. While Jon Snow joined the Night’s Watch initially, many other characters, including those from King’s Landing, were also sent there. And when it comes to heads on spikes, only Ned Stark’s stand out. Daemon is, however, spared from such fates for the time being.
Dragonstone
Episode 2 takes the audience back to Dragonstone, which was last seen during Game of Thrones season 8, with Daenerys deciding to launch her attack on King’s Landing. There are some recognizable musical notes of the theme normally used for dragons in Game of Thrones, which brings back the scene on the long road leading up to the castle where Jon Snow first met Tyrion Lannister before meeting Daenerys. This is also a chance to see Dragonstone in all of its full House Targaryen glory, fulfilling its role as the dragons’ home in numerous ways.
Daemon And Similarities Cersei
One of the Easter eggs in episode 2 refers to a famous comment made by Cersei Lannister in Game of Thrones season 6 when she says that she will “choose violence.” This is a clever nod that matches. It’s a clever nod that fits with Daemon’s position as one of the complicated and potent characters in House of the Dragon. Otto presents himself as a cunning strategist who will take every opportunity to gain an advantage with his fake shock, which also recalls the High Septon’s horror that Jaime Lannister would “spill blood” in a holy place.
Also Read: Top 10 Most Popular Game Of Thrones Characters: Jon Snow Is Not On The Top
