# House of the Dragon, an HBO prequel series to Game of Thrones **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted, hbomax-wb-dc\ **Created:** [May 6, 2021, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-the-dragon-an-hbo-prequel-series-to-game-of-thrones/941521 "2021-05-06T13:17:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 36
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-the-dragon-an-hbo-prequel-series-to-game-of-thrones/941521/702 "2022-11-04T20:48:13Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > You’d think someone would have developed specialized anti-dragon weaponry at some point during the tine when Old Valyria was rising to power. Someone did and ex-Maester Qyburn will eventually find the blueprints. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-the-dragon-an-hbo-prequel-series-to-game-of-thrones/941521/703 "2022-11-04T20:56:25Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > specialized anti-dragon weaponry at some point during the tine when Old Valyria was rising to power. Technology doesn’t always come when you want it to. It took people a few thousand years to get to that level. And it makes sense to me. Dragons after all are not just a technological matter. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-the-dragon-an-hbo-prequel-series-to-game-of-thrones/941521/704 "2022-11-04T20:58:44Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > the Dornish took out one of the three original dragons from the conquest with one. Frankly I believe that was a combination of luck and the fact that the dragon rider, Rhaenys, was not really much of a trained warrior, strategist, or tactician. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-the-dragon-an-hbo-prequel-series-to-game-of-thrones/941521/705 "2022-11-04T20:59:51Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Technology doesn’t always come when you want it to. It took people a few thousand years to get to that level. And it makes sense to me. Dragons after all are not just a technological matter. Sure, but the Valyrians supposedly ruled over a continent (Essos) for 5,000 years. You can’t tell me that no one found an effective way to fight back for that long. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-the-dragon-an-hbo-prequel-series-to-game-of-thrones/941521/706 "2022-11-04T21:41:23Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Frankly I believe that was a combination of luck and the fact that the dragon rider, Rhaenys, was not really much of a trained warrior, strategist, or tactician. Well yeah, hitting a dragon in flight through the eye is 100% a lucky shot. ---
**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-the-dragon-an-hbo-prequel-series-to-game-of-thrones/941521/707 "2022-11-04T22:15:54Z")
Yeah, a much more likely scenario is hitting the single soft spot on its underbelly with a longbow. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-the-dragon-an-hbo-prequel-series-to-game-of-thrones/941521/708 "2022-11-04T22:38:33Z")
Which, as we know, is not _quite_ 1,000,000 to 1. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2022, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-the-dragon-an-hbo-prequel-series-to-game-of-thrones/941521/709 "2022-11-05T00:23:03Z")
I know its a joke but a ballista does seem a whole lot less aimable than a bow. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2022, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-the-dragon-an-hbo-prequel-series-to-game-of-thrones/941521/710 "2022-11-05T00:26:12Z")
They are. That’s why you need a lot of them. “Quantity has a quality all its own.” Solitary flak guns are useless. A wall of them is deadly. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2022, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-the-dragon-an-hbo-prequel-series-to-game-of-thrones/941521/711 "2022-11-05T14:47:45Z")
> [@JeffB](#): > > Yeah, a much more likely scenario is hitting the single soft spot on its underbelly with a longbow. It helps if you have a friendly little talking bird to tell you where to aim. ---
**Author:** ![Pavelb1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pavelb1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pavelb1)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2023, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-the-dragon-an-hbo-prequel-series-to-game-of-thrones/941521/712 "2023-07-23T07:03:16Z")
Well Im late to the party as usual. Up to episode 4 In episode 1 my impression was: “Am I supposed to be rooting for anyone in this show??” 2 and 3 were great. 4, at first i was back to “Who am I rooting for??” but it finished as one of the best episodes of TV I’ve ever seen. And as for those who call Viserys weak?? Dude aint weak. I think he’s my fave GoT King. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2023, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-the-dragon-an-hbo-prequel-series-to-game-of-thrones/941521/713 "2023-07-23T17:16:27Z")
I rewatched a couple old episodes of the original Game of Thrones recently. The earlier seasons really were exceptionally good, and put the prequel’s relative lack of interesting characters, humour, nudity, complexity and fascinating relationships IMHO, plus the absence of complicated storylines into perspective. They aren’t very close in quality, but things did get better with time, and may do so again. It’s not like there are lots of alternatives. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2023, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-the-dragon-an-hbo-prequel-series-to-game-of-thrones/941521/714 "2023-07-23T17:58:02Z")
Oh man, I disagree a lot with that. I lfind Viserys, Rhaenyra, and Daemon are all very interesting. And the machinations of the Hightowers are great. Nudity doesn’t really matter to me. It’s definitely less funny than GoT though, I’m with you there. Overall though I’d put S1 of HOTD as either the 3rd or 4th best season set in Westeros. > [@Pavelb1](#): > > In episode 1 my impression was: “Am I supposed to be rooting for anyone in this show??” Is this because you feel everyone is terrible or you can see that different factions all have a point? ---
**Author:** ![Pavelb1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pavelb1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pavelb1)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2023, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-the-dragon-an-hbo-prequel-series-to-game-of-thrones/941521/715 "2023-07-23T18:02:12Z")
I LOVE the show. Its just in ep 1 it was hard to root for anyone. I think it was when Lord Hightower sent his daughter in to console the king when i snapped at the screen. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2023, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-the-dragon-an-hbo-prequel-series-to-game-of-thrones/941521/716 "2023-07-23T18:06:01Z")
I guess my point was about whether or not someone to root for is a bad thing. I think it can be a bad thing if everyone is loathsome, but can be a good thing if it’s because all sides have a legit purpose they’re pursuing. I do have a side I prefer in HOTD, but the opposition makes sense to me, which is more compelling than Light vs Dark. ---
**Author:** ![Pavelb1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pavelb1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pavelb1)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2023, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-the-dragon-an-hbo-prequel-series-to-game-of-thrones/941521/717 "2023-07-23T18:45:14Z")
In a similar vein, for me…rewatching GoT early seasons is too much of a slog. Its relentlessly grim and people we would root for have very little power and don’t get there for quite a while. Whereas here (Keeping in mind im only on ep 4)…when mentally playing along, everyones got a great deal of power. I mean…dragons…come on. ---
**Author:** ![Pavelb1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pavelb1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pavelb1)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2023, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-the-dragon-an-hbo-prequel-series-to-game-of-thrones/941521/718 "2023-07-28T03:07:21Z")
Ep. 6 about 10 minutes in…I know some ten years have passed but WHAT the fuhhhh happened to the power balance here?? I know all questions will be answered but holy crap it just got easier to root for one side over the other. ---
**Author:** ![Pavelb1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pavelb1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pavelb1)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2023, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-the-dragon-an-hbo-prequel-series-to-game-of-thrones/941521/719 "2023-08-14T03:33:10Z")
No one seems to have asked but how did The Blacks find out so quickly (Or at all) what happened to Luce? Seems this is info that would stay between Aemond, the Hand and Allicent. Assuming he even told them. I SUPPOSE Quentin Clubfoot could have found out and let the news out for his own reasons ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2023, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-the-dragon-an-hbo-prequel-series-to-game-of-thrones/941521/720 "2023-08-14T17:59:38Z")
I’m not sure how quickly they found out, the show doesn’t exactly tell us. The place he was going was not far by dragonflight though, and there was plenty of witnesses to the confrontation. I know how they found out in the books, but it wasn’t really explained in the show. Probably because it wasn’t a big deal. If you really wanna know (book spoilers) The dead dragon washes up on the beach after the storm, the Baratheons (i think it was them who he went to see) found it and informed them ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2024, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-the-dragon-an-hbo-prequel-series-to-game-of-thrones/941521/721 "2024-05-15T01:03:47Z")
> **[“Fire and blood” come to Westeros in new House of the Dragon S2 trailer](https://arstechnica.com/culture/2024/05/the-blacks-and-greens-ride-to-war-in-latest-house-of-the-dragon-s2-trailer/)** > > "The enemy without may be fought with swords. The enemy within is more insidious." [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-the-dragon-an-hbo-prequel-series-to-game-of-thrones/941521.md?page=35) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-of-the-dragon-an-hbo-prequel-series-to-game-of-thrones/941521.md?page=37)