WARNING: This post contains SPOILERS for House Of The Dragon episode 1!House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones both begin with a tragic death that kicks off the devastating conflicts to come. House of the Dragon’s pilot is noticeably different from Game of Thrones, whether it be the in-universe regality of King’s Landing and the realm’s dynamic, the many dragons of House Targaryen, or the production quality from a much larger starting budget. However, as history often repeats itself in the world of Game of Thrones, there are still some notable similarities, such as a brutal death in both pilots that lead to massive changes in the political system.
Similar to Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon season 1 is set to feature several funerals for notable figures. House of the Dragon episode 1 already depicted one devastating Targaryen funeral, as King Viserys I Targaryen’s wife and Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen’s mother Aemma Arryn died giving birth to Prince Baelon, who also died within the next day. The House of the Dragon’s premiere birth scene was a brutal sequence of events that saw Aemma’s stomach cut open in an effort to save the baby, truly echoing her words that the birthing bed is her battlefield – and still a politically-motivated one at that.
Just as Queen Aemma Arryn’s death had an essential role in House of the Dragon’s premiere episode, the death of the Hand of the King Jon Arryn opened Game of Thrones’ pilot. Both of the Arryns’ deaths are major catalysts for the conflict to come; Jon’s death meant Ned Stark was named Hand and more would find out about the Baratheon children being illegitimate, while Aemma’s (and Baelon’s) meant Rhaenyra would officially be named heir and King Viserys would need to remarry. The death of House of the Dragon’s Aemma sets the story of the Dance of the Dragons in motion in the same way that the murder of Jon Arryn initiated the sequence of events that would lead to the War of the Five Kings in Game of Thrones. In both cases, widespread chaos will reign in Westeros as the consequences of their deaths take effect on the main characters.
What Aemma's Death Means For Viserys & House Of The Dragon
The more immediate consequence of Aemma’s death in House of the Dragon episode 1 was that King Viserys no longer had a male heir or a wife he loved to give him one, so he officially named his daughter and only child Rhaenyra Targaryen his rightful heir to the Iron Throne. However, as the king is still relatively young, he’s expected to remarry soon after his grieving period in House of the Dragon season 1 is over. Otto Hightower immediately understood the weight of this development, seizing an opportunity to place his own blood on the throne by sending Alicent Hightower to King Viserys' room. As the grieving king seeks comfort and understands that he must one day take a wife again, Alicent Hightower is now set up to become the next queen.
Aemma Arryn’s death also indicates that Viserys won’t be as intent on making sure he has a son, setting up for a conflict over the Iron Throne - just as Jon Arryn's death ultimately led to the main conflict in Game of Thrones. After the many tragedies he and Aemma faced with miscarriages, infant deaths, and Aemma eventually dying during childbirth, Viserys’ need to produce more heirs won’t be in the same sense of duty that it was before. With Rhaenyra as his named heir, any more children that Viserys had won’t be intended as a way to find his successor on the Iron Throne, especially since the king has now also told Rhaenyra about the secret of Aegon’s Song of Ice and Fire dream. Additionally, as King Viserys moves on to his next wife in House of the Dragon, Rhaenyra Targaryen won’t forget the sacrifices made and legacy left by her mother.
New episodes of House of the Dragon release Sundays on HBO/HBO Max.