Summary

• House of the Dragon season 2, episode 1 is packed with important little details, Easter eggs, Game of Thrones connections, and teases of things to come.
• The return to Winterfell and the Wall brings several key details, such as the return of House Stark's theme, words, and ancestral sword.
• There are also several things introduced that will come to be important much later in House of the Dragon.

House of the Dragon season 2, episode 1 is full of important little details, Easter eggs, and foreshadowing of things to come. After almost two years away, the Game of Thrones prequel wasted little time in establishing the stakes for the new season. There's political scheming, machinations a-plenty, sordid affairs, and the not-so-small matter of a child being murdered.

There is also, excitingly, a return to Winterfell and the Wall, thanks to the introduction of House of the Dragon's timeline, it is more self-contained than many prequels, but it still finds room for some references and nods to its predecessor. At the same time, thanks to George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood, there are also a lot of smaller details and characters that will be very important later on.

21 The New Opening Title Sequence Is A Targaryen History Tapestry

The House Of The Dragon Opening Credits Have Been Changed

House of the Dragon season 2's title sequence has had a makeover from season 1. Instead of the Targaryen bloodlines, it's now a tapestry, showing key moments throughout the house's history, which builds up to the Dance of the Dragons. Like how Game of Thrones' credits would change with new locations and sigils, it's expected the prequel's tapestry will be added to over time as well. As it stands, there are several key events that can be seen, including:

• Daenys' dream, which led to the Targaryens moving to Dragonstone.
• The Doom of Valyria.
• Several key moments from Aegon's Conquest:
  • Aegon, Visenya & Rhaenys' landing in Westeros on Balerion, Vhagar, and Meraxes.
  • King Harren the Black and the burning of Harrenhal
  • of houses Stark, Arryn, and Tully bending the knee to Aegon.
  • The House Targaryen sigil representing Aegon now commands the Seven Kingdoms.

• Maegor the Cruel's death upon the Iron Throne
• King Jaehaerys I & Alysanne Targaryen ruling Westeros, and the Great Council of 101 AC.
• Alicent Hightower wearing her green dress at Rhaenyra & Laenor’s wedding.
• The Greens & the Blacks splitting, and Aegon II and Rhaenyra being crowned.
• Aemond Targaryen and Vhagar killing Lucerys Velaryon and Arrax, as seen in House of the Dragon season 1's ending.

20 The House Stark Theme Plays

Ramin Djawadi Brings Back A Familiar Musical Cue

Since House of the Dragon is scored by Ramin Djawadi, like Game of Thrones before it, there are some familiar musical moments throughout the show. Hell, even the theme tune is the same. One in particular that stands out in House of the Dragon season 2's premiere, though, is the use of one of House Stark's themes - "Goodbye, Brother" - right after the credits, as audiences are returned to Winterfell for the first time in five years. It's a fitting, comforting choice that nicely re-establishes the location and the return of the Starks.

19 Cregan Stark Has Ice

The Valyrian Steel Greatsword Is Back

Cregan Stark is a long way removed from Ned - his great-great-great-great grandfather - but does have one clear connection to him: Ice. The Valyrian steel greatsword is carried by Cregan across his back in House of the Dragon. It was, of course, the same sword used to behead Ned, and was then melted down to make two smaller swords, Oathkeeper and Widow’s Wail.

18 Torrhen Stark & Aegon's Conquest

House Of The Dragon References The King Who Knelt

Cregan mentions Torrhen Stark when discussing the house’s tradition of sending new recruits to the Night’s Watch, and again in conversation with Jace. He’s an incredibly important figure in the Stark family tree, as he was the last King in the North for almost 300 years, until Robb Stark. Torrhen bent the knee to Aegon the Conqueror, realizing there was no chance of defeating him and his dragons, and became known as the King Who Knelt. That story should be seen in Game of Thrones' Aegon's Conquest spinoff, if it happens.

17 Queen Alysanne's Dragons Not Flying Over The Wall

The Story Raises A Question About Daenerys Targaryen

Cregan also briefly mentions the story of King Jaehaerys and Queen Alysanne visiting the Wall, and how their dragons refused to fly beyond it. This took place around 70 years before House of the Dragon, though according to Fire & Blood it was only Alysanne who visited the Wall, along with her dragon Silverwing. It’s said that three times she tried to convince Silverwing to go beyond the Wall, and three times the dragon refused. In show canon, the introduction of Jaehaerys to the story would mean his dragon, Vermithor, also refused. Both dragons will be involved in the Dance.

It’s interesting that the show specifically chose to include this story, because it does raise questions about Game of Thrones. In season 7, Daenerys’ dragons had no qualms about flying over the Wall, despite the obvious presence of the White Walkers. It’s unclear why they did it, when Alysanne’s (and now Jaehaerys’) dragon either refused or was magically unable to.

16 Cregan Stark Says That "Duty Is Sacrifice"

The Line Has An Important Connection To Game Of Thrones

Aside from stories of the past, Cregan also has some words of wisdom in House of the Dragon’s season 2 premiere:

“Duty is sacrifice. It eclipses all things, even blood. All men of honor must pay its price.”

This quote works as a callback in two different ways. Firstly, it echoes words spoken by Alicent Hightower when confronting Rhaenyra in House of the Dragon season 1, episode 7: “Where is duty? Where is sacrifice? It’s trampled under your pretty foot again.”

Even more fittingly, given the location, is that it also reverses words spoken by Maester Aemon to Jon Snow, which Jon repeated in Game of Thrones’ ending: “Love is the death of duty.” Both men, however, speak about the same thing: the cost of duty, the difficulty of it, and it makes it a great way to introduce Cregan and take viewers back to the Wall.

15 The House Stark Words Return In House Of The Dragon

"Winter Is Coming"

Of course, it wouldn’t feel right to have the Starks appear and not hear their house words. Cregan states that “Winter is coming,” but is sure to note that it’s not arrived yet. Despite the snow falling around them at the Wall, it is still just late Summer in Westeros. All the same, there’s something oddly comforting about hearing a Stark say those words again after several years.

14 Cregan’s “Greybeards” Are The Winter Wolves

They'll Fight In Several Important Battles

Cregan pledges to send men to fight for Rhaenyra’s cause, saying he has “greybeards,” who can take up arms and the effort. In the books, this army of some 2,000 grizzled Northmen are known as the Winter Wolves. The reason for sending greybeards is to do with an old North custom: the older men would go off to battle, expecting to die an honourable death, and in turn putting less of a strain upon the valuable supplies and rations the North needs for Winter.

13 The White Walkers Are Referenced At The Wall

Cregan Stark Explains Why The Wall Was Built

“Death” is the reason the Wall was built thousands of years ago, Cregan explains to Jacaerys. And, yes, this means the White Walkers. There aren’t Aegon’s A Song of Ice and Fire dream, which prophesied their coming and is a key motivating factor (knowingly or not) in the Dance of the Dragons.

12 Scorpions Are On The Walls Of King's Landing

The Dragon-Killing Weapon Returns

With Team Green wary of a possible dragon attack from the Blacks, scorpions can be seen on the walls of King’s Landing, primed to attack any threat from above. The weapon was first seen in Game of Thrones season 7, but notably lined the walls of the city in season 8, while one was also used to kill one of Dany’s dragons, Rhaegal. They have a long history in Westeros, and a scorpion bolt was actually used by the Dornish to kill Meraxes, one of the three dragons who flew in Aegon’s Conquest alongside Balerion and Vhagar.