There was internal succession within House Targaryen at the height of its power, 172 years before Daenerys Targaryen was born.
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House of the Dragon received a straight-to-series order in October 2019, with casting beginning in July 2020 and principal photography beginning in April 2021 in the United Kingdom. The series premiered on August 21, 2022, with a first season of ten episodes. Five days after its premiere, the series was renewed for a second season. Sepochnik departed as showrunner after the first season, leaving Kondal to serve as sole showrunner for the second season. The second season premiered on June 16, 2024, with eight episodes. In June 2024, before the premiere of the second season, the series was renewed for a third season.
House of the Dragon is an American fantasy drama television series created by George R.R. Martin and Ryan Condal for HBO. A prequel to Game of Thrones (2011–2019), it is the second television series in the A Song of Ice and Fire franchise. Condal and Miguel Sapochnik served as the showrunners for the first season. Based on parts of Martin's 2018 book Fire & Blood, the series begins about 100 years after the Seven Kingdoms are united by the Targaryen conquest, nearly 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, and 172 years before the birth of Daenerys Targaryen. Featuring an ensemble cast, the show portrays the events leading up to the decline of House Targaryen, a devastating war of succession known as the "Dance of the Dragons".
The first season received positive reviews with praise for its character development, visual effects, writing, Ramin Djawadi's score and performances. However, the pacing, particularly the time jumps and the dark lighting of some scenes, were criticized. The series premiere was watched by more than 10 million viewers on its first day on linear channels and HBO Max, the largest in HBO's history. At the 80th Golden Globe Awards, House of the Dragon won Best Television Series – Drama and Emma D'Arcy was nominated for Best Actress in a Television Series – Drama. The series received nine Emmy Award nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series, and won three British Academy Television Craft Awards.
Eve Best as Princess Rhaenys Targaryen: Viserys and Daemon's older cousin and wife of Lord Corlys Valyrian. Rhaenys is the only child of Prince Aemon Targaryen, the late heir to King Jarys I Targaryen, and the eldest son of Jarys' half-sister Jocelyn Baratheon. Known as the "Queen Who Never Was", she was once a candidate to succeed her grandfather as ruler of the Seven Kingdoms but was passed over in favor of her younger cousin Viserys because of her gender. She is a formidable dragonrider who rides dragon melees, also known as the "Red Queen".
Emma d'Arcy Princess / Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen: Daughter and heiress of King Viserys I Targaryen, first born and only surviving child of Viserys and his first wife, Queen Emma Arryn. She was hailed as a "real delight" during her youth. She was crowned queen by her supporters, the "Blacks", after her half-brother usurped the throne. He is a dragon rider who rides the dragon Sirax
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