HBO has just released another trailer for House of the Dragon, the upcoming spinoff series to Game of Thrones, and it’s enough to get every fan’s blood pumping for the long-anticipated return to Westeros, regardless of what reservations they might have had toward the series up to now.
As you can see above, the numerous dragons of the Targaryen dynasty finally make their debut in this trailer. According to what showrunner George R.R. Martin once said, House of the Dragon will feature at least 17 dragons, each belonging to a warring faction in the Fire & Blood household.
The trailer also teases the overall premise of the series. As expected, the story once again revolves around the ambitions of greedy men as they fight ⏤ swords bared or otherwise ⏤ to sit on the world’s most uncomfortable chair: the Iron Throne. Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) wants to succeed his brother Viserys as ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, but the court hatches plans of its own to raise Princess Rhaenyra as the rightful heir.
That sets the stage for what will arguably be the prelude to the Dance of the Dragons, the Targaryen civil war that not only engulfed the entire realm in chaos and flame, but also weakened the dynasty to the point of extinction.
House of the Dragon will take place in two timelines, one featuring a young Rhaenyra and another 10 years later when the unwitting princess is all but ready to take the throne. The producers have also confirmed that the show will make several such time jumps in its run to cover Martin’s Fire & Blood novel in earnest.
House of the Dragon premieres this Aug. 21 on HBO Max.