6 Ways Aegon’s White Walker Dream Makes Game Of Thrones Worse

House of the Dragon delivered a major retcon with Aegon the Conqueror’s dream, and it unfortunately had a negative impact on Game of Thrones. Aegon’s dream foretold a coming Winter, with a darkness that would destroy the world and everyone in it. Only a Targaryen ruling Westeros could unite the realm and defeat it, which does almost happen in Game of Thrones‘ ending (Daenerys Targaryen is not quite on the Iron Throne), but it doesn’t really help its parent series.

Aegon’s Song of Ice and Fire prophecy does work very well for House of the Dragon‘s own story, which is, of course, what the prequel should be more focused on. It has made it a core part of Rhaenyra Targaryen’s arc, and the misunderstanding stemming from the prophecy directly led to the Dance of the Dragons. It’s also a smart shift to House Targaryen’s history, reframing it and giving it a grander purpose. But as far as Game of Thrones goes, it’s not so good.

6. Aegon’s Dream Proves The White Walkers Died Too Quickly

Westeros’ Greatest Threat Needed More Time

Aegon’s dream only reinforces what had been clear throughout Game of Thrones: the White Walkers were the biggest threat Westeros had ever faced. This wasn’t just another villain, it was death itself. Aegon’s prophecy foresaw a coming darkness that would destroy all of humanity, and the White Walkers in Game of Thrones were built up to that power level… and then were very quickly dealt with.

I like Game of Thrones season 8 a lot more than most, but rushing through the Night King’s death remains a problematic area. Having been introduced in the pilot’s cold open, even before a single main character, they did deserve more than just three episodes in the final season. Of course, the truncated nature of season 8 meant that wasn’t possible, and the Battle of Winterfell is still good (lighting issues aside), but it’s one of the parts where more episodes really would have benefited things.

The Song of Ice and Fire really just compounds the issue, because it shows this isn’t just a threat that’s re-emerging in Game of Thrones after thousands of years, but one that House Targaryen, at least, may have spent centuries being prepared for. It defined their story, especially with it being the reason behind two of the biggest events in their history – Aegon’s Conquest and the Dance of the Dragons – and that really deserves more than just one episode in Game of Thrones that properly wrapped it up.

5. The Use Of Dragons In The Battle Of Winterfell Is More Underwhelming

Game Of Thrones Season 8, Episode 3 Could Have Done More With Them

The exact meaning of A Song of Ice and Fire can be debated, as it could work as being about Jon Snow (ice) and Daenerys Targaryen (fire) needing to come together, or even just Jon Snow himself (the product of a Stark and a Targaryen). But on a very basic level, it is about the White Walkers and the dragons. And what Aegon’s dream does is take that and make it part of the two shows’ canon, suggesting that one is needed to beat the other.

His prophecy as a whole, really, implies the importance of dragons in defeating the coming darkness. After all, Aegon conquered Westeros with dragons; Targaryen exceptionalism leads them to believe (whether rightly or wrongly) that they alone have the ability to ride dragons. It’s pretty clear that Aegon would have believed his and his sister-wives’ dragons – Balerion, Vhagar, and Meraxes – were key to defeating the White Walkers.

All of that makes it more frustrating that the dragons actually played a very small role in the Battle of Winterfell. There was a brief skirmish between Drogon and Rhaegal against the undead Viserion, and Daenerys did help to rescue Jon, but it wasn’t the kind of impact you’d expect from some of the most powerful creatures alive. Although they tried to explain their absence from the fight due to concerns over who they’d hurt, it doesn’t help fix the plot hole regarding the Night King and dragonfire.

It’s never explained how or why the Night King can withstand dragonfire – especially when Valyrian steel kills him. If a metal forged from Old Valyrian, believed to be by magic and dragonfire, can destroy him, why not a creature whose lineage also belongs to Old Valyria and includes magic? It’s possible George R.R. Martin has a solution to it in the book (though the Night King does not exist), but with Aegon’s dream suggesting a key role for the dragons, it made it all the more complicated.

4. Aegon’s Song Of Ice & Fire Means Jon Snow Should Have Killed The Night King

House Of The Dragon Only Adds To The Setup For It

Not to keep going on about the White Walkers (though that’s exactly what I’m going to do), but Aegon’s Song of Ice and Fire prophecy does suggest Jon Snow should have killed the Night King. Although Daenerys was the one planning on taking the Iron Throne, it was Jon Snow who had the stronger claim and, as the son of a Targaryen and a Stark, was the embodiment of ice and fire, meaning the “song” in question was about him.

Even when looking at the roles of both Dany and Jon together, they each play a key part in things: neither could truly unite the realm and defeat the White Walkers without the other. But if they’re a pair – Jon the ice, Daenerys the fire – then, with Dany getting to be the Targaryen on the Iron Throne, it still holds that Jon should have killed the Night King.

When it came to Game of Thrones itself, I was always somewhat conflicted over Arya killing the Night King, but came down positively on it. Yes, it had absolutely set up Jon Snow more than anyone else, and Arya was an attempt at subverting expectations, but it was also extremely difficult to begrudge her that moment. After so many years of training, for the person who had to forego her identity to kill the Night King while defending her home is powerful. Aegon’s dream takes away from that, and puts the onus back on Jon.

3. Aegon’s Dream Confirms Game Of Thrones Wasted The Prince That Was Promised Prophecy

The Show Could Have At Least Mentioned The Prophecy More

House of the Dragon has already referenced the Prince That Was Promised a couple of times, and made it more important to its story and Game of Thrones history than its parent show ever did. By directly connecting the two prophecies – the text inscribed on the Valyrian steel dagger says “the Prince That Was Promised” – it has put it at the center of the Dance of the Dragon thanks to the misunderstanding over what Viserys said to Alicent.

Game of Thrones never really did a great deal with the prophecy and didn’t confirm who the Prince That was Promised was. Melisandre made a few references to it, and changed her mind several times on who it might be, but in the end, it didn’t have a tangible impact on things. That was always a bit disappointing: not that the story needed to be defined by the prophecy, but the way these prophecies can determine character decisions, arcs, and show how destiny (or attempts to avoid it) can become self-fulfilling are powerful parts of the books.

The show didn’t need to 100% confirm who the Prince That Was Promised Was – Martin’s books may not, either. But it should have done more than pay lip service to it. That it’s so rooted in Targaryen history only makes that worse.

2. Game Of Thrones Should Have Included Rhaegar In Daenerys’ Season 2 Visions

A Lot Of Dany’s House Of The Undying Visions Were Cut

Game of Thrones season 2 cut Daenerys’ House of the Undying visions dramatically, reducing a long passage that’s full of foreshadowing and meaning into just a couple of scenes. That’s somewhat understandable, since it’s a lot to try and convey to audiences and not all of it is necessary to her TV arc, and some of it does work better with the more internalized nature of the books. At the same time, it does lose some of the richness of the world, and a lot of what underpins Dany’s arc is rooted in those visions.

Among them is one of Rhaegar, who speaks to Daenerys about his son, Aegon. He says that “he is the Prince That Was Promised, and his will be the song of ice and fire.” That was already one of the more egregious cuts: it connects to the prophecy, to Daenerys’ arc, seemingly to Jon Snow’s parentage, and it is a rare instance where the title of the book series is directly stated in the text. Now that it also connects to Aegon’s dream and is building on centuries of Targaryen history, it further shows it should have been included.

1. Daenerys Should Have Been Queen Sooner – And For Longer

Daenerys Didn’t Become Queen Until Just Before She Was Killed

The point of Aegon’s prophecy is that Westeros can only be saved with a Targaryen ruling it. Daenerys proclaims herself Queen, but she doesn’t actually rule the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros when the White Walkers are defeated, but only after they are. Even when she is, it’s a very short reign, before she’s killed by Jon Snow. That isn’t necessarily a huge problem, depending on how your mileage varies with Dany’s ending (and, again, I’m more sympathetic towards it than most), but the prophecy does show it could’ve been handled better.

I think this, in part, actually speaks to how things will happen in Martin’s books, where Daenerys will burn King’s Landing – likely in conflict with her nephew, Aegon Targaryen, aka Young Griff, who was revealed to still be alive in A Dance with Dragons (or it’s claimed to be him). After that, she could go forth and fight in the Long Night against the Others (whether compelled by prophecy or not), which could make for a stronger story than how Game of Thrones did it.