Daenerys’ Creepiest Game of Thrones Scene Hides a Forgotten Magic Power That HBO Abandoned

Over its eight-season run, HBO’s Game of Thrones neglected several storylines established early on in the series. One of the major plot points abandoned by the show was Daenerys Targaryen’s visions in the House of the Undying in Qarth. Due to it ultimately being cast to the wayside, a lot of the importance and mystery that the House of the Undying represents in George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire was lost to viewers. Simultaneously, Game of Thrones also missed the opportunity to expand upon the lore of some of the most interesting and enigmatic figures in Martin’s World, the Warlocks of Qarth. There was a lot of esoteric material that was left on the cutting room floor that could have added more depth to the unfolding events throughout the series.

The scene with Daenerys in the House of the Undying in Game of Thrones failed to accurately capture the rich depth and foreshadowing of the scene in A Song of Ice and Fire. The Warlocks are but one of the magical factions that populate Essos, and dismissing the House of the Undying so early prevented the show from exploring the occult ecosystem in full. Generally speaking, the magic aspects of the world in Game of Thrones are largely watered down to make way for a more streamlined, action-based narrative. However, in Martin’s books, prophecy and arcane knowledge continue to shape the plot and characters in subtle ways. The way the show addressed The House of the Undying narrowed the scope of Daenery’s character arc and its mystical implications.

Daenerys Targaryen’s Importance to the Warlocks of Qarth

The Dragons Returned Magic to Game of Thrones

By the time Season 2 of Game of Thrones takes place, the once-mighty Warlocks of Qarth have seen their powers and influence wane over the centuries. The House of the Undying is the seat of the Undying Ones, the chief Warlocks of Qarth. They present themselves as attractive wizards to others, when in reality they are ancient and withered beings. They have extended their lives and mystical knowledge through the consumption of Shade of the Evening, also called Wine of the Warlock. The House of the Undying is surrounded by the trees used to make the substance. Their lips have been turned blue by abusing it, and they believe it grants powers and prophetic visions. Considering their powers were diluted over the years, the effectiveness of the drink is up for debate.

For further context, Euron Greyjoy is also said to abuse Shade of the Evening to induce visions, which is why his lips are blue in A Song of Ice and Fire. He captured Warlocks in his travels and stole a cask of Shade of the Evening. Regarding the Warlocks’ true powers, dragons are deeply associated with the presence of magic in the world, and when the dragons disappeared, so did much of the power of the Undying Ones. With Daenerys and, more importantly, her dragons, the Warlocks are empowered once more. This is one of the primary motives behind their attempt to capture Daenerys and her dragons within the House of the Undying. With Daenerys and the dragons stored in the House of the Undying, the Warlocks hope to return to their former status.

The Warlocks’ move against Daenerys is both opportunistic and desperate. To the Undying Ones, Daenerys is a conduit, a living power plant that allows them to tap back into their arcane energies. Before entering The House of the Undying, Daenerys is given Shade of the Evening to drink. Beyond potentially providing visions of the past and future, it’s hinted that the visions can also be manipulated. This can also be seen in the case of Euron Greyjoy, as he forces his brother, Aeron Damphair, to consume Shade of the Evening in a preview chapter of The Winds of Winter. Euron uses the drink to force terrible visions upon Aeron and to hopefully break his belief in the Drowned God of the Ironborn.

As the Mother of Dragons, Daenerys unintentionally put a target on her back to those magical factions and beings wanting to return to a time when their powers were more prominent. The Warlocks’ role had become marginalized in Qarth; they had become mere curiosities in the city’s power structure. Daenerys and her dragons can also be viewed as a threat to an order that has spent centuries studying esoteric rites. She presents raw, untamed magical energy, and the Warlocks are almost jealous of this power. Beyond their motivations, Daenerys represents a shift in the mystical hierarchy if she were to be captured by another faction. While it benefits them to capture her, it’s born of both necessity and fear.

Daenerys Targaryen’s Visions Were Simplified in Game of Thrones

Her Experience in The House of the Undying Differs From A Song of Ice and Fire

During Season 2 of Game of Thrones, in the episode “Valar Morghulis,” Daenerys enters the House of the Undying under the effects of Shade of the Evening. The number of visions she experiences in the show and their depth greatly differ from her prophetic hallucinations in A Song of Ice and Fire. Both versions offer brief glimpses into her present, future and past, but Martin’s books offer more cryptic explorations into prophecy and the political ramifications of her decisions. That being said, the visions can also be manipulated by the Warlocks and used for misdirection, as seen with Euron Greyjoy and his brother. Game of Thrones seems to focus on events that Daenerys has or would experience herself.

In the show, she sees beyond the Wall, the ruined Throne room in King’s Landing and the deceased Khal Drogo with their son. The show’s representation is atmospheric and relevant to Daenerys’ struggles, but it misses the mark on the mythic and prophetic elements that made her trip to the House of the Undying one of the most symbolically important moments in A Song of Ice and Fire. In the books, Daenerys doesn’t only see visions related to her specifically. In one instance, she sees her brother Rhaegar Targaryen and Elia Martell, his first wife. Rhaegar speaks of the prince that was promised and the Song of Ice and Fire. This scene has sparked a lot of controversy and discussion among fans.

While some believe that Rhaegar is referring to his son Aegon, who is assumed to be Young Griff, some questions arise about Young Griff’s legitimacy. In the vision, Daenerys sees a cloth dragon, swaying on a pole in front of a cheering crowd, which many have interpreted as an impostor Targaryen. This raises doubts among fans about Young Griff’s claim to be Aegon. The cloth dragon could suggest a hollow or fabricated claim to be a Targaryen. Young Griff’s potential to be a fake is further fueled by the rise of Jon Snow. Jon’s mysterious parentage positions him as a rival to Young Griff’s claim. Just this vision in the books alone deepens the intrigue surrounding the true succession of the Iron Throne.

Martin has stated that prophecies in A Song of Ice and Fire are intentionally vague and up for interpretation. It cannot be ignored, also, that the visions Daenerys experiences in the House of the Undying could be manipulated by the Warlocks of Qarth. That being said, another prominent vision that Daenerys sees has been attributed to Euron Greyjoy by many fans. She sees a corpse standing on the prow of a ship, eyes bright on his dead face, gray lips smiling. Euron’s lips are blue, but he is also the captain of a ship called the Silence. “Dead eyes” and “smiling” perfectly describe Euron’s nature. While he is charismatic and often uses his charm, he is known as brutal and operates without mercy.

Game of Thrones Missed the Mark with The House of the Undying

Daenerys’ Visions Did Not Change Her Decisions

Depending on how one interprets Daenerys’ visions in the House of the Undying in Game of Thrones, the show foreshadowed future events. She sees the throne room in the Red Keep in ruins and covered in ash or snow. Despite the negative reception of Season 8, King’s Landing and the Iron Throne were effectively reduced to ash. Her turning away from the throne could represent her inability to capture it in the end because of her death. However, the visions were much more than visions of the future. The visions were hints at things to come if Daenerys were to continue on her path.

By omitting the other prominent visions from A Song of Ice and Fire, Game of Thrones limited the complexity and depth of their prophetic nature. Each vision added layers to Daenerys’ internal struggle and foreshadowed issues to come. Game of Thrones never fully embraced the importance of prophecies in Martin’s writings, be it for misdirection or otherwise. By doing so, the show detached the rise of Daenerys and her dragons from the magical resurgence throughout the world of Westeros and beyond.