The second season of House of the Dragon is in full swing, and the showrunners aren’t holding back on those Easter eggs, which, in this case, are literal eggs. Yes, those dragons seen in Episode 3 have been confirmed to be the trio of eggs belonging to Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), the Mother of Dragons. In this episode, Rhaenrya makes the difficult decision to send her three youngest sons away after an assassination attempt was made on her life in Episode 2. She places Joffrey, Aegon III, and Viserys II in Rhaena’s (Phoebe Campbell) care as they depart for the Vale to ensure their survival should the brewing war debilitate House Targaryen. Rhaenyra’s sacrifice establishes the legacy of House Targaryen leading up to Daenarys’ reign.
Four eggs were sent to Pentos with Rhaena and the children, with a connection to Daenerys being presented with three out of the four eggs in Pentos in Game of Thrones. Three eggs are gold, green, and black, representing Viserion, Rhaegal, and Drogon waiting for their mother. The episode’s director, Geeta Vasant Patel, confirmed to Mashable that the eggs belong to Daenarys.
“Those are Daenarys’ eggs,” Patel confirmed to Mashable. “All of us who work on this show are big Game of Thrones fans, so it was very exciting to shoot that scene.”
Dreamfyre vs. Syrax: Who Laid the Eggs?
Patel’s confirmation of the dragon eggs seen in the third episode belonging to Daenerys differs from what is stated in Fire and Blood by George R.R. Martin. In the book, Martin states that the eggs made their way to Essos during the reign of Jaehaerys I, long before the Dance of the Dragons began. A noblewoman named Elissa Farman was responsible for transporting these eggs to Essos. Elissa was a sailor and lover of Rhaena Targaryen, daughter of Aenys I and Alyssa Velaryon.
The final destination of these eggs was the result of Rhaena and Elissa’s relationship ending on a sour note, and Elissa stole the eggs from Dragonstone and sold them to the Sealord of Braavos in exchange for gold. It’s important to note that there’s speculation that Rhaena’s dragon, Dreamfyre (Halaena’s dragon in House of the Dragon), is the one who laid the three eggs.
The television series adapts this part of the story differently. While leaving her three youngest sons in the care of her niece/stepdaughter, the Black Queen sends Rhaena to the Vale to garner support for her claim to the Iron Throne and sends two young dragons and four dragon eggs to keep her word to Lady Jane Arryn. This episode confirms that Syrax is the one who laid the eggs, and it was a moment that was foreshadowed in Season 1 when Daemon discovered that Syrax had laid three eggs.
What Happens to the Fourth Egg in Game of Thrones?
Patel validates the theory that the eggs being Daenarys’ children solidifies their fate, but the fourth egg remains a mystery. One possible theory is that the fourth egg could hatch and become Morning, Rhaena’s dragon, following the events in the novel. Since the show made this change from the book, there are several possibilities regarding the fate of the eggs and how they made their way to Essos from the Vale. The showrunners could explore how the eggs were passed through generations to eventually end up in the care of Daenarys and possibly align the story to fit with the eggs being stolen, as seen in the novel.
This could also tie into the war and the Greens discovering that Rhaenyra possesses more dragons than they do. This leads to the Greens plotting to find the eggs and either take them to aid their cause or destroy them, destroying the Targaryen legacy along with them. These new factors have the potential to become key players as the story progresses, and the questions could be answered in the third season.
Dragons are a Representation of the Targaryen Dynasty
Throughout the novels, George R.R. Martin makes one thing abundantly clear: dragons and Targaryens are one and the same. Dragons symbolize the power within House Targaryen and separate them from everyone else in the Seven Kingdoms. Targaryens are closer to gods than to men because of the blood magic that binds them to the dragons. Many dragons and dragonriders will die with the civil war about to take full flight and Rhaenyra knows this. Rhaenys (Eve Best) warns Rhaenyra about the consequences of the looming war in the third episode.
There is no war so hateful to the gods as a war between kin, and no war so bloody as a war between dragons.
Rhaenyra takes these words to heart and is proactive in sending her children and the youngest dragons away, cementing the survival of House Targaryen and the power that comes with them. By involving the dragons in the war, both the Greens and the Blacks have assured their mutual destruction. Rhaenyra also keeps in mind the Song of Ice and Fire, something Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney) is unaware of when securing the protection of the Targaryen heritage. She knows that her bloodline is vital for uniting the kingdoms against a common foe, and her actions in this episode reflect that. House of the Dragon is streaming on Max.
