House of the Dragon revealed some of Game of Thrones’ most important lore in its premiere episode

polygon.com:

House of the Dragon, HBO’s new successor show to Game of Thrones, is all about the Targaryen family, so it’s no surprise that it digs into their past. But in its first episode, the series already jumps beyond its source material, Fire & Blood, to reveal previously unknown details about one of A Song of Ice and Fire’s most important characters. And according to the showrunners, the reveal comes straight from George R.R. Martin himself.

[Ed. note: This story contains spoilers for all eight seasons of Game of Thrones and the first episode of House of the Dragon.]

House of the Dragon’s first episode revolves around King Viserys’ eventual choice to name his daughter Rhaenyra as his successor for the Iron Throne of Westeros. This goes against the precedents of the realm, specifically the Great Council of 101 AC’s decision that solidified in the minds of most that male heirs took priority for the crown above female heirs. None of this is news to viewers familiar with the prequel series’ story, but what King Viserys tells his teenage daughter should be a welcome surprise to hardcore A Song of Ice and Fire fans.

Inside the Red Keep, Viserys tells Rhaenyra a little bit about Aegon the Conqueror, the first Targaryen king in Westeros and the man that united the seven warring kingdoms of the continent into one that he could rule. Most importantly, Viserys reveals that Aegon first sought to conquer Westeros because he had a vision of the end of the world:

And just as Daenys saw the end of Valyria, Aegon foresaw the end of the world of men. It is to begin with a terrible winter, gusting out of the distant north. Aegon saw absolute darkness riding on those winds, and whatever dwells within will destroy the world of the living. When