“House of the Dragon” episode 8, which is titled “Lord of the Tides,” has finally graced our screens and has changed the future of the series for good. The episode saw the death of Corlys’ brother Vaemond Velaryon who sadly lost his head after he questioned Rhaenyra’s fidelity and her son’s legitimacy to succeed as the new Lord of The Tides and the new ruler of Driftmark. Standing true to his last decision, King Viserys again publicly acknowledged Rhaenyra’s claim to the Iron Throne and his grandson’s legitimacy. We also see Rhaenyra and Alicent bonding over a family supper, but this peace was short-lived as Aemond started a new beef by calling Rhaenyra’s sons “Strong,” and we all know what that means. These were all important events, but King Viserys’ death changed everything. As Viserys was holding onto his final breath, he mustered his last remaining Targaryen spirit and talked about Aegon’s dreams about the “prince that was promised,” which he clearly meant for Rhaenyra, but his wife, Alicent, sadly misinterpreted his words for her son Aegon. Since this was a secret that was only passed down to heirs, Alicent was entirely in the dark about Aegon’s vision and believed Viserys wanted her son Aegon to preside over the seven kingdoms. The show again made us a glimpse of “The Catspaw Dagger,” which is clearly more than just a Dagger!!
So, let’s dig deep and find out the significance of the Catspaw Dagger and Aegon’s dream about the “Prince Who Was Promised” and how Alicent’s misinterpretation will affect the “House of the Dragon.”
What Was Aegon’s Dream?
Let’s travel back to episode 1, when King Viserys called Rhaenyra at the shrine of Aegon’s legendary Dragon Balerion, also known as the “Black Dread,” and revealed the secret that had been passed down from generation to generation. Viserys talked about Aegon’s Dream and how it had inspired King Aegon I Targaryen to sail across Blackwater Bay and become the first Targaryen to conquer all the seven kingdoms. In this vision, Aegon foresaw the extinction of the world as we know it, brought on by an unending winter that sweeps in from the North, carrying with it horrible darkness that would snuff out life. But, as Viserys pointed out, a Targaryen, male or female, should be commanding Westeros in order to become the Prince Who Was Promised and protect the realm of the living from this threat. Aegon called his dream “The Song of Ice and Fire,” and the secret of the dream had been passed on since. Fans of the novels and the show have speculated for a great many years about the identity of the Prince That Was Promised. That individual in the prophecy is also known by the name Azor Ahai. Since Aegon’s dream was written in High Valyrian, there have been slight misinterpretations; since the Valyrian term for “prince” is gender-neutral, contrary to what most people think, the prophecy doesn’t actually advocate for a man to save the world of the living.
The Significance Of Catspaw Dagger In “House of The Dragon”
The Catspaw dagger, known to many as Aegon the Conqueror’s Dagger, is a very titular artifact in the Game of Thrones universe, and its association with vision and foreshadowing has long been documented. The Dagger originally belonged to Aenar Targaryen, who was one of the Dragon Lords of Old Valyria. It is widely known that Aenar’s daughter, Daenys, also had a dream that foreshadowed the Destruction of Valyria. Her premonition turned out to be accurate 12 years later. That catastrophe split the landscape into pieces and annihilated the city. The eruption of the Fourteen Flaming volcanoes forced everybody to evacuate. Thankfully, Daenys persuaded Aenar Targaryen to relocate from Valyria to Dragonstone. The Dagger was then passed onto Aegon, who etched his dream on the catspaw dagger. The Dagger is forged out of Valyrian Steel and is the physical representation of his vision. It was created by making use of alchemy and sorcery centuries ago in Essos (Valyria), giving it unparalleled grandeur. This weapon has been proven to be effective against White Walkers in HBO’s “Game of Thrones.” The Dagger initially appears in the first season of “Game of Thrones” when it is seen to be carried by a mercenary who gets caught trying to murder Bran Stark. Catelyn Stark learns from Littlefinger that he used to possess the weapon but lost it in a wager with Tyrion Lannister. The blade is later handed to Ned Stark by Catelyn, but Littlefinger retrieves it again. Eventually, Littlefinger offers the knife as a macabre present to Bran, who delivers it to Arya, which she later uses to stab the Night King in the heart, shattering him and his morbid army of the undead. It is unknown if Littlefinger comprehended the significance of the blade or how he obtained it; however, given House Targaryen’s fate, the dispersal of its most prized possessions is hardly surprising.
However, the Catspaw Dagger is not referenced in Fire & Blood, the source material for the prequel. Equally, Dagger’s role in A Song of Ice and Fire plot line was quite minor. In the novels, the Dagger’s primary defining trait is that it’s forged from Valyrian steel.
Alicent’s Misinterpretation Of Aegon’s Dream
King Viserys had been severely weakened by illness and old age. Although his skin was rotting away, and his physique was relegated to the bare minimum, he was still alive. As he passed away, his devoted spouse, Queen Alicent, sat by his bedside. But Viserys had confused Alicent with Rhaenyra. He discussed the prophecy of Aegon the Conqueror, A Song of Ice and Fire. The night before, Rhaenyra had visited him to discuss the prophecy and requested his opinion on whether or not he thought it was true. However, Alicent, who did not know that Aegon’s prophecy was engraved on the catspaw dagger, took it to mean that her dying husband was alluding to their own son, Aegon II Targaryen. King Viserys spoke of the prince who’ll unify the seven kingdoms in defiance of the darkness and the winter. He declared his unwavering confidence in Rhaenyra and his resolute decision to make her his successor once again. While the King may not have realized it, Alicent believed he named Aegon II as his successor in his last moments.
In light of Aegon’s abuse of a palace servant girl, Queen Alicent appeared eager to declare Rhaenyra queen. Nevertheless, after learning fragments of Aegon’s dream, she would likely conclude that Viserys was referring to their firstborn son. In her desperation, she may try to grant her husband’s dying desire, not realizing that he had always intended Rhaenyra to succeed to his throne. The following episode will likely feature Ser Criston Cole doing some despicable things, which will only increase your hatred for him. In the upcoming episode, Alicent, Otto Hightower, and Rhaenyra’s ex-lover, Ser Criston Cole, would conspire to go against Viserys’ wishes and instate Aegon as the Protector of the Realm, starting the “Dance of the Dragons.”
