Rhaenyra Targaryen is nearly fed up. The citadel she lastly conquered initially of Home of the Dragon season 3 has turn into extra like a jail the place she’s compelled to babysit her political rivals, conceal from her enemies, and discipline complaints from the native commonfolk whereas they insult her behind her again. However Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) is aware of she was born for greater than this. She was meant for greatness — a perception that was handed down by her father after which bolstered by a witchy prophecy seen by her husband/uncle Daemon (Matt Smith).
Gentle spoilers forward for the finale of Home of the Dragon season 3.
So when all that simmering battle lastly involves a head in Home of the Dragon‘s season 3 finale, Queen Rhaenyra fits up for warfare and broadcasts to her troopers: “I’m The Prince That Was Promised!”
It is a highly effective second charged with tragic irony (Recreation of Thrones followers know the true identification of Azor Ahai, and ebook readers know the way Rhaenyra’s story will finish), nevertheless it additionally raises one other query: Does anybody else in that scene even know what Rhaenyra is speaking about?
As we realized in Home of the Dragon season 1, The Prince That Was Promised is a secret prophecy handed down from one Targaryen king to the following. Aegon the Conqueror knew {that a} savior from his bloodline would ultimately save Westeros from an excellent higher menace within the type of the White Walkers, and shared that info along with his bloodline. (The equal Azor Ahai fantasy is extra well-known in Essos, whereas a handful of maesters learning previous Valyrian texts might have additionally come throughout this info over the ages, however that is about it when it comes to who is aware of the prophecy.)
The purpose is, the idea of the Prince That Was Promised isn’t widespread information in King’s Touchdown, so when Rhaenyra shouts it angrily in entrance of her military, they probably do not know what she’s speaking about. Even in Recreation of Thrones (set 200 years later), it is a comparatively unknown idea amongst most residents of the Seven Kingdoms; whispered sometimes between characters, however not often spoken about in informal dialog. Nevertheless, it is doable that this one scene may subtly change our understanding of how the individuals of Westeros relate to the prophecy.
If Rhaenyra was boasting about being The Prince That Was Promised in entrance of dozens, if not a whole bunch of individuals, which means the key is basically out. In fact, no one else has the precise context of what which means or why it issues, but when the phrase was handed down and unfold over the next two centuries, it could imply that by the point Recreation of Thrones began, the prophecy had expanded far past the Targaryen line of succession. (More and more widespread rumors of ice zombies from past The Wall most likely additionally helped gas the collective hope for a prophesied savior.)
Total, whereas this one small scene both reads as indignant saber-rattling or tragic foreshadowing within the second, what’s actually fascinating about Rhaenyra’s proclamation on this episode is the way it modifications our understanding of what the remainder of Westeros is aware of concerning the prophecy of The Prince That Was Promised. Up thus far, it was a well-kept Targaryen household secret, however after this, the key is out. And that may assist set in movement lots of the different consequential selections that deliver the story from this specific second in Home of the Dragon all over to the tip of Recreation of Thrones.
Home of the Dragon is streaming on HBO Max.