House of the Dragon : 6 fun facts to know about the Targaryen family

24/10/2022

Based on the novel Fire and Blood by George R. R. Martin, the show House of The Dragon recounts the most memorable moments from the Targaryen dynasty. This House is probably the most enigmatic amongst the Seven Kingdoms and is full of secrets that single it out from the other families of the Game of Thrones universe. Here are 6 fun facts to absolutely know about the Targaryens.

The Targaryens were a house just like any other in Old Valyria
The Targaryens were a house just like any other in Old Valyria

As Viserys I and Daenerys like to recall in their respective show, House Targaryen comes from Old Valyria, a huge city on Essos. At the beginning, this ancient capital of the Valyrian Peninsula was a small civilization mostly composed of shepherds (of whom the Targaryens were a part of) before discovering the existence of dragons. They learnt to domesticate them to turn them into formidable weapons and started an oligarchy called the Valyrian Freehold. However, amongst the forty noble families of the Valyrian Freehold, the Targaryens were far from being the most powerful house. But they were one of the few to escape the Doom of Valyria, a volcanic catastrophe that totally destroyed the Valyrian Peninsula. Not only did the Targaryens were the only surviving family but they were the only ones to possess tha valyrian dragons that survived the Doom.

Some members of House Targaryen can have premonitory dreams
Some members of House Targaryen can have premonitory dreams

The Targaryens like to praise the magic they have in their blood which allows them to have a very powerful tie with dragons. But their capacities do not stop there. In fact, some members of the family are what we call “Dreamers”, that is to say they sometimes have premonitory dreams. A gift that Daenys Targaryen, daughter of Aenar the dragonlord of House Targaryen from the Valyrian Freehold, possessed. Twelve years before the Doom, she dreamt about the cataclysm that destroyed Old Valyria. Aenar believed in her prediction and flew away with his entire family and their five dragons to Dragonstone. Thanks to Daenys’ dream, the Targaryens were the only survivors amongst all of the noble Valyran families. More recently, Helaena, Viserys I and Alicent’s daughter in House of The Dragon, seems to also possess this particular gift.

Specific physical traits
Specific physical traits

Just like other Valyrian houses, the Targaryens are famous for their silvery hair and their purple eyes, a trait that does not however appear in neither Game of Thrones nor House of The Dragon. In addition, they’re known for their extraordinary beauty that makes them easily recognizable. They owe these physical traits to their proximity with dragons and the magic that comes with it. For this particular reason, the Targaryens usually have incestuous marriages to preserve the purity of their bloodline.

They have a unique bond with dragons
They have a unique bond with dragons

From all the Westerosi houses, the Targaryen dynasty is the only one capable of taming dragons. Dragons are able to form a really strong bond with their dragonrider and they protect them if they smell danger. To protect this privilege, the Targaryens created a unique tradition: they placed a dragon egg into the newborn’s cribb. This way, dragons and Targaryen children can grow up together and form a unique bond. In House of The Dragon, they still respect this tradition, which is mentioned in the second episode with Rhaenyra stillborn little brother.

Targaryens are either a prodigy or mad
Targaryens are either a prodigy or mad

In Game of Thrones, Jaime Lannister said this notorious quote: “When a Targaryen is born, the gods flip a coin.” And it is not that far-fetched! If several members from the Targaryen family made a lot of great achievements such as Aegon the Conqueror, Jaehaerys the Conciliator or Rhaegar, Daenerys’ brother, others may be prone to insanity. In the Game of Thrones universe we can, for example, name Aerys II, called “the Mad King”, king Baelor I or even Daenerys Targaryen who sinks slowly into madness.

Daenerys is an exception
Daenerys est une exception

Speaking of Daenerys, you have to know that her fire resistance singles her out from her family. The one we call The Unburnt in Game of Thrones survived twice from wildfires, once during Khal Drogo’s funeral and a second time during the Dosh Khaleen temple massacre. Usually, Targaryens are able to handle heat but not fire. Daenerys is the only exception, as George R. R. Martin, the author of the epic-fantasy novel series A Song of Ice and Fire, reminded everyone.

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