When House of the Dragon returns to HBO Max and in Italy streaming on NOW, it will present a fourth and final season that must necessarily adapt some of the most pivotal episodes from the latter part of the Dance of the Dragons as recounted in the novel Fire & Blood by George R.R. Martin. But which of these, among the latter, should inevitably be shown in the fourth season? Below we will reveal what happens in Martin’s novel, so those who do not want spoilers should stop reading here.
House of the Dragon 4 and the events of Fire & Blood that the final season cannot ignore
The Assault on the Dragonpit
One of the most traumatic moments of the Dance of the Dragons occurs right at King’s Landing under Rhaenyra’s nose: the assault on the Dragonpit. This event alters the course of the war by crippling the Black faction. In this instance, the uprising of the citizens of King’s Landing is also linked to the death of Helaena Targaryen, whose drastic act sparks the riot that leads to the assault on the Dragonpit. The enraged citizens kill the dragons present, including Tyraxes, Joffrey’s dragon; Dreamfyre without a rider after Helaena’s death; and Syrax, Rhaenyra’s dragon. In the ensuing chaos, Joffrey also dies, tumbling from the back of Syrax after disobeying his mother’s orders. This event matters not only because it wipes out many dragons available to the Blacks, but also because it drives Rhaenyra away from King’s Landing. In her flight, she seeks shelter at Dragonstone, where she will find Aegon II awaiting her. These are precious elements of the Dance of the Dragons, but we do not know how—and if—all of them will be introduced in the fourth season.
The Battle Over the God’s Eye
Another crucial moment in the Targaryen civil war is the Battle over the God’s Eye, which pits Aemond against Daemon, both accompanied by their dragons until the very end in the jaws of death. In Fire & Blood the two collide in the sky with Vhagar and Caraxes, ultimately dying together with their dragons. Given the high stakes and the knights involved in this clash, it is natural to expect a faithful adaptation of all this in House of the Dragon.
The Second Battle of Tumbleton
Another pivotal moment of the Dance of the Dragons is the Second Battle of Tumbleton. The third season closed with the first battle, whose outcomes toppled both factions, but the second battle would be even more brutal and would theoretically foresee the deaths of Ulf the White and Hugh Hammer. The TV series, however, has altered the course of events: in the third season it is only Ulf who rebels, taking on both sides. It remains unclear, then, how they will adapt the story of the Second Battle of Tumbleton.
The Death of Rhaenyra and the Defeat of Aegon II
It’s unlikely that House of the Dragon will diverge from this outcome: in Fire & Blood, Rhaenyra’s death is inevitable and occurs after her flight from King’s Landing. Returning to Dragonstone, where she believed she would be safe, Rhaenyra is instead taken by surprise by Aegon II, who captures her and subsequently kills her, feeding her to Sunfyre in front of her son Aegon III. At that point Aegon can return to King’s Landing, which he conquers with the help of the Baratheons, though there is one last resistance in favor of the young Aegon III. This sorrowful arc ends with the death by poison of Aegon II.
The Hour of the Wolf and the Reign of Aegon III
The Dance of the Dragons ends with the deaths of Rhaenyra and Aegon II. Rhaenyra’s son, Aegon III, names Cregan Stark of the North as Hand of the King, and it is he who demands order and justice with strictness. That interval known as the Hour of the Wolf introduces the ascent to the throne of Aegon III, who marries Jaehaera Targaryen, daughter of Aegon II, thereby uniting the realm. With Aegon III there is an effort to restore order to Westeros.
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