Fans of Game of Thrones have been eagerly awaiting the prequel series House of the Dragon ever since it was announced. With its first season well underway, many have warmed to the show. An adaptation of George R. R. Martin's book Fire & Blood, the series looks poised to deep-dive into the lore surrounding House Targaryen.
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As they're set in the same universe, House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones share many similarities, but also several differences in their execution. Game of Thrones built up quite the reputation for most of its existence, but many fans have already decided House of the Dragon may be better. While arguments can be made from both sides, key examples support House of the Dragon as the greater production.
Spoilers ahead for House of the Dragon.
In its first few episodes, House of the Dragon slipped in incredibly symbolic moments without drawing too much attention to them. The first example was the necklace Daemon gave to his niece, Rhaenyra. She wore it everywhere she went, until Daemon stole the dragon egg intended for her deceased brother, causing additional tension within the family.
Another detail subtly included is Viserys' hand. Over two years have passed between the second and third episodes of the first season. Before the time jump, Viserys has injuries that are spreading, with his hand becoming black. The third episode reveals he's lost two of his fingers since then. Not drawing attention to these details is exciting for fans, and actively encourages multiple viewings of each episode.
Dragons are deemed a normality in House of the Dragon. They may only belong to the select few with Targaryen blood, but they thrive and instill fear wherever they go. Yet in Game of Thrones, Daenerys' three dragons are mainly depicted as tools and barely have any kind of personality, aside from Drogon.
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House of the Dragon presents its dragons as intended, with cool designs that dwarf those from Game of Thrones. Caraxes' creepy long neck and devilish visage remains an incredible spectacle and an exciting sign of things to come.
With House of the Dragon being an in-depth dive into lore made before Game of Thrones, the show won't deviate from the source material as much as Game of Thrones did. This is a blessing for the show, as Game of Thrones was at its best when taking from George R. R. Martin's original stories.
As with any adaptation of a book, there will still be creative liberties taken and certain elements omitted. Yet, the overall direction House of the Dragon plans to take will be steadied, protected, and ultimately executed as intended.
Many consider Game of Thrones one of the greatest shows in recent memory, even though its final season remains one of the most controversial and divisive. By the end, Game of Thrones' direction outraged fans, and for many, it tarnished the show's overall feeling.
House of the Dragon offers a clean slate. While it is in the same world, it takes place further back in time, meaning new actors and characters are brought to the forefront. This change of casting provides a much-needed reset for the Game of Thrones universe, while offering fans more content.
Game of Thrones had plenty of political maneuvering and betrayal, but eventually left most of it behind for brutal battles and pure shock value. House of the Dragon covers events that lead up to The Dance of the Dragons. While it is a civil war, it has deep-lying political roots that start it off.
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As House of the Dragon builds up to the inevitable war and implosion of House Targaryen, the political intrigue adds more tension with every new episode. Many will say this is because of the new show's honeymoon period, but the fact of the matter is, House of the Dragon's politics and talks of succession are vitally important.
House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones are both visually stunning, but the former has obviously learned from the latter. Not only is the dragons' CGI much cleaner, but the landscapes and locations have extra vibrancy. Likewise, the various outfits and designs bring out fresh flavor from the characters, adding more personality to every scene.
Game of Thrones had similar aesthetics, but there was a bleakness to most locations, matching the harshness of the world they were showing off. House of the Dragon has set the precedent early on for how great the more intense moments will look later on.
The original show in any franchise may have the benefit of generating its own reaction from fans and viewers, but prequels and sequels can do this while also capitalizing on nostalgia through references. Set almost 200 years before events of Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon delves into the history of the various houses, locations and conflicts.
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Thanks to Game of Thrones coming first, these deep dives carry much more meaning than they would on their own. Families like the Targaryens and Lannisters receive more depth. On the other hand, families like Velaryon and Hightower prove intriguing because they were new to audiences.
An original show can do a wondrous job creating a world for fans to enjoy, but when an author puts as much time and effort into the lore as George R. R. Martin has, an adaptation is bound to be exceptional. With House of the Dragon being set almost 200 years before the first Game of Thrones episode, it explores the lore that's only mentioned sparingly throughout Game of Thrones.
For those who haven't read Fire & Blood, House of the Dragon presents many mysteries. For those who have read George R. R. Martin's novel, they remain excited to see how the new series incorporates everything. While plot holes exist in many shows, it will be tough to find them in George R. R. Martin's lore, as long as the show runners stick to the source material.
Many remember Game of Thrones' earlier seasons as the good old days of exceptional writing and storytelling, but George R. R. Martin was apparently unhappy with one scene from the first season. Robert Baratheon going hunting with just Renly, Barristan Selmy and Lancel Lannister wasn't accurate to how such a venture was supposed to take place.
House of the Dragon has its own hunting sequence in the third episode and is much more like how Martin wanted it. A royal hunting party in this universe would be pure extravagance, with a pavilion set up and horns blowing. House of the Dragon captures this royal tradition perfectly and could well be the first of many concepts to be rectified.
While Game of Thrones initially introduced its characters at Winterfell and in Essos, everybody quickly got split up, giving every episode multiple paths to cover. Considering characters had various ambitions or end goals, it became difficult to keep an overall focus on the show's direction.
House of the Dragon has everybody at King's Landing, and the succession of King Viserys Targaryen becomes the primary focus and inevitable cause of the impending conflicts. King's Landing won't be the sole location forever, but the Iron Throne will remain the focus. In contrast, houses and families in Game of Thrones wanted the Iron Throne, but didn't have it within their grasp.
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