When House of the Dragon arrives on HBO in 2022 it will be a big moment for Game of Thrones fans who have been eagerly awaiting the new series. But for anyone who hasn’t watched Game of Thrones (and there are quite a few people out there who haven’t) it’s not necessary to binge the original series in order to enjoy the new show.
George R.R. Martin has created a vibrant universe for HBO to play with. Though Game of Thrones follows his iconic A Song of Ice and Fire series, House of the Dragon is set over a century before the events in Game of Thrones, so it will need to establish its own timeline in order to make sense.
You don’t need to watch Game of Thrones to enjoy House of the Dragon
House of the Dragon is a prequel to Game of Thrones that follows the exploits of House Targaryen at the height of their power. The events depicted across the eight seasons of the series aren’t relevant. Unless, of course, there is either a seer who has visions of the future or there is some kind of time travel involved. Either is possible — Bran Stark time traveled after a fashion, but I wouldn’t count on it.
One of the reasons Game of Thrones was so successful is that it painted such an alluring backdrop for the talented cast. Westeros came to life with unique and memorable locations like King’s Landing, the Wall and Winterfell.
Heading into House of the Dragon, it’s expected that the new series will put an equal amount of work into establishing the Westeros of this time period. While some of the locations will be the same, there will be many new places to explore.
If you haven’t watched Game of Thrones, you really don’t need to watch it prior to watching House of the Dragon, but it might enhance your appreciation of the new series if you have some insight into the characters and the settings. You can also read Fire & Blood, the book on which House of the Dragon is based.
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