House of the Dragon’s changed opening credits tease new characters

Episode 9 of House of the Dragon featured an updated version of the opening credits with new additions to the bloodlines. What new details did it reveal?

Daeron Targaryen all but confirmed on House of the Dragon

Up until this episode, Alicent Hightower’s cog in the opening credits could only be seen in the background. Four blurry bloodlines issued from it. The new opening from Episode 9 clearly shows four bloodlines, complete with cogs representing Alicent’s four children. Yes, four.

In addition to Aegon, Helaena and Aemond, Viserys and Alicent have a third son named Daeron who has not been seen or mentioned on the show yet. However, George R.R. Martin has confirmed that Daeron was cut from season 1 due to time restraints. Given Daeron’s significance in Martin’s book Fire & Blood, and now the clear reference to him in the opening sequence, it can be reasonably assumed that Daeron will appear in future seasons of House of the Dragon.

Maelor Targaryen is probably on House of the Dragon

In addition to their twins Jaehaerys and Jaehaerya, King Aegon II and his sister-wife Helaena have a third child named Maelor. Like Daeron, we have not seen or heard about Maelor, but the opening credits in Episode 9 suggest he’s around.

In the new credits, Aegon and Helaena’s bloodlines connect (because incest marriage). From their connection, three bloodlines flow out; two of them are Jaehaerys and Jaehaerya, and the third is presumably Maelor.

In Fire & Blood, Maelor is just two years old at the time of the Dance and is not old enough to make a difference on the battlefield. From a succession standpoint, Maelor is second in line for the throne now that Aegon has been crowned, behind his older brother Jaehaerys.

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