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House Of The Dragon: Is Jon Snow The Prince That Was Promised? Theories Explained
HBO's Game of Thrones centers around the prophecy of The Prince That Was Promised, a hero destined to save the world from darkness. The prophecy is explored in both Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon.
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The prophecy of The Prince That Was Promised is gender-neutral in High Valyrian
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In House of the Dragon Aegon the Conqueror's dream is revealed
Game of Thrones, the HBO series, is a well-known American epic fantasy television series focused on epic battles, dragons, magic, and prophecies. The most important prophecy in the show is The Prince That was Promised. The prophecy is known as Song of Ice and Fire in the storylines of Game of Thrones and House of Dragon prequel. But what does this prophecy mean, and do we ever find out who it concerns? Let us look at both shows to see.
The prophecy of the Prince that was promised
The Prince that was Promised prophecy is first mentioned in season 2 of Game of Thrones. Here Melisandre, a red priestess for Lord of Light performs a rite for Stannis Baratheon whom she presumes to be this prophesied hero at Dragonstone.
According to Melisandre and her adherents, the prophecy talks about long summers followed by an apocalyptic Winter. During this winter dead will rise in the north while darkness engulfs the world utterly. A savior called Azor Ahai, who is known by his followers as ‘the prince who was promised’ will arise to defeat this threat against humanity.
The first seasons do not reveal who the Prince could be but they do tell us what they should be afraid of, which are White Walkers. As early as during the very first scene from GOT, audiences learn about the impending danger posed by these icy beings raising zombie-like creatures back to life. As time goes on within the TV series, prophecies tend to play more significant roles within its plot.
The gender ambiguity of the prophecy
Throughout A Song Of Ice And Fire series one comes across many references made concerning the Prince that was promised. However, there exists one crucial clarification that makes all difference only towards its end.
Daenerys Targaryen gets company from Melisandre the moment she is banished from the North, who says a few things about this prophecy. Daenerys’ interpreter, Missandei, highlights that in High Valyrian prince is actually a non-gender noun.
Thus the right translation would be The Prince or Princess That Was Promised. This makes Daenerys another potential candidate for this role too.
Aegon's prophetic dream
This prophecy also reaches beyond Game of Thrones. It features very prominently in House of the Dragon though it will only be realized two centuries later. King Viserys Targaryen tells his daughter Rhaenyra a secret. He reveals to her the dream Aegon the Conqueror had once had. In his dragon dream, Aegon foresaw White Walkers and the havoc they were going to bring upon Westeros.
Moreover, according to Aegon’s dream, there was going to be a hero who would save them all from darkness. For Viserys Targaryen, letting his kind on the Iron Throne will unify all of them against winter’s coldness and darkness which could destroy them completely. He named his concept The Song of Ice and Fire.
In George R.R. Martin's books, it has been mentioned that while preparing for his conquest of Westeros Aegon had a dream. What happened during this particular dream remains unknown though.
Also mentioned is a note where it was written that Rhaegar, Daenerys’ elder brother found something during one night when he was reading his scrolls which made him become a soldier instantly. After the birth of Jon Snow aka Aegon’s father, Rhaeger thought this boy could be The Prince That Was Promised himself.
The real Prince that was promised
In all of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, the prophecy has been mentioned but there is no definitive answer as to who the Prince That Was Promised is. Strong arguments can be made both for Jon Snow as well as Daenerys Targaryen.
The prophecy requires that the hero should be born amidst salt and smoke, a bleeding star announces its coming, awaken dragons from stone, brandish fiery swords and unite seven kingdoms against white walkers. Daenerys meets most of these requirements. She literally awakens dragons from stone, is reborn amid salt and smoke, and joins Jon in fighting against White Walkers.
Jon Snow also matches this prophecy in a number of ways. He’s revealed to be a Targaryen and wields Valyrian Steel which is known to kill White Walkers. He actively works towards the unification of the Seven Kingdoms and leads in the battle against White Walkers as well. Nevertheless, an official Game Of Thrones Facebook post referred to Jon Snow as The Prince That Was Promised even though it might not have been conclusive.
Ultimately it turns out that both John and Daenerys do represent that prophecy together. Their combined efforts lead to defeating the White Walkers thus fulfilling what the prophecy entails.
Melisandre puts it aptly when she says “Prophecies are dangerous things.” They are generally vague, allowing room for many interpretations implying that both John and Daenerys played intrinsic parts in saving humanity.
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