House of the Dragon recently wrapped up its second season with mostly positive reviews from critics and fans. However, the sophomore outing also included one storyline that left fans a bit confused and somewhat disoriented, especially because of its placement in the season 2 finale.
The second season depicted Daemon having visions of the future, which also referred to the parent series, Game of Thrones. During an interview, showrunner Ryan Condal revealed the reason behind the visions experienced by the Rogue Prince. However, the explanation might ease the frustrations of some fans about the overall storyline.
House of the Dragon Showrunner Ryan Condal Explains the Reason For Daemon’s Visions
Ryan Condal is the showrunner for House of the Dragon, the HBO series, which serves as a spin-off/prequel to the hit fantasy drama Game of Thrones. The show’s second season features a subplot involving Daemon Targaryen, played by actor Matt Smith.
In season 2, Daemon meets Alys Rivers, a healer aiding House Strong, who guides the prince to the runes of Harrenhal. In the finale, Daemon interacts with the roots of the Weirwood trees, leading to disturbing visions of the future, including references to the White Walkers and Daenerys Targaryen.
During an interview with Gamespot, Condal spoke about Daemon’s visions, which are triggered by his interaction with the tree roots in Harrenhal. Condal said:
We know that Harrenhal was built on a felled orchard of weirwood trees, and then the weirwoods were chopped up and used as lumber to build the castle, which possibly led to some of the experiences that people have there.
Condal made the above statement, explaining the magical and mystical properties of the trees.
The showrunner’s comments suggest that the Weirwood trees beneath Harrenhal are responsible for Daemon’s visions. The same is evident with the overall plot line as Daemon spends a considerable amount of time in Harrenhal but his visions do not start until he interacts with the mysterious woods.
Fans Were Left Conflicted With House of the Dragon‘s Harrenhal Plot Line
After the second season finale, the Daemon plotline sparked wildfire-like reactions from fans on social media. Fans were left slightly disoriented by the plotline because of what it implies for the story’s future, especially how it connects to the events of Game of Thrones.
Some aspects of Daemon’s visions do not exist in the source material. They were incorporated into the narrative for the television adaptation. As a result, fans were left divided about the nature of Daemon’s visions. In the parent series, Bran Stark witnessed similar visions, leading fans to wonder if Daemon was a Three-eyed Raven.
Furthermore, some fans also argued why Helaena was seen helping Daemon despite the two being at odds with one another following the death of the former’s son. As a result, Daemon’s visions confused most fans, resulting in one of the most controversial storylines of season 2 and book-to-screen changes made by the series.
However, Condal’s comments might provide some explanation regarding these visions, especially since the magical properties of the Weirwood trees had previously been established in the parent series. As a result, Condal explained why the visions took place, irrespective of what they foreshadowed.
House of the Dragon is streaming on Max.
