With only two weeks to go until House of the Dragon takes us back some two hundred years before the events of Game of Thrones, the story’s creator George R.R. Martin is here to break down everything you need to know before going on another high fantasy adventure in the Seven Kingdoms.
It’s history time with the acclaimed novelist as he sits down to give a very useful recounting of events leading to his prequel spinoff show, not to mention a brief introduction to some of the most prominent political players we’ll see in the show.
“The best fiction, the best drama, is about characters. The story of House of the Dragon is a story about very flawed human beings, capable of doing good things, capable of doing monstrous things, capable of courage, capable of cowardice. These are the kinds of characters that I love the most,” Martin says and then launches into his presentation, which you can see in full below.
Accompanying the creator’s speech are concept art, animation, and behind-the-scenes footage that highlight how the Westerosi sausage is made from the early stages of development.
House of the Dragon is the first among HBO’s planned Game of Thrones spinoffs that succeed the series after its divisive conclusion in 2019. The story, as Martin explained, will take place a couple hundred years before the events of the main series and involve the Targaryen dynasty, immigrants from a once great empire that conquer the Seven Kingdoms and preside over the realm’s most glorious and tumultuous days.
The show is set to make its debut on Aug. 21.
