House of the Dragon and the Significance of the Hour of the Wolf, Explained

Spoiler alert: There are likely to be spoilers for future seasons of House of the Dragon.Given how long Westeros fans have had to wait, Dragon House Season 2 is finally here, and it’s a shock to realize that it’s already more than halfway through. It’s been a solid set of episodes so far, filled with stunning visuals, horrific deaths, and a welcome return to the deliberate slow pace and political intrigue that defined the series. game of thrones At its peak. Especially since the Dance of the Dragons has officially started working, and now that the eponymous dragons have entered the scene, we can't wait to see where the rest of the season takes us.

But this week’s episode may have given us a surprise hint about the story’s final ending, even if it’s not immediately obvious. At Harrenhal, Prince Daemon has a nightmare about his mother, Alyssa, before being woken up by Simon Strong. Daemon asks what time it is, and Simon reveals It's the “Hour of the Wolf”. While this may seem like a throwaway line, it points to what could be interesting plot points for future worldbuilding.

What happens during the “Hour of the Wolf” in the Game of Thrones universe?

In Westerosi culture, there are seven named hours, each named after an animal. The Hour of the Wolf generally refers to the time period between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m., the darkest part of the night. It’s fitting that the major events in George R.R. Martin’s saga that take place during this hour are particularly prone to mass murder, nightmares, evil, and general unrest.

In this week's episode, “Regent,” we see Prince Daemon attempting to consolidate his power by ordering House Blackwood's army to slaughter innocent civilians from House Bracken and burn their livestock just to force them to join his alliance. The longer Daemon stays in Harrenhal, the crazier he seems, as This is evident from his regular nightmares (which is a common occurrence in Hour of the Wolf). Perhaps most poetic of all, the River Lords awakened Damon to denounce him as a tyrant in, you guessed it, the Hour of the Wolf.

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Interestingly, Hour of the Wolf was not written by George R. R. Martin. Its first notable use was in Ingmar Bergman's 1968 psychological horror film, Wolf Hour“It is the hour when most people die, when sleep is at its deepest, when nightmares are most real. It is the hour when insomnia haunts their deepest fears, when ghosts and demons are at their most powerful. The Hour of the Wolf is also the hour when most children are born.”

George R.R. Martin has never been shy about incorporating references to actual historical events or other works of science fiction into his work (The Succession Crisis in England, The War of the Roses was a famous inspiration. A Song of Ice and Fire)So it makes sense that he would use Bergman’s film to give readers a quick rundown of Westeros’ history. And if these last few episodes are any indication, the film’s climax, where the hero succumbs to madness, could also turn out to be a dark foreshadowing of Prince Daemon’s future.

Does the Hour of the Wolf herald the end of the war in the House of the Dragon?

Those who know Martin's novel fire and blood (Basic for Dragon HouseWe know that the Hour of the Wolf isn’t just a world-building device—it’s a major event in the Targaryen Civil War. Lord Cregan Stark, the current Lord of Winterfell, first appeared in the Season 2 premiere, promising to lend some of the elder Northerners to aid Rhaenyra in her campaign. But while viewers have only met him in glimpses so far, he’s become a major player in the coming war, and is actually the central character in Hour of the Wolf.

As shown in fire and bloodRhaenyra eventually takes over King's Landing, but is forced to flee after only a few months. When she returns to Dragonstone, Ser Alfred Boone, having recently sworn allegiance to Aegon II, betrays her and uses Aegon's dragon Sunfire to burn and eat her to death. Her supporters continue to fight even after her death, and Aegon II eventually prepares to concede his cause, but before he can, his men poison him to death. Rhaenyra's son, Aegon III, is later named the new king, and Lord Cregan, shortly after arriving in King's Landing, names himself the Hand of the King.

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Upon taking office, Lord Cregan intends to continue the war, but is prevented from doing so when Lord Corlys Velaeron enters into peace negotiations with the Great Houses. However, this does not stop him from seeking revenge on those responsible for Aegon II's death, even those he deems guilty of inaction, and in total, he arrests 22 men, including Lord Corlys. After Aegon III forces him to stay during the trial, he eventually finds 19 of the men guilty and sends them to the Night's Watch, executing two more. (Aegon III pardons Lord Corlys and restores him to his position.)

The Hour of the Wolf officially marks the end of the Dance of the Dragons, and Cregan resigns his position and returns to the North the day after the executions, his bloodlust fulfilled. Aegon III immediately takes the Iron Throne, marries his cousin Jaehaera, and establishes a court of regency to rule until he comes of age (he was only 11 at the time).

The Dragon House has a long way to go before the end of the game.

Of course, all of this is unlikely to happen until the end of the show, if not in the final season, which is still years away. The odds are: Dragon HouseThe brief mention of the Hour of the Wolf was probably not intended to herald anything important. During the rest of the second season.

However, its inclusion is further evidence of how effectively the show's creative team has executed its world-building, and it's still interesting to see even a brief hint of the final game. Now, let's hope they execute it better than they did. game of thrones an act. Dragon House Season 2 is now available to stream on Max.