Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Season 2 finale of House of the Dragon.
While “The Queen Who Ever Was” featured a number of cheer-worthy moments,the stand-out scene ofHouse of the Dragon’s Season 2 finale was Daemon’s(Matt Smith)Weirwood visionat Harrenhal. Aside from giving Daemon the final metaphorical shake he needed in order to ditch his ego and support Rhaenyra’s (Emma D’Arcy) claim, the vision served to give viewers a concise look at Aegon the Conqueror’s Song of Ice and Fire. Though the inclusion of Daenerys Targaryen in Daemon’s visiondoubly confirmed the importance of her character to viewers, the vision also included another key character: Bloodraven (Joshua Ben-Tovim).
Depicted as a pale young manwith a red birthmark and Targaryen-white hair, wrapped in Weirwood tree roots,Bloodraven continues to be one of the most mysterious charactersin the Game of Thrones franchise. Just who exactly is he, and why is he so important? It’s clear now that he’s a key figure in the Song of Ice and Fire, but what part does he have to play? Though it may seem like he comes out of nowhere,Game of Thronesviewers have definitely seen Bloodraven before “The Queen Who Ever Was.”
House of the Dragon
The reign of House Targaryen begins with this prequel to the popular HBO seriesGame of Thrones.Based on George R.R. Martin’sFire & Blood,House of the Dragonis set nearly 200 years beforeGame of Thrones, telling the story of the Targaryen civil war with King Viserys.
Who Is Bloodraven, and Where Did He Come From?
Born Brynden Rivers in the year 175 AC (44 years after the Dance of the Dragons), Bloodraven was thebastard son of Aegon IV, and great-grandson of Rhaenyra and Daemon, and earned his nickname due to the large red birthmark on his neck and face. Bloodraven, along with his other bastard half-siblings, was legitimized by Aegon IV on his deathbed.These legitimized bastards became known as the Blackfyres, but despite technically belonging to this group,Bloodraven fought as a Targaryen loyalistduring the Blackfyre Rebellions, wielding Visenya and Daemon’s former sword, Dark Sister.
Bloodraven quickly moved up the ranks in King’s Landing,serving as Master of Whispers and Hand of the King to multiple Targaryen kings. During the Great Council of 233 AC, Bloodraven committed an act of treason and was given a choice between execution or becoming a member of the Night’s Watch by Aegon V. Bloodraven chose the latter, and was sent to the Wall the same year — only four years later, Bloodraven was elected as Lord Commander of Night’s Watch, andserved 13 years as Lord Commander before one day disappearing north of the Wall, supposedly never to be seen again.
Where Have We Seen Bloodraven Before?
His brief appearance inHouse of the Dragonis not the first time Bloodraven has appeared in theGame of Thronesfranchise. Though he’s never referred to directly by his nickname,Bloodraven appears inGame of Thronesas the Three-Eyed Raven. Also referred to simply as Brynden, Bloodraventrains Bran to become a Greenseer and plays a central role in Bran’s storylinethroughout the entirety of the series.
Who Is the Strange Creature That Daemon Sees by the Weirwood Tree?
Weirwood tree? More like weird-wood tree.
While it’s not confirmed, Bloodravenis likely to appear in the upcomingGame of Thronesspin-off series,A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms—he appears at the end ofThe Mystery Knight, the series' third novella, and plays a crucial role in the beginning of Aegon V’s reign. IfA Knight of the Seven Kingdomssticks to the books and includes Bloodraven,he will be the only character to appear in all three currentGame of Thronesfranchise adaptations. This is no small feat and would say a lot about Bloodraven’s overall importance to the story’s throughline.
Why Does Bloodraven Matter in ‘House of the Dragon’?
In George R.R. Martin’s collection of novellas,A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Ser Duncan the Tallrepeats a phrase often said about Bloodraven: “How many eyes does Lord Bloodraven have? A thousand eyes, and one.” This is likely a reference to his abilities as a Greenseer, and generally comes off more sinister than reassuring. While Bloodraven’s true motivations are still unknown to viewers and readers, his character clearly has great ambitions.Bran’s entire journey inGame of Thronesis influenced by Bloodraven, or the Three-Eyed Crow, and results in him eventually being crowned King of the Seven Kingdoms. Bloodraven, like Daenerys, has yet to be born in House of the Dragon, but he appears alongside Daenerys (presumed to be the Prince Who Was Promised) in Daemon’s prophetic vision. So, why did Bloodraven lead Bran down the path to become King? Why is he so important to Aegon’s Song of Ice and Fire? We may not uncover Bloodraven’s endgame for a while yet, butHouse of the Dragonhas proved he has a major role to play.
BothGame of ThronesandHouse of the Dragonare available to stream on Max in the U.S.
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