House of the Dragon: What the Dance of the Dragons might look like — if we go by the books

We’ve all been glued to House of the Dragon, and it’s only getting more intense. The big reason is that the Dance of the Dragons is coming. This is one of the most dramatic events in the history of Westeros, and it’s about to take over the story in a major way.

This colossal civil war was originally brought forward in The Princess and the Queen (2013) and finally chronicled in George R. R. Martin's novel Fire & Blood (2018). It occurred almost 200 years before Game of Thrones.

It's all about a ruthless power struggle between two Targaryens — Princess Rhaenyra and her half-brother Aegon II, both vying for the Iron Throne. This was not a normal family brawl. It destroyed House Targaryen, brought down the dragons, and redrew Westeros for all time.

George R. R. Martin has acknowledged that the book was based on actual history, a time in England called The Anarchy (1135–1153), where Empress Matilda and King Stephen were locked in a complex battle for the throne.

When House of the Dragon premiered in 2022, it returned this aspect of the Targaryen story to the foreground. Naturally, the show differs from the books, but it also differs in its execution because some things just play out differently on television.

Audiences, critics, and academics have been arguing about everything from how faithfully the show remains to the book content to how it tackles issues like violence, gender roles, and who actually deserves the throne. `

Whether or not the show is amazing, the book form introduces us to so much depth. There are varying sources — maesters, septons, and court historians — in Fire & Blood telling us the story, and they're not always on the same page. That's intentional.

Martin asked us to consider how history is told, and the truth gets altered based on who's telling it. So, the Dance of the Dragons isn't even one cohesive story. It's a combination of facts, gossip, and subjective interpretation — exactly like actual history.

So, now we wonder: what would House of the Dragon be if it were a strict follow-along for the book version? Let us take a peek at that.

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The sources: Where the story comes from

Before we get to the story, let us discuss where the story originates. All we really know about the Dance of the Dragons is gleaned from Fire & Blood, written by George R. R. Martin as a piece of history. But not just any history — it's written in the form of fiction by a fictional maester, Gyldayn, who clarifies the conflicting (and occasionally contradictory) stories told by the court historians, clerics, and gossips.

That leaves the "truth" all fuzzy and arguable, just like in real history.

We also get it from:

The Princess and the Queen, a short-form retelling of the story.

The World of Ice & Fire gives a summary overview.

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Where it all began

At the heart of the Dance of the Dragons is one of the biggest issues — who occupies the throne?

King Viserys I Targaryen had no children with his first wife, Queen Aemma. Therefore, he made his sole daughter, Princess Rhaenyra, his heir. This was a big deal — never before had any woman been appointed heir to the Iron Throne. Rhaenyra was trained to rule. She sat in on council meetings and gained great favor.

But then everything changed when Viserys wed Alicent Hightower and fathered additional children — a son, Aegon II, among them. This divided the court into two. Rhaenyra's side was called the "Blacks." Alicent and her sons' group were the "Greens." The division went public in a royal tournament in 111 AC when Alicent dressed in green and Rhaenyra donned Targaryen black and red.

Things only increased in intensity as great houses (such as House Hightower and House Velaryon) began to play politics, and individual vendettas flared. When King Viserys passed away, the realm was on the verge of an explosion.

When the King passed away, the Greens moved fast. Alicent, her father, Otto, and Ser Criston Cole covertly crowned Aegon II, without informing Rhaenyra.

Rhaenyra, who was pregnant at Dragonstone, seethed with fury. Backed by her husband (and uncle), Daemon Targaryen, and the mighty Velaryon navy, she proclaimed herself queen.

Both armies now had their king, their dragons, and their troops. War was now officially underway — and it would be brutal.

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The Blacks vs. the Greens: Who's who

Blacks are the supporters of Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, who has been named heir by her father, King Viserys. She has Daemon Targaryen, husband and uncle, a talented warrior and dragonrider, with her.

They are supported by House Velaryon, one of the wealthiest and strongest houses, and houses like the Starks, Tullys, and Arryns. They also have dragons like Syrax, Caraxes, Meleys, etc.

And the Greens. They are loyal to Aegon II, the son of Queen Alicent Hightower. Alicent, her father, Otto Hightower, and Ser Criston Cole of the Kingsguard are the most important members of this group.

Powerful houses such as the Hightowers, Lannisters, and Baratheons are their most important allies. Their dragon allegiances are Sunfyre, Vhagar, Dreamfyre, and Tessarion.

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Key events and battles: The dance gets deadly

Let's get through some of the high points of this war.

The storming of Harrenhal

Daemon Targaryen, a mighty warrior and dragonrider of Caraxes, takes Harrenhal, a vast castle in the Riverlands. It's a shrewd move. By taking it, he gains many of the local lords for Rhaenyra's side. But it puts a giant bullseye on his back.

The battle of the burning mill & the Riverlands campaign

Small battles begin erupting all across the Riverlands. Both of them long to prevail. The Blacks, with the help of the mighty Velaryon fleet, are faring well initially. But the Greens counter with force, with ruthless retaliations.

The tragedy at storm's end

Rhaenyra dispatches her son, Lucerys Velaryon, asking House Baratheon for assistance. But there, he encounters Prince Aemond Targaryen, who has the formidable dragon Vhagar at his behest. While returning home, on a storm over the sea, Aemond pursues Lucerys and slays him and his little dragon, Arrax. This sets the war in full.

The sack of Duskendale & the battle at Rook's Rest

The Greens' counterattack was led by Ser Criston Cole. The climax is at Rook's Rest when Princess Rhaenys—"the Queen Who Never Was"—and her dragon Meleys battle Aegon II on Sunfyre and Aemond on Vhagar. It's a legendary three-dragon fight. Rhaenys is killed, and it's a devastating setback for the Blacks.

The fall of King's Landing

Despite severe losses, Rhaenyra's faction manages to regroup. With the assistance of the Velaryon fleet and support from the North, they capture King's Landing. Rhaenyra is finally sitting on the Iron Throne. But everything goes awry soon. Her rule is filled with terror, betrayal, and rebellion.

The death of Rhaenyra

Things get out of control. Rhaenyra is driven from King's Landing by mobs and even some of her own people. She flees to Dragonstone, where she is captured. In a cruel gesture, Aegon II orders her thrown into the pit where Sunfyre, his dragon, is kept in front of her young son, Aegon the Younger.

The end of the war: Aegon II dies

Even after Rhaenyra's death, the war will not cease. The kingdom is devastated. Aegon II is regarded as a poor and despised king. Sufficient time passes, and even his own troops betray him—they poison him to stop the bleeding. Then Rhaenyra's son, Aegon the Younger, is made king. He will soon be known as Aegon III.

The Dragons: Power that destroyed itself

This war will be remembered for one thing more than anything else—dragons battling dragons.

They were employed as weapons of mass destruction, incinerating towns, castles, and armies. But at a cost. Nearly all of the dragons were slain. Some died in battle, some were slain by angry mobs, and some just disappeared.

This war not only killed the Targaryens—it killed their dragons nigh on to a man. And from that day on, their power was never the same.

The Dance of the Dragons reduces Westeros to ashes. The new king, Aegon III, is himself a boy, emotionally traumatized by seeing his mother die. He becomes a brooding, depressed child—and in his reign, the Targaryen court turns cold, stern, and completely dragonless.