This hidden mural in House of the Dragon actually foreshadows a tragic future storyline

The second season of House of the Dragon was just released and there’s already been so many small details that foreshadow future plot lines. Most of these are blink and you’ll miss it moments, and one such scene involves Prince Aemond’s intricate mural in his room.

Despite the mural only briefly being shown on the screen, it turns out the image it depicts foreshadows a huge future storyline for House of the Dragon. During the episode, one assassin called the rat catcher is left alone in Prince Aemond’s room whilst his associate the gold cloak assassin goes to look through the other Targaryen’s rooms. The rat catcher looks around the dark room and illuminates a huge mural on the wall with his torch, which shows a huge castle being attacked by a fire breathing dragon. And there’s a lot more symbolism to this mural than you might think.

Via HBO

The castle that is depicted in the mural is called Harrenhal, which you might recognise if you’ve read the books or briefly heard previously discussed in the show. The mural shows the destruction of Harrenhal by the first King Aegon with the dragon depicted being Belerion the Black Dread. In the book Fire & Blood, we learn that Aegon invades the castle soon after it is built after the man behind it refuses to swear his allegiance to him.

Via HBO

If you watched the first season of House of the Dragon you’ve actually already seen Harrenhal as it was where Lord Lyonel Strong and his son Harwin mysteriously died in a fire, with many believing it to be haunted. But why is this castle and mural so important for the future of the show? The castle Harrenhal is currently occupied by Larys Strong, who is very much on Queen Alicent’s side. The castle is placed in a highly strategic location with both Daemon and Aemond keen to claim the castle as their own.

The two men will both be competing to gain control of Harrenhal in the upcoming episodes and seasons, and this conflict will gravely affect both of them. Something tells me that history might have a way of repeating itself, and the mural is serving as a warning…

For all the latest TV news, drops, quizzes, memes and more like this article on the meaning of the mural in House of the Dragon, like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook. 

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Featured image via HBO.