Is Balerion in Game of Thrones: House of the Dragon?

House of the Dragon, based on the works of George R. R. Martin, is set release on August 21, 2022. The Targaryens are front and center in this latest HBO series. They’ve been intrinsically tied to dragons, even being dragonriders themselves. Since House of the Dragon is a prequel series and will explore Targaryens and their dragons more than ever, viewers will witness many of Westeros’ most famous scaly creatures. But what of the most famous dragons of them all: is Balerion in House of the Dragon?

Is Balerion in Game of Thrones: House of the Dragon?

It’s incredibly unlikely that Balerion will be in House of the Dragon, despite being a prequel far removed from the events of Game of Thrones’ War of the Five Kings. The timeline doesn’t quite match up; in fact, we would have just missed Balerion by just a handful of years, not to mention his skull is seen in trailers for House of the Dragon.

The history of Westeros is split into two ages, if you will: BC and AC (Before Conquest and After Conquest, respectively). This refers to Aegon the Conqueror’s conquest of the Seven Kingdoms. When Aegon Targaryen became king, BC ended and AC began, hence “After Conquest.”

The War of the Five Kings, which unfolds during the HBO series Game of Thrones, is around 300 AC. House of the Dragon is nearly 200 years before the War of the Five Kings. That means House of the Dragon will be set around 100 AC.

Though Balerion survived for almost a hundred years after the conquest of Westeros, he died in 94 AC, which is during King Jaehaerys I reign. At the start of House of the Dragon, King Jaehaerys is dead and his grandson, King Viserys I sits on the Iron Throne. By that point, Balerion would’ve been dead for at least a decade. What’s interesting to note is that King Viserys I (played by Paddy Considine) was the last of the Targaryens to ride Balerion the Black Dread.

It would’ve been great to see Balerion in House of the Dragon, even for a little and not as a skull. If we do, it’ll likely be in flashbacks. For more information on House of the Dragon, find out who’s directing and writing the HBO series. After that, brush up on the actors and lore.