House of the Dragon corrects Game of Thrones lore about the Targaryens

[Ed note: This story contains spoilers for House of the Dragon season 2, episode 5.]

After a short preview House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 5 confirms that King Aegon II Targaryen survived the Battle of Rook’s Rest. But the mediocre monarch is still badly injured and suffers from the terrible injuries one would expect from a game of Thrones Franchise. He has broken bones, shattered intestines and burns – many of burns. This might make you think: Wait, aren’t the Targaryens fireproof?

Maybe, maybe not. It depends on which version of the canon we are talking about. George RR Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novels are pretty clear on this, but game of Thrones And House of the Dragon are decidedly confusing. And thanks to all this conflicting information, the truth about the Targaryens’ fire immunity is more convoluted than dragon tails in a crowded hatchery. We’ve done our best to untangle it below!

Are the Targaryens in George RR Martin’s books fireproof?

No. According to Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, the Targaryens are resistant to fire – and far less sensitive to temperature than the average human – but not invulnerable. Admittedly, this is not written in the books themselves, but Martin has put things in a post shared on the Citadel fansite back in November 1998.

“[S]Some fans read too much into the scene. game of Thrones where dragons are born – that is, it was never the case that all Targaryens were immune to fire at all times,” he wrote. It is as clear a statement as can be and is consistent with what Martin shows us in the books A Song of Ice and Fire.

Sure, there is Daenerys Targaryen’s quote “Fire cannot kill a dragon” in A game of thronesafter her brother (and self-proclaimed dragon) Viserys dies from having molten gold poured over his bowler hat. But Dany doesn’t mean this literally – she’s reflecting her brother’s hollow bravery back at his now gilded face. What if Daenerys emerges unscathed from Khal Drogo’s funeral pyre later in the same book (despite being bald)? This is actually a case of a Targaryen walking through fire unharmed. However, Martin has made it clear that this was a one-time deal made possible by outside, magical forces.

“No, no Targaryans [sic] are immune to fire,” says Martin explained in an interview in 2003“The thing with Dany and the dragons, that was just a one-time magical event, very special and unique. The Targaryans can handle a bit more heat than most normal people, they like really hot baths and things like that, but that doesn’t mean they’re completely immune to fire, no.”

Furthermore, there are a number of clear examples in Martin’s works of Targaryens feeling the heat. As mentioned above, Viserys is burned when Khal Drogo gives him his golden “crown,” and Dany’s hair turns to ash as she walks through the pyre. She singes her hair when she gets too close to Drogon’s dragon fire, and her hands turn to ash when she touches a spear he breathed on. A dance with dragons. House of the DragonSource code from, Fire & Bloodalso contains several cases of Targaryens (including Aegon II) suffering injuries caused by fire.

Most of these illnesses are the result of battles between dragons, although at least one is self-inflicted (Prince Aerion Targaryen drank a cup of napalm-like wildfire, as one does). I haven’t run the numbers, but we’re willing to bet that more Targaryens die (or are seriously injured) by fire in Martin’s books than any other named character!

So don’t believe the Targaryen hype machine: As far as the A Song of Ice and Fire novels are concerned, they are not fireproof.

Are the Targaryens in the series “Game of Thrones” fireproof?

The HBO adaptation differs from Martin’s books on this point, but the answer is still yes and no. Daenerys is in it – but all the other Targaryens? Not so much.

Aside from the pyre stunt (which doesn’t even burn her hair like in Martin’s book), we see Dany shake off the fire several times throughout the film without so much as a blister. game of Thrones‘ for eight seasons. She takes scalding hot baths, handles scalding hot dragon eggs, has no problem standing next to Drogon’s fiery belches, and sets a room full of Dothraki warlords on fire without damaging anything other than her outfit.

In contrast, Viserys in the series suffers the same ignominious heat-induced death as in the books. He also winces in pain when a drop of hot wax falls into game of Thrones‘ first season. This so-called “dragon” couldn’t be less fireproof even if he tried. Jon Snow – a half-Targaryen, remember – is similarly susceptible to burns. In game of Thrones Season 1, Episode 8: Jon burns his hand when he throws a lantern at a revenant. He’s obviously not fireproof either.

So far game of Thrones As far as continuity goes, Dany is the only fireproof Targaryen, and this quasi-superpower is symbolic of her “true” Targaryen nature. With that in mind, showrunners David Benioff and DB Weiss have portrayed her as the “Chosen One” (albeit, as it turns out, in the style of Anakin Skywalker).

Are the Targaryens in House of the Dragon fireproof (even sometimes)?

While House of the Dragon is a prequel to game of Thrones The TV series follows the books’ lead when it comes to the Targaryens and fire. (This is hardly surprising, given that Martin co-created the series and serves as an executive producer.) The domino effect is that – as shown in Season 2, Episode 4 – Aegon, Princess Rhaenys and Prince Aemond are in grave danger when the pyrotechnics go off. They can withstand glancing waves of dragon fire, but a direct hit will set them ablaze.

That’s why Aegon is quite crispy in House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 5. This is also why Daemon has visible burn scars elsewhere in the episode and why aspiring dragon riders are cautious when approaching their potential mounts throughout the series. If House of the DragonIf the Targaryens play with fire (or fire-breathers), they’ll probably be as finished as everyone else in Westeros. Well, everyone except Daenerys Targaryen more than a century later — which creates a strange inconsistency in the overarching franchise story. (Not the only major change from this series, though.)

Is there a reason in the TV series that explains why Daenerys is the only fireproof Targaryen? Maybe. You could This discontinuity can be attributed to the fact that dragon fire is more powerful than ordinary flames. Certainly it is as hot as it gets and can melt stone fortresses (such as Harrenhal). This would explain Aegon’s condition as “grilled” as context-specific; nothing less than a Dragon can find a “true” Targaryen (whatever that means) in game of Thrones Universe.

Of course, this is pure headcanon for now, and Martin and House of the Dragon Co-creator/showrunner Ryan Condal may have a completely different explanation in mind. But if so, he hasn’t revealed it yet. And until then, the reason why only one member of House Targaryen is truly and honestly fireproof remains one of the series’ burning questions.