House of the Dragon, HBO’s upcoming Game of Thrones prequel show, premieres later this month. HBO recently made a bevy of beautiful photographs available. Let’s ogle them, starting with what is very likely a scene from the top of the first episode, where we’ll get a glimpse of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen (Michael Carter) before his death:
![House Of The Dragon, beautiful photos of the first episode 12 House of the Dragon. Photograph by Ollie Upton / HBO](https://news.estereofonica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ie-90726-1024x683.jpeg)
We didn’t know if we were going to see Jaehaerys, but I’m glad he’ll show up at least for a second, since the story of House of the Dragon — a brutal civil war for succession — has its origins in his death, and the choice of who should succeed him.
That person is Jaehaerys’ grandson King Viserys I Targaryen (Paddy Considine), who will be sitting the Iron Throne for most of the first season.
![House Of The Dragon, beautiful photos of the first episode 13 House of the Dragon. Photograph by Ollie Upton / HBO](https://news.estereofonica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ie-90740-1024x683.jpeg)
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Viserys is chosen over his cousin Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Best), although there are many who think she had the better claim.
![House Of The Dragon, beautiful photos of the first episode 15 House of the Dragon. Photograph by Ollie Upton / HBO](https://news.estereofonica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ie-90735-1024x683.jpeg)
That includes her husband Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint), one of the most powerful lords in the Seven Kingdoms during this time.
![House Of The Dragon, beautiful photos of the first episode 16 House of the Dragon. Photograph by Ollie Upton / HBO](https://news.estereofonica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ie-90733-1024x683.jpeg)
![House Of The Dragon, beautiful photos of the first episode 17 House of the Dragon. Photograph by Ollie Upton / HBO](https://news.estereofonica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ie-90725-1024x683.jpeg)
Then there’s Viserys’ little brother Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith), whom Viserys initially makes his heir.
![House Of The Dragon, beautiful photos of the first episode 18 House of the Dragon. Photograph by Ollie Upton / HBO](https://news.estereofonica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ie-90739-1024x683.jpeg)
![House Of The Dragon, beautiful photos of the first episode 19 House of the Dragon. Photograph by Ollie Upton / HBO](https://news.estereofonica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ie-90737-1024x683.jpeg)
Ah, but Daemon is a bit of a wild child with a taste for blood and battle. There are those among Viserys’ inner circle who vehemently oppose the idea of him being first in line to become king, most prominently the Hand of the King Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans).
![House Of The Dragon, beautiful photos of the first episode 20 House of the Dragon. Photograph by Ollie Upton / HBO](https://news.estereofonica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ie-90719-1024x683.jpeg)
Otto works with his daughter Alicent Hightower (played by Emily Carey as a young woman and by Olivia Cooke as an adult) to destabilize Daemon’s claim to the Iron Throne. Otto works on Viserys in the small council, and Alicent exerts influence on the king as his new wife.
![House Of The Dragon, beautiful photos of the first episode 21 House of the Dragon. Photograph by Ollie Upton / HBO](https://news.estereofonica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ie-90736-1024x683.jpeg)
![House Of The Dragon, beautiful photos of the first episode 22 House of the Dragon. Photograph by Ollie Upton / HBO](https://news.estereofonica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ie-90745-1024x683.jpeg)
![House Of The Dragon, beautiful photos of the first episode 23 House of the Dragon. Photograph by Ollie Upton / HBO](https://news.estereofonica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ie-90721-1024x683.jpeg)
![House Of The Dragon, beautiful photos of the first episode 24 House of the Dragon. Photograph by Ollie Upton / HBO](https://news.estereofonica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ie-90720-1024x683.jpeg)
Eventually, Viserys will decide to name as his heir his daughter Rhaenyra Targaryen (played as a young woman by Milly Alcock and as an adult by Emma D’Arcy).
![House Of The Dragon, beautiful photos of the first episode 25 House of the Dragon. Photograph by Ollie Upton / HBO](https://news.estereofonica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ie-90732-1024x683.jpeg)
![House Of The Dragon, beautiful photos of the first episode 26 ie 90723](https://news.estereofonica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ie-90723-1024x683.jpeg)
Rhaenyra is a very important character, so there are a lot of pictures of her, including this one with Lord Commander of the Kingsguard Ser Harrold Westerling (Graham McTavish):
![House Of The Dragon, beautiful photos of the first episode 27 ie 90734](https://news.estereofonica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ie-90734-1024x683.jpeg)
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And she is attending her father during Small Council meetings, learning the ropes of rulership:
![House Of The Dragon, beautiful photos of the first episode 29 ie 90729](https://news.estereofonica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ie-90729-1024x683.jpeg)
And here’s Viserys imparting wisdom to his daughter at the foot of the skull of Balerion the Black Dread, one of the most important of the Targaryen dragons:
![House Of The Dragon, beautiful photos of the first episode 30 ie 90741](https://news.estereofonica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ie-90741-1024x683.jpeg)
As the heir apparent to the Iron Throne, Rhaenyra naturally has lots of potential suitors interested in her. In her early life, one of the most prominent is a young knight named Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel).
![House Of The Dragon, beautiful photos of the first episode 31 house of the dragon beautiful photos of the first episode ie 90722](https://news.estereofonica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/house-of-the-dragon-beautiful-photos-of-the-first-episode-ie-90722-1024x683.jpeg)
![House Of The Dragon, beautiful photos of the first episode 32 ie 90724](https://news.estereofonica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ie-90724-1024x683.jpeg)
As Rhaenyra gets older, she strikes up a romance with…well, with her uncle Daemon. Targaryen incest is in full swing during this period, I’m afraid.
![House Of The Dragon, beautiful photos of the first episode 33 ie 90727](https://news.estereofonica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ie-90727-1024x683.jpeg)
But one of Rhaenyra’s most important relationships is with Alicent Hightower. Although Alicent goes on to become Rhaenyra’s stepmother, the two girls are actually pretty close in age and grow up together at court. In their youth, they have a very close friendship:
![House Of The Dragon, beautiful photos of the first episode 34 ie 90731](https://news.estereofonica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ie-90731-1024x683.jpeg)
![House Of The Dragon, beautiful photos of the first episode 35 ie 90742](https://news.estereofonica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ie-90742-1024x683.jpeg)
Unfortunately, that sours as they get older and their ambitions fork in different directions. Rhaenyra still wants to succeed her father on the Iron Throne, but Alicent wants her sons by the king to be the new heirs. Their conflict will lead to a lot of pain in the Seven Kingdoms.
![House Of The Dragon, beautiful photos of the first episode 36 ie 90728](https://news.estereofonica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ie-90728-1024x683.jpeg)
War is ugly enough by itself. But in this case, it’s made much worse because there are dragons involved. Rhaenyra rides Syrax while her uncle Daemon rides Caraxes.
![House Of The Dragon, beautiful photos of the first episode 37 house of the dragon beautiful photos of the first episode ie 90743](https://news.estereofonica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/house-of-the-dragon-beautiful-photos-of-the-first-episode-ie-90743-1024x576.jpeg)
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Who will sit the Iron Throne? A new battle begins very soon.
![House Of The Dragon, beautiful photos of the first episode 39 House of the Dragon. Photograph by Ollie Upton / HBO](https://news.estereofonica.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ie-90738-1024x683.jpeg)
House of the Dragon premieres on HBO and HBO Max on August 21.
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