A Prince That Was Promised is a term used for a person who would liberate the world from darkness. The first ruler of the Targaryen dynasty Aegon I saw a dream of the Great War and the White Walkers. Since then, he believed that the person who would unite the seven kingdoms of Westeros would originate from the Targaryen bloodline. And that’s what we saw at the end of House of the Dragon Episode 3.
Enthusiasts who have read George R.R. Martin’s books have been waiting to see the prophecy around the prince that was promised to get resolved soon. Game of Thrones came and went without putting an end to the predictions. So, fans have started seeking answers from the prequel series, House of the Dragon. Well, it is yet to be seen if the House of the Dragon comes up with an exact answer and allows us to meet the Prince that was Promised.
What’s Song of Ice and Fire
Song of Ice and Fire is the book that boasts the prophecy of the Prince that was Promised. However, it was way different from what we have heard so far. In the books, it’s stated there was a warrior named Azor Ahai who existed thousands of years ago. He was the creator of an enchanted sword named Lightbringer that he used to fight the lord of darkness. However, he had to pay a huge price to construct and unleash the true powers of the sword.
When he couldn’t succeed in the making of the sword even after going beyond his limits for several days, he finally thrust the sword through his wife’s chest. Apparently, Lightbringer showed its true potential after being combined with the poor woman’s soul.
A prophecy that was written five thousand years ago stated that Azor Ahai would be reincarnated as the prince that was promised when the darkness would take over the entire world. He will be the one who will once again show up with his magical sword and save the world from the dark forces.
Prophecies Around The Prince That Was Promised Explained
As the ancient Targaryen rulers had faith that The Prince That Was Promised would be from their lineage, there have been several candidates over the years who could or could not meet the criteria. Also, it’s worth noting that the prophecy was carved on a Valyrian steel dagger, and in Valyrian, “Prince” is gender-neutral. So, this Prince could have been a man or a woman.
Some of them tried to fit in while others were pushed by the followers of the light. Aegon I Targaryen carved his belief on the steel dagger that was passed on to the Targaryen kings who succeeded the throne.
When the dagger was passed on to Viserys I, he believed that Rhaenyra could be the one so he chose her as the heir to the Iron Throne. However, when he was on his deathbed, his second wife, Alicent Hightower, misunderstood his last words and made her first son sit on the throne.
After that, Melisandre, a red priestess, believed that Stannis Baratheon was the Prince That Was Promised. However, after Stannis’ death, Melisandre moved her faith somewhere else. After successfully bringing Jon Snow back to life, the priestess believed that he was the one. On the other hand, another red priestess in Volantis proclaimed Daenerys as the Prince That Was Promised. Now, you could say that The Prince Who Was Promised was supposed to defeat the Night King. Even though it wasn’t Jon Snow or Daenerys who killed the Night King, they were the people who united everyone against the White Walkers’ army.
Finally, there’s Arya Stark, who actually killed the Night King, and with the same Valyrian steel dagger that holds the prophecy. So, you could say that the Prince That Was Promised wasn’t a single person. It could have been Jon Snow or Daenerys or Arya Stark or maybe all three of them were the prophesized “Prince.”
In the books, The Prince That Was Promised was also believed to arrive from the Targaryen lineage. This warrior was supposed to be the reincarnation of Azor Ahai, a legendary hero who could move mountains with their might. It was never made clear in the books who exactly is or was the “Prince,” but there was a mention that the Prophesized Prince could be three people working together for a cause bigger than anything else in the world. If that is correct, the theory of Jon Snow, Daenerys, and Arya Stark being the “Prince That Was Promised” actually checks out.
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