House of the Dragon: Game of Thrones quietly spoiled a major forthcoming twist

A major forthcoming twist in House of the Dragon was seemingly spoiled back in Game of Thrones.

Like its predecessor, the hit spin-off is based on the literary work of George RR Martin.

As was the case with Thrones, House of the Dragon has attracted a substantial fanbase of viewers unfamiliar with the written source material.

However, even steering clear of the books might not be enough to insulate everyone from spoilers – it turns out a major character death was spoiled as far back as Game of Thrones season three.

Unless you’re particularly observant, however, odds are you wouldn’t have noticed it.

Major spoilers for House of the Dragon follow – you have been warned!

The spoiler in question is contained within the season three episode “And Now His Watch Is Ended”.

In the episode, King Joffrey reveals the fate of Rhaenyra Targaryen (played by Milly Alcock and, later, Emma D’Arcy in House of the Dragon).

One scene in particular sees Joffrey accompany Margaery Tyrell to Rhaenyra’s gravesite.

“Rhaenyra Targaryen was murdered by her brother – or rather, his dragon,” Joffrey says. “It ate her while her son watched. What’s left of her is buried in the crypts down there.”

Rhaenyra’s brother, Aegon Targaryen, has only just entered House of the Dragon as a baby. Her son is yet to be born.

Episode three of House of the Dragon did provoke some complaints from viewers, who claimed to have identified a plot hole in one key action set piece.

House of the Dragon continues every Sunday night on HBO in the US, and early on Monday in the UK on Sky and NOW.