HBO's critically acclaimed series, Game of Thrones, bears many of the signature hallmarks of fantasy: a sprawling narrative with a broad scope, epic battle sequences, fire-breathing dragons, magic, and prophecies. The most significant prophecy, which plays heavily into the show's plot, is that of The Prince That Was Promised.

• 

  Game Of Thrones

  *Availability in US

  Not available

  Not available

  Not available

• 

  House of the Dragon

  *Availability in US

  Not available

  Not available

  Not available

  Taking place about 172 years before the events of Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon tells the tale of the rise of the Targaryens, the only family of dragonlords to survive the Doom of Valyria. The popular HBO spinoff show first starred Milly Alcock and Emily Carey as Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower before they were replaced by Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke, who play the older versions of the characters. Also starring in the series is Matt Smith (Prince Daemon Targaryen) and Paddy Considine as Rhaenyra’s father, King Viserys Targaryen.

This prophecy, also known as the Song of Ice and Fire, which also happens to be the title of the book series the show is based on, is mentioned in the Game of Thrones successor show, House of the Dragon, and plays an important role there, too. But what is this prophecy exactly? And, more importantly, do we ever learn who it pertains to? Let's look at both shows and see if we can find the answer.

What Is the Prophecy of The Prince That Was Promised?

The Prince That Was Promised prophecy is first mentioned in the second season of Game of Thrones. At Dragonstone, Melisandre (Carice van Houten) conducts a ritualistic ceremony for her god, the Lord of Light, and for one of the five kings of Westeros, Stannis Baratheon (Stephen Dillane), who she believes (at that time) to be the Prince That Was Promised.

To Melisandre and anyone who believes it, the prophecy speaks of a catastrophic winter that will follow a long period of summer. During this winter, the dead will rise in the north, and a formidable darkness will fall upon the world. A hero, also known as Azor Ahai in the Lord of Light's religion, will rise up to defeat this threat and save the world from darkness.

Back in season two, the identity of the Prince was still a mystery to us. But we did know what the threat to humanity was: the White Walkers. The very first scene of Game of Thrones didn't include any major characters. It began with the White Walkers, those evil, frozen creatures of legend who can resurrect the dead to become soldiers in their undead army. Since then, fans knew that it was only a matter of time (a very long time, actually) before the White Walkers invaded Westeros. So when Melisandra spoke about this prophecy, we knew that there was some truth to it, even if the people around her were dubious.

The Prophecy's Gender in Its Original Language Is Unclear

The Prince That Was Promised is mentioned several times throughout Game of Thrones. But it's not until much later that an important distinction is made about the prophecy.

After she's banished from the North, Melisandre pays a visit to Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), who seeks to reclaim the coveted Iron Throne that was taken from her family. Melisandre and Daenerys speak about the Prince That Was Promised prophecy. But as her trusty interpreter Missandei (Nathalie Emmanuel) points out, Dany's translation of this phrase isn't quite accurate.

In high Valyrian, that noun doesn't have a gender, so the proper translation is actually "The Prince or Princess That Was Promised." This is a significant clarification that suddenly makes Daenerys a contender to be Azor Ahai.

Aegon's Prophetic Dream

The Prince (or Princess) That Was Promised doesn't just pertain to Game of Thrones. It's also mentioned in the prequel series House of the Dragon, where it has a major impact on the show's storyline, even though the prophecy doesn't come to fruition for another 200 years. King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine) takes his young daughter Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock), the future Queen, aside and shares a secret that's been passed down from Targaryen king to Targaryen heir.

As it turns out, the famous Aegon the Conqueror didn't conquer Westeros solely out of ambition. He had a prophetic dream (a dragon dream, it's called in the books) about the White Walkers and the frigid destruction that they'd bring.

Aegon also dreamed of a hero that would deliver the world from this darkness. "If the world of men is to survive, a Targaryen must be seated on the Iron Throne. A King or Queen strong enough to unite the realm against the cold and the dark," Viserys explains, alluding to the lack of gender in the prophecy. "Aegon called his dream 'The Song of Ice and Fire.'"

This is a pivotal, eye-opening moment in the series. In George R. R. Martin's books, it's stated that Aegon had a dream that inspired his conquest of Westeros, though the contents of this dream have yet to be explored.

It's also mentioned that Dany's older brother, Rhaegar, came across something in his scrolls that inspired him to become a warrior. After the birth of his son, Aegon, Rhaegar tells his wife Elia Martell, "He is the prince that was promised, and his is the song of ice and fire." Did Rhaegar come across a record of Aegon's dream in his scrolls?

So Who Was the Prince That Was Promised?

OK, so we've heard about this prophecy from both Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. And it's been five years now since nearly all of Westeros (damn you, Cersei) banded together at the Battle of Winterfell and triumphed over the White Walkers, just as Aegon had predicted. So who is the Prince That Was Promised? You'd think there would be a clear answer at this point, but sadly, there's not.

Solid arguments can be made for both Jon Snow (Kit Harrington) and Daenerys Targaryen, the two greatest contenders for the title. The prophecy states that this hero will be born in smoke and salt, announced by a bleeding star, awaken dragons from stone, wield a flaming sword named Lightbringer, and unite the Seven Kingdoms against the White Walkers.

Daenerys did much of this during Game of Thrones.She awakened dragons from stone (literally) and brought them back into the world. In doing so, she was reborn amid salt (the tears of her followers) and smoke (the funeral pyre). A shooting comet in the sky, featured prominently in the beginning of season two, also appeared shortly after this event. Daenerys joined Jon to fight the White Walkers, though she never wielded any swords. And, of course, she's a Targaryen as Aegon had foreseen.

And then, there's Jon Snow. In the books, a shooting star appeared the day that Jon was born. And when he's murdered in the books, Jon's brothers shed tears of sadness, while his wounds begin to smoke.

Unfortunately, these details were cut from the show. But there's still evidence that points to Jon being the Prince That Was Promised. As revealed in that epic twist, Jon is a Targaryen. He wields a sword made of Valyrian steel, which proves to be the weakness of the White Walkers, though it isn't called Lightbringer and isn't unique to other Valyrian swords. He's also the one who actively worked to unite the Seven Kingdoms and led them into battle against the White Walkers.

On top of that, there's a post from the official Game of Thrones Facebook page that denotes Jon as the Prince That Was Promised, though for all we know, that was written by some intern. As Melissandre says in Game of Thrones, "Prophecies are dangerous things." Their details are vague, ambiguous, and left to interpretation.

It seems more evident that both Jon and Daenerys, together, are the Prince or Princess That Was Promised. They both shared clear signs of the prophecy, and it was ultimately their union that defeated the White Walkers and saved mankind.