House of the Dragon Season 2: Epic Battle Scene in Episode 4 Highlight a Gaping Plot Hole About Daenerys That Game of Thrones Never Filled

Spoiler Alert!

Finally, the fans of the Game of Thrones franchise got to see another epic dragon vs. dragon battle scene in Episode 4 of House of the Dragon Season 2, and it did not disappoint. But one thing in particular has caught the attention of hardcore fans that hints at a plot hole in Game of Thrones.

Viewers took notice of how all the Targaryen dragonriders were using saddles and reins. It’s a detail that adds to the realism of riding these massive creatures. But when Daenerys was riding on Drogon 200 years later, she didn’t have any of that riding gear.

The Missing Saddles in Game of Thrones

In House of the Dragon, there are scenes in which characters like Rhaenyra and Daemon wear proper riding gear when it comes to dragons. It makes sense because if one is flying on such a massive creature at such heights and at such a pace, then obviously one would need something to hang on to. Netizens have taken to social media to address this issue.

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However, in Game of Thrones, suddenly Daenerys is showing some serious acrobatics and grip strength as she is flying on Drogon’s back without any help from equipment. This has led to some pretty interesting theories from fans trying to explain the inconsistency in the plot.

One idea is that maybe Daenerys just didn’t bother with saddles. The Mother of Dragons doesn’t need any saddle kind of attitude. But even the dragon mom would probably need some safety gear when she is hundreds of feet in the air.

By the time of Game of Thrones, the number of dragons had become much fewer, and the ones that were around were much smaller in comparison with the earlier dragons, which may be the reason why there was not so much of a requirement for such equipment.

Another theory says that the knowledge of how to make dragon saddles was lost when House Targaryen fell or when all the dragons died in the Dance of Dragons and it kind of makes sense. If no one has been riding dragons for generations, who is going to remember how to make the gear?

Another reason might be that during the time of the Targaryen dynasty, it was a more serious affair, and dragon fights were a realistic possibility. Having a saddle was therefore a necessary requirement, as it was used quite often. By Daenerys’ time, she probably could not imagine that she would be fighting other dragonriders in the future.

The Dance of the Dragons in House of the Dragon Season 2

The Dance of the Dragons is the civil war between two Targaryen factions, and it has properly begun in the show, and the amazing battle scene in Episode 4 of House of the Dragon Season 2 is proof of that.

The episode showed the Battle of Rook’s Rest and it was epic. The Greens were trying to cut off Dragonstone from the mainland by launching an infantry attack on the castle. Criston Cole lured the Blacks into sending a dragonrider to defend Rook’s Rest, setting up a trap with the massive Vhagar.

Rhaenys and her dragon Meleys put on a good fight against the giant Vhagar. Aegon II also showed up on Sunfyre, trying to take on Rhaenys, but he was not exactly winning any awards for his fighting skills.

The family drama escalated when Aemond betrayed Aegon. This fight reveals not only the grandness of the dragon fight, which is the central event of the Dance of the Dragons but also the loyalties and betrayals in this conflict. It is the first time viewers have seen Targaryen dragonriders facing off in combat like this, and it rivals anything seen in Game of Thrones.

House of the Dragon Season 2 and all seasons of Game of Thrones are streaming on Max.