WARNING! This article contains SPOILERS for House of the Dragon season 2, episode 6!
Summary
House Lannister’s association with lions isn’t just limited to their family sigil, as their army has actual caged lions marching with them inHouse of the Dragon. The sigils of noble houses inGame of Thronesplay an important role in their power, symbolism, and often the traits of their family, with the franchise putting the greatest emphasis on the shared bonds betweenHouse Targaryen and their dragonsand House Stark and their direwolves. WhileGame of Thronesdoesn’t feature any lions at Casterly Rock,House of the Dragon’s Lannisters are shockingly heading into battle with them.
Jason Lannister reaches the Golden Tooth inHouse of the Dragonseason 2, episode 6 with lions in tow,a detail that wasn’t included in George R.R. Martin’sFire & Bloodbook. The lions being in cages indicates they aren’t as easily tamed by or personally connected to the Lannisters as dragons are to Targaryens or direwolves are to Starks, but they do add another terrifying layer toHouse of the Dragon’s already catastrophic, dragon-heavy war. Though the Lannisters’ lions had never been seen in the TV franchise before this episode, their inclusion has some basis in book lore.
There Really Were Caged Lions At Casterly Rock
Game Of Thrones' Books Include References To Lions Historically Being At Casterly Rock
The Lannisters possessing lions isn’t farfetched inHouse of the Dragon, as Martin’s books have alluded to the species inhabiting the Westerlands in the past. The novelA Dance with Dragonsreveals thatlions roamed the hills of the Westerlands prior to the arrival of the Andals, and would supposedly even make dens in Casterly Rock. The franchise’s histories claim that Lannister kings owned lions, but sadly they’re all believed to have been killed beforeGame of Thrones. Thus, there are likely very few lions held at Casterly Rock or roaming wild in the Westerlands duringHouse of the Dragon’s timeline.
House Of The Dragon Already Changes How You See The Lannisters
House of the Dragon episode 3 introduces a pair of Lannisters into the series. However, these Lannisters are much different from their descendants.
Martin’sA Dance with Dragonsbook also includes a segment whereCersei recalls caged lions being kept at Casterly Rock when she and Jaime were children. While wild lions were supposedly still around when their grandfather Tytos Lannister was the Lord of Casterly Rock, the caged ones from their childhood appear to be some of the last lions from that era. Oddly, when Cersei became Queen of Westeros in the HBO show, she mentioned wantingelephants for battle inGame of Thrones, but made no mention of lions.
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A Lion Could Be Very Useful In Battle
Direwolves Similarly Proved Useful During Combat In Game Of Thrones
While nothing compared to a dragon in battle,a lion being unleashed to attack enemies in combat can be a great asset for House Lannisterand Team Green. However, since there’s no indication that Lannisters ever had deeper magical connections to lions like the Starks and Targaryens to the animals of their sigils, they’ll find it much harder to control the lions in battle should they be uncaged. Still, likeJon Snow’s direwolf Ghostbeing incredibly useful while traveling beyond the Wall, the lions inHouse of the Dragoncould devastatingly terrorize enemy forces in the Dance of the Dragons.
House of the Dragon
Cast
House of the Dragon is a 2022 fantasy drama set in the world of Westeros, chronicling the Targaryen dynasty at its height. The story revolves around King Viserys’s controversial decision to name his daughter Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne, sparking tensions and divisions within the realm.
