New here? Start with this

House of the Dragon is a fantasy drama set generations before Game of Thrones, following the Targaryen royal family as it tears itself apart over who has the rightful claim to the Iron Throne. The conflict, known as the Dance of the Dragons, pits the dragon-riding claimant Rhaenyra Targaryen against her younger half-brother Aegon and his supporters within House Hightower and House Targaryen, who back a rival claim to the crown.

Alicent Hightower is Aegon's mother and a former queen who has spent the series torn between loyalty to her own children and doubts about the war they have started. Her son Aemond, an ambitious and volatile dragon rider, has become one of the most dangerous figures on his side of the conflict, while Alys Rivers is a mysterious woman residing at the castle of Harrenhal who has taken on a role as an adviser and confidante there.

The power struggle matters because it determines who sits on the Iron Throne and rules the Seven Kingdoms, with each new alliance or betrayal shifting which side holds the advantage as the war escalates. Harrenhal itself is significant as a strategically important stronghold, making any scheming that happens within its walls directly relevant to the wider battle for control of Westeros.