The Dance severely upended both the Targaryen dynasty and the political balance of the Seven Kingdoms, not just for the sheer loss of life, but also because it kickstarted the extinction of the family’s primary method of ensuring their vast power over Westeros: their dragons. It would take another 20 years after the end of the Dance, in 153 AC, for the last Targaryen dragon to perish (until Daenerys revives the line during Game of Thrones‘ first season), meaning by the time of Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, there are still very few people alive to have seen a dragon at all, let alone the creatures at their height prior to the Dance. Just as House Targaryen is in an era of peace (before some major status quo changes occur) during this time, the remainder of the Great Houses—Stark of Winterfell, Tully of Riverrun, Greyjoy of Pyke, Lannister of Casterly Rock, Martell of Dorne, Tyrell of Highgarden, and Baratheon of Storm’s End—are likewise going through periods of relative quiet during the events of the show.
Author: James Whitbrook
Published at: 2026-01-20 22:00:44
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