House of the Dragon Adds History to One of the Most Important Weapons in Game of Thrones

The legendary weapon known as the catspaw dagger popped up a few different times in Game of Thrones. The weapon is seen early on in the original Game of Thrones series, wielded by an assassin attempting to kill Bran Stark. Eventually, it makes its way into the hands of Arya Stark, and she uses it to kill the Night King, stopping the winter from taking over Westeros. The weapon has always had a deep and important history in Game of Thrones, and the latest episode of adds even more context, making it even more important.

WARNING: This article contains major spoilers from the latest episode of Game of Thrones! Continue reading at your own risk…

The catspaw dagger is shown in the first episode of House of the Dragon, as the vision known as the “Song of Ice and Fire” is explained to Rhaenyra. We knew that the weapon had importance to the Targaryen family, and it was widely known that it was once wielded by Aegon the Conqueror, passed down through the family ever since. At the end of “King of the Narrow Sea,” Viserys tells Rhaenyra a bit of extra history about the dagger.

He reveals that the dagger belonged to Aenar Targaryen, before it was passed down to Aegon. Aenar was a dragonlord of Old Valyria and a pivotal figure in House Targaryen. Aenar’s daughter, Daenys, is the one known as “the Dreamer,” and she had the vision to leave Old Valyria before it was destroyed. Aenar listened to his daughter and left the city, ultimately settling in Dragonstone.

Aegon also has a dream, the one known as the Song of Ice and Fire, the prophecy of Winter taking over Westeros. Viserys reveals to Rhaenyra that the catspaw dagger is a physical representation of that devastating vision. As he puts the dagger into a flame, Aegon’s words are illuminated, “From my blood come the prince that was promised, and his will be the song of ice and fire.” 

The dagger was always intended to take down the Night King when he arrived in Westeros, but his death was meant to come at the hands of the Prince that was Promised. Arya is the one who ultimately uses the weapon to kill the villain in the series, but that part of the story hasn’t been written in George R.R. Martin’s book series.