House of the Dragon explained: Every Helaena Targaryen prophecy to come true so far

*Warning - The following article contains spoilers from House of the Dragon seasons 1 and 2*

In the first season of House of the Dragon, ailing King Viserys (Paddy Considine) asks: “What is the power of a dragon next to the power of prophecy?” Tragically, despite her father’s unshakeable belief in the importance of prophecy, Helaena Targaryen’s (Phia Saban) predictions continue to go unheard by the rest of her family. 

In the opening episode of season 2, she foretold yet another terrible future event, as her young son Jaehaerys was decapitated in front of her eyes despite her cryptic warning to her husband and brother, King Aegon Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney) about “rats” in the castle. However, this isn’t the first time the dreamer has made an accurate prediction, as she has proved she is capable of seeing the future and prophesying incidents on multiple occasions. 

While she has accurately foretold several major House of the Dragon plot points to date, the notion of her being a seer is unique to the HBO adaptation of George R.R Martin's books. And it surely won't be long before someone realises she possesses an extraordinary gift.

Let’s take a moment to look back at all of Helaena's accurate prophecies from the Game of Thrones spin-off thus far.

"He will have to close an eye."

In Season 1, Helaena's debut on-screen prediction was immediately significant. When they are children, Rhaenyra Targaryen’s sons Jace and Luke - as well as Alicent Hightower’s son Aegon - successfully form bonds with their dragons, while Alicent’s younger son Aemond expresses fears that he is yet to claim his own.

His mother Alicent consoles him, promising he'll secure his dragon soon enough. Helaena overhears this interaction and ominously whispers: "He will have to close an eye."

Not long after, Aemond finds himself embroiled in a skirmish with Luke and receives a facial cut from a knife, causing him to lose an eye. Only after this eye is "closed" does Vhagar, the most enormous known dragon in Westeros, acknowledge him as a rider.

"Hand turns loom; spool of green, spool of black, dragons of flesh, weaving dragons of thread."

This renowned spider prophecy from Helaena outlines the impending civil war between Rhaenyra (Team Black) and Alicent (Team Green), an event historically referred to as The Dance of the Dragons.

She privately relayed this forecast to her sibling and future spouse Aegon as they observed a spider at Driftmark during the funeral for Laena Velaryon, Prince Daemon Targaryen’s second wife.

"Beware the beast beneath the boards."

As one of her more gruesome predictions, Helaena delivers this cautionary message during the jovial Targaryen dinner in Season 1, Episode 8, titled The Lord of the Tides.

In the subsequent episode The Green Council, while the Blacks and Greens plot to seize the Iron Throne following Viserys' demise, she receives a visit from her mother Alicent. Once again, she warns of “the best” but it falls on deaf ears.

The dramatic scene unfolds as Rhaenys, astride her formidable dragon Meleys, erupts through the Dragonpit's floor during Aegon's crowning ceremony, causing chaos and death before soaring away to side with Rhaenyra.

"I'm afraid ... Not of dragons. Of rats."

Throughout the first season, Helaena has expressed a profound aversion to rats, and in the opening episode of Season 2, she voices her fears mere days before Daemon Targaryen's sinister Blood and Cheese assassination scheme is set in motion.

Despite sharing her trepidations with her brother and husband Aegon, Helaena's concerns are brushed off.

This leaves her vulnerable when Blood and Cheese, who was previously employed as a ratcatcher at the Red Keep, infiltrate the castle with the intent to avenge Luke's death by murdering his killer, Helaena’s other brother Aemond.

While their search for Aemond is fruitless, they encounter Helaena and her young twins, Jaehaerys and Jaehaera. Under duress, Helaena identifies her son, the heir to Aegon, then escapes with her daughter, while Jaehaerys meets a grisly end.

What will Helaena predict next? Make sure you’re listening closely and heed her prophecies well.

House of the Dragon season 2 airs in the UK on Mondays at 2am BST (British Summer Time) on Sky Atlantic and NOW. The same episode also airs again on Monday at 9pm.