Phia Saban's Helaena Targaryen possesses some sort of powers in House of the Dragon, but many wonder if seeing the future is one of those.
Helaena was introduced in House of the Dragon Season 1 when she was a child, but she received the majority of her screentime and big moments in Season 2.
One of the most important scenes in the entire show (Blood and Cheese) featured Helaena front and center. In addition, she openly spoke incredibly important lines of dialogue that could hint at what is to come in House of the Dragon.
Helaena Targaryen's Powers in House of the Dragon
Although not explicitly confirmed through dialogue on-screen, it has been heavily implied that Helaena Targaryen is a dragon dreamer in House of the Dragon.
The term "dragon dreamer" derives from the nickname given to a Targaryen character in the world of Westeros named Daenys. Fans haven't seen Daenys on screen because she lived long before the events of House of the Dragon and was even an ancestor of Aegon the Conqueror.
Daenys was better known as Daenys the Dreamer because she had a prophetic vision or dream of the Doom of Valyria 12 years before it happened.
In House of the Dragon, Helaena similarly has dreams or prophetic visions of events before they happen and often speaks in riddles about her dreams, almost as if she is trying to warn the rest of the characters.
For example, in Season 1, she mentioned how Aemond would have to "lose an eye" before being able to claim a dragon, which eventually came true.
Throughout the rest of Season 1 and the entirety of Season 2, Helaena continued to prophecy future events, and nearly all of them came to pass aside from the ones that are still too far out to have been shown on-screen yet, such as when she told Aemond of his ultimate fate in the Season 2 finale.
Helaena's main power is dragon dreaming, but the Season 2 finale also confirmed something else that she can do that had not been even hinted at before.
During the scene in Harrenhal's Godswood when Daemon touches the Weirwood Tree and sees flashes of the future, he comes face-to-face with Helaena, who basically tells Daemon that he knows what needs to be done.
It is unclear if Helaena's involvement in that scene was one-sided and just something that Daemon saw in his vision or if she appeared to him through her mind.
However, the latter seems more likely, as directly after Daemon's vision ended, the show cut to Helaena in King's Landing and showed her outside, looking off into the distance and appearing almost in a trance.
Therefore, it is possible that her powers go beyond dreams and prophecies, and fans may be able to see her interact with other characters through their minds in the future.
How Helaena's Powers Have Grown Stronger
Since Helaena was first seen in House of the Dragon Season 1, it seemed as though she was a dragon dreamer. As mentioned, she prophesized that Aemond would have to have his eye taken before claiming a dragon, which came true.
After one of the major time jumps in Season 1, particularly the one that aged Rhaenyra and Alicent's children up enough to be recast, Helaena gave another warning when she said to "beware the beast beneath the boards."
This prophecy seemed more specific than Aemond losing his eye. She knew he would have to lose an eye, but she didn't know when or where. However, when she warned about the beast (which turned out to be Rhaenys' dragon breaking out of the dragonpit), it seemed as if she knew who the beast was, where it was, and what it would do.
The prospect of Helaena's powers growing stronger with time was further reinforced in Season 2, Episode 2.
When Aegon came into Helaena's room in that episode and asked where their son, Jaehaerys, was, Helaena almost whispered to herself, saying, "They only want the boy." A few moments later, she tells Aegon she fears "the rats."
This proved that Helaena's prophecies were growing even stronger because she knew of Blood and Cheese's intentions before they did themselves. It is important to remember that they were hired to find and kill Aemond, and they didn't make the decision to take Jaehaerys until they had entered the Red Keep.
So, Helaena knew they would take and kill Jaehaerys before anyone, proving that her dragon dreaming powers had reached an all-time high.
However, they still only grew stronger by the end of Season 2.
After appearing in Daemon's vision, Helaena was visited by her brother, Aemond. In this scene, Helaena revealed to Aemond that she knew he had intentionally burned Aegon at the Battle at Rook's Rest and that she saw him do it.
It is important to note that Helaena probably saw this earlier in Season 2 before it happened, but fans have to assume that it is still possible she can see into the past as well. While that may not be true, it still has to be considered until confirmed otherwise, and if true, that would make her even more powerful.
Helaena's conversation with Aemond didn't end there, though. She then gave him an extremely detailed description of events that would happen.
For example, she tells Aemond that "Aegon will be king again," that he will "sit on a wooden throne," and that Aemond "will be dead." She then explains exactly how Aemond will die, telling him that he will be "swallowed up in the Gods Eye" and "never seen again:"
"Aegon will be king again. He's yet to see victory. He sits on a wooden throne. And you... you will be dead. You are swallowed up in the Gods Eye, and you are never seen again."
Since Helaena's dreams have become so vivid to the point where she can describe them in detail, it is clear that her abilities have only become more powerful.
Do Helaena's Dreams Come True?
Helaena has a good track record of her prophecies coming true. Nearly anything she has said in the past has eventually happened, so many fans have to believe that her comments regarding Aegon and Aemond will also play out.
If the show continues to follow Fire & Blood (the source material for House of the Dragon), Helaena's comments will be spot-on.
In Aemond's case, he dies before Aegon and is killed when he battles Daemon Targaryen on dragonback above the Gods Eye (read more about Aemond and Daemon's battle to the death).
Specifically, Daemon jumps from his dragon, Caraxes, over to Aemond's dragon, Vhagar, and thrusts his sword into Aemond's eye, killing him and causing him to fall into the water below and be "swallowed up."
Helaena's words regarding Aegon also come true in the book. He eventually sees victory after his dragon, Sunfyre, burns and kills Rhaenyra, resulting in him being king yet again.
However, it is important to note that Helaena's prophecy is so accurate that she can see him sitting "on a wooden throne," which is her way of describing a wheelchair.
In the book, Aegon goes into battle again and gets severely injured a second time, making him physically unable to walk the steps up the Iron Throne. Therefore, when he becomes king again, he has to sit in a wheelchair at the foot of the throne.
So, if the show follows the book, Helaena's prophecy she tells Aemond will come true in the same way that she saw it in her dreams.
It is unclear when Helaena will eventually die in the show. If she lives, her dreams and prophecies may get even more detailed and stronger than they were at the end of Season 2.
House of the Dragon is streaming on Max.
Read more about House of the Dragon on The Direct:
What Happens to Rhaena & Sheepstealer? House of the Dragon Season 3 Spoilers from the Book Explained
Why Is Otto In Jail: What Happened to Him In House of the Dragon Season 2 Finale, Explained
Here's When House of the Dragon Season 3's Release Is Now Expected to Happen
Here’s Why House of the Dragon Season 2 Episodes 9 & 10 Were Cancelled
