Game of Thrones aired its last episode three years ago, and now George R. R. Martin is back, bringing new meaning to “pregaming thrones.” House of the Dragon takes us back to Westeros, 172 years before the birth of Daenerys Targaryen. That way we don’t have to relive her complete destruction of King’s Landing in the series finale, which left most fans feeling burned. Fans do, however, get to experience a different fiery conflict—the House Targaryen’s dragon-fueled fight from the Iron Throne. Martin worked with show-runners Ryan Condal and Miguel Sapochnik (the veteran Thrones director) to depict Westeros at the height of Targaryen’s empire, in contrast to the family’s near-extinction at the start of Game of Thrones. Expect Red Wedding-level drama. —Clara Molot