Olivia Barredo
October 18, 2022

HBO's House of the Dragon is the much-anticipated prequel to Game of Thrones. It tackles the story (and subsequent downfall) of House Targaryen a few centuries before the timeline of the Game of Thrones. Dahil sa kasikatan ng franchise na ito, it's no surprise that many teenagers and young adults want to watch it. The franchise is also known for graphic depictions of sexual themes and violence, which might not be the cup of tea of many mommies. Ang palabas na ito ay mga tema't eksenang hindi dapat makita ng mga bata, dahil maaring hindi pa nila ito lubos na naiintindihan. 

Maaring maanyayaan tayo ng ating mga anak upang manood kasama nila and it's perfectly fine to have reservations about it. However, it would be best if we, as parents, are there to help them understand certain themes or topics that they might not understand. Nakatutulong din na naroon tayo para mafilter natin ang mga concept na kailangang ipaliwanag nang mas masinsinan sa ating mga anak. Magagabayan din natin sila when there are some scenes that might not be suitable for younger audiences. 

Mga mommies, kung ikaw ay may pag-aarimuhan sa panonood ng House of the Dragon, narito ang mga dapat mong malaman bago kayo manood ng palabas na ito: 

3 Things Moms Need to Know Before Watching House of the Dragon

Ang House of the Dragon, tulad ng predecessor nito na Game of Thrones, ay mga theme at scenes na maaaring hindi pa lubos na maintindihan ng mga teenager. Dahil dito, kailangan natin silang gabayan while watching it. Nakatutulong din ang panonood nito, mga mommies, upang mas lalo nating maintindihan at makabonding ang ating mga anak. Apart from the usage of strong and explicit language, here are three things you should know about HBO's House of the Dragon.

Incestuous Relationships 

Let's first tackle the biggest elephant in the room of House of the Dragon (and Game of Thrones). Because of the lore that surrounds the series, the show's characters have incestuous relationships. Rhaenyra and Daemon Targaryen are married, but are niece and uncle, as the latter is the younger brother of Rhaenyra's father. There is also a discussion in the series about cousins and siblings being married to each other.

Maaring mahirap itong intindihin sa una, dahil ang konsepto ng mga incestuous relationship ay hindi masyadong napag-aaralan sa Pilipinas at nakikita bilang taboo. Ngunit, kailangan din nating unawain na ang kwento ng House of the Dragon ay naka-ayon sa kultura ng ibang lugar at sa may akda nito. Mainam na maintindihan din natin bilang mga magulang na nangyayari talaga ang mga ganitong relasyon sa ibang kultura. We need to explain to our children that, while this is not widely accepted, it still exists in some cultures and must also be respected. It might not sit well with us, but it helps to remember that House of the Dragon is set during medieval times, supposedly predating modern times by millennia. 

Graphic Depiction of Violence Throughout the Show

Right off the bat, this is already what many parents would consider a red flag because House of the Dragon depicts a lot of violence, gore, and blood. While it isn't present in all of its episodes, carrying of swords in public was legal during their time. Some altercations have led to sword fights, causing characters to lose body parts and/or death in many parts of the series. 

Ang pagkakaroon ng graphic depictions of violence ay madalas na isa sa mga mag-uudyok para sa mga parents na hindi na ipapanood sa mga anak nila ang isang palabas. But because of House of the Dragon's setting, violence and graphic depictions of death are something that moms should be ready for while watching the series with their kids. 

Depiction of Nudity and Sexual Content 

If you're already familiar with Game of Thrones before watching House of the Dragon, odds are, you will be ready for the sexual content that is presented throughout the series. While it appears less in House of the Dragon, there are still parts of the series that show nudity and depict sexual acts which parents should be ready for. The show also has depictions of certain fetishes that will need to be filtered by parents when they watch with their kids. 

Tulad ng violence, kailangan nating mafilter ang mga ganitong eksena sa mga bata. Maaaring makita siya bilang old school na paraan, pero kailangan ding handa tayong takpan ang mga mata nila para hindi nila makita ang sexual content. Mommies, be aware that sexual scenes in House of the Dragon will show out of nowhere, so it helps to be attentive to whatever is happening on screen.

As parents, we need to approach shows with mature themes and graphic depictions with an open mind. We won't be able to explain such content properly to our children if we do not want to see things with an open mind. May mga konseptong mas naiintindihan natin bilang mga magulang, kaya't mas maipapaliwanag natin ito nang maayos kung bukas ang ating isip at hindi ihahalo ang mga personal na paniniwala sa mga makakakita sa House of the Dragon. Dahil ang seryeng ito ay kathang-isip lamang, we need to acknowledge that our beliefs will not coincide with fiction. 

Laging tandaan, mga mommies: kailangan nating gabayan ang mga bata sa kanilang mga pinapanood. This should also serve as a learning curve for parents, especially if they are unfamiliar with the content or themes discussed in House of the Dragon. There is much to learn about societal issues in the series. They are well written and will need an open mind and a deeper understanding for us to grasp the concepts. House of the Dragon is a great show to watch, but it's definitely one that you might want to watch with your older kids.