The chilling patterns of dismembered bodies left behind by the White Walkers in Game of Thrones still haunt fans. These spirals were more than macabre decorations — they carried ancient symbolism from the Children of the Forest, known for their prophetic gifts. Now, in House of the Dragon, these eerie spirals have returned — only this time, they appear not on the ground, but on fabric.
In season two, a closer look at Helaena Targaryen’s costumes reveals spirals as a central decorative motif. This detail is no accident. Helaena, a mysterious figure with the ability to glimpse the future, possesses a gift that is chaotic, unstable, and enigmatic. Her visions — mirrored in the swirling patterns on her gowns — evoke pulsating stars or the flowing streams of the northern lights.
So why spirals? The answer lies in prophecy. The Targaryens’ gift of foresight, like the spirals, is intrinsically connected to the White Walkers. These creatures carved grotesque, spiral-shaped arrangements — a dark inversion of the symbols of the Children of the Forest, the ancient magical beings who once fought them. Coincidence? Hardly. In George R.R. Martin's world, nothing is ever random.
That Helaena is the only character adorned with this symbol hints at her crucial role in events yet to come. Although she lives amid civil wars, her visions reach beyond political conflict. House of the Dragon may be guiding us back to the inevitable: nearly two centuries before the events of Game of Thrones, the long winter already looms on the horizon.
