HBO
Fans have a lot of questions after watching the amazing Game of Thrones Season 7 premiere. But one little detail that’s really bugging viewers is about Dragonstone. Exactly why is it empty?
Spoilers for the Season 7 premiere are below.
At the very end of the episode, Daenerys and her fleet arrive at Dragonstone, No one is there to greet them. When they get to the gate, no one is there either and they are able to just pull open the gates and walk right on in.
Then they go inside the castle, only to find it’s completely empty too. Why is it deserted?
The last person to have control of Dragonstone was Stannis, who was there with Melisandre and his people. He left to help Jon and took all of his men with him. Once Stannis died, it’s likely that there was simply no reason for anyone else to stay behind. Although Dragonstone is very hard to lay siege to, it also has little day-to-day use. You can’t grow crop there, for example. So more than likely, once Stannis was gone and the island, which is controlled by the crown, reverted to the Lannisters. Knowing this, the people who were still there had no reason to stay. So they all left.
Here’s a little background on Dragonstone.
It was once the seat of House Targaryen, and when the series began it was controlled by House Baratheon. More specifically, it was controlled by Stannis, who felt being given Dragonstone was an insult. But for the Targaryens, whoever sat on the throne there was the next in line for the Iron Throne.
The castle was built using advanced Valyrian techniques. Daenerys was born in Dragonstone, and her mother Queen Rhaella Targaryen died giving birth on a stormy night. Dany and Viserys were smuggled away from Dragonstone because Robert Baratheon was searching for them.
But by Season 1, Stannis had control of Dragonstone. He and Davos and Melisandre, along with many other people, were living there. The last time we saw Gendry was in Season 3, when he was being held at Dragonstone by Melisandre for blood leaching. Davos freed Gendry and sent him to King’s Landing on a rowboat. However, it’s not known if he actually made it there.
In Season 4, Stannis left Dragonstone to help the Night’s Watch at the Battle of Castle Black and never returned. This is probably when everyone left.
