The following article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 1, Episode 1 "The Heirs of the Dragon," which debuted Sunday, Aug. 21 on HBO.

House of the Dragon is creating a new generation of heroes and villains. The eagerly anticipated Game of Thrones spinoff is also showing a much different version of Westeros than what audiences are used to. Under Targaryen rule, Westeros was more prosperous and had many more years of peace than what was seen in Game of Thrones. If House of the Dragon is looking to equal or even surpass its predecessor, creating a different Westeros is a great start to providing a new experience.

House of the Dragon takes place almost 200 years before the events of Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow. It shows the Targaryen Dynasty at the pinnacle of their power. The series boasts numerous dragons, large set pieces and big battles. Instead of constant poverty and depression, House of the Dragon has already begun to paint a brighter picture of the Seven Kingdoms.

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Matt Smith House of the Dragon

King's Landing -- home of the Red Keep and the seat of power for the Seven Kingdoms -- is completely different in the first episode, "The Heirs of the Dragon." In Game of Thrones, the city was a cesspool of poverty, starvation, disease, and filth. In the opening of House of the Dragon, the city is clean, shiny and appears to be full of wealth. While crime still fills some of the streets, the new Gold Cloaks bring more order to the city than was ever seen in Game of Thrones. As a whole, the city seems more wholesome and less corrupt.

The characters also look and behave differently. Their armor is more ornate and the codes of chivalry seem more strict. Daemon Targaryen's splendid armor is a fine example of the change in appearance, and even the notoriously cruel Daemon is showing signs of being chivalrous. The ladies of the court -- like Rhaenyra, Rhaenys, and Alicent Hightower -- give symbols of their favor to knights who ask for them. The realm and its people seem more civilized than in the time of Game of Thrones.

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house of the dragon targaryen family portrait

Another huge difference between the two series is that House of the Dragon highlights the presence of dragons in Westeros. The Targaryens' power came from their dragons. They never needed to threaten people or work hard at intimidation because the dragons provided all the leverage they needed. The Targaryen dragons prevented wars, ended conflicts quickly and helped to keep the Seven Kingdoms at peace. This meant more money in the Crown's coffers, which allowed for a more prosperous Westeros. While the dragons are seen as weapons of war, their presence and the power they gave the Targaryens helped to build an incredibly wealthy empire.

House of the Dragon feels like stepping into familiar surroundings, yet Westeros is stronger than ever. The show's more positive depiction will certainly change as the series goes on and the Dance of the Dragons breaks out. Until then, audiences can enjoy seeing parts of the Seven Kingdoms that they didn't see in Game of Thrones and learning how the Targaryens improved the realm and the lives of its citizens.

House of the Dragon airs Sundays at 9:00 p.m. on HBO and streams on HBO Max.