The following contains spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 1, Episode 7, "Driftmark," which debuted Sunday, Oct. 2 on HBO.

HBO's Game of Thrones proved to viewers that it wasn't a series that showed mercy to any of its characters -- including animals. Now its spinoff House of the Dragon has beaten Game of Thrones by allowing children to be pawns in the adults' power play. In the process, the series is calling back to a devastating bargain made in the first season of Game of Thrones.

In Game of Thrones Season 1, Episode 2, "The Kingsroad," the royal party stopped at the Inn at the Crossroads. Joffrey Baratheon and Sansa Stark were off bonding in the hope that they'd be married in the future, while Arya Stark and the butcher's boy Mycah were play fighting. Being the annoying boy he was, Joffrey mocked Arya and Mycah -- drawing his own sword against them after things get violent. Arya's direwolf Nymeria attacked Joffrey to protect her. Joffrey told his parents of the attack, claiming Arya and Nymeria assaulted him first. The scene escalated quickly, with all the children blaming each other and Cersei egging Joffrey on.

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game of thrones season 1 episode 2

Cersei demanded Nymeria be executed, but Nymeria had run away at this point, so she gleefully suggests Lady be executed. Knowing the argument will never go the Starks' way, Ned volunteered to kill Lady. In that singular scene, Cersei showed her power by being her a more present ruler who took action, unlike Robert, who didn't care too much about the incident between the children. And Ned showed how much of an honorable man he was -- to the point he'd anger his children by doing anything to avoid further fighting.

House of the Dragon almost replicates this scene to a tee in Season 1, Episode 7, "Driftmark," whether intentional or not. Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower's children get into a nasty brawl that ends with Aemond Hightower losing an eye after provoking. As Alicent lives up to fans' perception of being the next Cersei Lannister, she demands Lucerys' eye be taken out. Even Ser Criston Cole knows this action is taking it too far, but he's willing to do it because he doesn't have much more honor to lose. Thankfully, Viserys still has a little power left in him -- despite his forgetfulness and absentee ruling style -- and defends his grandchildren.

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An image of Rhaenyra and Alicent fighting in House of the Dragon

But Alicent is too full of her pride to let this go. She attacks Lucerys, with Rhaenyra shielding her son. There is no Ned Stark to carry out an absurd compromise, so Alicent has to do it herself. It's a bigger betrayal than Alicent's marriage to Viserys will ever be -- once you attack someone's child, there's no going back. Comparing the two incidents, it's revealing how much hasn't changed in nearly 200 years. Mothers will do anything to exact revenge for their children, even if it means hurting another child. Standing in their shadow is a king who couldn't care less about their children's scandals... unless they're expected to inherit the throne one day.

Are the numerous Game of Thrones parallels purposeful on House of the Dragon? What's now called the "Green Wedding" is already being compared to the Red Wedding and there are so many Littlefingers in House of the Dragon that it's hard to keep up with them. But now fans know that kids will always be kids -- and that the adults around them will do anything to gain power, even through violence.

New episodes of House of the Dragon air Sundays at 9:00 p.m. on HBO and stream on HBO Max.