Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1544153
32 PROP CULTURE I SPRING 2026 From its first glint of Valyrian steel, the Catspaw dagger proved that even the smallest of props can become a storytelling cornerstone. Introduced in Game of Thrones, Season 1, as the blade used in the attempted murder of Bran Stark, the dagger set off a chain reaction that drove much of the season, framing Tyrion Lannister and leading Catelyn Stark to spark a war that would consume Westeros. The dagger was threaded through the narrative until it was used by Arya Stark to kill the Night King, ending "The Long Night." Its legacy deepened further in House of the Dragon where the dagger resurfaced in a tense confrontation between Alicent and Rhaenyra that sparked an unraveling that would also culminate in war. Its design also evolving as King Viserys placed it in the fire to reveal a prophecy engraved on its blade. According to Game of Thrones weapons master Tommy Dunne, the design was inspired by an Impala deer antler bone he acquired from South Africa. For its return, Tim Lewis, master armourer on House of the Dragon, wanted to feel like it was the same blade we had seen before, but that the metal furniture on the hilt had been changed over the centuries. He worked closely with the showrunners to have the dragon bone handle resculpted and selected a rippling pool pattern for the etching on the blade. SCENE STEALERS Cornerstones: GAME OF THRONES and HOUSE OF THE DRAGON Game of Thrones Property Master GORDON FITZGERALD Game of Thrones Weapons Master TOMMY DUNNE House of the Dragon Property Master LEE WISEMAN House of the Dragon Master Armourer TIM LEWIS GAME OF THRONES HOUSE OF THE DRAGON