The Starks may have been the heroes in Game of Thrones, but House of the Dragon will show a different side to the northern family. House of the Dragon is adapted from George R.R. Martin’s book Fire & Blood, an exploration of House Targaryen’s family line and history in Westeros, with a focus on the climactic civil war, the Dance of the Dragons. Beginning approximately 200 years before Game of Thrones’ timeline, House of the Dragon will depict the fear-inducing sides of House Targaryen and House Stark that were rumored in the original series.
While House Stark served as the primary protagonist in Game of Thrones, the historic family will be taking the backseat for the majority of House of the Dragon. As House of the Dragon depicts the Targaryens at the height of their dynasty, the prequel series introduces a more cynical approach to the realm amidst blood, fire, and vengeance. House Stark’s family members were all found to be sympathetic figures in Game of Thrones, but the prequel series’ lead Targaryens, along with most of the characters surrounding them, will struggle to maintain a pervasive likability throughout the series.
After revealing that House Stark will appear in House of the Dragon season 1, anticipation for the iconic Game of Thrones family to return grew. However, it should be noted that House Stark depicted in House of the Dragon will not be the same House Stark remembered in Game of Thrones. The family’s role in House of the Dragon will become important once Rhaenyra and Cregan Stark seal the Pact of Ice and Fire, but this allegiance may not occur until season 2. The most important event for the Starks in House of the Dragon will occur at the very end of the war with the Hour of the Wolf, which will be the moment that truly explains why Southern lords long considered the Starks hard, unyielding, and bloodhungry – a significant contrast to their merciful depiction in Game of Thrones.
Cregan Stark And The Hour Of The Wolf
Above all throughout Game of Thrones, House Stark is seen as both merciful and honorable, as taught by Ned Stark. These traits contributed to a more sympathetic and appealing connection to House Stark as viewers cheered on the family to prevail above their enemies, with an understanding that their decisions were made with motivations of peace, justice, and honor within the realm. House of the Dragon‘s Cregan Stark, however, will paint a different picture of the Starks as he and the Northmen travel down to King’s Landing after both Rhaenyra Targaryen and Aegon II Targaryen have perished.
Known as the Hour of the Wolf, Cregan leads the Northmen after they miss the end of the fighting, though they still remain thirsty for blood and battle. Sworn to Queen Rhaenyra’s side, Cregan’s arrival at King’s Landing saw him briefly take over the role of the Hand of the King as he prepared to execute dozens of individuals who were traitorous to either Rhaenyra or her Iron Throne rival Aegon II. Unforgivingly seeing this as the only way to truly end the Dance of the Dragons, Cregan’s wrath was noted by those at King’s Landing as unyielding in mercy for those on either side.
Even as lords and advisors around him pleaded that he grant mercy to certain lords like Corlys Velaryon, Cregan was intent on beheading anyone who he alone deemed worthy of his sword. In the end, the only two people who could convince him to show mercy to the Sea Snake were Black Aly, his future wife, and King Aegon the Younger. Cregan was prepared to behead dozens of individuals in succession until they began pleading to take the black instead. As a Northman, Cregan understood the need for men of the Night’s Watch, with this being the only reason that he allowed anyone to escape his “justice.” Only two characters were beheaded, with the rest opting to take the black. Unlike Game of Thrones’ Ned Stark and his children, who would have shown far more mercy in this situation, House of the Dragon’s Cregan Stark exhibits a far more brutal and uncompromising side to the historic family.
