SPOILERS for Fire & Blood, the book House of the Dragon is based on.
Summary
HBO’sHouse of the Dragonreturns for its second season with new additions to the already expansive cast. The fantasy drama is a prequel toGame of Thrones, a series known for its enormous ensemble cast, with characters spread across the continent of Westeros, representing different noble houses and organizations. While theHouse of the Dragoncastis slightly smaller due to the more intimate, centralized family drama set in King’s Landing, there’s still a significant number of characters to keep track of, with new additions only adding to the potential confusion.
House of the Dragonseason 1 set the stage for a conflict between Targaryen factions regarding the succession of the Iron Throne. The civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons begins in season 2, withthe Black and Green factionsrecruiting various houses from across the continent to join their side.At the end of season 1, Daemon also poses the idea that the Black faction should open up the opportunity for new riders to bond with the unclaimed dragonsroaming Dragonstone. Most new cast additions are important nobles joining one of the sides or potential dragonriders.
8Cregan Stark
Played by Tom Taylor
The Starks of Winterfell made up many of the main characters on Game of Thrones, yet they’ve been primarily absent fromHouse of the Dragonso far. In season 1, Lord Rickon Stark was seen swearing fealty to Rhaenyra after Viserys declared her as his heir, and the Northern family will have a chance to make good on that promise in season 2. On theHouse Stark family tree,Cregan Stark is the son of Lord Rickon and the great-great-great-great grandfather of Ned Stark. By the start of the Dance of the Dragons, Cregan Stark is Lord of Winterfell.
In theHouse of the Dragonseason 1 ending,Rhaenya’s son, Jacaerys Velaryon, ventured north to delegate with House Arryn of the Vale and House Stark, hoping to bring them to their side. Season 2 will open with Jacaerys' meeting with Cregan Stark, with images showing that they’ll take a trip together to visit the Wall. InFire & Blood, Jacaerys and Cregan form a quick bond, as they’re both around the same age, leading them to swear an oath of brotherhood after drinking and hunting together.
Played by Clinton Liberty
Dragonseeds are bastards of Valyrian descent
Addam of Hull is one of the many dragonseeds introduced inFire & Blood. Dragonseeds are bastards of Valyrian descent, making them prime candidates to become dragonriders, with Addam eventually claiming the dragon Seasmoke. In the book, Addam and his brother Alyn are allegedly the sons of Laenor Velaryon. Due to the often unreliability ofFire & Blood’stext, with the book proposing events from multiple viewpoints, many fans even theorized that AddamwasLaenor, returning to Westeros to aid Rhaenyra and his family in winning the war.
Changes inHouse of the Dragonseem to have made that null. Clinton Liberty’s casting confirms that Addam isn’t Laenor Velaryon, and due to the actor’s age, he isn’t Laenor’s son either.House of the Dragonhas redirected the narrative to have Addam be the bastard son of Corlys Velaryon. For the most part, his narrative can still follow the same path, as Seasmoke is riderless regardless of Laenor still being alive in the show. Addam lives on Driftmark, the home island of House Velaryon, working in the shipyard.
Every House Of The Dragon Character Who Was Recast, When, & Why
House of the Dragon’s family tree can be confusing to follow, even more so with all the time jumps. Here’s every character that’s been recast.
6Alyn Of Hull
Played by Abubakar Salim
Alyn of Hull is Addam’s brother and is another dragonseed who grew up in the shipyards of Driftmark, just under their father’s nose. He’s played by actor Abubakar Salim in season 2, with photos shown of him having scenes with Steve Toussaint’s Corlys Velaryon. Speaking withEW, Toussaint explained,“One of the things that Corlys is having to deal with is past indiscretions coming back to haunt him,“regarding his narrative in the second season. Lord Corlys is known to have a strong relationship with his wife, Rhaenys Targaryen, but it’s common for Westerosi lords to father bastards.
Alyn of Hull is the primary Valyrian bastard who doesn’t bond with a dragon
InFire & Blood, Alyn of Hull is the primary Valyrian bastard who doesn’t bond with a dragon, instead being scarred for life trying to tame the wild dragon Sheepstealer. In George R.R. Martin’s world, dragons who have had previous riders are easier to tame, and Sheepstealer has been wild its whole life, adding to his challenge. Alyn still has a vital part to play in the Dance of the Dragons, despite not joining his brother as a dragonrider. Lucerys Velaryon was Lord Corlys' previous heir, and with his death,Alyn becomes the best option to continue the Velaryon line.
5Gwayne Hightower
Played by Freddie Fox
Audiences have technically seen Gwayne Hightower inHouse of the Dragonseason 1, though he’s played by a stunt double and has a helmet covering his face. In the series premiere, he’s seen competing in the tournament, losing to Daemon in a jousting match, causing Ser Otto to grimace.Gwayne Hightower is Alicent’s brother and Ser Otto’s youngest son, making him a knight and high-ranking member of House Hightower’s military force, which will mobilize for the Greens in season 2.House Hightower’s historyand culture are barely explored in season 1, despite two main characters being from the family.
Gwayne Hightower is played by actor Freddie Fox, and though he’s going to be a supporting character, there are some significant changes to his book counterpart. InFire & Blood, Gwayne Hightower has been in King’s Landing, and at the start of the Dance of the Dragons, Ser Otto assigns him a rank among the City Watch. The TV show has Gwayne leading forces to battle in the Dance, meaning his arc could receive some changes.
4Simon Strong
Played by Simon Russell Beale
House Strong was introduced in season 1 through Lord Lyonel and his sons Harwin and Larys. Though Larys is the only one of the trio that remains, his great-uncle, Ser Simon Strong, joins the cast for season 2, played by legendary stage actor Simon Russell Beale. Following Lord Lyonel and Ser Harwin’s murder, Larys became the ruling lord of Harrenhal, a strategic location in Westeros that’s been visited before inGame of Throneson several occasions. However,as Larys spends much of his time operating in King’s Landing, Ser Simon is left as Harrenhal’s castellan.
Simon Strong’s storyline will tie in primarily with Daemon Targaryen, whose first move in the Dance of the Dragons is to capture Harrenhal. InFire & Blood, Simon surrenders the fortress upon seeing Caraxes, who’s among the most feared of themany dragons inHouse of the Dragon. Daemon actor Matt Smith hasn’t shied away from offering praise for Simon Russell Beale’s performance in season 2, as the pair share many scenes together.
3Alys Rivers
Played by Gayle Rankin
Alys Rivers is another character whose path will cross with Daemon Targaryen, as she’s a bastard of House Strong who lives in Harrenhal castle. InFire & Blood,Alys is considered to be a witch capable of seeing visions, adding to the mystique of Harrenhal. While much of her story is tied to Aemond Targaryen in the text, she’ll be interacting with Daemon at least in the early parts of season 2, as he’s going to be occupying Harrenhal.
Given that Daemon isn’t too active in this part of the Dance, much of his season 2 story arc is about reckoning with his internal conflict. Matt Smith explains toUSA Todaythat"He’s haunted by the present and his feelings about the past,“tying into Alys' visions. Audiences spotted the possibility ofAemma Arryn’s returnin theHouse of the Dragontrailers, which has been widely tied to Alys creating visions for Daemon, allowing him to viscerally experience his past actions. InFire & Blood,Alys becomes Aemond’s lover after his recapture of Harrenhalfor the Greens.
How Old Every House Of The Dragon Character Is
House of the Dragon’s timeline grew confusing in season 1 with multiple jumps. Here’s how old each of the main characters is at the start of the war.
2Hugh Hammer
Played by Kieran Bew
Hugh Hammer is another dragonseed who becomes a pivotal character inFire & Blood, and he’s played by actor Kieran Bew inHouse of the Dragonseason 2. Unlike Alyn and Addam, Hugh’s parentage is unknown, and he’s known as a large man born to a blacksmith in Dragonstone. While the series could raise questions about Hugh’s lineage, his Valyrian blood may be traced back centuries. After all, many with Valyrian blood survived the Doom of Valyria, living in cities around the world.
As for Hugh’s story, the most critical aspect of his character is thathe claims the dragon Vermithor. Vermithor has been seen inHouse of the Dragonseason 1’s finale, with Daemon singing to the old dragon, who’s been kept at Dragonstone. Vermithor was previously the dragon of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen and is one of the largest and most powerful dragons alive, making Hugh a highly influential figure as soon as he becomes its rider.
1Ulf White
Played by Tom Bennett
Ulf is another dragonseed who’s played by actor Tom Bennett in season 2. Like Hugh, Ulf is a Valyrian bastard whose parents are unknown, meaning his bloodline can be traced back centuries. InFire & Blood,he claims the dragon Silverwing, which was previously ridden by Queen Alysanne, the sister-wife of King Jaehaerys I. Silverwing is one of the more docile dragons alive at the time, but she’s still on the older side, and dragons in Martin’s world continue to grow as they age.
Ulf is a soldier at the time of the Dance of the Dragons, meaning he already has some battle experience going intoHouse of the Dragonseason 2. He and the other dragonriders are crucial to how the civil war plays out, as they bolster Rhaenyra’s already superior dragon numbers. However,House of the DragonandGame of Thronesare shows where people often misuse the power they’re granted, and it will be fascinating to see how the dynamics between these riders play out as they’re established.
Sources:EW,USA Today
House of the Dragon
House of the Dragon is a 2022 fantasy drama set in the world of Westeros, chronicling the Targaryen dynasty at its height. The story revolves around King Viserys’s controversial decision to name his daughter Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne, sparking tensions and divisions within the realm.
