House of the Dragon might not have White Walkers, but the show’s cast is just as sprawling as Game of Thrones‘ was. Houses Targaryen, Hightower, and Velaryon aren’t the only ones destined to find themselves fighting in a civil war of fire and blood. The Dance of the Dragons will ensnare every important family in the Realm. But while the seeds of that battle have only just begun to sprout, the show’s third episode introduced a bevy of figures fated to play important roles in the coming conflict. Identifying the many characters of Westeros has never been easy, though. Fortunately, you don’t need a maester to know who everyone is, not even with all those “new” families. We’ll keep track of all the new major characters introduced on House of the Dragon right here.
New House of the Dragon Characters; Jump to: House Targaryen // House Hightower // House Velaryon // House Strong // House Lannister // Other Major Characters (Baratheons, Coles, and More)
House Targaryen
King Viserys bypassed his brother Daemon and named his daughter Princess Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne. But that was before Viserys had a son with his second wife, Alicent Hightower.
Aegon Targaryen (Son of Viserys and Alicent)
Queen Alicent gave birth to Aegon, her oldest child. She is also pregnant with another on the way.
House Hightower
Ser Otto Hightower is Hand of the King, father to the Queen, and grandfather to a Targaryen prince. But he’s not even the Lord of his own family. That title belongs to his older, clean-shaven brother, Lord Hobert Hightower, head of one of Westeros’s oldest and most important noble families. Still, Otto Hightower is an important new House of the Dragon character.
Lord Hobert Hightower
Lord Hightower wants to ensure his great nephew becomes king rather than Aegon’s older half-sister.
House Velaryon
Ser Corlys Velaryon, husband to Princess Rhaenys Targaryen (The Queen Who Never Was) abandoned his position as master of ships on the small council to fight in the Stepstones with Daemon Targaryen. Two major figures from House Velaryon joined him in the battle. Ser Corlys Velaryon ranks as highly important when it comes to new characters on House of the Dragon.
Laenor Velaryon
Ser Corlys’s oldest son Laenor (previously played by a younger actor) mounted his dragon Seasmoke to help defeat the Crabfeeder.
Laena Targaryen
Lord Strong suggested Laenor as a strategic suitor for Princess Rhaenyra, just as Strong once recommended King Viserys wed Laenor’s older sister, Laena.
Vaemond Velaryon
Ser Corlys’s brother Vaemond was ready to mutiny against Daemon Targaryen before their side’s victory in the Stepstones.
(Note: In the books,’ Vaemond is Corlys’s nephew, not his brother.)
New House of the Dragon Characters; Jump to: House Targaryen // House Hightower // House Velaryon // House Strong // House Lannister // Other Major Characters
House Strong
Lord Lyonel Strong of Harrenhal serves on Viserys’ small council as master of laws. He also has two sons whose monikers reflect their very different physical statures. We’re interested to see what these new characters bring to House of the Dragon.
Ser Harwin “Breakbones” Strong
Considered “the strongest knight” in the Seven Kingdoms, Ser Harwin “Breakbones” might not be the biggest knight in Westeros, but we saw how he earned his nickname during Viserys’ royal hunt. He was the only knight to hold the stag with his bare hands. Everyone else rode atop a horse.
Larys Strong, The Clubfoot
Harwin’s younger brother Larys is known as “The Clubfoot” because he was born with a twisted foot. He cited his foot as the reason he could not go on the royal hunt. Instead, he stayed at the King’s pavilion and quietly sat with the high ladies of the hunt. (That group included Lady Ceira Lannister and Lady Joselyn Redwyne, both creations of the show.)
House Lannister
The widowed Lady Ceira has twin sons, each of whom holds a major position in Westeros.
Jason Lannister
The older of the twins, the prideful, long-haired Jason Lannister is Lord of Casterly Rock and Warden of the West. Princess Rhaenyra spurned his offer of marriage, which he made after believing Prince Aegon had supplanted her as heir. His assumption also upset King Viserys, who called such talk “treason.” We wonder if we’ll see this new House Lannister character again on House of the Dragon.
Ser Tyland Lannister
Jason Lannister—who sports a shorter, neater haircut than his older twin brother—replaced Ser Corlys Velaryon on the small council as master of ships. His brother considers Tyland “frightfully dull.”
New House of the Dragon Characters; Jump to: House Targaryen // House Hightower // House Velaryon // House Strong // House Lannister // Other Major Characters
House Royce
House Royce of Runestone in the Vale is an old, noble family descended from the First Men. (They also played a significant role on Game of Thrones.) Though kings long ago, they are sworn bannermen to House Arryn. The Royce sigil features black iron studs and rune markings on a bronze field, which is where Daemon Targaryen got his uncouth nickname for his late wife.
Lady Rhea Royce
Prince Daemon hated his wife, Lady Royce, and the feeling was mutual. He killed the skilled rider (who was obviously much prettier than any sheep) after Lady Rhea fell from her horse. Since she died without an heir, Daemon plans to appeal to Lady Jeyne Arryn directly for the rights to Runestone, which he believes he should inherit as her widower.
Ser Gerold Royce
Lady Rhea’s cousin Ser Gerold Royce believes Daemon killed his wife, an accusation he made during a feast for Rhaenyra and Laenor’s wedding. But he was taken aback by Prince Daemon’s plans to claim Runestone as his own. The castle has been House Royce’s seat of power for thousands of years.
Other Major New Characters on House of the Dragon
Lord Lyman Beesbury
Lord Lyman Beesbury served as master of coin under King Jaehaerys. He continued in that role as part of Viserys’s small council.
Lord Commander Ser Harrold Westerling
Ser Harrold of House Westerling (House Lannister’s most important bannermen) serves as Lord Commander of King Viserys’ Kingsguard.
Ser Criston Cole
Criston Cole says his ascent to the Kingsguard is the highest honor anyone in his (minor) family from the Stormlands’s Dornish marches has ever achieved. It seems Ser Criston Cole has a major role to play as a new House of the Dragon character.
Mysaria
Prince Daemon’s paramour hails from the Free City of Lys in Essos. Daemon wanted to make her his second wife, but his brother and the laws of Westeros forbid the marriage.
Lord Boremund Baratheon
The Lord of Storm’s End in the Stormlands hosted Princess Rhaenyra during her tour of suitors. Lord Boremund Baratheon is the only son of Lord Rogar Baratheon and former Queen Alyssa Velaryon. She was first married to King Aenys I Targaryen and was mother to King Jaehaerys I.
Boremund has one son of his own, Borros Baratheon. He was also a supporter of his cousin Rhaenys Targaryen’s claim to the Iron Throne before swearing an oath to support Rhaenyra as Viserys’ rightful heir.
Grand Maester Mellos
The Grand Maester of King’s Landing has provided King Viserys and his family with subpar/questionable care thus far. His service has been bad enough to make us wonder if the Grand Maester Conspiracy theory is absolutely true and House Targaryen should be weary of the order. Mellos also served Princess Rhaenyra Moon Tea, a libation used to end a pregnancy, a vital secret that is already out.
Archmaester Orwyle
Archmaester Orwyle tried offering King Viserys a different, more effective course of treatment during House of the Dragon‘s fifth episode, but was mostly shut down by his boss, Grand Maester Orwyle.
New House of the Dragon Characters; Jump to: House Targaryen // House Hightower // House Velaryon // House Strong // House Lannister // Other Major Characters
Originally published on September 6, 2022.
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