Despite being the main focus of Game of Thrones, the Starks, Lannisters, and Baratheons are barely mentioned in HBO’s “House of the Dragon.” The first episode of the 10-episode inaugural season of House of the Dragon premiered on Sunday, and subsequent episodes will air on Sundays at 9 PM Eastern. There is a reason why the Starks, Lannisters, and Baratheons seem to be playing such a minor role in this incarnation of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire universe.
King Viserys I and who will take his place on the Iron Throne are the main subjects of “House of the Dragon.” Viserys was chosen to succeed his grandfather, King Jaeherys I, at the Great Council of 101 AC (After the Conquest), which took place before episode 1. This established a precedent that the Iron Throne shall always pass through the patriarchal line and to a male. Despite the established practice, Viserys designates his firstborn daughter Rhaenyra as his successor. This was depicted at the conclusion of episode 1, and it prepares the Targaryens for their impending civil war, which would come to be known as The Dance of Dragons. Currently, Targaryen, Velaryon, and Hightower are the three principal houses that make up “House of the Dragon.”
Although the Starks, Lannisters, and Baratheons won’t likely play a significant role in “House of the Dragon” right away, they will start to show up more regularly as the series goes on. Lord Ellard Stark backed Rhaenys, the Queen That Never Was, over Viserys at the Great Council in 101 AC. In part, this was because King Jaeherys made the Starks cede land to the Night’s Watch. This framed who the Starks would support in the Dance of the Dragons. While the Lannisters have long been partners with the Hightowers, the Baratheons are likewise in the minority in their support for Rhaenys. The Dance of Dragons’ factions and sides are all established in this manner.
How The Starks and Lannisters Fit Into The Narrative Of “House Of The Dragon”
It is unclear when the Starks, Lannisters, and Baratheons will start to appear as significant characters because “House of the Dragon” will undoubtedly take several seasons to complete the story that is the Dance of the Dragons. The houses of Westeros must decide between Rhaenyra and Alicent Hightower, who will later marry Viserys I during the impending civil war. The Ice and Fire Pact, which Lord Creggan Stark makes, commits him to Rhaenyra’s side. If a member of the royal family marries a Stark in “House of the Dragon,” he will back Rhaenyra’s claim to the throne. Alicent Hightower’s claim is backed by the Lannisters, who frequently occupy office on the Small Council and are led by the twins Tyland and Jason. After the death of Lord Boremund, his son Borros changes the Baratheons’ support from Rhaenyra to Alicent.
The significant impacts in the realm that the great houses of Stark, Lannister, and Baratheon acquire during the Game of Thrones events are a result of these events. It might take some time before viewers meet significant figures from these houses in “House of the Dragon” if it stays true to the source material. However, their appearance is inevitable because they are essential to the plot and, of course, they also provide the audience a sense of familiarity by linking it to Game of Thrones.
How King’s Landing Differs From Its Appearance in “House of the Dragon”