All the House of the Dragon houses and characters you need to know

Conflict is formally right here in House of the Dragon, and the first episode of season 2 actually sees each side undergo losses — a son for a son, with a world way more tragic and treacherous than simply about any of them have been ready for at this level.

Nonetheless, this Dance of Dragons is simply warming up. And the noble houses of Westeros are already starting to select sides in the rivalry for the Iron Throne between Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) and Aegon Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney). The shifting political alliances and ever-expanding solid of characters could be arduous to sustain with, notably since so many weren’t featured in Recreation of Thrones. To assist you preserve monitor of the varied houses — and how they match into the Targaryen civil struggle — we’ll be updating this house-and-character information all through the season as to who’s Group Black and who’s Group Inexperienced.

[Ed. note: The following contains spoilers for House of the Dragon season 2 episode 1.]

House Targaryen

Declared for: It’s sophisticated (see beneath)

“Fire and Blood”
The royal home of Westeros. Their ancestral seat is Dragonstone, although they rule out of King’s Touchdown. Their sigil is a crimson three-headed dragon over a black subject.

Your entire present is about House Targaryen, so that is in all probability the one home you don’t need assist retaining straight (or a minimum of we’d hope). We’ll nonetheless go over the bullet factors right here, although, simply in case.

When House of the Dragon begins, Viserys I Targaryen is King of Westeros after a Nice Council had voted for him to succeed his grandfather Jaehaerys. Following the loss of life of his spouse Aemma Arryn and their new child son, Baelon, Viserys Targaryen named his daughter Rhaenyra as his inheritor, displacing his brother, Daemon Targaryen, from the line of succession. Viserys later chooses to marry Alicent Hightower, with whom he has a son Aegon, making a disaster of succession that units off the first Targaryen civil struggle, generally known as the Dance of the Dragons.

House Targaryen are pureblood Valyrians, and Viserys brokers a political alliance with one of the solely different Valyrian houses, Velaryon, when he instructions Rhaenrya to marry her second cousin Laenor Velaryon. Regardless of this — and the truth they’re associated — Daemon nonetheless pursues a wedding together with his niece Rhaenyra.

Being the household behind this complete mess of a civil struggle, House Targaryen is predictably cut up in phrases of allegiance. Whereas King Aegon sits on the throne in King’s Touchdown, Queen Rhaenyra stays in Dragonstone, with each claiming that they’re the rightful ruler of the Seven Kingdoms. By season 2, every has misplaced a son (Lucerys for Rhaenyra in the season 1 finale; Jaehaerys in the season 2 premiere of House of the Dragon for Aegon). They’ve additionally staked out group names and colours: Group Black for Rhaenyra and her cohort, Group Inexperienced for Aegon (see beneath).

House Hightower

Declared for: Group Inexperienced

Picture: Ollie Upton/HBO

“We Light the Way”
The rulers of Oldtown, the place the Citadel is situated. They maintain fealty to House Tyrell of Highgarden. Their sigil is a white tower topped by flames on a grey subject.

Of all the newly distinguished houses in House of the Dragon, Hightower is (clearly) the most essential to preserve your eye on. The home is headed up by Lord Hobert Hightower, whose youthful brother Ser Otto was Hand to King Viserys I Targaryen for a lot of his reign. Otto has two children, Alicent and Ser Gwayne, who’s principally again in Oldtown throughout the occasions of the present (although he participated in the event in the pilot). Otto inspired Alicent to get shut to the king after the loss of life of his spouse Aemma, main to Alicent and Viserys’ marriage and their son Aegon. Although, consequently of Otto’s behind-the-scenes machinations, Viserys dismisses Otto as his Hand.

After some convincing from her father, Alicent decides to combat for Aegon to be named Viserys’ inheritor. She all however declares struggle when she seems at Rhaenyra and Laenor’s marriage ceremony feast carrying a inexperienced costume.

In the end, Alicent and Otto conspired to put Aegon on the throne (roughly pondering they have been honoring Viserys’ needs), and whereas they survived the coronation, they did really set the stage for a struggle this time. Since then, “Team Green” (so named for the Hightower home colours) has been presiding over King’s Touchdown and the Seven Kingdoms, whereas attempting to recruit banners to their trigger.

Hightower holds fealty to House Tyrell, however in addition they have a number of vassals of their very own: Bulwer, Costayne, Cuy, and Beesbury, whose lord, Lyman, serves as Viserys’ Grasp of Coin.

House Velaryon

Declared for: Group Black

Picture: Ollie Upton/HBO

“The Old, the True, the Brave”
The rulers of Driftmark, an island in Blackwater Bay. Their seat is Excessive Tide, an island-castle off Driftmark’s coast. Their sigil is a silver seahorse over an aquamarine subject.

House Velaryon is one of the oldest (and wealthiest) houses in Westeros, with a Valyrian bloodline as historical as House Targaryen — as its present lord, Corlys “the Sea Snake,” loves to remind Viserys. The Velaryons are a Valyrian home, originating from Essos’ Valyrian Peninsula. Corlys is married to Viserys’ cousin, Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, dubbed the Queen Who By no means Was after she was handed over as Jaehaerys’ inheritor. Collectively, Corlys and Rhaenys have two kids, Laena and Laenor. Although Laenor is just not a member of House Targaryen, he’s the rider of the Targaryen-bred dragon Seasmoke.

Corlys, also referred to as Lord of the Tides, served as Viserys’ Grasp of Ships and instructions the Royal Fleet. His youthful brother, Ser Vaemond Velaryon, serves as commander of the Velaryon navy. Nevertheless, after Viserys rejects marrying the 12-year-old Laena in favor of Alicent Hightower, Corlys leaves his submit on the King’s Council and aligns himself with Daemon Targaryen in the struggle in opposition to the Triarchy. After the struggle, Viserys decides to marry Rhaenyra to Laenor to dealer a political alliance with House Velaryon, which by then had taken over the Stepstones.

Although Laenor “died” and Rhaenyra went on to marry Daemon, Corlys and Rhaenys stayed loyal to her trigger (a minimum of publicly; they speak some mad shit on their very own typically). Since Aegon’s coronation, House Velaryon has been working with Group Black.

House Robust

Declared for: Group Inexperienced (principally; see beneath)

Picture: HBO

A noble home of the Riverlands that holds fealty to House Tully. Their seat is the Harrenhal. Their sigil is a tripartite of blue, crimson, and inexperienced converging round a fist on white subject.

House Robust is dominated over by Lord Lyonel Robust, who acts as Viserys’ Hand after beforehand serving as his Grasp of Legal guidelines. His youngest son is the quiet schemer Larys Robust, and the oldest is Ser Harwin Robust, who is usually referred to as Breakbones and generally known as the strongest man in the Seven Kingdoms.

House Robust’s seat is Harrenhal, which hosted Jaehaerys I Targaryen’s meeting to select an inheritor. However between Harrenhal’s alleged curse and the indisputable fact that the seat was held by House Whent when Recreation of Thrones started, issues already aren’t wanting nice for House Robust’s future in House of the Dragon.

Or a minimum of, they weren’t, till two essential issues occurred: Ser Harwin Robust had a long-running affair with Rhaenyra, secretly (or “secretly”) fathering three of her kids. After which later, Larys blew up his brother and dad. The lordship handed to Larys’ nice uncle, so Harrenhal is susceptible to say the least. (Technically any Robust kids heirs are being dubbed “Valeryons,” so whereas they’re Group Black they don’t characterize the home.) However we know Larys has thrown his gauntlet in with Alicent and Group Inexperienced in an enormous approach.

House Cole

Declared for: Group Inexperienced

Picture: Ollie Upton/HBO

Stewards to House Dondarrion at Blackhaven, a fort in the Dornish Marches. Their sigil is ten black circles on a crimson subject.

We met the hunky Ser Criston Cole in the collection premiere when he defeated Daemon Targaryen in the Inheritor’s Event — a loss made extra spicy by the indisputable fact that Cole is common-born. Criston’s father is the steward to the Lord of Blackhaven, however regardless of technically being referred to as a noble home, House Cole is essentially regarded down upon in noble society for his or her “low-born” standing. Cole’s Dornish ancestry in all probability doesn’t assist issues both.

Whereas serving in the Kingsguard, Criston turns into very shut with Rhaenyra, and the pair consummate their relationship prior to her engagement to Laenor. However after she breaks up with him, he takes it fairly tough, and grows to hate her. Ever since, he’s been blissful to be part of up with Group Inexperienced, the place he nonetheless serves as commander of the Kingsguard and, as of season 2, began a sexual relationship with Alicent.

House Royce

Declared for: Undetermined

“We Remember”

The rulers of the Vale. They maintain fealty to House Arryn. Their seat is Runestone. Their sigil is black circles over an orange sq., surrounded by runes on a white subject.

Proud descendants of the First Males, House Royce holds fealty to House Arryn and has a vassal of their very own, House Tollett. Rhea Royce, the Girl of the Vale, was the first spouse of Daemon Targaryen, though the two loathed one another. Following Rhaenyra’s engagement to Laenor, Daemon murdered Rhea so as to clear the approach for his plots to marry Rhaenyra and declare Runestone for his personal. Nevertheless, Rhea’s cousin Ser Gerald Royce is aware of Daemon killed Rhea, and will doubtless problem Daemon’s inheritance.

House Royce was additionally reasonably featured in Recreation of Thrones, with its then-head Lord Yohn Royce taking part in a key rule in liberating Winterfell from the Boltons and electing Bran Stark to the Iron Throne.

House Westerling

Declared for: Undetermined

Picture: Ollie Upton/HBO

A noble home of the Westerlands that holds fealty to House Lannister. Their seat is the Crag.

Ser Harrold Westerling is a long-standing member of the Kingsguard, having begun his service beneath Jaehaerys’ rule. He at present serves as the sworn defend to Rhaenyra Targaryen. In Recreation of Thrones, the solely time House Westerling popped up was after they surrendered their seat to Robb Stark. Nevertheless, in the Tune of Ice and Fireplace books, this home performed a way more distinguished position, with Robb marrying Jeyne Westerling relatively than Talisa Maegyr, as he did in the collection.

House Lannister

Declared for: Group Inexperienced

Picture: Ollie Upton/HBO

“Hear Me Roar!”
The rulers of the Westerlands. Their seat is Casterly Rock. Their sigil is a golden lion on a crimson subject.

House of the Dragon has given us one other set of Lannister twins in season 1: Tyland and Jason, who, happily, will not be in a bootleg incestuous relationship. As befitting members of one of Westeros’ Nice Houses, each males maintain essential roles in the kingdom. After Corlys Velaryon left King’s Touchdown to combat in the Conflict of the Stepstones, Ser Tyland took over as Grasp of Ships. His brother Jason serves as the Lord of Casterly Rock. Throughout the royal hunt on Prince Aegon’s second nameday, Jason tried to win Rhaenyra’s hand however was promptly shut down.

Season 1 additionally noticed temporary appearances by a couple of different Lannisters — the twins have been joined at the royal hunt by their widowed mom Ceira and Brett, a relative whose actual connection to the household is unknown. However most essential to season 2 thus far is their temporary point out at Aegon’s small council assembly in the premiere, when Otto says their navies can be essential for breaking by means of Ser Corlys’ blockade.

House Stark

Declared for: Group Black

Picture: Ollie Upton/HBO

“Winter Is Coming”
The wardens of the North. Their seat is Winterfell. Their sigil is a working grey direwolf.

Whereas the Starks actually undergo it in Recreation of Thrones, we get a glimpse of the home’s halcyon days in the season 2 premiere, with Lord Cregan Stark exhibiting Jacaerys the Wall, and talking of the the Aristocracy of sacrifice and service (traditional Stark shit). Later, Jacaerys tells his mother that Lord Cregan has promised 2,000 males to their trigger, though we don’t hear the finer factors of the deal.

House Tully

Declared for: Undecided

“Family, Duty, Honor”
The rulers of the riverlands. Their seat is Riverrun. Their sigil is a leaping trout on blue-and-red mud.

One of the extra fascinating conditions on the checklist: Aemond and Aegon see Riverrun as a key space to management so as to shield King’s Touchdown. “Fat old Lord Tully will either raise my banner, or see his burn,” Aegon tells his Small Council. An awesome foot to begin an alliance on.

House Arryn

Declared for: Group Black

“As High as Honor”
The rulers of the Vale. Their seat is the Eyrie. Their sigil is a blue falcon hovering in opposition to a moon.

That’s proper, the household with the moon door! Those up in the Vale, the place Tyrion was as soon as held captive. Most of their point out right here has been in Jacaerys’ debrief to Rhaenyra: Girl Jeyne Arryn has pledged her help in trade for a dragon to guard the Vale.

House Greyjoy

Declared for: Undetermined

“We Do Not Sow”
The rulers of the Iron Islands. Their seat is Pyke. Their sigil is a golden kraken.

They haven’t gotten a ton of play in House of the Dragon but. However apparently Aegon is in need for a grasp of ships, and “young Lord Dalton Greyjoy” will get his identify thrown round.