This article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon season 2, episode 1.
Summary
House of the Dragonseason 2’s premiere subtly retconned House Stark’s history from George R.R. Martin’sA Song of Ice and Fireuniverse. Based onFire & Blood,House of the Dragontakes place during the Targaryen civil war that became known asthe Dance of the Dragons. While no significant roles were given to theStarks inHouse of the Dragonseason 1, season 2 opened in Winterfell and followed Prince Jacaerys Velaryon’s visit to the North. Now that the realm was at war, Jake needed to confirm the Starks' loyalty to his mother.
Cregan Stark may have sent Rhaenyra a few soldiers, but the Lord of Winterfell made it clear that the men of the North had to take care of their own problems, particularly regarding the Wall. The Starks helped protect the Wall for generations, plus there must always be a Stark in Winterfell. During their visit to the Wall, Cregan and Jacen discussed the history between their families. Once King of the North,Torrhen Stark pledged his loyalty to Aegon the Conqueror and was remembered as“the king who bent the knee.”
House Of The Dragon Changes Torrhen Stark Bending The Knee To Aegon The Conqueror
Cregan and Jace made it seem like Torrhen bent the knee in the North
The conversation between Jacaerys Velaryon and Cregan Stark inHouse of the Dragonseason 2, episode 1 strongly implied that Torrhen Stark knelt to Aegon Targaryen in the North. When visiting the wall, Jace talked about how their ancestors made a deal in that place. However,the last King of the North before the Conquest bent the knee at the Trident, not in Winterfell.Cregan then mentioned that at least Jace did not threaten him with a dragon, which also did not happen to Torrhen during Aegon’s conquest. No blood was shed during the North’s surrender.
King of the North
King of Mountain and Vale
King of the Rock
King of the Isles and the Rivers
King of the Reach
Meria Martell
Princess of Dorne
With most of the seven kingdoms already under the dragons’ wings,the King of the North and his bannermen marched south against the Targaryen.However, once Torrhen realized how large Aegon’s army had grown with the support of Riverlords, westermen, stormlanders, and men of the Reach, not to mention the three dragons, the King of the North reconsidered his plan. Some Northener lords advised Torrhen to attack anyway, whereas others wanted him to retrieve. In an arguably wise move, Torrhen sent his brother and three Maesters to negotiate the North’s surrender. Torrhen bent the knee, and no sword was burnt.
Why The Location Of Where Torrhen Stark Bent The Knee Matters
Things usually don’t end well for Starks in the South
Although it may seem like a small detail, the location where Torrhen bent the knee to Aegon the Conqueror is very important. The North, particularly Winterfell, had always been associated with the strength and resilience of the Starks. Worshipers of the Old Gods, the Northerners made a rather inhospitable land their home and helped protect Westeros from the threats behind the wall. A Stark will always be more powerful and dangerous in the North, which is whyhaving a Northerner lord in the South usually means that something is off.
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Torrhen bending the knee in the Trident was the first of several instances in which things did not end well for a Stark in the South, particularly when the Targaryens were involved.Rickard and Brandon Stark were executed by Aerys Targaryen, also known as the Mad King, after they marched to King’s Landing following the abduction of Lyanna Stark by Rhaegar Targaryen. Ned Stark found a similar fate, having been executed in King’s Landing by Joffrey Baratheon.Sansa Stark was made a prisoneraround the same time, not to mention Robb Stark’s disastrous war against the Lannisters.
Aegon’s Conquest Show Could Fix The Story Of Torrhen Stark
Torrhen marched South before he decided to surrender
Aegon’s Conquest, a newGame of Thronesprequel centered on Aegon Targaryen’s journey into becoming the first Lord of the Seven Kingdoms alongside his sisters, is in the works at HBO. If the project movie forwards,Aegon’s Conquestcould offer a more detailed, book-accurate version of Torrhen Stark’s surrender.It is unclear whyHouse of the Dragonseason 2 changed such a significant detail regarding Aegon’s conquest of the North, even though a conversation between a Stark and a Targaryen about the realm would likely reference the last King of the North.
House of the Dragonseason 1, episode 1 established that Aegon had a vision about the Long Night, which he called “A Dream of Ice and Fire,” before conquering Westeros. Torrhen Stark’s surrender may had to do with Aegon’s dream, although such a thing is not brought up inFire & Blood.
WhileHBO’sAegon’s Conquestshowcould double down onHouse of the Dragon’s Torrhen retcon, it would make more sense for it to depict Aegon’s victory over the North based on how it played out in the book. Cregan and Jace’s conversation can be interpreted as the Northerners’ perspective of what happened during the conquest – the Targaryen’s dragons caused Torrhen to bend the knee. The last King of the North may have considered his options back in Winterfell, but the surrender only happened at the Trident after Torrhen realized Aegon could not be defeated.
House of the Dragonseason 2 releases new episodes Sundays on HBO and Max.
House of the Dragon
Cast
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.
