House of the Dragon Season 2: Who Are Torrhen and Cregan Stark and What the Rats Mean?
House of the Dragon Season 2 begins with the Targaryens in conflict, with Rhaenyra suffering the death of her children and a journey to the north, where the Starks are called to be part of the battle and declare their loyalty. On the other side, the Hightower council plans its strategy, Otto wants to wait for the right moment and act with measure to avoid a tragedy, but Aegon seems desperate to eliminate Rhaenyra and her enemies to strengthen his reign and protect his throne. Now, the family is at the point of no return, the war is very close and everyone around must decide who to support and try to find a way to make some profit, which is exactly what Lord Larys is doing, who continues gaining more control over Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke).
Not only did Larys choose all the members of her queen’s staff, which leaves her not knowing who she can trust in her own palace, but she is also still moving around the castle and collecting relevant information, even trying to get closer to Aegon to win. more influence. Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) is in mourning and everything gets worse when she finds the remains of her son and her dragon, who were killed at the end of season 1 by Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) when he intercepted them while they were trying to reach the Baratheons to ask for his help and loyalty in battle. Rhaenyra wants the crown, but she also wants revenge and this suggests that this war will be completely brutal.
House of the Dragon Season 2: Who are Torrhen and Cregan Stark?
Prince Jacaerys Targaryen, Rhaenyra’s eldest son, manages to reach the north to meet with the Starks, there, he is received by Cregan Stark, who tells him about one of his ancestors called Torrhen Stark, an important character in the history of the Targaryens and the North. Torrhen is known as The King Who Knelt, as he decided to bend the knee and declare his loyalty and support to Aegon the Conqueror, giving his army of Northmen to support him during his conquests and helping him obtain the Iron Throne. Cregan is the son of Rickon Stark and a descendant of Torrhen, and Jacaerys seeks to appeal to that ancient alliance to gain Stark support for the fight for Rhaenyra.
It is Cregan who tells him that he cannot leave the north unprotected and that most of his men need to stay at The Wall, claiming that there is something very dangerous on the other side, but he promises to send his Gray Beards, who are old men, but who still can and want to fight, to join his army. With this, Rhaenyra is guaranteed the support of the north. In the books, Jace and Cregan reach an agreement known as the Agreement of Ice and Fire, where they agree to the marriage of their children to strengthen their alliance.
Who is Cregan Stark?
Cregan was the eldest son of Lord Rickon Stark and Lady Gilliane Glove r. Following the death of his father in 121 AD, Cregan became Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North at the age of thirteen. During his minority, his uncle Bennard Stark ruled the North for him. When Cregan turned sixteen and came of age, Bennard was slow to cede power to him, which is why the relationship between uncle and nephew became increasingly tense. Lord Cregan Stark, known as the Old Man of the North, was head of House Stark and, as such, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North during the reigns of Viserys I, Aegon II, and three other kings whose names we will not reveal because they constitute spoilers for the Serie.
He married Lady Arra Norrey and their youngest son, Brandon, will become his successor. Through it, Cregan’s line will lead directly to Ned Stark. He will also lead Lyanna Stark, who marries Rhaegar Targaryen before giving birth to Jon Snow. Cregan also had a bastard sister, Sara Nieve, whose mother’s identity is unknown in the book and who likely has a presence later in the series.
What Role Does it Play in the Dance of Dragons?
Cregan will keep his promise and end up playing an important role in the Dance of the Dragons, but most likely we will not see him again until the third season, since the events in which he stars will take place in the year 131 AD. C., that is, two years after the present of the narrative. The reason the Starks have so little presence in this historical period, other than during periods of peace they had no reason to visit the South, is primarily geographical. Winterfell is quite far from King’s Landing and Dragonstone, which makes each visit a considerable odyssey since they do not have dragons. Instead, they rely on horses and boats, taking weeks to make the journey. Although he will end up being considered one of the most important Starks in the history of Westeros, he has not yet earned that title.
What Is the Rats Helaena Talks About?
Helaena Targaryen, sister, and wife of Aegon II, continues to have visions at the beginning of the second season, and in the first chapter, she talks about her concern for rats, which echoes the rat Viserys saw in season 1. Aegon thinks Helaena is mentally ill and can’t understand what she wants to say, but her comment about the rats is a kind of premonition that something bad is going to happen, and that’s exactly what happens later in the chapter.
A Son for a Son?
While Aemond recognizes that Alicent plotted to usurp Viserys’ throne, Daemon (Matt Smith) hears Rhaenyra’s plea for revenge and carries out a plan to assassinate him, hiring a rat catcher and a criminal to infiltrate the palace. The assassins are loaded with rat traps, to have an excuse in case someone happens to see them, but they do not know the place well and end up in the room of Aegon II’s children and, after his mother gives him up to save his daughter, his son is murdered. Helaena runs to Alicent’s room and informs her what has happened, and at that moment it becomes clear that Aegon no longer has an heir, and this weakens his position as king. This revenge marks a clear trend among the Targaryens, where each offense is confirmed to unleash an even greater attack.
