His name has been mentioned multiple times on House of the Dragon, but given everything else going on, it would be easy to underestimate just how important Harwin Strong is.
The Strongs are a powerful House who don’t appear in the original Game of Thrones series but plays a major role in the prequel, not unlike the Hightowers. From their seat in Harrenhall, the Strongs are slowly beginning to amass power and influence in King Viserys. Lyonel Strong is on the Small Council as the Master of Laws; he’s been one of the few to give Viserys good advice that doesn’t appear self-interested.
But in the overall arc of the story, Lyonel will be less important than his two sons, Harwin and Larys. Larys “The Clubfoot” Strong made a brief appearance in Episode 3; he was the guy with the mangled foot who asked if he could hang out with the women in the tent, since his disability prevents him from going hunting. His elder brother Harwin also appeared, leering at Rhaenyra as she returned to camp with a dead boar in tow.
Harwin goes by the nickname “Breakbones.” Why? Simple: he breaks bones. Harwin is known throughout Westeros as the strongest knight in the realm. Audiences can expect to see why he got this nickname when he gets into a tournament.
Harwin also appears in Episode 4; at this point he’s joined the Gold Cloaks, and briefly encounters Rhaenyra when she’s out with her uncle Daemon, disguised as a boy. He recognizes her but lets her be on her way. It’s a small moment that’s easy to miss, but Harwin’s treatment of Rhaenyra at this moment foreshadows their relationship to come.
Beware: There are SPOILERS for the remainder of House of the Dragon season 1 below.
Harwin Strong and Rhaenyra Targaryen
Breakbones will eventually find himself the lover of Rhaenyra Targaryen, as if her love life wasn’t already complicated enough. In this Sunday’s new episode, Rhaenyra will get married to her cousin Laenor Velaryon. For reasons we’ll leave you to find out. Rhaenyra and Laenor don’t share a bed, but Harwin Strong is happy to take up with the princess.
In George R.R. Martin’s book Fire & Blood, Rhaenrya has three children during her marriage with Laenor, none of whom look like him; they lack the traditional Targaryen/Velaryon silver hair, leading many to assume that they are in fact the product of her love affair with Harwin Strong. Harwin is okay with this arrangement; for a hint of how it works, look at their brief encounter on the streets of Kings Landing. She is outside the castle doing things she shouldn’t, but he does not betray her, follow her, or mistrust her in the slightest. Instead, he lets her go free, a gesture that the princess is sure to remember, or that the knight could possibly use against her in the future.
The rise of the White Worm
Mysaria, the woman who lived with Daemon on Dragonstone for a while, also appeared in Episode 4. Since leaving Dragonstone, she has become an information broker; the young boy who saw Rhaenrya and Daemon together worked for her, meaning it was she who told Otto Hightower what happened between the princess and her uncle that night. Think of Mysaria as the Varys of this show, employing “little birds” to gather secrets she can then use as currency. Down the line, Mysaria will become adept enough at her trade that she becomes mistress of whisperers for Rhaenyra, and plays an important role in the subterfuge, espionage, and assassinations to come.
What’s next for Breakbones and Lady Misery? It shouldn’t be long before the seeds planted in these first few episodes begin to bear fruit. Expect fire, blood, a few broken bones, and a great deal of misery.
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