House of the Dragon is a show with a sprawling cast, and it just got a little bigger. The third episode of season 3 is unique in that it's almost entirely focused on Rhaenyra Targayren's first days ruling the Seven Kingdoms. From dealing with petitions from the smallfolk to navigating schemes laid by her enemies and corralling spoiled nobility, Rhaenyra certainly has her work cut out for her. Luckily for her, a new character has entered the mix who stands to help her quite a bit in those endeavors.
During one of the episode's more memorable scenes, Rhaenyra invites a group of nobles to the Red Keep for a feast. However, unbenownst to these lords and ladies, the menu consists entirely of cooked rats — an example of what the smallfolk were forced to eat during the war, while those assembled hoarded extra food. The queen announces that their larders will be seized by the crown for redistribution. As Rhaenyra leaves the shocked aristocrats to their consternation, she meets a man who's more amused than annoyed: Ser Torrhen Manderly. He only congratulates her on a move well played, even though it means he'll have some of his own food stores seized just like all the rest.
While Torrhen only got a little screentime in episode 3, he's about to become an important new addition to Team Black. Let's talk about the role he fills in Fire & Blood, and how it may differ for House of the Dragon.
How does Ser Torrhen Manderly help Rhaenyra in Fire & Blood?
The introduction for Ser Torrhen and his older brother, Ser Medrick Manderly, is quite a bit different in George R.R. Martin's source material. In the book, these two knights and eldest sons of House Manderly go south thanks to an agreement Jacaerys Velaryon made with their father, Lord Desmond Manderly, on his way north to treat with Cregan Stark. Jace arranges a marriage pact between his younger brother Joffrey and Desmond's youngest daughter, and in return the Manderlys fight for the Blacks in the war.
After Rhaenyra takes King's Landing, Torrhen and Medrick Manderly sail south and take a place as advisors to the queen. Torrhen is a stout, clever man with a keen eye for the realm's finances, and a reputation for being even-handed in his dealings. Crucially, they give Rhaenyra some advice following the First Battle of Tumbleton which leads to even more heartache for Team Black, so while the Manderlys do aid Rhaenyra, they also lead her into some misfortune as well.
Torrhen is one of the few major players who survives the Dance of the Dragons. He eventually goes on to become Lord of White Harbor and Hand of the King for a time to Rhaenyra and Aegon II's successor.
Who is Torrhen Manderly in House of the Dragon?
Obviously, we don't know how much if any of those events listed above will play out in HBO's House of the Dragon. Torrhen's introduction is already quite different; instead of going south specifically to help Rhaenyra thanks to a pact with Jace, he just happens to already be in the capital city for some reason. It's a safe assumption that we'll get more scenes between him and the Black Queen, on account of her intrigue about this composed noble knight at her court. But whether he'll advise her in the same capacity remains to be seen.
Who plays Torrhen Manderly in House of the Dragon?
Ser Torrhen is played by Dan Fogler. Fans of fantasy and science fiction will no doubt recognize Fogler; he's appeared in many projects over the years, most notably The Walking Dead and J.K. Rowling's Fantastic Beasts movies. He's also appeared in a lot of comedy fare, such as Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, The Goldbergs, and Balls of Fury.
As you might guess from that varied catalog, Fogler is a seasoned character actor who has handled his fair share of dramatic material as well as the absurd. That makes him an interesting cast addition to House of the Dragon. Even from Torrhen's first scene, it feels like he may add a bit more humor to the dark proceedings of the civil war. His smirking quips reminded me of Tyrion Lannister from Game of Thrones. And indeed, Fogler also happens to be the only American cast member on House of the Dragon as of the time of this writing, just like Peter Dinklage was for Thrones for most of its run.
We'll see more of Ser Torrhen Manderly in the weeks ahead. House of the Dragon airs new episodes Sundays on HBO and HBO Max.
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