Warning! This article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon season 2.
Summary
House of the Dragonseason 2, episode 7 made mention of Jacaerys' father, leading many to wonder how the prince can be Rhaenyra’s heir despite being a bastard. WithHouse of the Dragonseason 2 slowly building to the full outbreak of theTargaryen Dance of Dragons, a major stepping stone in this story was delivered in episode 7.House of the Dragonseason 2, episode 7’s endingsaw Rhaenyra stake her claim to the Iron Thorne as a formidable threat to the Greens, promising the full destruction of a Targaryen civil war for season 3.
Now,Team Black has more dragonsunder their command. The event, dubbed the Sowing of the Seeds, saw majordragons like Vermithor and Silverwing gain riders, an idea originally conceived by Rhaenyra and Jacaerys two episodes prior. Despite Jacaerys playing a part in the Sowing of the Seeds' conception,House of the Dragonseason 2, episode 7 saw him angrily rebuke common folk as riders for dragons, as he only intended for high-born Targaryen descendants to do so. Jace’s outburst links to his own familial woes, stemming from his father - and bastardy - inHouse of the Dragon.
Who Was Harwin Strong? Jacaerys Velaryon’s Father Explained
Jace’s Father Was A Minor Character In House Of The Dragon Season 1
InHouse of the Dragon,Jacaerys Velaryon’s father was Harwin Strong, despite the former’s surname. Harwin Strong was first introduced duringHouse of the Dragonseason 1, episode 3 during the hunt in the Kingswood. Harwin was shown smiling out of respect at Rhaenyra Targaryen after she killed a boar and brought it back to camp. Later, Harwin was shown as a man of the City Watch, even letting Rhaenyra enter King’s Landing under cover of darkness. During Rhaenyra’s wedding to Laenor, Harwin dances with the former before saving her from the ensuing riots after Criston Cole kills Joffrey Lonmouth.
The ghost of Harwin has hung over Jacaerys, who has mentioned his real father a few times inHouse of the Dragonseason 2…
During the ten-year time skip betweenHouse of the Dragonseason 1, episodes 5 and 6,it was confirmed that Harwin had become Lord Commander of the City Watch and Rhaenyra’s secret lover. After aiding his and Rhaenyra’s bastard sons in a heated confrontation with Criston Cole, Harwin returns to Harrenhal, his familial seat, with his father. There, the two are killed in a fire orchestrated by Harwin’s younger brother, Larys Strong. Since then, the ghost of Harwin has hung over Jacaerys, who has mentioned his real father a few times inHouse of the Dragonseason 2.
House Of The Dragon Season 2 Makes Me Way More Upset About The Show’s Biggest Skipped Story
One big story from House of the Dragon was skipped over, with season 2 only making me more upset about the absence of a key relationship.
How Jacaerys Is Rhaenyra’s Heir Despite Being A Bastard
Jacaerys' Birthright Is A Complex Result Of Politics & Illegitimacy
InHouse of the Dragonseason 2, episode 7, Jacaerys reveals to Rhaenyra that he is aware of his parentage. While he is named Jacaerys Velaryon, the prince is aware that Harwin Strong is his father and raises the question of his illegitimate birth to Rhaenyra. Jacaerys angrily states that, despite being a bastard son of Harwin Strong, he assumed his dragon proved his noble blood and solidified his claim to the Iron Throne after Rhaenyra. Now that Rhaenyra is offering dragons to other lowborn bastards of House Targaryen, Jace worries about his claim.
Another question this raises is how Jace can be counted as Rhaenyra’s heir despite being a bastard. The answer to this simply comes from his name, Velaryon. While Jace is the son of Harwin Strong,he is recognized by the crown as the son of Rhaenyra and her former husband Laenor. As alluded to throughoutHouse of the Dragon, history does not remember bloodlines, only names. With Jacaerys being royally claimed as a legitimate son of Laenor and Rhaenyra - despite being otherwise in secret - he remains the latter’s heir.
The following section contains spoilers for Fire and Blood and likely House of the Dragon’s future seasons.
Does Jace Become King In House Of The Dragon?
Jace’s Future In The Dance Of Dragons Reveals Whether He Becomes King Or Not
With the subject of Jace’s legitimacy being raised inHouse of the Dragonseason 2, episode 7, it is worth exploring whether he ever becomes king in the show’s future.House of the Dragonseason 3is set to answer this question with the looming Battle of the Gullet. The Battle of the Gullet sees a Triarchy fleet attempt to destroy the Velaryon blockade of the eponymous Gullet, leading Jacaerys - alongside new dragonriders Ulf, Hugh, and Addam of Hull - to defend their ships.
During the battle, Jacaerys' dragon, Vermax, is injured. Jace crashes into the ocean, before being slain by Triarchy crossbowmen.House of the Dragonseason 3 is set to include the Battle of the Gullet and, thus, Jacaerys' untimely death. Due to his defeat, Jacaerys never becomes king of Westeros, with that honor - or more aptly, curse - going to Rhaenyra and Daemon’s oldest son, Aegon III, after Jacaerys' younger brother Joffrey dies during the Storming of the Dragonpit. As evident, Jacaerys’ legitimacy, or lack thereof, will not matter inHouse of the Dragon’s future.
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.
