‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 Cast Guide: Who’s Who in Westeros and What Happened in Season 2?

The firstborn child, daughter and appointed heir of the late King Viserys Targaryen, Queen Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) has maintained her claim to the Iron Throne throughout the first two seasons, even as she’s left King’s Landing for the safety of Dragonstone. During Season 2, Rhaenyra struggled with the death of her son Lucerys and estrangement from her husband/uncle, Prince Daemon, who has been at odds with her since finding out that his brother, Viserys, only trusted Rhaenyra with the prophecy of the “Song of Ice and Fire” that tells of the battle ahead for Westeros. She makes peace with Daemon by the end of the season when he bends the knee and accepts her as his leader and agrees to lead the “Blacks” to victory against King Aegon’s supporters, the “Greens,” and help her take back King’s Landing. Later, Rhaenyra is paid a secret visit by her childhood-friend-turned-enemy Alicent Hightower, who tells Rhaenyra she will let her take King’s Landing in order to stop the violence between their families. Rhaenyra tells Alicent she will trust her and do this, only if Alicent accepts that Rhaenyra will need to kill King Aegon to publicly secure the throne. Rhaenyra and Alicent are unaware that Aegon has run away in hiding.

Daemon (Matt Smith) spent the better part of Season 2 at Harrenhal, estranged from his niece/wife Queen Rhaenyra after their falling out over the infamous “Blood & Cheese” tragedy in the Season 2 premiere. Rhaenyra and Daemon parted on bad terms after he assaulted her in anger once he found out his late brother, King Viserys, never entrusted him with the prophecy of the “Song of Ice and Fire,” leaving that information with Rhaenyra as his true heir. By the end of Season 2, Daemon has been shown a vision by Alys Rivers that shows him the dark future to come in Westeros and has him firmly decide to submit to Rhaenyra as his leader rather than try to strike out on his own and become king.

Queen Dowager Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) is the wife of the late King Viserys Targaryen and mother to King Aegon II, Queen Helaena Targaryen, Prince Aemond and Prince Daeron. At the end of Season 2, Alicent sneaks away from King’s Landing to Dragonstone to strike a deal with her childhood friend-turned-enemy, Princess Rhaenyra. Concerned for the lives of her children to the point she is willing to give up her side of the family’s claim to the throne, Alicent tells Rhaenyra she wants to make peace and will make sure the guards stand down if Rhaenyra comes to take the throne. Rhaenyra agrees, but tells Alicent she must take Aegon’s life in order for her claim to the throne to be respected. Alicent relents, but is unaware that Aegon has escaped the city in hiding and will not be there for Rhaenyra execute. Two of Alicent’s close confidants are Ser Criston Cole (whom she has a sexual relationship with) and Larys Strong (who has a particular obsession with her).

Aegon (named after Aegon the Conqueror) is the reigning king of Westeros, but he was severely burned and disfigured during the Battle of Rook’s Rest last season. He and his dragon Sunfyre plummeted from the sky after he was attacked by his brother Aemond’s dragon Vhagar. Aegon was left with a mangled body, and Aemond was elected protector of the realm in his stead. At the end of Season 2, Larys Strong escaped from King’s Landing with Aegon in disguise, and the two conspired to spirit away to Essos.

Aemond is the one-eyed son of Alicent Hightower and Viserys Targaryen and the younger brother to King Aegon. He’s notoriously cruel (he disfigured his brother and threatened his sister for revealing the truth about Aegon’s accident) and has a strange fixation with his mother.

Jace is Rhaenyra’s oldest surviving son after his younger brother Lucerys was killed by Aemond back in Season 1. The young prince supports his mother’s Black forces and tries to volunteer for missions, but she worries for his safety. He flies the dragon Vermax into battles.

Corlys “The Sea Snake” Velaryon (played by Steve Toussaint) has had a rough go of it over the first two seasons, losing his wife Rhaenys Targaryen, his daughter Laena and his presumed-dead son Laenor. By the end of Season 2, the legendary seafarer has become Hand of the queen to Rhaenyra and has advised her to strike with her new dragonriders against Aegon and his team of Greens in King’s Landing. He has recently met and tried to bond with his bastard children, Alyn (who has rebuffed his attempts) and Addam (now a dragonrider). Corlys and Alyn were last seen aboard Corlys’ ship, the “Queen Who Never Was,” sailing out to join the Velaryon blockade to defend Rhaenyra at sea.

Once the personal guard (and lover) to a young Princess Rhaenyra, Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) is now the Hand of the King to Aegon and firmly a supporter of the Greens in King’s Landing. He has been having a secret affair with Queen Dowager Alicent Hightower. As of the Season 2 finale, Criston Cole was marching on Harrenhal with troops, including Alicent’s brother, Gwayne Hightower. Gwayne sees Cole has Alicent’s handkerchief and accuses him of breaking his Kingsguard vows. Cole tells him he regrets previous choices and believes they could be marching toward their doom against Rhaenyra’s dragons.

Helaena is the sister-wife of King Aegon who has oddly prophetic visions of the future. In Season 2, she had a premonition of the murder of her infant son Jaehaerys and foresaw Aemond’s death after he burned Aegon. 

Larys “Clubfoot” Strong (Matthew Needham) was last seen secretly departing King’s Landing in a covered wagon with injured King Aegon to ride out the rest of the war and return when it’s over. Larys had convinced Aegon that it was best for him to leave his seat of power and go into hiding in Essos amid the rise of Rhaenyra’s new dragonriders and as Aemond’s anger could have him turning on Aegon soon. Larys has always been a staunch supporter of the Greens but has used his intel and advice as a manipulation tactic against Queen Dowager Alicent, whom he exploits sexually in exchange for his help.

Once Daemon’s lover, Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno) spent Season 2 growing close to Rhaenyra on Dragonstone. With Daemon gone and on strained terms with Rhaenyra, Mysaria took the opportunity to develop a deeply intimate relationship with Rhaenyra and begin to advise her on her pursuits to take the Iron Throne. Known as the “White Worm” within King’s Landing, Mysaria was a dancer who rose to become a top spymaster who still runs a vast intelligence network.

Baela is Daemon Targaryen’s eldest daughter who rides the dragon Moondancer. She’s close to her sister, Rhaena, and Jace, to whom she’s betrothed.

Rhaena is the younger sister to Baela and was ordered last season to leave King’s Landing with Rhaenyra’s children, Aegon, Joffrey and Viserys, for safety. She stumbles across the dragon Sheepstealer in the Vale at the end of Season 2.

The father of Alicent Hightower, Otto (Rhys Ifans) is the disgraced former Hand of the King to the late King Viserys. Ever an opponent to Daemon and Rhaenyra, he supported his grandson Aegon’s claim to the throne and helped Alicent lead the Greens movement. He was Aegon’s Hand until he was cast aside for Criston Cole and then leaves King’s Landing to garner support for the Greens elsewhere. By the end of the Season 2 finale, Otto is shown held captive somewhere unknown.

Hugh is one of the dragonseeds, who are Targaryen bastards capable of riding dragons. He rides the dragon Vermithor and fights for Rhaenyra’s forces.

Ulf is another one of Rhaenyra’s dragonseeds who rides Silverwing. Before he was discovered as a Targaryen bastard, he frequented the taverns in King’s Landing.

Alyn is Corlys Velaryon’s bastard son who grew up as a sailor in his father’s fleet. He’s a talented sailor and grows closer to his father as they join Rhaenyra’s navy.

Addam is Alyn’s brother who is also a sailor, plus he’s a dragonseed who rides the dragon Seasmoke. 

Gwayne is Alicent’s older brother, who traveled to King’s Landing last season after their father Otto had been removed as the hand of the king. He reluctantly teams up with Criston Cole, who had been sleeping with Alicent, and together they survive the Battle of Rook’s Rest.

Newcomer Ormund is the nephew of Otto Hightower and head of their house. He’s taken Alicent’s son, Daeron Targaryen, as his ward and marches from Oldtown to support her forces.

Not much is known about Alys Rivers, other than she has mysterious, witch-like powers and helped Daemon understand his mystical visions of the future last season at Harrenhal. 

Sharako appeared late last season and is a skilled, but very eccentric, naval leader in the Triarchy fleet. She challenged Tyland Lannister to a mud-wrestling challenge before agreeing to sail with him against Corlys Velaryon’s fleet.

Daeron is the youngest child of Alicent Hightower and the late Viserys Targaryen, and he had been sent to his uncle, Ormund, as a squire. In the “Fire and Blood” book, Daeron turns out to be a skilled fighter and rides the blue dragon Tessarion.