Spoilers Alert: This article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon.Episode 6 of House of the Dragon changed the story drastically, making it one of the best episodes of the series so far. At first, the show had a slow start, but now it sure feels like we are actually watching a prequel to Game of Thrones. Besides political disturbances and ugly deaths, the new characters added to the Targaryen family make the show worth watching.
So much has happened in Episode 6, but the major focus remained on Ser Harwin Strong. His scuffle with Ser Criston Cole and his strong bond with Rhaenyra were the main highlights of the episode. However, after seeing him surrounded by the fire at the end of the series, fans wonder about his fate in the series.
Who Is Ser Harwin Strong?
Ser Harwin Strong, as we all know, is the Commander of the City Watch of King’s Landing and heir to Harrenhal. Also known as Breakbones, Harwin is said to be the strongest man in the Seven Kingdoms, and it’s quite believable after witnessing his fight with Christon Cole. The episode also gives us a clear picture of Harwin being the secret lover of Ryaenyra Targaryen, and all three of her sons are fathered by Harwin instead of Laenor.
After Criston and Harwin are done training the young Targaryens and Velaryons, the former mocks him by saying that he would only care for them if they were his cousins, brothers, or his sons. This infuriates Harwin, and he beats Criston badly.
After the incident, Harwin’s father, Lyonel Strong, sends him back to the Harrenhal and escorts him to the kingdom by taking a leave.
Does Harwin Strong Die In House of the Dragon?
Lyonel sends Harwin back by telling the king that his son needs to understand his duties as he will become heir to the House Strong one day. But, it seems evident that Lyonel might be doubting his son’s safety at Kings Landing after the incident. But, little did they know, their ill luck was following them to Harrenhal.
We see Larys, Harwin’s younger brother, offering a deal to the prisoners in exchange for their freedom. He also gets their tongue chopped, so they cannot spill out his name. Larys sends the prisoners to Herrenhal, who turns the whole palace into ashes, killing both Harwin and his father.
In the books, the incident was always blamed on the curse of Harrenhal, while many believed Daemon was the person behind their death.
Why Larys Killed Harwin And Lyonel?
Now, the fans might be wondering what Larys would possibly gain by the death of his brother and father. As it seems evident from the series, Larys wants to gain Alicent’s trust and show her how trustworthy he could be. It’s hard to sense any love affair in their relationship, but now that he’s the sole heir to Harrenhal, Alicent’s alliance would be extremely beneficial to his kingdom in the future.
Larys definitely seems to be a man with a broader vision of the future. With Alicent’s eldest son, Aegon, getting older, his right to the Iron Throne is also becoming more promising than that of Rhaenyra’s. Larys knows that once King Viserys dies, people will bolster Aegon’s right to the throne despite Viserys’ words to make his daughter the rightful heir to the throne. So, Larys’ bold move to kill his family to come closer to Alicent makes sense. But, at the moment, it’s all an assumption, and we could only get a clear picture in the further episodes.
