'House of the Dragon': Revisiting Harrenhall heir Ser Harwin Strong's tragic death ahead of Season 2
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 is set to premiere on HBO on Sunday, June 16, 2024. The 'Game of Thrones' prequel centers around the Targaryen house but features a diverse array of characters from various houses, enriching the storyline.
One such character is Ser Harwin Strong (Ryan Corr), the heir to Harrenhall and widely regarded as the strongest man in seven kingdoms. He was also known as Breakbones due to his superior strength.
He was mocked by the name Brokenbones after Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) broke his collarbone and elbow in a tourney.
Ser Harwin Strong served Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D' Arcy) as one of the prominent members of the black faction and was rumored to be her lover and the father of her three children Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey.
Ser Criston Cole got into a fight with him after provoking him for being the father of Rhaenyra's children.
Although he got the better of Cole physically, he might have been baited into the fight by Cole, which only fueled the rumors surrounding his potential paternity of Rhaenyra's children.
How did Ser Harwin Strong die?
After rumors began circulating about his involvement with Rhaenyra, Harwin Strong was stripped of his position as Rhaenyra's champion and was sent back to Harrenhal.
However, the Harrenhall castle mysteriously caught fire, killing Harwin Strong and his father Lord Lyonel Strong (Gavin Spokes). The blaze was attributed to the infamous curse of Harrenhal.
The castle of Harrenhall is widely regarded as cursed due to the numerous horrors it has witnessed throughout history. The proof of the curse lies in the untimely deaths of many of Harrenhall's rulers at a young age.
However, the deaths did not appear to be natural and were instead perceived as a deliberate attempt to assassinate Harwin and his father.
Who killed Ser Harwin Strong?
While many suspects could have benefited from Harwin Strong's death, including Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith), who might have caused the fire to kill Harwin and remove a rival for Rhaenyra's love, the true culprit is revealed to be Lord Larys Strong (Matthew Needham).
Lord Larys Strong, Harwin's younger brother, confessed to the murders of Harwin and their father while speaking with Queen Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke).
Lord Larys claims to have done this for Queen Alicent, with whom he is a close advisor. He gathered prisoners from the black cells, and silenced them by removing their tongues, before using them to set the castle on fire.
There are additional factors at play as well. The death of Harwin and his father paved the way for him to become the lord of Harrenhall, something he would not have been able to achieve as a second son and someone who was born with a twisted foot.
How to stream 'House of the Dragon' Season 2?
'House of the Dragon' Season 2 will stream on HBO Max from Sunday, June 16, 2024. To watch the series, you will need a Max subscription.
The streaming platform typically offers three packages that you can choose from depending on your budget.
The low-cost plan that supports advertising costs at $9.99 per month or $99.99 annually. The second package, which does not support advertising, costs $15.99 per month or $149.99 annually.
Meanwhile, the third package, titled Ultimate Ad-Free, costs $19.99 per month or $199.99 annually.
'House of the Dragon' Season 2 Trailer
'House of the Dragon' Season 2 is going to stream on HBO Max from June 16, 2024