House of the Dragon season 2’s cast list is missing a notable season 1 actor, which connects back to one of GOT’s most notable cut characters.
Harrold Westerling (Graham McTavish) not returning for House of the Dragon season 2 suggests a repeating of Jeyne Westerling’s omission from Game of Thrones. The Hobbit actor Graham McTavish was an exciting addition to the supporting cast of House of the Dragon season 1, in which he played Ser Harrold Westerling, the loyal knight and eventual Lord Commander of Viserys’ Kingsguard. Despite only appearing in a few scenes, Harrold’s loyalty to King Viserys and adoration for his daughter Rhaenyra were strongly portrayed, which increased the anticipation for his role in House of the Dragon season 2’s civil war.
Shockingly, Graham McTavish is missing from House of the Dragon season 2’s cast list, which comes as an even bigger surprise given Harrold Westerling’s ambiguous fate in the season 1 finale. Harrold’s loyalty to Rhaenyra as the princess suggested that he would become an integral member of the Black Queen’s court in House of the Dragon season 2. The Game of Thrones franchise is known for cutting characters or leaving the fates of notable players unknown, but Harrold’s absence in season 2 is particularly frustrating as it relates to the original series’ notable slight against House Westerling’s representation.
Although many characters from George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novels were cut from Game of Thrones, one of the most notable examples was that of Jeyne Westerling. In the books, Robb Stark’s wife was Jeyne Westerling, who was replaced by Talisa Maegyr in Game of Thrones. House Westerling continued to play a significant role in the War of the Five Kings and House Stark’s betrayals in the books, such as how Robb and Jeyne’s marriage led to the Red Wedding, Jeyne’s mother was complicit in Robb’s downfall, and the Westerlings were later pardoned by King Tommen.
Unlike Talisa in Game of Thrones, Jeyne Westerling was not killed at the Red Wedding, so Robb’s widow is still alive in the books. However, Game of Thrones essentially erased the noble house’s presence. Given Game of Thrones’ failures to include House Westerling despite their notable book role, Harrold Westerling’s heightened presence in House of the Dragon season 1 created a huge opportunity for the franchise to redeem the family’s lack of representation. Of course, this potential is now being reversed as Graham McTavish’s name is missing from House of the Dragon season 2’s cast list.
After Game of Thrones cut Jeyne, House of the Dragon is making the adaptations’ House Westerling slights worse by failing to bring back Ser Harrold. House Westerling can’t catch a break with HBO’s Game of Thrones franchise adaptations, suggesting Harrold and Jeyne’s noble family may never win prominent representation and historical exploration on screen.
Why Game Of Thrones & House Of The Dragon Both Made Big Westerling Changes
Harrold Westerling’s House Of The Dragon Changes Suggested A More Substantial Role
The overlap of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon making big changes to members of House Westerling hasn’t gone unnoticed and is setting an odd trend. While Jeyne Westerling was cut altogether from Game of Thrones, Harrold Westerling was given a bigger role in House of the Dragon season 1 before seemingly being cut from the second season.
Since the common denominator is House Westerling, part of the reason for their odd removals could be explained by the family not having a massive enough influence on the larger chain of events. Still, it isn’t just because they hail from House Westerling that the characters are missing, as Jeyne and Harrold’s stories would have taken major departures from their book roles anyway.
Jeyne Westerling was replaced in Game of Thrones in order to give the character a deeper backstory, a strong romantic arc with Robb, and removal from the actual politics of the war, which gave the show one of its only genuine love stories. After her story became too remarkably different from Jeyne Westerling in the books, George R.R. Martin suggested that HBO change her name altogether, which he revealed at Worldcon 2012 (via HuffPost). Consequently, Talisa Maegyr replaced House Westerling’s supporting role in Game of Thrones seasons 2 and 3 with House Lannister’s bannermen being excluded after several re-writes.
Considering House of the Dragon season 1 actor Graham McTavish is now missing from season 2’s cast list, the Game of Thrones prequel series is essentially reversing its Harrold Westerling change. In the Fire & Blood book, Ser Harrold Westerling was Lord Commander of the Kingsguard during the reign of King Viserys I Targaryen but died in 112 AC, nearly 20 years before the Dance of the Dragons began.
In Fire & Blood, Criston Cole served as Lord Commander of Viserys’ Kingsguard before the King’s death, so Harrold’s survival allowed for more distance between Viserys and Criston as well as a stronger emphasis on Criston’s loyalty to Alicent rather than Viserys. Harrold leaving the Kingsguard after Viserys’ death was a greater way to mark the change from the older generation into the new, but his absence from House of the Dragon season 2 complicates the weight of his role as Viserys’ crown is passed to Rhaenyra.
How Harrold Westerling Can Still Return In House Of The Dragon’s Future
Does Harrold Still Hold Loyalties To Rhaenyra?
WARNING! Spoilers ahead for George R.R. Martin’s book, Fire & Blood!Harrold Westerling’s uncertain future means that Graham McTavish’s character could still return and have an increased impact later into House Targaryen’s civil war. House of the Dragon season 2 is expected to cover events from Fire & Blood like the horrific Blood and Cheese assassination, Sowing of the Seeds, and Prince Jacaerys Velaryon’s death, until reaching the Fall of King’s Landing.
The logical ending for House of the Dragon season 2 would depict the climactic turn of events in which Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen finally takes King’s Landing and the Iron Throne from her brother King Aegon II Targaryen, which could also then set up a proper return for Ser Harrold Westerling.
Harrold is driven more by his personal loyalties and duty than his family’s allegiances, suggesting he would come to Rhaenyra’s aid more than Aegon. Similar to Barristan Selmy pledging his loyalty to Daenerys after being absent from Game of Thrones season 2, Harrold Westerling could return to serve Rhaenyra Targaryen in her Queensguard once she takes the Iron Throne.
Harrold could also come back in House of the Dragon season 3 when King’s Landing riots, potentially being a secret aid to the Queen as she eventually flees the castle. Additionally, Graham McTavish’s character could return in House of the Dragon’s future when Rhaenyra’s son King Aegon III Targaryen ascends the Iron Throne, witnessing the succession of three Targaryen generations from the beginning until the end of the Dance.
