One notable actor is missing from House of the Dragon season 2, but it doesn’t mean they’ll be gone from the show for good. The Game of Thrones prequel will return to HBO in 2024 after an acclaimed first season, and looks to make things even bigger and better than before. House of the Dragon season 2 will see the Dance of the Dragons truly begin, dividing Westeros as civil war breaks out across the Seven Kingdoms.
While House of the Dragon season 2’s cast is bringing back a lot of actors and adding several new ones, there was a name left off the official cast list: Graham McTavish, who played Ser Harrold Westerling, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, in season 1. It had seemed like the show was setting him up for a bigger role, which makes his absence surprising. However, Game of Thrones proved that him missing season 2 doesn’t rule out a major comeback later on.
Why Is Graham McTavish’s Harrold Westerling Missing From House Of The Dragon Season 2?
There Could Be A Simple Explanation For His Absence
As it stands, there’s been no official word on why Graham McTavish’s Harrold Westerling isn’t returning for House of the Dragon season 2. It’s possible it’s as simple a reason as scheduling conflicts – the actor was working on Outlander season 7 prior to season 2 filming and has several other projects in various stages of development, so maybe he just couldn’t make it work out.
In the show, he has left King’s Landing and the Kingsguard behind, and while it seemed like he was going to help Rhaenyra, he may simply be trying to lead a more peaceful life instead.
The more likely reason, though, is that it’s to do with the show’s story. House of the Dragon season 1’s ending set up the war beginning, but Harrold’s own future was uncertain, as by that point in the book Fire & Blood the character was long dead. In the show, he has left King’s Landing and the Kingsguard behind, and while it seemed like he was going to help Rhaenyra, he may simply be trying to lead a more peaceful life instead.
There are several new characters coming in season 2, several of whom will be directly involved in Rhaenyra’s story, including Addam and Alyn of Hull, Hugh the Hammer, and Ulf the White. Along with giving bigger roles to existing characters like Baela Targaryen, it may just be that there was no room in the story for Harrold at this point.
There are several new characters coming in season 2, several of whom will be directly involved in Rhaenyra’s story, including Addam and Alyn of Hull, Hugh the Hammer, and Ulf the White. Along with giving bigger roles to existing characters like Baela Targaryen, it may just be that there was no room in the story for Harrold at this point.
Luckily for Harrold Westerling, there is precedent for Game of Thrones cast members and characters to go missing for an entire season (or more), and then return in a very significant way. There were clear reasons for their departures, but the show gave them important storylines upon return (though by Game of Thrones’ ending some are, of course, debated in terms of quality).
There are others who left and returned in a smaller capacity, such as Thoros of Myr, or Illyrio Mopatis, and others like Ser Ilyn Payne and Hot Pie who never returned at all. But there is nonetheless a pretty solid track record of characters who were clearly important, and had a role to play, still coming back later on. Hell, Bran Stark missed Game of Thrones season 5 and became King in season 8.
The biggest example for Harrold Westerling is Ser Barristan Selmy, who offers up a clear parallel in terms of character arc.
The biggest example for Harrold Westerling is Ser Barristan Selmy, who offers up a clear parallel in terms of character arc. Barristan, too, was Lord Commander of the Kingsguard who was forced to leave his position in season 1, departed King’s Landing and missed all of season 2, before then returning as a key part of Daenerys Targaryen’s story in season 3. Game of Thrones didn’t handle Barristan’s death brilliantly, but until then he was an important player in her story. It’s very easy to imagine Harrold fulfilling a similar role for Rhaenyra.
Why Harrold Westerling Should Return In House Of The Dragon’s Future
He Could Be A Big Part Of Rhaenyra’s Story In Season 3
It was arguably easier for Game of Thrones to allow characters to go missing, whether it brought them back a year later, four years later, or never at all. The show was incredibly expansive in scope, more so than House of the Dragon. While it’s true that season 2 will expand things, it is still a little more contained, and thus Harrold’s absence could be even more conspicuous.
It would be a shame not to see Harrold Westerling again in House of the Dragon. Men of honor are a rare thing in Westeros, but he was on with a clear sense of right and wrong, and strong loyalty to Rhaenyra. It would make a lot more sense for him to join up with her cause than it would for him to disappear completely, and he’d be a great fighter and adviser for her army. Given it changed his book story, then there should be more to the character, and hopefully House of the Dragon season 3 – or a surprise return in season 2 – can deliver on that.
