WARNING! This article contains major SPOILERS for House of the Dragon season 2, episode 1 and George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood book, on which the show is based!
Summary
The famous Stark words are uttered by Lord Cregan Stark inHouse of the Dragonseason 2, episode 1’s opening scene, with this line highlighting a shortcoming of Ned inGame of Thrones. As an omen, a warning, and a reminder, “winter is coming” is said on several occasions bymembers of House StarkthroughoutGame of Thrones’ eight seasons, typically as a way to advise more vigilance as the harshness of winter approaches. However, in bothGame of ThronesandHouse of the Dragon,“winter is coming” doesn’t just warn of the weather, but another darker, more dangerous force that comes with it.
InGame of Thrones’ ending, the Starks’ “winter is coming” words became anomen for the arrival of the White Walkers. While many Starks (such as Ned), Northerners, and even those in the Night’s Watch didn’t believe in the White Walkers’ return duringGame of Thrones, others heeded the stories of their existence and feared their potential impact. Though theWhite Walkers haven’t awoken inHouse of the Dragon, Cregan Stark’s words to Jacaerys Velaryon in the season 2 premiere and the reveal of Aegon the Conqueor’s prophetic dream in season 1 emphasize one of Ned Stark’s greatest mistakes from the original show.
Cregan Stark Clearly Believes In The White Walkers In House Of The Dragon
Cregan heeds the truth of death that lurks beyond the Wall
Cregan Stark is essentially set up asHouse of the Dragon’s version of Ned StarkinGame of Thronesseason 1. But, there are some very important differences between these two characters and how they approach their duties to the North. Both Cregan and Ned understand the importance of House Stark’s words, but only one of them understands how crucial it is to accept their meaning as they relate to the death that lurks deep in the North.
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Game of Thrones’ series premiere revealed that Ned Stark didn’t believe the White Walkers had returned, butCregan Stark’sHouse of the Dragonseason 2 introductionconfirms he not only believes in them, but also recognizes the significance of protecting the realm against them. When Cregan Stark says “winter is coming,” he’s referring both to the season itself and the deadly White Walkers that may come with it. Cregan never actually says “White Walkers” inHouse of the Dragonseason 2, but when hetells Jacaerys that his ancestors built the wall to keep out “death,”they’re what he’s referring to.
When Cregan Stark says ‘winter is coming,’ he’s referring both to the season itself and the deadly White Walkers that may come with it.
Curiously, Cregan’s line about death and rejecting that the First Men built the wall to keep out “snow and savages” reveals thatJacaerys still doesn’t know about Aegon’s dream. Had Rhaenyra told him,Cregan and Jacaerys could have had a more honest and urgent discussion about the threat that looms in the Northand the importance of uniting the Starks and Targaryens against it. If that had happened, then perhaps Cregan’s descendants wouldn’t have begun to undermine the existence of the White Walkers and their prophesied return. Maybe then, Lord Ned Stark wouldn’t have brushed them off as stories.
Why Didn’t Ned Stark Believe The White Walkers Still Existed In Game Of Thrones?
Ned Stark would have needed more sensible proof to believe in the White Walkers' return
It had already been thousands of years since the White Walkers were first defeated whenLord Cregan Starktook Jacaerys to the Wall inHouse of the Dragon. Yet, he still hinted at the White Walkers as a threat that shouldn’t be completely discounted. However, only about 170 years later inGame of Thrones, the Lord of Winterfell doesn’t believe they exist. It isn’t really Ned Stark’s fault though, aseven the men of the Night’s Watch who were guarding the Wall were skeptical of the rumorsand claims that the White Walkers were back.
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Of course, part of the reason why Ned Stark didn’t believe in the White Walkers is because he had never seen any evidence of them.Ned believed in what he could see and prove. Had he been alive when they were born, Ned likely wouldn’t have believed that Daenerys Targaryen hatched dragons in Essos, as they seemed to be a present impossibility after already being gone for so long before his own time. Long before Ned even became the Lord of Winterfell, dragons were reduced to stories by elders and skulls and bones in the Red Keep. Considering White Walkers were gone for thousands of years beforeGame of Thrones, their return would appear even less credible.
Had he been alive when they were born, Ned likely wouldn’t have believed that Daenerys Targaryen hatched dragons in Essos, as they seemed to be a present impossibility after already being gone for so long before his own time.
Still, both happened: dragons and the White Walkers returned inGame of Thrones. It’simplied that Benjen Stark had already known about their return before his disappearanceinGame of Thronesseason 1, with many on the Night’s Watch only believing in them once they saw them with their own eyes beyond the Wall. Ned Stark was occupied with helping to rebuild and unify the realm after Robert’s Rebellion; he wasn’t making regular visits tothe Wall his ancestors builtto hear the stories of those men and potentially incite panic in the North.
Ned Stark beheads Will, a man of the Night’s Watch, for desertion inGame of Thronesseason 1, episode 1. After Will claims to have seen the White Walkers, Ned states, “A madman sees what he sees.”
How Cregan Stark Compares To Ned Stark
Cregan and Ned share several important similarities and differences
While Ned was an honorable man who prioritized loyalty, he wasn’t ruthless.Cregan Stark is also extremely loyal and honorable, but has far less tolerance and mercy. TheFire & Bloodbook reveals that the younger Cregan saves little mercy for traitors, is much harder and fiercer in his vigilance, and is more traditional in his Northern beliefs than Ned. Had Ned been more like Cregan, he would have been stern about remaining in Winterfell to prepare for winter instead of going South. Cregan is affable with Jace inHouse of the Dragon, but his efficiency as a Northern leader may be due to his differences from the moral character of Ned Stark.
New episodes ofHouse of the Dragonseason 2 release Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max.
House of the Dragon
Cast
House of the Dragon is a 2022 fantasy drama set in the world of Westeros, chronicling the Targaryen dynasty at its height. The story revolves around King Viserys’s controversial decision to name his daughter Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne, sparking tensions and divisions within the realm.
