A Song of Ice and Fire is set to premiere in the third episode of House of the Dragon, which starts with a tableau that is comparable to Pirates of the Caribbean and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, as injured foot soldiers loyal to Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) and Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) lay howling in the mud at low tide. A horrifying figure, disguised and drenched with long, greasy hair, approaches one of these
Craghas Drahar (Daniel Scott-Smith), also known as The Crabfeeder, is a monstrous figure who loves to leave his enemies stranded to bloodstained beaches in order to die a long, agonizing death as a result of the dragon's impact. He does indeed come through in a fiery blaze of glory but not before his poor, loyal swordsman is caught on a piece of driftwood and left to die.
As palace intrigue and pornographic descriptions of feast tables groaning with succulent food are equally important to A Song of Ice and Fire. The battlefield is where legends are made and unmade, and the dynasties of kings and queens are made and unmade.House of the Dragon is set in a time when everyone is content to ignore any threats to their power, no matter how harsh.
There's a popular belief that guerrilla warfare was not practiced in medieval Europe. And unlike Westeros and A Song of Ice and Fire, Craghas and his army of mercenaries is engaged in a guerrilla war against the Targaryen establishment. They do so ostensibly for the right to charge tolls to merchant ships passing through this rocky series of islands on their way to the Free Cities beyond.
The Targaryens' dragon fleet has made them the most powerful force in the known world, and centuries of experience have made them arrogant. But the Crabfeeders' strategy is to retreat into the caves that engulf the Stepstones' shoreline, destroying the Targaryens' ability to wipe out his entire force with one whispered Dracary.
King Viserys (Paddy Considine) refuses to reveal the details during his son's name day celebrations, declaring that the conflict has been three years in the making. He is so certain that the Targaryens' military might (i.e. dragonfire) might never be fully defeated, and he dismisses the possibility of a bigger and better-organized adversary at court.
Prince Daemon, by comparison, has a lot to lose. His title, his wealth, his reputation, and, most importantly, his pride are all on the line. It was also pride, which fueled Daemon to pursue his brothers' forces, when he married Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey), rather than his 12-year-old second cousin Laena Velaryon (Nova Fouellis-Mose). And it was spite that pushed him to finish the war self-
The Crabfeeder and his guerrilla forces have weakened House Targaryen and House Velaryon in ways that have yet to be fully manifested. This strategy for retaining loyalty is too busy defending themselves to spare a thought for those who are dying on their behalf. Until the prince's dragon is defeated, he cries.
The Targaryens have treated this conflict, the men who fought and died in it, and much of the rest of the world as disposable. They have no imagination to imagine a world in which someday, someone else might sit on the Iron Throne. Regardless of whether they tear one another apart from within, or are ambushed by enemies from without, it does not matter.