Birth status matters in Westeros. Bastards are given certain names, so everyone knows their history, but a few escape that fate. In House of the Dragon, Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) spends so much energy insisting her sons are Laenor Velaryon’s (John Macmillan), though they look nothing like him for this reason. Jacaerys (Harry Collett), Lucerys (Elliot Grihault), and Joffrey’s (Oscar Eskinkanzi) parentage remains an open and humiliating secret as they are called “strong” in a demeaning way, referencing Harwin Strong (Ryan Corr), to whom they bear a striking resemblance. Throughout House of the Dragon Season 2, Jace is bitter about his true parentage, growing angry with his mother. As the dragonseeds claim dragons , he worries about what it will mean for his future and the rumors of illegitimacy that have always surrounded him. Though it does little to comfort him, Baela (Bethany Antonia) assures Jace that he is not the only bastard to be raised as a noble, nor does it change who he is. And looking through history, Baela is right.
Even disregarding the obvious comparison to Cersei Lannister’s (Lena Headey) children generations in the future, Jace’s situation is not unique. Long before even Jace, one dark-haired Targaryen descendant made a name for himself: Orys Baratheon. Living during the time that Aegon I conquered Westeros, Orys made a mark on history as the founder of the noble house that eventually ruled Westeros. But before that, his birth was uncertain. Sure to make an appearance in the upcoming Aegon’s Conquest spin-off, this rumored Targaryen bastard shares a lot with Jace, adding to House of the Dragon’s story about his birth.
Orys Baratheon’s name should be familiar to fans due to his descendants, but the man himself is less so. Before Aegon the Conqueror conquered Westeros, no Baratheons led the Stormlands (then called the Kingdom of the Storm). Orys Baratheon was never given any of the names that traditionally mark a bastard, but rumor had it that he was the son of Aerion Targaryen and an unknown woman, making him the bastard brother of Aegon I and his sister/wives, Visenya and Rhaenys. Fire & Blood never confirms these rumors as a fact, but there was enough evidence that King Jaehaerys I considered Orys to be his own great-uncle. Orys was certainly close to Aegon I, so much so that when Aegon refused a marriage pact with the Storm King, Argilac Durrandon, he suggested Orys marry the girl, solidifying an alliance between the Targaryens and the Durradons. This proposal was rejected, leading to Aegon’s Conquest.
Throughout the war and Aegon’s subsequent rule, Orys Baratheon is the Conqueror’s greatest ally, besides his dragonriding sister/wives. He commanded the ground forces while Aegon rode Balerion to battle, and one of the new King’s first acts was to make Orys the first Hand of the King. Aegon set his sights on Storm’s End early in the war, though Orys and Rhaenys were the ones who took it. After Orys slayed the last Storm King, Aegon granted the castle to him, making him the first Lord Paramount of the Stormlands. Orys did marry Durradon’s daughter, adopting the now-dead house’s banners and words to create the familiar Baratheon line. Despite the rumors of his birth, no one argued with Aegon I. And though Orys is a bastard and was never officially legitimized, his descendants were considered nobility (and eventually royalty) throughout the rest of history.
How Is Orys Baratheon Like Jace Velaryon?
Orys and Jace are not exactly alike, but they share one common thread. Jace does not have a reputation as a warrior like Orys, and Orys never claimed to be a true-born Targaryen, heir to his father, or even a dragonrider, but the rumors of their birth connect them. Both serve as examples of bastards by birth who didn’t live like it. Jace may have been raised from childhood as a true-born heir, while Orys is granted a castle and lordship as an adult, but the result is the same. These characters both endure rumors about their birth, but Orys rises above them, proving that Baela is right in telling Jace that he is not the first in this position. Just over 100 years before, Orys rose to power, becoming the second most powerful man in Westeros despite his birth. Orys’ origins parallel Jace’s, suggesting the prince can overcome his history with the right accomplishments. Though only so much is known about Orys now, his story will be introduced to a wider audience in the upcoming Aegon the Conqueror spin-off and hopefully further develop this connection between the two distantly related characters.
House of the Dragon is streaming on Max in the U.S.
Watch on Max
