Are Rhaenyra's Kids Actually Bastards After All? Looks Like Yes
Let's just try to be fair here.
It's quite challenging to pretend that Rhaenyra's kids are the legitimate sons of Laenor Velaryon, because their resemblance to Ser Harwin Strong is just way too over-the-top to be left unnoticed.
However, with the Greens constantly taking issue with that and labeling them "bastards", it might be useful to think whether they are right or not. After all, even though Jacaerys, Lucerys and Joffrey were fathered by Harwin, they are still sons of Rhaenyra, who is a Targaryen... right?
It turns out things might actually be a bit more complicated than that. According to the newest Reddit theory, the three kids are indisputable bastards, both biologically and legally.
Many fans seem to agree.
"It's a legal recognition rooted in material, biological reality. Just because the legal status does not match the reality. Someone who breaks the law is still a criminal even if they are not legally branded as such," Redditor luigitheplumber argued.
However, others say that Rhaenyra's kids being bastards is to be proved by the one who levels the accusations — Queen Alicent Hightower. However, with Harwin now being dead, it might be quite challenging to do that.
"Now that Harwin is dead, there is absolutely no way to prove the strong boys are Strong bastards short of Rhaenyra or Laenor admitting it. Since Laenor claims them, the burden is on Alicent to prove they are bastards before the legal system can recognize them as such. This is an impossible task, so the whole matter is moot," Reddit user Blue_Reminiscence explained.
Rhaenyra appeared to only reveal the truth to Daemon when the two were walking on a beach in episode 7. She told him that she and Laenor tried to conceive a child but never succeeded, basically admitting that Ser Harwin Strong was a real father for the kids.
Still, the fact that Rhaenyra is their mother formally allows the kids to claim the Iron Throne, as Rhaenyra remains King Viserys' only acknowledged heir.
This makes things messy and complicated, but it's Westeros we are talking about. Just when things were easy in the Game of Thrones universe?
House of the Dragon is approaching its finale, with new episodes arriving every Friday, and the final one will hit HBO Max on October 23.