Editor's note: The below contains spoilers for House of the Dragon.Like its predecessor, House of the Dragon details the politics and scheming that goes into holding (and keeping) a seat on the Iron Throne. With the Game of Thrones prequel focused squarely on House Targaryen, the series has had its eye on King Viserys (Paddy Considine) and his struggles to keep everyone satisfied, including his menacing brother, Prince Daemon (Matt Smith), and his rightful heir, Princess Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock).
Episode 2 of House of the Dragon, "The Rogue Prince," introduces audiences to the newest threat to Westeros, one that comes from the outside of the castle's walls, Prince Craghas "Crabfeeder" Drahar (Daniel Scott-Smith). Is this newest villain going to plague Westeros for long? Is he the House of the Dragon's version of the Night King? While the King may not think the Crabfeeder is worth his time, others see him for the threat that he poses. But who is this mysterious figure and what role will have to play in House of the Dragon?
Where Is the Crabfeeder First Spoken Of?
The Crabfeeder is initially introduced by Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) in the first episode of House of the Dragon. Being the commander of Westeros' largest navy, Corlys details the threat of the Triarchy, a group of free cities that have banded together to get rid of a group of pirates who have been menacing Stepstones (a small group of islands). The King and the rest of the council view this as a positive thing, because who doesn't want to rid themselves of thieving pirates? However, Corlys sees this for what it is: the coming together of independent states poses a potential problem for everyone in King's Landing.
Furthermore, Lord Corlys, or the "Sea Snake" as he is also known, has lost ships and men at the hand of Triarchy and the mysterious figure known as the Crabfeeder. Episode 2 begins with a man being slowly eaten by small crabs, which reveals where Drahar gets his name from. Destroying the pirates isn't simple enough for him; he would rather crucify them on the beach, letting mountains of crabs and the rising tide torture his victims to death.
While viewers are still waiting to find out more about this menacing figure, our biggest insight into him comes from Lord Corlys, who has the most to lose because of this threat. The Stepstones are located in the narrow Southern Sea and are a hugely significant trade route for many in Westeros, specifically the Velaryon family whose wealth and military power are being directly affected by the raids.
What George R.R. Martin's Book Tells Us About the Crabfeeder
In George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood, Craghas Drahar was a Myrish prince admiral (Myr being one of the three free states that make up the Triarchy). Before the events of the television series, the Triarchy defeated the city of Volantis and continued to the Stepstones with the help of the prince from Myr. Once all the pirates were defeated, Drahar became a pirate himself, boarding a variety of ships, including Lord Corlys' — stealing, looting, and feeding their sailors to the crabs. One of the things that separate him from other villains is his distinct look. He appears to be suffering from some sort of skin ailment (Greyscale, maybe?) and hides his face with a mask that resembles the famed Leatherface from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre films.
The alliance that was seemingly forged at the end of Episode 2 between Lord Corlys and Prince Daemon could potentially be the thing that brings down the Crabfeeder and the Triarchy. However, that alliance could also spell trouble for King Viserys, who has garnered the anger of all parties involved. Craghas Crabfeeder could be looked at as just a vicious pirate who will eventually need to be disposed of, or he can be viewed as the monstrous figure who will bring down the reign of King Viserys in one way or another. Only time will tell.
House of the Dragon premieres new episodes each Sunday on HBO and HBO Max.