The Starks may have been central to Game of Thrones, but in HBO’s expanding Westeros universe, House Stark has been pushed to the sidelines. While House Targaryen dominates in House of the Dragon and beyond, Stark fans are finding little representation — a trend that looks set to continue with A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and other upcoming spinoffs.
House Stark in House of the Dragon
So far, the Starks have barely appeared in House of the Dragon. Across two seasons, they’ve had just two short scenes:
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Rickon Stark swearing loyalty to Princess Rhaenyra.
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Prince Jacaerys Velaryon visiting Winterfell to meet Lord Cregan Stark.
Although Cregan Stark plays a significant role in the aftermath of the Dance of the Dragons in the lore, his on-screen presence remains minimal compared to the Targaryens.
Even Smaller Role in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
The 2026 prequel A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms — based on George R.R. Martin’s novella The Hedge Knight — will focus on Ser Duncan the Tall (Dunk) and his squire Egg, the future King Aegon V Targaryen.
Because the story takes place mainly in the Reach and Crownlands, there’s little reason for the Starks to appear. Unless HBO expands the narrative, Winterfell and its lords will likely be absent altogether. At most, a Stark might appear at a tournament or ceremony, but no Stark characters feature in the source material.
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Future Spinoffs Don’t Solve the Problem
The Stark drought continues in other planned spinoffs:
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Aegon’s Conquest: The most we’ll see is King Torrhen Stark bending the knee to Aegon I — a brief but iconic moment.
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10,000 Ships (Nymeria’s journey), The Sea Snake (Corlys Velaryon’s backstory), and the Yi Ti prequel: none are Stark-centric.
Why It Matters
While the Targaryens’ fiery dynastic struggles dominate the new shows, Stark fans are left wanting. The Starks were once the emotional heart of Game of Thrones — from Ned’s honor to Arya’s resilience and Jon’s leadership. Yet in the prequels, they’re reduced to background figures in larger Targaryen sagas.
Unless HBO makes creative additions, the next several years of Westerosi storytelling will continue the Stark absence, leaving fans to hope that future projects finally return to the North.
