‘House of the Dragon’ May Have Sneakily Introduced Another Antagonist

House of the Dragon has no shortage of villains roaming about. Right now, the title of Big Bad goes to Aemond (Ewan Mitchell), who usurped his position of power and plans to keep it. However, in the midst of all this drama, HotD may have sneakily introduced another antagonist: the Shepherd.

Spoilers ahead for HotD 2 x 6 and Fire & Blood!

The latest House of the Dragon episode sees Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) and Mysaria’s (Sonoya Mizuno) plan to gain favor with the commoners under Green rulership come to fruition. Boats filled with food and bearing the symbol of the Blacks arrive on the shores of King’s Landing. The people have been starving and resentful of the Greens, who keep taking livestock to feed their dragons. As such, the smallfolk of King’s Landing erupt into chaos and start fighting for the resources they’ve been lacking.

Alicent (Olivia Cooke) and Helaena (Phia Saban), who have ventured from the safety of the castle to pray at the Great Sept, get caught up in the fighting. The guards attempt to lead them to safety, but once the crowd notices the women of nobility, they swarm. One man gets close enough to grab Alicent’s arm and then gets his hand cut off by the Kingsguard in return.

Is this the Shepherd’s origin story? Some fans seem to think so, and although we don’t see the man again, that doesn’t mean he won’t return in the future.

The Shepherd plays an important role in the source material

In George R. R. Martin’s source material, the Shepherd is a preacher, prophet, and antagonist all rolled into one. Much like the man who grabs Alicent’s arm, the Shepherd is older, thin, and dresses in peasant clothes. However, the most significant similarity is the missing hand.

The book spotlights the Shepherd’s infamous rise and fall. His initial stance is against Rhaenyra, and he uses the riots in King’s Landing to storm the Dragonpit and—as the tale claims—slay Syrax, Rhaenyra’s dragon and mount. From there, the Shepherd and his followers rule parts of the city. They even stand against Lord Borros Baratheon’s army despite sure defeat. Once captured, Borros brings the Shepherd before Aegon, who delivers a particularly brutal punishment to the unruly preacher and his remaining flock.

Looking at the HBO series, it’s about the right time for the Shepherd to appear if the adaptation plans to include him. King’s Landing is already in the throes of unrest, and depending on Heleana’s fate, the smallfolk’s rebellion may escalate into full-scale riots.

If the man we see in season 2, episode 6, is indeed the Shepherd, HotD will surely reveal more of his story. Has he already been preaching against dragons and Rhaenyra, or is this the inciting incident? Maybe he will cast blame on Alicent for the loss of his hand. In contrast, he could blame Rhaenyra for causing the chaos in the first place.

There’s also the possibility this man isn’t the Shepherd. However, the whole thing reeks of foreshadowing. House of the Dragon wanted us to see that man’s interaction with Alicent for a reason. Now, we just have to wait to see how it will play out.