‘House of the Dragon’ Theory: Could Jace & Cregan Stark Be More Than Friends?
Cregan Stark (Tom Taylor) will make his long-awaited appearance in House of the Dragon Season 2 as the show ventures to Winterfell. At the end of Season 1, Jace Velaryon (Harry Collett) is sent North to garner support for his mother’s cause. As readers of George R.R. Martin‘s Fire & Blood will know, Jace will meet Cregan and form a connection that will have a lasting impact in the years to come.
In the world of Westeros, Fire & Blood isn’t an exact retelling of the events that went down in Targaryen history. With so many sources, there’s no single narrative that is entirely factual. This has provided space for speculation as to what really happened in certain situations. Many fans have wondered about the true nature between Jace and Cregan Stark, with some speculating they were more than just friends.
Scroll down for a full breakdown of what we know about Jace and Cregan’s relationship and the major theories surrounding this new dynamic.
What happens with Jace and Cregan in the book?
As depicted in House of the Dragon, Jace flies to Winterfell to speak with the Lord of Winterfell. In Fire & Blood, according to Maester Munkun’s True Telling (one of the in-universe books), Jace and Cregan “took a liking to each other, for the boy prince reminded the Lord of Winterfell of his own younger brother, who had died 10 years before. They drank together, hunted together, trained together, and swore an oath of brotherhood, sealed in blood.”
Theo Whitman / HBO
Mushroom, one of the sources featured in Fire & Blood, claims that Jace became “smitten” with Sara Snow, the bastard daughter of Cregan’s father. In Mushroom’s account, he alleges that Jace and Sara Snow secretly married, despite his betrothal to Baela Targaryen. Mushroom’s claims can’t be verified, and it’s believed that his claims are more of “fevered imaginings than historical truth.”
However, one crucial point of Jace’s trip north is true: the Pact of Ice and Fire. Jace and Cregan make a deal that Jace’s firstborn daughter will be sent to Winterfell at seven years old and eventually marry Cregan’s heir. Unfortunately, Jace never sees this deal come to fruition, but Cregan steps up to honor Jace during the late stages of the Dance of the Dragons in what’s later dubbed the Hour of the Wolf. (We won’t spoil what happens then.)
What are the theories about Jace and Cregan?
There are Reddit threads discussing the speculation about the true nature of Jace and Cregan’s relationship. One fan wonders if Jace and Cregan had “some sort of romantic relationship? Even if it went totally unconsummated? It could explain the inconsistent accounts of Sara Snow. Basically, she’s the cover story, the fake scandal to cover up the real scandal. No evidence of this, of course, but not much to preclude it either.”
The fan points out that they are “curious about how the show will handle is Jace’s time in the North. I’ve always felt there was something more going on than even what’s implied by the various authors versions of events.”
Reddit user raumeat theorizes that a possible romantic dynamic could explore “Jace dealing with his own sexuality [and] could be tied with him becoming less angry over bastard rumours” and “could connect it to his relationship with Laenor.”
On the same thread, PennyLane95 follows with, “It’s not needed but it would be an interesting way to interpret the relationship. I wouldn’t mind if they went with that direction. You combine a new love story with something plot relevant that will later pay off in a big way.”
Another fan believes that Rhaenyra telling Jace at the end of Season 1 that he and Cregan will “find many common interests” is “definitely a sign their friendship isn’t gonna just be platonic. Maybe I’m reading too much into it but that’s what I got from that anyway.”
TikTok user (and Game of Thrones expert) ladydragonjj notes in a video dedicated to Jace and Cregan that it’s “heavily implied but not confirmed” that they were “both bisexual men and that they had a thing together. Is this another direction the show might go in? I don’t know. We’ll have to wait and see.”
There’s no real evidence that Jace and Cregan were ever lovers. There are plenty of fans who don’t think that the show will go there romantically with Jace and Cregan. The dynamic could lean into more of a Ned Stark and Robert Baratheon friendship vibe.
Whether or not the show will introduce Sara Snow in House of the Dragon remains to be seen. There’s no concrete proof that she existed outside of Mushroom’s account. However, one of Cregan’s daughters is named Sarra Stark, which some fans believe is a nod to his alleged bastard sister.
The show has a variety of storytelling avenues to explore regarding Jace’s time in Winterfell. Whether it’s a platonic brotherhood with Cregan or a romantic element with the Lord of Winterfell, or a secret marriage to Sara, the return to Winterfell will add a fascinating layer to Jace’s character arc.
What has the cast said about Jace and Cregan’s dynamic?
Taylor was confirmed as Cregan Stark in December 2023. The actor posted a selfie when the announcement was made and simply captioned it “woof.” Collett commented, “Interesting post mate.”
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Collett shared a photo with Taylor on the same day with just a wolf emoji as the caption. The co-stars reunited at a London event in March 2024. Collett and Taylor are staying tight-lipped about Jace and Cregan spoilers, but it’s clear they’re friends onscreen and off.
Fans got their first look at Jace and Cregan together onscreen in the House of the Dragon Season 2 trailer. Jace and Cregan can be seen at the Wall, which is not written about in Fire & Blood.
Do you think Jace and Cregan were just friends? Or something more? Let us know your thoughts about the theory in the comments below.
House of the Dragon, Season 2, June 16, HBO
