As the Dance of the Dragons draws to a close, the fate of the Seven Kingdoms may rest not with the surviving Targaryens, but with a surprising group of political power players.

HBO’s House of the Dragon is approaching its final chapter, with Season 4 expected to bring the devastating Dance of the Dragons civil war toward its conclusion. The series has delivered its share of political betrayals, brutal battles and heartbreaking losses, but the end of the conflict will not mean the end of Westeros’ turbulent history.

Unlike Game of Thrones, which concluded with a new political order taking shape, House of the Dragon leaves centuries of Targaryen history still to unfold. The aftermath of the civil war will determine how the dynasty survives, who governs the realm and whether the shattered Seven Kingdoms can find a measure of stability.

Based on George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, six characters could play particularly important roles in shaping that future. Some are already familiar faces, while others may become far more influential after the fighting ends.

Major spoilers for the events of Fire & Blood follow.

1. Cregan Stark: The Northern Lord Who Restores Order

One of the biggest revelations awaiting viewers unfamiliar with Fire & Blood is that both Rhaenyra Targaryen and Aegon II ultimately die before the Dance of the Dragons concludes. Their deaths leave the realm in desperate need of leadership, with Rhaenyra and Daemon’s young son, Aegon III, eventually positioned to inherit the Iron Throne.

Because Aegon III is still a child, however, the question of who will govern in his name becomes just as important as the question of who wears the crown.

That is where Cregan Stark enters the picture.

The Lord of Winterfell arrives in King’s Landing with a substantial northern army, only to discover that the war he marched south to fight has effectively ended. Rather than simply returning home, Cregan takes charge of the situation, imprisoning influential figures such as Corlys Velaryon and Larys Strong over their roles in Aegon II’s death.

Cregan also seeks to establish a legitimate council of regents to govern until Aegon III is old enough to rule independently. Although his tenure as Hand of the King is brief, he delivers a decisive reckoning with those responsible for the bloodshed. This period becomes known as the Hour of the Wolf.

His intervention helps bridge the gap between the end of the civil war and the uncertain peace that follows. While Cregan has had a relatively limited role in the television adaptation so far, his arrival in King’s Landing could make him one of the most consequential figures in the final season.

2. Tyland Lannister: The Wounded Hand Who Helps Rebuild the Realm

After Cregan Stark leaves King’s Landing, a council of regents takes responsibility for governing on behalf of Aegon III. The group includes representatives associated with both the Greens and the Blacks, reflecting the need to bring a divided kingdom together.

One of its most important members is Tyland Lannister, who serves as the young king’s Hand for several years following the war.

In Fire & Blood, Tyland suffers horrific mutilation while being tortured by Rhaenyra’s forces. His injuries leave him physically transformed, and he becomes known as the Hooded Hand because he conceals his appearance beneath a hood.

Although he is not particularly popular with the people of King’s Landing, Tyland proves to be an effective administrator. His political judgment and steady leadership help restore a degree of stability to a kingdom devastated by conflict.

His importance is especially striking because the postwar period demands more than military victories. Westeros needs someone capable of managing competing interests, maintaining the government and helping a traumatized young monarch navigate the responsibilities of the throne.

Season 3 of House of the Dragon appeared to hint at a possible departure from the source material when Tyland seemed to meet his end, only for the character to remain in play by the season finale. He has not been captured by Rhaenyra in the same way as in the book, leaving the details of his eventual fate uncertain.

Nevertheless, his role in the aftermath of the Dance makes him a strong candidate to remain a major presence through the series’ conclusion and beyond.

3. Jeyne Arryn: The Vale’s Ruler Who Helps Govern Westeros

Lady Jeyne Arryn, the formidable ruler of the Vale, is another figure whose influence could expand significantly as the story moves toward its conclusion.

Portrayed by Amanda Collin, Jeyne made a strong impression in Season 3. Her commanding presence and political intelligence helped establish her as a ruler who could stand alongside Westeros’ most powerful figures without being overshadowed by them.

Her importance is not limited to her role during the war. In the book, Jeyne becomes one of Aegon III’s regents, helping oversee the realm while the young king remains underage.

Although she does not leave as substantial a mark on the regency as Cregan Stark or Tyland Lannister, her position gives her a meaningful role in the government’s efforts to restore order.

Her influence also extends back to the Vale. After eventually resigning from the regency and returning home, Jeyne falls ill, setting the stage for a succession struggle over the Eyrie. The resulting conflict becomes another challenge for the regents and Aegon III to manage, with consequences that reach beyond the Vale itself.

Jeyne’s storyline illustrates how the end of the Dance will not instantly resolve Westeros’ political tensions. Even after the main war is over, rivalries, succession disputes and regional power struggles will continue to threaten the fragile peace.

4. Torrhen Manderly: The Northern Ally Who Serves the Young King

Ser Torrhen Manderly, introduced in Season 3, could become another key figure in the political landscape after the war.

In Fire & Blood, Torrhen and his older brother, Ser Medrick Manderly, have a more substantial role than they have received in the television adaptation so far. Their family’s involvement is tied to a marriage pact arranged by Jacaerys Velaryon during his journey through the North to secure support for the Blacks.

Torrhen’s appearance in the series suggests that the show may be laying the groundwork for his eventual involvement in the postwar government.

Like Jeyne Arryn and Tyland Lannister, Torrhen serves on Aegon III’s council of regents. His contribution extends over a longer period, as he repeatedly helps the government navigate the challenges of rebuilding a fractured realm.

In fact, Torrhen becomes the last Hand of the King to serve Aegon before the young monarch reaches adulthood and takes control of the government himself.

That transition does not end smoothly. Aegon’s abrupt dismissal of Torrhen offends the northern lord, creating tension between the king and one of the men who helped govern in his name.

However, the decision becomes more understandable when viewed against the broader experience of Aegon’s regency. The young king has spent years living under the authority of others, and his eventual determination to assert his independence reflects the complicated relationship between a monarch and the people who ruled on his behalf.

Torrhen’s story could therefore provide a revealing look at the difficulties Aegon faces as he begins to govern without the protection—and restrictions—of his regents.

5. Corlys Velaryon: The Sea Snake’s Final Attempt to Save the Realm

Few characters have as much influence over the Dance of the Dragons as Corlys Velaryon, and his importance does not disappear when the fighting ends.

Known as the Sea Snake, Corlys is one of the most experienced and influential figures in Westeros. His naval power, political connections and long history of navigating royal rivalries make him a central player throughout the conflict.

When Rhaenyra falls and Aegon II remains determined to continue the war against the surviving Black supporters, Corlys helps devise a plan to poison the king. The decision is intended to prevent further bloodshed, but it places Corlys in direct conflict with Cregan Stark’s strict sense of justice and honor.

Cregan initially seeks to punish those involved in Aegon II’s death. Ultimately, however, Corlys avoids execution and joins Aegon III’s council of regents.

Despite the morally questionable measures he takes to end the war, Corlys remains committed to serving the young king and helping the realm recover. His actions reflect one of the central dilemmas of House of the Dragon: whether decisions that violate traditional codes of honor can ever be justified when the alternative is even greater destruction.

Corlys continues to serve Aegon III after the Dance and eventually dies of natural causes, having survived a conflict that destroys many of the people around him.

His postwar role gives the character an opportunity to leave behind a legacy defined not only by his extraordinary maritime achievements, but also by his efforts to preserve what remains of the kingdom.

6. Alyn Velaryon: The Sea Captain Who Could Change the Dynasty’s Future

The final figure on the list is Alyn Velaryon, Corlys’ son, who is already an active participant in the television series’ war.

Unlike the other figures discussed here, Alyn is not one of Aegon III’s regents. Yet his influence after the Dance could ultimately rival that of the men and women who govern the kingdom.

Following Corlys’ death, Alyn assumes leadership of House Velaryon and develops a reputation as a formidable sailor and naval commander in his own right. His adventures take him across Westeros and beyond, where he fights naval battles, negotiates with pirates and helps suppress some of the remaining threats left by the civil war.

Alyn’s growing popularity also puts him on a collision course with one of the most ambitious political figures of Aegon III’s reign: Lord Unwin Peake.

Unwin is not yet part of the television adaptation’s established cast of characters, but he becomes a major force in the postwar government in Fire & Blood. As vacancies open on the council of regents, he gradually gains influence and eventually becomes Hand of the King.

Rather than using that authority solely to serve the crown, Unwin seeks to enrich his own house and expand his personal power at the expense of the young king. His ambitions make him a dangerous presence in an already fragile political system.

Alyn emerges as one of the figures capable of challenging Unwin’s influence. His military accomplishments and popularity with the people make him a valuable ally to Aegon III, much to the lord’s frustration.

But Alyn’s most consequential contribution may involve another missing member of the royal family: Viserys Targaryen, Aegon III’s younger brother.

Viserys disappears during the Battle of the Gullet, leaving his fate uncertain. Alyn eventually discovers what happened to him, a revelation that has far-reaching implications for the future of the Targaryen dynasty.

The television adaptation has already diverged from the book’s version of the Battle of the Gullet, omitting Aegon and Viserys from the battle itself and leaving their circumstances tied to the Free Cities. How the show will handle their eventual stories remains unclear.

Nevertheless, Alyn—later known as Alyn Oakenfist—could prove instrumental in determining what happens to the surviving Targaryens and how the dynasty moves forward.

Who Will Really Shape Westeros After the Dance of the Dragons?

The aftermath of the Dance is about far more than deciding which Targaryen sits on the Iron Throne. The kingdom must rebuild its government, settle competing claims to power and protect a young king whose reign begins in the shadow of devastating family losses.

Cregan Stark, Tyland Lannister, Jeyne Arryn, Torrhen Manderly and Corlys Velaryon all help shape the regency that follows, while Alyn Velaryon becomes a crucial figure in the struggles that continue after the war.

Their stories also point toward a broader theme in George R.R. Martin’s history of Westeros: the end of one conflict rarely means the end of political intrigue. Even as the Targaryens attempt to preserve their dynasty, ambitious lords, regional disputes and unresolved family mysteries threaten to destabilize the kingdom once again.

Season 4 of House of the Dragon is expected to bring the series to its conclusion, with a premiere anticipated sometime in 2028. As the final season approaches, these six characters could prove essential to understanding not only how the Dance ends, but also how Westeros begins the long and uncertain road toward its next chapter.

Source: Compiled from various sources