House of the Dragon ramped up the tension in its second episode, introducing viewers to the villainous ‘Crabfeeder’, Craghas Drahar. Not just content in slaying his enemies, the Crabfeeder cuts down his foes before tying them up and allowing crabs to feast on their bodies. Many of the victims are still alive as the crabs begin to make their move. But who is the Crabfeeder Craghas Drahar, and how will he play into the wider story being told in House of the Dragon?
Who is the Crabfeeder in House of the Dragon?
Viewers have heard a little about the Crabfeeder, as Lord Corlys Velaryon has complained to King Viserys Targaryen about his actions in the Stepstones. There, he is disrupting trade routes, which Lord Corlys worries will beggar King’s Landing. Though Lord Corlys believes military action is the only way to bring the Crabfeeder’s hostilities to an end, King Viserys is instead moving forward with a more political approach, sending envoys to the Free Cities who are believed to be financing the Crabfeeder.
House of the Dragon episode 2 also showed us a little of what was going on under the Crabfeeder’s command. He was attacking merchants, before leaving them helplessly screaming for their lives as crabs feasted upon their bodies. It was a gruesome and brutal watch, showcasing the lack of morality that this antagonist has, and proving that he will be a major problem for the King moving forward. But how did he end up in this position? For that answer, we can look to George R.R. Martin’s book on which the series is based, Fire & Blood.
The Crabfeeder is a man called Craghas Drahar, who serves as an admiral for the Free Cities alliance group, the Triarchy. Having formed years before King Viserys’ coronation, King’s Landing has allowed the Triarchy to retain control of the Stepstones, paying them for using the shipping lanes. In Fire & Blood, the Crabfeeder earns the ire of Lord Corlys by simply raising the tax fee, whereas in the series House of the Dragon, it appears a more violent approach is being taken.
With war looking inevitable, and Lord Corlys attending a secret meeting with the disgraced Prince Daemon Targaryen at the end of episode 2, it’s going to be very interesting to see how all of the moving pieces of the current political landscape progress.
House of the Dragon continues on HBO and HBO Max.
In other news, the release date and time for House of the Dragon episode 3 on HBO Max has been revealed, and you can take a look at the Amazon Prime Video releases for September 2022, including The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
