Who is House of the Dragon's Sharako Lohar? Significance and changes to book explained

*WARNING - This article contains spoilers from House of the Dragon season 2 finale and major spoilers for Fire & Blood.*

House of the Dragon introduced plenty of important moving parts in its season 2 finale, with various factions of Team Black and Team Green gearing up for the civil war ahead. One plotline sees Tyland Lannister (Jefferson Hall) introduced to the mysterious Admiral Sharako Lohar (Abigail Thorn).

During the episode, Tyland, who is King Aegon II’s Master of Ships, must go to Essos in order to convince Triarchy pirates to help destroy the Velaryon blockade starving the people of King’s Landing. In turn, he ends up risking royal fury by promising them the Stepstones in return for their support.

Before they are to set sail, however, the three leaders of the Triarchy warn the straight-laced Tyland that he must win the respect of their admiral. The admiral to whom the sailors are fiercely loyal appears to be a woman named Sharako Lohar (Abigail Thorn). 

She informs him that she “will not sail with a man who cannot best me”, which leaves them wrestling in the mud until he impresses her with a powerful blow. Later, before they set sail to war, Lohar also insists Tyland fathers her children by having sex with her multiple wives.

While the character is referred to by the Triarchy members as he/him, it is understood she personally identifies as female, according to the Independent. 

In the show’s official podcast, Showrunner Ryan Condal explained this is because Lohar is in a traditionally masculine role as a fleet commander in a “highly patriarchal society”, so the boundaries are deliberately blurred.

This is a slight departure from George RR Martin’s book Fire & Blood, where Lohar is presumed to be a cisgender man.

If you want to find out Admiral Lohar’s wider significance to the books, keep reading but - be warned - MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD.

What role does Admiral Sharako Lohar play in the books?

Admiral Sharako Lohar plays an important part in The Battle of the Gullet, which is one of the most violent battles in Westerosi history.

During the epic fight, Prince Jacaerys Velaryon (Harry Collett) meets his end after his dragon Vermax crashes into the ocean.

Meanwhile, Lohar loses two-thirds of his ships and the Velaryon fleet loses nearly a third of its own fleet.

Rhaenyra Targaryen’s young son Prince Viserys Targaryen is also taken hostage. 

While her losses are great, Rhaenyra’s team come out on top, as Team Green gails to break the hold of the Velaryon fleet on the east coasts of Westeros.

However, it all comes at a terrible cost, with Corlys Velaryon remarking: “If this be victory, I pray I never win another.”

House of the Dragon season 2 is available to watch on Sky Atlantic and HBO.