From HBO House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 6, “Smallfolk,” ends with the shocking news that Seasmoke has a rider again. Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) is immediately concerned that someone from Team Green has claimed Laenor’s (John Macmillan) old dragon. However, the truth might be even more disturbing to the Targaryens, who pride themselves on having the dragon’s pure blood.
It turns out that Corlys Velaryon’s (Steve Toussaint) bastard son, Addam of Hull (Clinton Liberty), is Seasmoke’s new rider. Not only that, but Addam had to do very little to earn the dragon’s trust. Seasmoke elected Adaman.
Which is all the more distressing considering the fact that in the same episode, Rhaenyra convinces Kingsguard member Ser Steffon Darklyn (Anthony Flanagan) to try and claim Seasmoke. You know, because he’s loyal to her. and because his grandmother’s grandmother was an Aeriana Targaryen. However, just when Ser Steffon thinks he has tamed Seasmoke, the dragon suffocates him with a terrifying roar of fire.
So why would Seasmoke choose a random Velaryon bastard instead of the great-great-grandson of an actual Targaryen? Who rides Seasmoke? And what does that mean for House of the Dragon Going forward?
Who rides Seasmoke in? House of the Dragon Season 2?
Too many dragons, too many names to remember, huh? So who rides Seasmoke in House of the Dragon?
From House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 6 “Smallfolk,” Seasmoke has had two official riders. The first was its original rider, Laenor Velaryon. We saw in House of the Dragon In Season 1, young Laenor (Theo Nate) rode Seasmoke during his father’s war against the Triarchy. That means Seasmoke isn’t just another dragon; he’s one of the few dragons who are used to what battles are like.
In House of the Dragon Season 1 Episode 7 “Driftmark,” Rhaenyra hatches a pretty crazy plan to fake Laenor’s murder so she can go into exile with her lover, Ser Qarl Correy (Arty Froushan). The only downside to this plan? (Uh, besides the fact that some random person had to die and now everyone thinks Rhaenyra murdered Laenor) Laenor has to leave Seasmoke behind.
By House of the Dragon In Season 2, Seasmoke seems to miss having a rider. As war rages, he grows more restless on Dragonstone. Unbeknownst to Rheanyra, Seasmoke often flies upon Addam of Hull, the bastard son of Corlys the shipwright. After Ser Steffon Darklyn’s attempt to tame Seasmoke fails, the dragon pursues Addam, chasing him across Driftmark until the two come face to face.
Yes, Seasmoke chose Addam to be his new Rider. That is, the bastard half-brother of his first Rider. But what does this mean for Team Black? And why would Seasmoke choose Addam over Ser Steffon?
Ayo Seasmoke really said it #dragonsdem #houseofthedragon image.twitter.com/GSUllgb1EB
— breezy @ dreamcon ? (@demogorgussy) July 22, 2024
The bond between dragons and riders is more complex than that of a person who manages to tame a wild beast. There is a symbiotic relationship between a dragon and its rider, so there must be some kind of affinity between the two. House of the Dragon Star Ewan Mitchell has spoken publicly about how Vhagar was drawn to young Aemond because she could understand not fitting in. Last week we learned that Meleys, “The Red Queen,” wouldn’t accept the impetuous Daemon (Matt Damon) as a rider after his mother’s death, but allowed Rhaenys (Eve Best) to take the reins. This week, Seasmoke gave the timid Ser Steffon Darklyn a hard, fiery no.
But why Addam of Hull? It could be that Seasmoke prefers a rider who is related by blood to Laenor. Or perhaps the solitary dragon relates to Addam’s own feeling of having been abandoned by a Velaryon. (In this case, Corlys has spent decades ignoring his pureblood children.)
The big problem here is that Addam of Hull is not a Targaryen. As the House of the Dragon The trailer for Season 2, Episode 7 hints that this reality may not be to the liking of the current dragonlords. Jace (Harry Collett) says, “House Targaryen is the blood of the dragon. If anyone can claim it, then what are we?”
Addam isn’t a Targaryen, but he is a Velaryon, meaning he has the blood of Old Valyria. (There’s also a tradition that Velaryons and Targaryens intermarried long before this time period, but perhaps the series is moving away from that.)
In any case, the new pilot of Seasmoke is Addam from Hull. We will have to keep an eye on it. House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 7 to find out what he wants to do with his new dragon. Will he fight for Rhaenyra, Team Green, or himself?