Finding new dragonriders is no easy task, but in House of the Dragon Season 2, episode 7, Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) proves it can be done — and all she needs is a couple dozen lowborn Targaryens to throw on the barbecue to make it happen.
In episode 6 Addam of Hull (Clinton Liberty) claimed Seasmoke as his dragon, and episode 7 welcomed two new dragonriders into the fold: Hugh Hammer (Kieran Bew) and Ulf the White (Tom Bennett), all three of whom Mashable’s Belen Edwards outlined as the most likely candidates a couple of weeks back.
But who exactly are Hugh Hammer and Ulf the White, and how are they related to the Targaryens?
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Hugh Hammer is Vermithor’s new rider
Blacksmith Hugh Hammer has been on a rough ride in Season 2, but things are looking slightly better for him now that he’s claimed second-largest-dragon-after-Vhagar and certified bastard chomper Vermithor.
Hugh has popped up in a few episodes in Season 2, but he finally reveals his ancestry to his wife Kat (Ellora Torchia) in episode 7, when preparing to set out to Dragonstone after hearing Rhaenyra is searching for potential dragonriders. Hugh says he never knew his father, but that his mother worked in a pleasure house.
“She was granted more freedom than most ‘cuz of who she was,” he says. “She used to tell me I was no different to her brother’s boys: Viserys and Daemon.”
If we take a look at the old Targaryen family tree, this means that Hugh’s mother was the sister of Baelon Targaryen. King Viserys (Paddy Considine) and Daemon (Matt Smith) are his cousins.
Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO
Ulf the White is Silverwing’s new rider
Ulf is slightly more reluctant to head to Dragonstone, but he’s pretty much forced into it by his friends, who he’s spent years telling about his own Targaryen ancestry over many a wine.
“I’m the son of Baelon the Brave,” Ulf whispers in a tavern to his mates back in episode 3. “Bastard brother to Prince Daemon and the late King Viserys. Uncle to the one, true queen, Rhaenyra Targaryen. The blood of the dragon runs through these veins and yes, men would take my head for it.”
Ulf isn’t exactly keen to put this heritage to the test, but makes the journey to Rhaenyra’s keep anyway for the trial. Fortunately, Silverwing – when Ulf bumps into them while fleeing Vermithor – seems more than happy to confirm his Targaryen blood, even if Ulf stepped on a precious dragon egg in the process.
New episodes of House of the Dragon air Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max.
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