The introduction of new dragon riders, Addam of Hull (Clinton Liberty), Hugh Hammer (Kieran Bew), and Ulf the White (Tom Bennett), in House of the Dragon delves into the process of bonding with a dragon. In contrast to the previous rule of only legitimate Targaryen House members being able to claim a dragon, Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) opens the opportunity for bastards to also bond with a dragon, which is seized by three individuals.
It is not uncommon for there to be many individuals considered dragonseed, despite the lack of official recognition from the Targaryens. This is often due to the inability of some to accurately state their parentage.
1. Is Hugh a Targaryen?
Hugh is certain of his Targaryen ancestry and feels a strong obligation to join Rhaenyra’s cause due to his personal history. As a blacksmith from King’s Landing, he possesses enough of the distinctive Targaryen features to blend in with the other dragon seeds who also bear these traits.
Despite not mentioning her by name during his conversation with his wife, Hugh divulges significant information about his mother by alluding to one of the greatest scandals in the Targaryen family’s past.
While Fire & Blood does not explicitly state who his parents are, Hugh’s brief story implies that he is the grandchild of King Jaehaerys through his rebellious daughter, Saera.
2. How Does ‘House of the Dragon’ Address Hugh’s Parentage?
In the seventh episode of Season 2, titled “The Red Sowing,”the Blacks are in search of dragon riders for Vermithor and Silverwing. Rhaenyra announces to the residents of King’s Landing that anyone with Targaryen lineage, regardless of their social status, is welcome to attempt to bond with a dragon.
Ultimately, despite his wife Kat (Ellora Torchia) pleading for him to stay, Hugh is determined to go and seize the opportunity to improve his family’s fortunes. He firmly believes that his true identity, as the son of a silver-haired woman who worked in a pleasure house, gives him the courage to take the risk. Hugh finally reveals the truth to Kat, who was a woman of high status and had some freedom due to her high price.
Hugh remembers his mother telling him that he is just like his cousins, King Viserys (Paddy Considine) and Prince Daemon (Matt Smith).
Despite there being various potential explanations, Saera appears to be the most logical choice. This is largely due to Jaehaerys’ deep affection for his wife, Alysanne, which would likely prevent him from fathering many illegitimate children and acknowledging them.
Fire & Blood only refers to a bastard child of Jaehaerys during the Great Council of 101, when a hedge knight falsely claims to be his son and Jaehaerys reveals the truth.
While it is possible that this is Jaehaerys’ illegitimate daughter, who is aware of her father’s identity as the king, it would be audacious of her to refer to Baelon as her brother. In the meantime, all of Hugh’s statements align perfectly with Saera Targaryen.
3. Who Is Saera Targaryen in ‘Fire & Blood’?
Saera, the ninth child of King Jaehaerys and Alyssane, was once a well-known princess but was later disowned by her father. Her strained relationship with her family posed a significant challenge to Jaehaerys’ rule, leading to her being largely ignored during the end of his reign.
Despite spending much time addressing Jaehaerys, Fire & Blood also delves into Saera’s background. Despite her mischievous and occasionally vicious nature, she was known as a headstrong but charming child who quickly realized and enjoyed her power to influence men. She ultimately chose three favorites: Jonah Morton, Roy Connington, and Braxton Beesbury. However, it caused quite a stir when it was later discovered that she had slept with all three of them only a few years later.
When questioned, Saera claimed that she desired to wed all three men, drawing a comparison to Maegor the Cruel, who had six wives. This further angered Jaehaerys, leading him to confine her to her chambers and disown her as his daughter. As punishment, he also penalized all three men involved.
Despite being implicated in the affair, Mooton was forced to wed Saera’s close friend while Connington was exiled and Beesbury was killed after confronting the king in combat. In an attempt to reconcile her husband and daughter, Alysanne attempted to calm him down, but Saera ultimately took matters into her own hands by sneaking out of her room and claiming a dragon to escape. However, she was soon captured by a dragonkeeper and scolded by her father.
Jaehaerys sent Saera off to join the Faith as a silent sister, but she chose not to fulfill her penance and instead fled to Lys. There, she used her position as a woman of the Faith to work in pleasure houses. Eventually, she made her way to Volantis and established her own business.
Despite Alysanne’s supposed attempts at communication, Saera never replied. As the queen pleaded with her husband to reunite with their sole surviving daughter, he refused.
Does Hugh’s Story Align with Saera’s Book Story?
One major issue with the House of the Dragon’s assertion that Saera is Hugh’s mother is that she never reappeared in Westeros during the events of Fire & Blood, which would have been impossible to omit from the chronicles. It is said that she stayed in Volantis, proudly proclaiming her rule in that land.
Despite the truth, Hugh may have sought refuge in Westeros to distance himself from his mother’s reputation, as he openly admits being ashamed of it.
As Saera’s child, Hugh shares the same Targaryen blood as Jace (Harry Collett), Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney), and Aemond (Ewan Mitchell), which could explain why he is able to claim a dragon despite the high mortality rate of dragon seeds. This is logical as Saera is the only known child of Jaehaerys to have had bastard offspring, although her brothers may have as well.
Still, despite being from a disowned family branch, the illegitimate child possesses dragon blood that Vermithor recognizes. This only adds to the irony of Hugh claiming Jaehaerys’ dragon, especially considering Saera’s tumultuous relationship with her father.
Despite Jaehaerys’ efforts to disown Saera, it ultimately proved futile as she was undeniably his daughter, regardless of his feelings towards her. Alternatively, it could be seen as a sign of Jaehaerys’ remorse towards the end of his life, allowing Saera’s descendants to reunite with their family.
Despite the possibility that House of the Dragon may not delve further into Hugh’s past with his mother, it is their intention for him to be Saera’s child, establishing a more direct familial bond with Jaehaerys than even Rhaenyra.
5. How does Ulf White have Targaryen blood in House of the Dragon?
It is rumored that Ulf White is the son of Baelon Targaryen.
In the third episode of House of the Dragon season 2, we witness Ulf White enjoying a night out with his friends at the nearby tavern. He openly discusses his supposed Targaryen ancestry, asserting that his father is none other than Baelon Targaryen.
According to their shared parentage, Hugh and the individual in question would be the half-siblings of Viserys and Daemon Targaryen (familiar names, right?). Their grandparents would then be Jaehaerys and Alysanne Targaryen, making them cousins if their claims about their lineage are truthful.
Therefore, it is reasonable to trust Ulf’s claim that he is the illegitimate child of Baelon.
In the seventh episode, he unexpectedly comes across Silverwing in a large cave on Dragonstone and claims the dragon. Despite lacking confidence in his ability to do so, he is surprised to find that he has not been killed. What he doesn’t realize is that Ulf has a deeper connection with this dragon – Silverwing was previously ridden by his claimed grandmother, Queen Alysanne. Since her death, Silverwing has remained without a rider.
About House of the Dragon
House of the Dragon is the upcoming prequel series to the hit HBO show Game of Thrones, which is based on George R. R. Martin’s novel Fire & Blood.
Taking place three hundred years prior to the events of Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon will depict the reign of the Targaryen family in Westeros before the dragons became extinct. It will chronicle the Dance of the Dragons, a civil war between siblings Aegon II and Rhaenyra, as they vied for the throne following the passing of their father, Viserys I.
The series is helmed by directors Ryan Condall and Miguel Sapochnik, with Paddy Considine portraying Viserys I Targaryen, Emma D’Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen, Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower, Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen, Tom Glynn-Craney as Aegon II Targaryen, Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower, Steve Toussaint as Corlys Velaryon, Eve Best as Rhaenys Velaryon, Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria, Fabien Frankel as Criston Cole, and Graham McTavish.
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