From the beginning, we’ve been led to believe that the Targaryens are the only family who can ride dragons in George R. R. Martin’s epic fantasy universe, thanks to the “Dragonlord” narrative. But Seasmoke’s new rider in House of the Dragon calls all of that into question.
Related: Spoilers ahead for more differences between the books and House of the Dragon.
The Targaryens’ ability to ride and control dragons is largely attributed to their Valyrian heritage, a race known for their magical affinity with these enormous creatures. This connection is believed to be intrinsic and tied to their bloodline, and they passed down knowledge and skills through generations.
Seasmoke was a young, greyish-white dragon who bonded with Laenor Velaryon, the son of Corlys Velaryon and Rhaenys Targaryen. After his death—or, if we’re talking about House of the Dragon, his supposed faked death—Seasmoke finds a new master.
Who is Seasmoke’s new rider?
Seasmoke’s new rider is Addam of Hull. The dragon actually seeks him out in season 2, episode 6, where Seasmoke follows him along the beaches of Driftmark and approaches him with curiosity. While we don’t actually see Addam ride Seasmoke, we can assume it’s him because we’re told about the dragon’s new rider.
According to the lore established in the books, Addam’s father officially is Laenor Velaryon, the son of Rhaenys Targaryen. But it was rumored that Addam and Alyn were truly bastards of Laenor’s father, Lord Corlys Velaryon of Driftmark, and Marilda of Hull, meaning he wouldn’t have Targaryen blood. While Velaryons were a great family from Old Valyria, unlike the Targaryens, they were not dragonlords but lesser-ranking nobles who made their fortunes as merchant seafarers.
Related: Take a look at the House of the Dragon family tree
Addam’s blood connection to Seasmoke’s former rider could explain their connection. Maybe being a Targaryen isn’t the key to dragon riding after all, and it’s just a kind of propaganda narrative to maintain the Targaryen supremacy.
In A Song of Ice and Fire, the title “dragonlord” was given to members of the 40 noble families that competed to rule the Valyrian Freehold. Though the Targaryens possessed the ability to ride dragons, they were far from the most powerful of these families. But their bloodline is the only one that survived the Doom of Valyria—a catastrophic event that took place almost 400 years before the War of the Five Kings.
House of the Dragon is available to stream on MAX, with new episodes dropping each Sunday night.
