If there’s one thing we tune into House of the Dragon for, it is dragons. So far in season two, we’ve seen glimpses of our favorite creatures, but we haven’t seen much dragon action yet. However, that feels like it’s all about to change as the tension between the greens and the blacks slowly bleeds into an all-out war. In episode two of House of the Dragon season two, though, we see one particular dragon flying across our screens, Seasmoke. But which dragon is Seasmoke again, and why is its presence significant? We have some spoiler-lite answers for you.
In House of the Dragon season two, episode two, “Rhaenyra the Cruel,” we pause the political machinations and children’s funerals for a moment to enjoy a peaceful scene on the beach. A new character we only just met in this House of the Dragon episode, Addam of Hull, is fishing for food in the ocean when a dragon flies overhead. The casual viewer might not recall which dragon this is exactly. So, for the curious, we’re happy to confirm that the beach-side dragon in House of the Dragon season two, episode two, is Seasmoke, Laenor Velaryon’s dragon.
Here’s why this dragon’s presence is significant.
What Happened to Seasmoke and Laenor Velaryon in House of the Dragon Season One?
For those who need a quick House of the Dragon season one refresher, Rhaenyra Targaryen had a husband before she married Daemon. Laenor Velaryon and Rhaenyra were forced into a political marriage while her father, Viserys, was still alive. Neither of them wished to be in the marriage, with Rhaenyra’s heart elsewhere and Laenor being a gay man. Ultimately, Rhaenyra, Laenor, and Daemon conspired to fake Laenor’s death so he could flee to live in freedom and Rhaenyra could marry Daemon.
That seemed like a sound solution for all involved. Of course, at the time, the Targaryens were not engaged in a civil war. So it did not seem so crucially important that Laenor, now on the run, could no longer ride his dragon Seasmoke on House of the Dragon. Laenor, of course, could not take his very conspicuous dragon with him as he headed into hiding. Seasmoke, meanwhile, has been living in the House Velaryon stronghold Driftmark without a rider since Laenor vanished in House of the Dragon season one. In season two, we see the dragon remains there at the current time.
Civil War Makes Dragons Imperative, and That Includes Seasmoke
Of course, now that the greens and the blacks are poised for full-on war, every dragon counts. Previews of House of the Dragon season two tease that dragons fighting dragons will be at the heart of this chapter. With Laenor and Seasmoke, Rhaenyra would have had an additional dragon at her side as she faced Alicent, Aegon, and the rest. And one dragon can make an immense difference. While Seasmoke is present, his rider is not. And, with Laenor missing but not dead, Seasmoke cannot be ridden; at least, that’s what Game of Thrones‘ dragonrider lore seems to imply.
Will House of the Dragon Honor the Dragon Rider Lore of the Books?
In the Game of Thrones universe, a dragon can only have one dragonrider at a time while both still live, and that rider must have Valyrian blood. If House of the Dragon season two abides by these dragon rules, that means that as long as Laenor remains absent, no one else can ride Seasmoke and fully command the dragon in battle.
Of course, HBO’s live-action Game of Thrones has hinted that it might be flexible with the letter of dragonrider lore before. And neither Game of Thrones nor House of the Dragon have fully established how stringently the one-rider-only rule is followed in the live-action universe. After all, Jon Snow rode Daenerys’ dragon. However, it seems likely that House of the Dragon season two will, at least, need to acknowledge its change in canon if the series gives Seasmoke a new rider who isn’t Laenor.
We are going to go ahead and assume that Laenor is not dead. Death would seem a poor fate for someone who the show purposefully kept alive, breaking with the previously known canon. But it doesn’t feel like House of the Dragon is hinting at Laenor’s return to ride Seasmoke, either. Instead, the show teases something else altogether.
Are Addam Hull and Seasmoke Connected on House of the Dragon?
It wasn’t just anyone who saw Seasmoke flying through the clouds; it was Addam of Hull. Those who want a fuller version of spoilers can read the historical accounting found in George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood. For now, all we’ll say is it doesn’t feel like a very coincidental scene. And we will share that Hull is the recent surname given to bastards born in the town of Hull, which, like Seasmoke, sits on Driftmark. In episode two of House of the Dragon, Addam additionally feels that Lord Corlys “owes” Addam and his brother Alyn something. Now, why would that be? And could it be a dragon?
We’ll have to wait for Seasmoke to fly back to us in a future episode of House of the Dragon, to say for sure.