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Who was Seasmoke’s original rider in House of the Dragon?
One of the most impressive dragons ever to appear in House of the Dragon has a new rider. But who was Seasmoke’s original owner?
The battle for the Iron Throne has become fierce, and both the Greens and the Blacks know that strategy must be updated. Having dragons is no longer a deterrent, it is now the weapon that must be taken to the battlefield, no matter how many charred bodies are left, all to regain or defend the throne.
The side commanded by Rhaenyra has the advantage because, despite its loss a few weeks ago, it still controls more dragons. But what happens when there are dragons, but no dragon riders to lead them into battle? One such riderless dragon is Seasmoke, a towering, pale silver-gray dragon that was featured prominently in House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 6, “Smallfolk”. But who was the original rider?
Warning, spoilers for House of the Dragon below:
Who was Seasmoke’s original dragonrider?
Now that Addam of Hull is the new rider of Seasmoke, one of the details that remains in doubt is who its original rider was. For that, we have to go back to last season, as the dragon originally belonged to Prince Laenor Velaryon, whom we met as the first husband of Rhaenyra, son of Lord Corlys Velaryon and Princess Rhaenys Targaryen. The prince went to live in King’s Landing after his marriage to the then-heir to the Iron Throne, though their marriage was more of a screen, as his lack of interest in women led him not to care that his children were the product of another man who did not inherit the Valyrian appearance of Laenor and Rhaenyra.
However, Laenor’s life takes a turn that creates a difference with the book of ‘Fire and Blood’. While in the original work, Ser Qarl Correy ends up murdering him, some say it was out of jealousy, while others claim it was an order from Daemon Targaryen. However, ‘House of the Dragon’ changes this memory a bit in season 1, episode 7, “Driftmark,” where Laenor Velaryan fakes his death and escapes to the Narrow Sea with his lover Ser Qarl.
However, this breaks one of the rules of the Dragonriders. Supposedly, to form a bond with the dragon, only those with Targaryen blood, even if they no longer share the family name, are allowed to ride the dragon. On the other hand, once the dragon and rider have bonded, the dragon will not allow anyone else to ride it alone while its rider is alive, no matter how close that person may be to the dragon.