Rhaenyra Targaryen is looking for riders for unclaimed dragons in House of the Dragon, including Seasmoke. Her first choice, Ser Steffon Darklyn, is sadly set alight and dies, but Seasmoke is much more fond of Addam, actively seeking and pursuing him.
Addam of Hull is Seasmoke’s new dragonrider, much as he was in Fire and Blood. Addam made only a few appearances before forming a friendship with Seasmoke.
He is a shipwright who resides on Driftmark and works for the House Velaryon fleet.
The ending of House of the Dragon season 2, episode 6, does not explicitly show them bonding, but George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood clarifies the situation.
1. Does Addam of Hull possess Targaryen Blood?
Shrouded in mystery, this question adds an intriguing layer to the character’s lineage.
Addam Velaryon, often known as Addam of Hull, inherited Targaryen blood from his mother, Marilda. As per strong rumors, Marilda was fathered by Prince Daemon Targaryen when he had his way with the shipwright’s wife.
Daemon’s friendship with Corlys and House Velaryon in general and his frequent visits to the area of Driftmark are well-established. Marilda, the daughter of a famous dragon rider, would explain why she was confident that her sons would succeed in taming dragons.
Given that Alyn “Oakenfist” Velaryon/Hull is pretty much Daemon 2.0 in terms of personality, the similarities could be a nod from G.R.R. Martin. He shares some ancestry with Daemon. These parallels add an intriguing layer to the character’s personality and potential ancestry.
Marilda stated that Ser Laenor Velaryon fathered Addam and his brother Alyn despite Laenor’s known fondness for men.
Mushroom, the court idiot, said they were fathered by Laenor’s father, Lord Corlys Velaryon, and were kept hidden to avoid offending Corlys’s fiery-tempered wife, Princess Rhaenys Targaryen.
If the bastard theory is true, then Laenor and Addam are half-brothers, and since Laenor was married to Rhaenerya, there is a potential Targaryen connection there, too.
The only Targaryen I can find in Corlys’ family tree is Alyssa, his great-aunt on his paternal grandfather’s side. Alyssa married King Aenys Targaryen as a political match because she had a close parentage with the Targaryens.
In “The World of Ice & Fire,” Alyssa’s mother is stated to be some Targaryen, but in “Fire & Blood,” she’s retconned to become a Massey. So either a Targaryen married a Massey or Alyssa’s father had Targaryen blood. So by that logic, Corlys is 1/8th Targaryen and would make his two bastard sons only 1/16th Targaryen.
The idea behind the dragon seeds is that you don’t need immediate or direct Targaryen lineage to ride a dragon, and Addam shows that it is true.
2. Does House Velaryon have dragon blood?
House Velaryon is an ancient and noble family with old Valyrian blood in their veins. Their pedigree precedes that of the Targaryens.
They settled on Driftmark Island in the Gullet long before the Targaryens came to Westeros from old Valyria.
In House of the Dragon, the Velaryons, who are of Valyrian heritage, are depicted with silver-gold or silver hair, purple eyes, and occasionally blue or grey-green eyes. Although House Velaryon is not as intimately tied to dragon riding, some important family members have become dragon riders.
In House of the Dragon, Laena Velaryon rode the dragon Vhagar, while her brother Laenor Velaryon rode Seasmoke.
In the book, during the Dance of the Dragons, Addam allied with the dragon Seasmoke when Dragonriders were required. After proving himself in battle, Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen legitimized Addam and his brother Alyn, wiping away the stain of illegitimacy. Addam, the heir to House Velaryon of Driftmark, fought for the blacks atop Seasmoke at the Battle of the Gullet.
3. Does Seasmoke Choosing Addam Mean Laenor Velaryon Is Dead?
The biggest wrinkle in Seasmoke bonding with Addam is not the latter’s blood but the status of the former’s previous rider. Laenor Velaryon is still alive in House of the Dragon, a departure from the books where he did die (at the same point in the story). But is that still the case?
Seasmoke is believed to be restless, and Rhaenyra believes he “misses his bond.” It’s likely that, after years apart, Seasmoke has finally accepted that his former rider will not return and has decided to take on a new one. Seasmoke and Laenor spent years together, so it’s natural that he’d feel lonely. But might it possibly suggest Laenor has died?
Again, it’s been years, so Laenor may have been killed off-screen (and there’s no reason for Rhaenyra or anyone else to find out because most people believe he’s dead).
It’s never been confirmed if a dragon could take a new rider when the other one is still alive: House of the Dragon either did exactly that, or Laenor is dead now.
4. Do Seasmoke & Addam Fight In The Dance Of The Dragons?
Addam may not have been Rhaenyra’s planned recipient of Seasmoke, but it works out nicely for Team Black. Because he is already dedicated to Corlys, Addam will fight for Rhaenyra in the Dance of the Dragons, taking his new dragon into many battles.
This will feature the Battle of the Gullet, set up for House of the Dragon season 3, and includes several references to the blockade.
Addam and Seasmoke also assist Rhaenyra in capturing King’s Landing, which will most likely occur in season 3, and the dragon is kept in the Dragonpit and helps to protect the city. Later, they engage in the Second Battle of Tumbleton with dragons like Vermithor and Silverwing.
It remains to be seen how much House of the Dragon follows the books, but there are certainly bigger things to come for Seasmoke and Addam.
5. Who plays Addam of Hull in House of The Dragon?
Clinton Liberty plays the dragon seed Addam of Hull in House of the Dragon season 2. He is an Irish actor and dancer who has appeared in films like Handsome Devil (2016).
He has also starred in the 2019 Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. He played the role of Keiman in the miniseries Normal People.
The House of the Dragon actor has appeared in short films like Power Out (2019), Something Doesn’t Feel Right (2019), and Twin (2019).
He played Michael in The Christmas (2022). Clinton rose to prominence as Marcus in Red Election (2021) and Linus Dunne in Holding (2022).
6. About House Of The Dragon
House of the Dragon is the prequel series to HBO’s blockbuster Game of Thrones based on George R. R. Martin’s book Fire & Blood.
Set three hundred years before the events of Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon will show Westeros under the Targaryen family’s rule before the dragons went extinct. It will follow the Dance of the Dragons, the Targaryen civil war between siblings Aegon II and Rhaenyra, who fought for the throne after the death of their father, Viserys I.
Directed by Ryan Condall and Miguel Sapochnik, the show stars Paddy Considine as 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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