Hugh Hammer casually drops a massive bombshell in the latest episode of “House of the Dragon,” which may have complicated the Targaryen family tree even further.
In the latest episode, Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) tries to recruit Targaryen and Velaryon bastards as dragon riders for her army, because only people with Valyrian blood can bond with a dragon.
House of the Dragon shows a new dragonrider for Vermithor in its latest episode. https://t.co/GRtI0aE1Lf pic.twitter.com/j7IDR35xfQ
— Nerdist (@nerdist) July 29, 2024
After the loss of their daughter, Hugh (Kieran Bew) tells his wife that he wants to go to Dragonstone to claim a dragon so that he can have more power to protect their family.
Hugh explains that his mother was a prostitute who was successful because she had the Targaryen’s signature silver hair color.
“She used to tell me I was no different to her brother’s boys, Viserys and Daemon,” Hugh says, seemingly referring to the former king, Viserys I, and his brother, Daemon Targaryen.
Hugh never specifies his mother’s name, implying that she was just another illegitimate child of Baerlon the Brave, Viserys, and Daemon’s parent.
This claim is strengthened later in the episode when Hugh becomes the only person who is able to bond with Vermithor, the second-largest dragon in the land.
If what Hugh says is true, it is a major departure from “Fire and Blood,” the novel that “House of the Dragon” is based on, since it makes Hugh a direct relative of the Targaryen royal family.
Hugh is not directly related to the Targaryens in ‘Fire and Blood’
In “Fire and Blood,” Hugh is the bastard of an unnamed blacksmith from Dragonstone. Though it is later revealed he has Valryian blood when he claims the dragon Vermithor, there is never a direct link between him and the Targaryens.
In the book, Baerlon only has three known sisters: Alyssa, who he marries; Daenerys, who dies of disease; and Maegelle, who joined the religious group, the faith of the seven.
This is not the first time that “House of the Dragon” has changed the “Fire and Blood” storyline. Fans have praised some of these changes, while others have left plot holes, making the story more confusing.
One of the biggest ‘House of the Dragon’ book changes may have introduced a major plot hole to the show#HouseoftheDragon https://t.co/gXzxxzQrje pic.twitter.com/DhYVgUkiiF
— Business Insider India🇮🇳 (@BiIndia) July 23, 2024
Hugh’s addition to the Targaryens makes an already puzzling family tree even more complicated. It also seems to hint that the show will adapt another major part of the civil war in “Fire and Blood.”
In “Fire and Blood,” Hugh betrays Rhaenyra and eventually tries to seize the Iron Throne for himself so that he can rule as king.
Hugh is not part of the royal succession in Westeros in the TV series, but the fact that he is related to the royal family and has one of the biggest dragons could give him a genuine claim to the throne. It’s not like the Targaryens haven’t skipped over generations before.
We will likely find out Hugh’s ambitions with his dragon in next week’s season two finale.
Key Points:
i. Hugh Hammer reveals potential Targaryen lineage, complicating the family tree.
ii. Rhaenyra recruits Targaryen and Velaryon bastards as dragon riders.
iii. Hugh claims his mother was related to Viserys I and Daemon Targaryen.
iv. The revelation differs from the “Fire and Blood” novel, where Hugh is not linked to the Targaryens.
v. Hugh’s newfound connection could play a significant role in the series’ storyline.
RM Tomi – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News
