Who are Ulf and Hugh riding in House of the Dragon?

Two more dragons have found riders in House of the Dragon Season 2. The riders are Ulf and Hugh, but who are the dragons?

The dragons are significant to the riders, especially with the story we now heard about Hugh’s mother. Both of the dragons in question have a direct connection from previous rider to new rider. Let’s take a look.

Ulf is riding Silverwing in House of the Dragon

Ulf White didn’t initially want to head to Dragonstone. He knew the dangers of trying to claim a dragon, and it was always clear that this man was all talk. His friends ended up pushing him to take up Rhaenyra’s offer to attempt to become a dragon rider.

He ran when Vermithor initially started attacking people, and who can blame him? Dying in dragon fire is not a fun way to go! As he works his way through the caverns under Dragonstone, he comes across another dragon. This one is Silverwing.

Silverwing initially goes in for the attack, but then stops. She decides to allow Ulf to tame her.

Silverwing was Alysanne Targaryen’s dragon. Alysanne married Jaehaerys and was Queen Consort of Westeros during his reign. Silverwing went on many flights during that time, including to The Wall, where she refused to fly across, as Cregan Stark reminds Jace in the House of the Dragon Season 2 finale.

Alysanne and Jaehaerys may be Ulf’s grandparents, which makes this choice of rider important to note. It looks like the dragons prefer to keep things in the family. There’s a chance that Ulf’s father is Baelon Targaryen, the fourth child of the royal couple. However, Ulf’s mother isn’t Alyssa, like Viserys and Daemon. Baelon didn’t take another wife after Alyssa’s death, but he may have slept with women in brothels, leading to Ulf’s birth.

Hugh is riding Vermithor in House of the Dragon

Hugh was the one to tame Vermithor as he went on a rampage against the people there. Hugh was the only one to get Vermithor to stop, and it’s clear that there is something special about this man.

Vermithor was Jaehaerys I’s dragon. We know from House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 7 that Hugh is somehow a grandson of Jaehaerys. It’s highly likely that Hugh is the son of Saera Targaryen, Jaehaerys and Alysanne’s ninth child.

Like Silverwing accepting Ulf, Vermithor accepting Hugh continues to suggest that the dragons prefer to remain with someone of their previous rider’s bloodline. Vermithor likely smelled Saera’s blood in Hugh, and that was why he stopped the attack. There’s a hint of Jaehaerys there.