One Callback to ‘Game of Thrones’ Takes ‘House of the Dragon’ Fans By Surprise in Season 2 as Prequel Begins to Raise the Stakes

Spoiler Alert!

House of the Dragon Season 2 is heating up quicker than fans could have imagined. Episode 6 just got released, and it looks like Rhaenyra is on a mission. She is on dragon-rider hunting, and it is not going as smoothly as she hoped.

Meanwhile, Alicent is getting some hostile behavior from the council. However, there is something else in the episode that has caught the attention of fans, and it carries a throwback from the sequel, Game of Thrones.

Seasmoke Looks Like GOT’s Drogon

Rhaenyra has a problem, and she requires more dragon riders. It is like she is trying to assemble a team of fire-breathing beasts, and more importantly, their riders. She initially tries to recruit Steffon Darklyn, in her hope that he may have some distant Targaryen blood. It was a risky move, considering the only Targaryens can ride dragons, and ends with Ser Steffon being torched alive by Seasmoke.

Formerly ridden by Laenor Velaryon, Seasmoke is described as “nimble” in George R. R. Martin’s Fire & Blood. However, the interesting thing is that many viewers pointed out that Seasmoke resembles Daenerys Targaryen’s Drogon from Game of Thrones.

I'm so happy that they re-hired the same dragon who played Drogon in GOT to play Seasmoke in HOTD!! pic.twitter.com/FxopvafzuW

— May (@Mayham_H) July 22, 2024

seasmoke looks exactly like drogon#HouseOfTheDragon pic.twitter.com/baCss7muew

— A ౨ৎ hotd spoilers (@rhaenyrasrealm) July 22, 2024

Father of Drogon! 🥳 #Seasmoke #HouseOfTheDragon pic.twitter.com/xiTD5sBt3y

— Samye (@sammyscottt) July 22, 2024

Drogon and Seasmoke 👀#HouseOfTheDragon pic.twitter.com/D7cNJdCbHi

— House of the Dragon News (@HOTDNewsHBO) July 23, 2024

Drogon vs Seasmoke 📷📷

Who will win?#houseofthedragon #gameofthrones pic.twitter.com/l2mShSQrlD

— Wiki of Thrones (@WikiOfThrones) July 20, 2024

After rejecting Ser Steffon Darklyn, Seasmoke doesn’t have to wait long for a rider. Quite surprisingly, he ends up choosing his own rider, as Seasmoke spots Addam of Hull on the shores of Driftmark and begins the bonding process himself, while ignoring all of Rhaenyra’s plans.

Addam of Hull is the brother of Alyn of Hull, and both are bastard sons of Corlys, the ‘Sea Snake’. Although viewers are not very aware of Addam’s existence, bonding with a dragon will put him into the political spotlight of Westeros.

The Unexpected Dragon Rider Addam of Hull

Addam of Hull, played by Clinton Liberty, is a shipwright living on Driftmark. The show has made some changes to his character from the book version. In Martin’s work, Addam is a teenager, while the show shows him in his mid-to-late 20s.

The reasons behind Seasmoke choosing Addam are still a mystery. Dragons’ decision-making processes are largely unknown. Seasmoke might have felt some similarity between Addam and his former rider, Laenor. The show had previously hinted at a connection between them, as Seasmoke was seen flying above Addam in an earlier episode.

However, Addam’s bonding with Seasmoke might cause more problems for the Targaryens than the original plan by Rhaenyra. Addam does not have Targaryen blood in him, he is a Velaryon. This new development does not go along with the old belief that only Targaryens can ride dragons.

The choice of Addam over his brother Alyn is also important here. Alyn is positioned as Corlys’ successor and is described by Baela as “salt and sea.” This suggests that, despite his lineage, Alyn might not be destined for dragon riding.

This unusual bonding of Addam and Seasmoke might bring an unknown shift of powers to Westeros. This new development could either be a threat to their power or an opportunity for new alliances, as it challenges established norms about dragon riding and Targaryen exceptionalism.

House of the Dragon Season 2 is now streaming on Max.