This text incorporates spoilers for “Home of the Dragon.”
The primary season of “Home of the Dragon” teased the bond between dragon and rider as one thing particular that may additionally threaten Westeros with the medieval equal of nuclear warfare, but it surely’s season 2 that is actually made this a central component of the present. The present season has actually offered the concept that dragons are scary god-level weapons which are additionally big curious cats who prefer to mess around.
The foundations and lore of dragon and human bonding have at all times been sort of imprecise within the “Sport of Thrones” universe. The e book that “Home of the Dragon” is predicated on, “Hearth & Blood,” is offered as having been written by maesters who do not have the complete story, leaving loads of room for its adaptation to discover and experiment with its lore and narrative. Nonetheless, for all the great modifications “Home of the Dragon” has made to its supply materials, some followers had been left questioning after the most recent episode whether or not the present has created an enormous plot gap in its story. All of it comes right down to Seasmoke the dragon chasing after after which forcing Addam of Hull to just accept his function as a brand new dragonrider.
The issue is that Seasmoke was already bonded with Laenor Velaryon, who is claimed to have died in “Hearth & Blood” however beforehand appeared to get a cheerful ending on “Home of the Dragon.” Final season, we noticed Laenor pretend his demise and go away Westeros in secret, crossing the Slim Sea along with his lover, Ser Qarl Correy. Nevertheless, it is believed that dragons can solely bond with one particular person at a time, and so long as that rider is alive, the dragon can not bond with anybody else. This would definitely appear to point that Laenor died off-screen.
What occurred to Laenor Velaryon?
We have neither seen nor even heard of Laenor since he snuck away in “Home of the Dragon” season 1, seven years earlier than the occasions of season 2, however there may be honest purpose to consider he is lifeless. All through season 2, Seasmoke has acted extra stressed than he ever was in season 1, and even Rhaenyra famous early within the season that Seasmoke appeared upset whereas flying round. This might be interpreted because the dragon performing up in grief over the demise of Laenor.
In spite of everything, we all know that dragons can have very robust and visceral reactions to the demise of their riders, and even simply their ache and feelings. We noticed this when Vhagar, the outdated blind hag, seemed to be unhappy as she burnt Laena Velaryon to demise at her rider’s request. We additionally noticed this when Syrax screamed out in ache on the identical time that Rhaenyra was in labor final season. After all, it feels reasonably unnecessarily merciless for “Home of the Dragon” to simply kill Laenor off-screen after going out of its solution to give him a cheerful ending in season 1.
So, does that make this a plot gap? Not essentially. The concept that a dragon can solely have one rider comes from the maester narrators, who don’t have any dragons themselves. It is not truly identified whether or not any dragon has had two riders earlier than, particularly when one has been absent for so long as Laenor. It may very nicely be that Laenor remains to be alive, however Seasmoke was so unhappy and lonely with out his human that he determined he wished to undertake a brand new rider. As actor Clinton Liberty instructed Selection, it might be that Laenor and Addam are simply related: “They’re truly simply actually good, good, beautiful human beings.”
How this could change every thing about dragons
If “Home of the Dragon” season 2 has taught us something, it is that nobody is aware of something about dragons — not the Targaryens who’ve paraded them round because the image of their energy, nor the historians or cultists that are likely to the dragons at Dragonstone. Seasmoke selecting a Targaryen bastard as his new rider pokes holes within the Targaryen claims that solely Targaryen dragonlords, pure of blood, can experience dragons and that is what offers them a divine proper to rule.
If we assume Laenor remains to be alive, then “Home of the Dragon” simply added one more big gap within the dragon lore that modifications every thing for the Targaryens. To date, Rhaenyra apparently hasn’t considered this, however past simply having any Targaryen bastard have the precise to attempt to change into a dragonrider, it’s seemingly completely potential for dragons to exit and select whomever they need, even when their earlier rider is alive. Prolong this concept a bit extra, and who’s to say {that a} dragon can not decide somebody with out an oz. of Targaryen blood?
This might be how “Home of the Dragon” fixes its Nettles drawback. Nettles is a comparatively minor but essential facet character in “Hearth & Blood” — a younger, common-born no person who claims the wild dragon Sheepstealer and turns into the primary ever non-Targaryen dragonrider. It is an enormous improvement that calls into query the whole deal of Targaryen rule, democratizing the mighty dragons that Targaryens have used to subjugate Westeros for hundreds of years. Nettles is sort of like Broom Boy in “The Final Jedi,” and very similar to “Rise of Skywalker” ignored that character, Nettles is being erased from historical past by “Home of the Dragon.” Hopefully, this Laenor scenario means Nettles’ function just isn’t being utterly jettisoned.
The “Home of the Dragon” season 2 finale premieres August 4, 2024, on HBO and Max.
