WARNING! This article contains major SPOILERS for House of the Dragon season 2, episode 6!
Summary
A new dragon twist inHouse of the Dragonseason 2, episode 6 hints that Laenor Velaryon could have died after fleeing to Essos, otherwise leaving the show with a potential plot hole to address. As Queen Rhaenyra is desperate to find riders for the unclaimed dragons at Dragonstone, it’s becoming apparent that everyone knows much less about dragons’ behaviors than previously thought.House of the Dragonhas beenpoking holes in some long-understood Targaryen dragon rules, such as theclaim that only Targaryen dragonlords can ride dragons, and it seems that Seasmoke is debunking another one in season 2.
AfterLaenor Velaryon faked his death and fled to EssosinHouse of the Dragonseason 1, his dragon Seasmoke has been restlessly flying around Dragonstone and Driftmark. It’s been suggested that Seasmoke is lonely and missing his bond with Laenor, as his Velaryon rider disappeared from Westeros over a decade ago. At the end ofHouse of the Dragonseason 2, episode 6,Seasmoke chooses Addam of Hull as his new rider, which either confirms a tragic reality about Laenor Velaryon, creates a plot hole, or reveals that a claim about the Targaryens’ dragons isn’t accurate.
Seasmoke Choosing Addam Could Mean Laenor Velaryon Is Dead
Seasmoke’s Restlessness Could Be From Sensing His Rider’s Death
SinceLaenor chose to fake his death, there’s been no word about his fate, suggesting he never contacted Rhaenyra after their plan came to fruition inHouse of the Dragonseason 1, episode 7. Unless the character returns or sends a message of some sort to Rhaenyra, the only real indication of Laenor’s fate is through his dragon, Seasmoke. The dragon has been farmore restless inHouse of the Dragonseason 2 than in season 1, which could be interpreted as Seasmoke responding to the death of Laenor Velaryon.
House Of The Dragon Season 2, Episode 6 Ending Explained
House of the Dragon season 2, episode 6, offers plenty of new material to break down. Here’s our explanation of the episode’s climactic moments.
There’s no concrete way to confirm that Laenor is dead inHouse of the Dragonseason 2, but his dragon’s sudden change in mood could be a significant indicator that his bond with Laenor has been broken through death. George R.R. Martin’sFire & Bloodnovel reveals thatdragons can have visceral reactions to their riders’ deaths and emotions, even if they’re far away from one another. EvenHouse of the Dragon’s season 1 finale featuresscenes cutting between Rhaenyra and Syraxboth screaming and being uncomfortable while the Targaryen character is in labor, highlighting the deep emotional and internal bond between dragon and rider.
Seasmoke clearly chooses Addam of Hull as his new rider, and it seems highly unlikely that the dragon would actively seek a new bond unless there was no possibility of reconnecting with his former rider.
If Laenor truly died inHouse of the Dragonseason 2, it would make sense that Seasmoke began to restlessly search for a worthy new rider.House of the Dragoneven claims thatSeasmoke “misses his bond,” indicating that he’s eager for a new bondupon the termination of his old connection. Seasmoke clearly chooses Addam of Hull as his new rider, and it seems highly unlikely that the dragon would actively seek a new bond unless there was no possibility of reconnecting with his former rider.
If Laenor Velaryon Is Alive, Is Seasmoke Choosing Addam A Plot Hole?
Can Dragons Really Bond With More Than One Living Person?
As far as the Targaryens know, a dragon can only bond with one rider at a time. Therefore, it would seem impossible for Seasmoke to choose another rider unless Laenor is dead. If the claim that a dragon can’t bond with more than one rider at a time is true, then Seasmoke choosing Addam of Hull would arguably be a plot hole inHouse of the Dragon.
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Rhaena Targaryen discovers a wild dragon in the Vale in House of the Dragon season 2. This is likely Sheepstealer, but it’s a big book change.
However, this isn’t necessarily the case. As far asGame of Throneshistory has revealed by this time, there’s never been a dragon who bonded with someone else while the human they’re already bonded with is still alive. But, this is also because it’s never been known to have been attempted, sothere’s really no conclusive record that a dragon won’t take more than one rider. There aren’t any documented cases of another Targaryen successfully stealing or bonding with another rider’s dragon, and it’s unknown if any Targaryen had ever abandoned their dragon for over a decade, like Laenor and Seasmoke.
Dragons will accept more than one rider at a time to fly on them when their bonded human is also there.
If Seasmoke finally came to terms with the idea that Laenor is alive but would never return, then he may have decided it was time to seek out a new bond. Seasmoke is young and likely senses the onset of war around him, so he may simply have chosen to replace Laenor with someone who would actually utilize their bond. SinceAddam of Hull is Corlys Velaryon’s son, and thusLaenor’s half-brother, Seasmoke may have sensed their shared blood and declared Addam worthyof being his new rider instead.
House Of The Dragon Has Little To Gain From Laenor’s Death
Laenor’s Death Wouldn’t Contribute Much To The Plot
Unless it was used as a way to allow Addam to bond with Seasmoke,House of the Dragondoesn’t have much reason to kill off Laenor Velaryon. It’snot even necessary to kill Laenor given the rules of bonding with multiple riders isn’t clearly defined, so there’s no conclusive evidence that Laenor’s survival creates a plot hole. Since Laenor’s parents already believe him to be dead, killing him off for real arguably isn’t beneficial with any emotional payoff or potential guilt on behalf ofRhaenyra for her plan with Daemon.
Additionally, hisFire & Bloodstory has already been told, and he rowed away with one of the few“happy” endings inHouse of the Dragon. While Alyn and Addam claimed to be Laenor Velaryon’s sons inFire & Blood, that rumor has been completely done away with inHouse of the Dragonin favor of establishing them as Corlys’ bastards. As such, there’slittle reason to bring him back or kill him off given how removed he is from current storylines.
House Of The Dragon May Never Actually Confirm If Laenor Is Alive Or Dead
Revealing Laenor’s Fate Is Unnecessary After His Relevant Story’s Conclusion
Some things are better left a mystery up to audience interpretation, and Laenor’s ultimate fate after fleeing Westeros falls into this category. There’s no need to bring Laenor Velaryon back inHouse of the Dragon, even if it’s the only way to conclusively reveal whether he’s alive or dead.Having him return to Westeros to reveal he’s alive would be a massive risk for Rhaenyra, as it could upend her claim to the Iron Throne and risk makingher sons with Daemon – Aegon and Viserys– illegitimate if she’s technically still married to Laenor.
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Plus, it would be unnecessary to show Laenor alive or dying in Essos. The show’s time in Essos has been incredibly limited, and there isn’t another important character there other than Laenor or Qarl Correy who could realistically be utilized to confirm his fate. Qarl could potentially return to Westeros and inform Rhaenyra of Laenor’s fate, but he’s such a minor character thatdoing so would appear unjustified and unnecessary. Rhaena, Aegon, and Viserys’ plans to escape to Pentos could lead toHouse of the Dragonrevealing Laenor’s fate, but either way, there’s little gained or lost.
House of the Dragon
Cast
House of the Dragon is a 2022 fantasy drama set in the world of Westeros, chronicling the Targaryen dynasty at its height. The story revolves around King Viserys’s controversial decision to name his daughter Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne, sparking tensions and divisions within the realm.
