Spoiler alert: This story is featured on HBO’sHouse of the DragonSeason 2, Episode 7, “The Red Sewing,” is now streaming on Max.
In the final moments of Sunday’s “House of the Dragon,” Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma Darcy) finally got the upper hand over the Greens with the surprising revelation that she’d found three new dragonriders to join the Blacks’ cause: Hugh (Kieran Bew), Wolf (Tom Bennett), and Adam of Hal (Clinton Liberty)—one of the illegitimate children of her Hand, Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint).
The news was announced (loudly) Rhaenyra’s brother Aemond (Ewan Mitchell)The Prince Regent, Their brother, King Aegon (Tom Glynn Carney)) is recovering, Aemond sees dragons flying over King’s Landing and rides the giant dragon, Vhagar, to Dragonstone. Upon arriving at Rhaenyra’s base, Aemond reflects and realizes that even his fearsome beast is no match for the estimated six dragons that Rhaenyra now has under her control (seven if Matt Smith’s Daemon is resurrected).
Theo Whiteman/Courtesy of HBO
Heading into next week’s Season 2 finale, it appears the two most important people to Rhaenyra are Hal’s Adam and his brother Arryn (Abubakar SalimAdam is now the rider of a dragon named Seasmoke, a dragon once owned by Rhaenyra’s first husband, Corlys’ son, Rhaenyra’s …
Here, Liberty and Salim variety As “House of the Dragon” Season 2 draws to a close, we discuss the Hal brothers’ roles in the Dance of the Dragons.
By the end of the episode, what do you think it takes to bond with a dragon? Targaryen blood, strength, or something else?
Clinton freedom: I feel like it’s a combination of a lot of things, because Stephon Darklyn was of noble blood, but Seasmoke sensed that human nature was a little bit different than what Seasmoke was looking for. And then I realized, “Oh, it’s not just blood, it’s human nature.” Because if you look at Raynor and Adam, yes, they’re of the same blood and similar blood, but as people, they’re really good, kind, lovely people.
It’s an interesting story in a world of ruthless people who want to win glory, at any cost. I think that’s also an important factor for dragons to choose humans as their bond partners, because dragons are very smart. They know what humans really are, behind the facade that humans try to present. So I think it’s a mix of blood, but it’s also human.
Theo Whiteman
How much of a reason do you think there is that Adam is actually the half-brother of Corliss’ daughter Lenore?
freedom: We technically come from the same family. There’s a point about being part of House Hal/Velaryon, and that permeates it. I feel like Seasmoke, having bonded with Raenor before, sees that in Adam. But he also feels like he’s the type of person who honestly wants to achieve these great things and isn’t going to kill anyone. He sees an innocence in Adam.
Has anyone heard if Lenore is actually dead, died off-screen so Seasmoke could bond with Adam as the new rider? Or does Seasmoke just think he’s dead?
freedom: You know who this question is great for? [“House of the Dragon” showrunner] Ryan Condal. I need to talk to this guy. Honestly, all I was literally focused on while working on this was the mind of the character, because Adam has no idea.
Adam is just lazing around. Trying to live his best life. Fishing, catching crabs, walking quietly on the beach. He doesn’t know anything about the politics behind what’s going on there. So this is his introduction to the life of a dragon rider, to what’s going on with Queen Rhaenyra and the rest of Westeros and King’s Landing.
Even in the scenes with Adam and Rhaenyra, you see that he’s on his toes and doesn’t fully answer the questions. He gives vague answers because he knows that if he answers wrong, he could literally be engulfed in flames. So it’s a whole new world for Adam. And I’ve accepted that for myself. I tried not to get too deep into the lore of what’s going on and try to see it from Adam’s eyes.
Theo Whiteman
Can you explain how Adam felt when Corliss came to him and congratulated him on his bond with Seasmoke? When Adam became a dragon rider and Corliss just said “well done” and left?
freedom: Those two words, “Well done,” mean more to Adam than anyone else could ever say, because deep down Adam just wants his father’s approval. That’s what he’s been striving for his whole life. He always wanted a relationship with his parents, but he never got that with his father. That’s one of the reasons he wanted to achieve so much, to have Arin take the throne of Driftmark so he could have a better life, so that one day he could be closer to his father. In that scene, it was the first time he had a real conversation with his father, and the first time his father, Corliss, ever praised him in any way. Going forward, he’s trying to prove himself even more, so that he can be approved of even more, because he craves that relationship.
He just wants his family to be proud of him. He wants his people to be proud of him, whether it’s the queen, his father, his brothers. I think the reason he wants to achieve greatness and have wealth and a throne and servants is to show his father and his queen, “I’m important. Please see me as a person.”
It was all he had ever wanted, his brother was the only one who had ever seen him, but now he wanted the world’s approval and most of all the approval of his father and the Queen.
Once Adam has bonded with Seasmoke, Corlys comes to Arryn and asks if he would like to try his luck as a dragonseed as well. Arryn turns down the idea, choosing to help in a different way – by bringing dragonseeds from King’s Landing. Why would he do that?
Abubakar Salim: In Aryn’s case, his life is basically turned upside down. He gets all the things he wanted – the attention and energy from Corliss that he craved for so long – and his brother is fulfilling his wishes. In Aryn’s eyes, it seems like a bit too much. And Aryn is focused on what he’s good at, which is working in the shipyards, working on ships, anything to do with the sea and salt. And that’s in my character’s head.
He’s very protective of his brother and he loves him dearly, so it’s such a shock to him to hear that his brother is not only involved in the war to some extent, but also at a very high level as a dragon rider, and I think that’s why he’s thinking, “I have to get more involved in this work than I’ve ever been before because I don’t want my brother to fail.”
Do you think Arin could bond with the dragon if he tried? In Fire & Blood, he tries but fails.
Salim: Hey, you know what? Yeah, whatever I decide to do, I can do it.
The thing is, Abu is saying that. I don’t think that would even cross Arin’s mind. I feel like, especially with the portrayal that we’re giving him on the show, it’s not in my mind, it’s not an issue, because Arin has no interest in dragons. In his mindset, in the environment that he was raised in, dragons are for royalty, and that whole lifestyle is for royalty. And that’s been taught to him very clearly. do not have He’s not royalty and doesn’t deserve a place there, so he thinks, “I don’t care. I know where I belong and I’m going to be fine there.”
As we approach the final episode, what will happen to Arin now that she is separated from her brother? At the moment, both of them are actively working for the Brax.
Arin has given so much love and strength to his brother Adam because Adam is the only one he has. Every time we perform together, we always say, “How long has it been?” [Addam and Alyn] When was the last time you met? Where do we go from there? What’s an update or something you need to talk about?
This is a precious time. Now that the Dragon is in, you’re probably thinking, “Okay, what time is it going to be? Our lives are so interesting and we’re both going in different directions.”
And I think that makes everything that much more tense heading into the final episode.
These interviews have been edited and condensed.
