Hugh Hammer’s Mother Teases Major Book Character in ‘House of the Dragon’

As House of the Dragon introduces new dragonriders like Addam of Hull (Clinton Liberty), Hugh Hammer (Kieran Bew), and Ulf the White (Tom Bennett), it delves into the criteria needed to bond with a dragon. Rather than restricting dragons to legitimate Targaryens, Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) allows bastards the opportunity to claim dragons, and three successfully do so. While many so-called dragonseeds cannot pinpoint their exact lineage, those with Valyrian blood feel confident despite their bastard status. For instance, Corlys (Steve Toussaint) does not acknowledge Addam and his brother Alyn (Abubakar Salim), yet they are certain of their Targaryen lineage.

Hugh Hammer, confident in his Targaryen blood, feels a strong pull to answer Rhaenyra’s call. A blacksmith with distinctive Targaryen features, Hugh is sure of his bond to the Targaryens through his mother. Although he doesn’t mention her name directly, his story hints at a connection to one of the most disgraced figures in Targaryen history. While Fire & Blood doesn’t confirm his parents, clues suggest he might be the grandson of King Jaehaerys through his rebellious daughter, Saera Targaryen.

In Season 2, Episode 7, “The Red Sowing,” the Blacks desperately seek dragonriders for Vermithor and Silverwing. Rhaenyra opens the opportunity for anyone with Targaryen blood to try bonding with a dragon. Hugh sees this as a rare chance to elevate his station and provide for his family. His wife Kat (Ellora Torchia) worries for his safety but Hugh explains that his mother was a silver-haired woman who worked in a pleasure house, and this gives him confidence in his Targaryen lineage.

Hugh’s recount of his mother saying he “is no different than her brother’s sons” (such as King Viserys and Prince Daemon) aligns most closely with Saera Targaryen. Jaehaerys’ devotion to his wife Alyssane makes it unlikely he had many acknowledged bastards. Fire & Blood mentions a hedge knight claiming to be Jaehaerys’ son, which Jaehaerys disproves. Even if this was a genuine claim from Jaehaerys’s offspring, an acknowledgment like the one Hugh references is more plausible from Saera. Everything Hugh shares fits Saera’s profile perfectly.

Saera Targaryen was King Jaehaerys’ disowned daughter, known for being one of his greatest troubles. The ninth child of Jaehaerys and Alyssane, Saera was infamous for her charm and manipulative nature. She learned to wield her power over men early on, causing scandal by having multiple lovers. When confronted, she claimed she wanted to marry all three men, further angering her father.

Jaehaerys disowned Saera, confining her but later sent her to join the Faith as a silent sister after she attempted to claim a dragon. Saera escaped to Lys, working in the pleasure houses and later moving to Volantis to run her own establishment. Despite her mother’s letters, Saera never returned to Westeros nor reconciled with her parents. When Jaehaerys neared death, he mistook the young Alicent Hightower for Saera, hinting at his enduring regret.

While Fire & Blood doesn’t link Hugh Hammer to Saera Targaryen directly, Hugh being her son fits logically. Saera is the only Targaryen known to have had bastard children. Three men even claimed to be her sons at the Great Council of 101, though they were dismissed due to legitimate heirs. In House of the Dragon, a deviation from the book’s account could imply Saera returned to Westeros or at least had a child who did, aligning Hugh’s heritage with his ability to bond with a dragon.

Hugh being Saera’s child makes him as much a Targaryen as any of Jaehaerys’ legitimate descendants, explaining his success where other dragonseed failed. It adds a layer of irony that Jaehaerys’ disowned daughter’s bloodline could lay claim to his dragon. Despite Jaehaerys’ attempt to erase Saera from the family, her legacy through Hugh endures, complicating his narrative with themes of family, regret, and identity. House of the Dragon seems to embrace Hugh’s deeper connection to Jaehaerys, positioning him closer to the Targaryen lineage than even Rhaenyra in some respects.

House of the Dragon is currently streaming on Max in the U.S. New episodes air every Sunday.

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Source: Collider