Warning: Spoilers ahead for future House of the Dragon plot points.
The battle for Westeros rages on in Season 2 of HBO’s hit series House of the Dragon, the Game of Thrones spin-off following the fall of the Targaryen dynasty. Season 1 introduced the players and set the stage for what is to be one of the bloodiest and most devastating wars in the history of the Seven Kingdoms.
This season has raised the stakes for both sides of the conflict, introducing new settings, houses, and dragons, while inflicting heavy losses or injuries. One of the major events that tip the scales of the war is “ The Red Sowing,” or “Sowing of the Seeds,” which introduces a number of new dragons and dragon riders.
What Is the Red Sowing in ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2?
In the novel Fire & Blood, Archmaester Gyldayn tells that in the more than 200 years since Lord Aenar Targaryen first touched down on Dragonstone, the Targaryens produced many bastards with the common folk of Dragonstone. While in the rest of the realm bastards are looked upon as less than their noble-blooded kin, on Dragonstone, Targaryens were regarded as being closer to gods than men. Targaryen bastards were celebrated, with the babies said to have been “born of dragon seed,” later referred to as just seeds.
During this period of the war, Prince Jacaerys (Harry Collett) sets out to find these seeds to tame the wild and unclaimed dragons on Dragonstone in what’s known as The Red Sowing. With the promise of lands, riches, and knighthood, many come forward on Dragonstone to attempt to claim a dragon, including some of Rhaenyra’s (Emma D’Arcy) household knights and the commander of her Queensguard, Ser Steffon Darklyn (Anthony Flanagan).
The Red Sowing is remembered as both triumph and tragedy, with more than 16 men losing their lives, and many more left injured. Among all these would-be riders, only four manage to claim dragons and join the Prince of Dragonstone in the war for the realm.
Who Will the New Dragon Riders Be in ‘House of the Dragon’?
The first of these new riders is Hugh Hammer (Kieran Bew) or Hard Hugh. Hugh, a bastard son of a blacksmith, is said to have been a towering man who claimed Vermithor, the dragon of the old King Jaehaerys (Michael Carter). After this first success, Ulf the White (Tom Bennett) claims the dragon Silverwing of the late Queen Alysanne.
We then have Addam of Hull (Clinton Liberty). Addam claims the dragon Seasmoke which belonged to Laenor Velaryon (John Macmillan), who history believes to be dead. However, we know from Season 1 that he and Rhaenyra faked his death, and he escaped to the Free Cities.
In the novel Fire & Blood, Addam and his brother Alyn (Abubakar Salim) are described as Silver of hair and purple of eye with sea salt in their blood. They were born to a shipwright’s daughter named Marilda, better known as Mouse, who refused to expose the boy’s true father. However, it is said that there was no doubt among anyone that they were Targaryen seeds. The answer to their parentage does play a role in the battles to come, with many speculating them to be bastards of Laenor Targaryen himself.
The last of the seeds to successfully claim a dragon was perhaps the most unlikely of the bunch. A small bastard named Nettles or Netty tames the wild dragon Sheepstealer from the Vale and becomes the dragon’s first and only rider. Nettles is described in the book as having black hair, brown eyes, skinny with brown skin and was said to be loud mouthed and fearless. It seems the show may be merging the character of Nettles into Rhaena Targaryen (Phoebe Campbell). In Fire & Blood one of Rhaena’s eggs does eventually hatch into the dragon “Morning” but having her tame Sheepstealer in the show would allow her to play a larger role in the Dance of the Dragons.
The True War Begins in ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2
If House of the Dragon Season 1 and its predecessor Game of Thrones have taught us anything, wars are won and lost with dragons. House of the Dragon Season 2 will see the Dance of the Dragons truly begin with more dragons, bigger battles, and higher stakes.
In Fire & Blood, it is said that the death of Lucerys (Elliot Grihault) ended the period of ravens and envoys and began the true war of fire and blood in earnest. The introduction of new dragons to either side is a huge advantage and could be the deciding factor in the war between the Greens and the Blacks. While these four riders are successful in claiming their dragons, there are still wild dragons unclaimed and ready to tip the scales.
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