[Ed note: This story contains spoilers for House of the Dragon season 2, episode 7.]
House of the Dragonseason 2, episode 7 confirms what episode 6 already spelled out: Addam of Hull is Westeros’ newest dragon rider. One minute, Addam’s a shipwright and occasional crab fisherman, the next he’s cruising the clouds on Seasmoke. Ulf White (and presumably Hugh Hammer, given that final stinger) pick up dragon riding pretty dang quickly, too — maybe even too quickly?
After all, dragon bonding and riding seems like the kind of joint-exercise you don’t master in an afternoon. These aren’t the cuddly creatures of the How to Train Your Dragon franchise; they’re foul-tempered, living fighter jets. The logical assumption is that we should see a lot more unsuccessful would-be riders like episode 6’s Ser Steffon Darklyn (RIP). Yet all told, the win rate this season is high and the amount of on-screen coaching low. It’s a bit of a head scratcher.
So, how exactly does dragon bonding and training work in George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire books versus Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon? And is it really as easy as it looks?
True to form, George R.R. Martin offers few definitive answers regarding dragon bonding in either his Song of Ice and Fire tomes or House of the Dragon’s source text, Fire & Blood. For example, Valyrian heritage is probably a pre-requisite for successful bonding — at least partly explaining all that Targaryen incest — but nobody in Westeros knows for certain. And even Targaryens and confirmed dragonseed bastards don’t automatically bond with unclaimed dragons; Addam’s brother Alyn nearly dies during an ill-advised encounter with a dragon called Sheepstealer in the books.
It’s all a bit vague, although A Dance with Dragons mentions that the dragon riders of Valyria used spells and magic horns to break in their scaly mounts. However, Martin never describes any of this first hand. Everyone who bonds with a dragon in Fire & Blood and the A Song of Ice
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