House of the Dragon: Who Rides Vermithor in Season 2?

Warning: The following article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 7. It also includes potential spoilers for future installments of the series.

House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 7 sees several of the show’s titular firebreathers secure new riders – including legendary firebreather Vermithor. So, who rides Vermithor in House of the Dragon Season 2?

Related: Every Wild Dragon in House of the Dragon

Vermithor’s Dragon Rider in House of the Dragon Season 2, Explained

House of the Dragon has been teasing Vermithor’s entry into the Dance of the Dragons civil war since Season 1’s finale, “The Black Queen.” There, Prince Daemon Targaryen roused the hibernating beastie, hinting that his full-blown debut was on the horizon. We wound up waiting a bit longer than expected, though; the Bronze Fury remains off-screen until Season 2, Episode 7. Here, Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen shoves a bunch of lowborn dragonseeds into the same room as Vermithor, in the hopes of finding him a rider. The plan doesn’t exactly go smoothly – a lot of illegitimate Targaryens are charred, chomped, or both – but in the end, Hugh Hammer bonds with Vermithor. Apparently, Hugh’s defiance in the face of certain death won over the overgrown lizard.

Related: House of the Dragon: Who Rides Sheepstealer the Wild Dragon in Season 2?

Admittedly, we don’t actually see Hugh riding Vermithor in House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 7. But, as with Addam of Hull and Seasmoke in Episode 6, it’s pretty obvious Hugh is Vermithor’s new dragon rider. This makes the bastard blacksmith the first person to claim the Bronze Fury since King Jaehaerys I Targaryen, and just his second rider in nearly a century. It also puts him in charge of the second-biggest dragon in Westeros (behind Vhagar), and arguably the fiercest. Not bad for a bloke struggling to put food on the table throughout Season 2’s first six episodes. And as Episode 7’s final scene proves, Hugh’s now a key player in Rhaenyra’s campaign, so expect his star to keep rising!

Does Hugh Hammer Ride Vermithor in the Book, Too?

Yep, Hugh Hammer is Vermithor’s dragon rider in House of the Dragon‘s source text, Fire & Blood, too. What’s more, the pair take part in some of the Dance of the Dragons’ most noteworthy events. Most (if not all) of this material will likely feature in future House of the Dragon episodes, so anyone keen to avoid possible spoilers should check out now.

Related: House of the Dragon: What Is Rhaenyra and Jacaerys’ Plan for the Dragonseeds?

So, soon after Hugh claims Vermithor in the book, he takes part in the Battle of the Gullet: one of the bloodiest naval slugfests in the Seven Kingdoms’ history. His efforts boost his profile among the Black Targaryen camp; he’s knighted and awarded lands. Unfortunately, there’s also some unpleasantness involving Hugh being turned down as Casterly Rock’s replacement lord. Miffed with Rhaenyra, Hugh later switches sides and fights for the Green Targaryens at the Battle of Tumbleton.

House of the Dragon Season 2 is currently airing on HBO and Max, with new episodes dropping Sundays.