In the recent episode of House of the Dragon Season 2, a character named Ulf the White dropped a bombshell, claiming he’s a secret Targaryen. Viewers are now left wondering if his claim holds water.
Throughout House of the Dragon, Targaryens and other noble houses have been known to father illegitimate children, referred to as bastards. For instance, in Season 1, the Cargyll brothers stumbled upon what seemed to be one of Aegon II Targaryen’s bastards while searching for him in a fighting pit. This revelation highlights the intrigue and complexity of lineage within the show’s universe.
Is Ulf the White actually a Targaryen?
In Season 2, Episode 3 of “House of the Dragon,” viewers met Ulf the White, portrayed by Tom Bennett, a new character introduced in a tavern or pub in Flea Bottom, King’s Landing. Here, Ulf boldly claims he is the illegitimate son of Baelon Targaryen.
To give some background, Baelon Targaryen was the father of King Viserys I Targaryen and Daemon Targaryen. This makes Ulf the supposed brother of King Viserys I and the uncle of Aegon II and Rhaenyra Targaryen.
Despite his claim, Ulf lacks typical Targaryen features like silver hair, leading the tavern-goers to doubt his story.
In “Fire & Blood,” the source material for “House of the Dragon,” Ulf the White is not definitively confirmed as Baelon Targaryen’s bastard, but he is acknowledged as a dragonseed. This term means he is believed to be a bastard child of someone with Valyrian ancestry.
So, while Ulf’s exact lineage remains ambiguous, he is indeed descended from either the Targaryen, Velaryon, or Celtigar houses. Given the absence of the Celtigar house in “House of the Dragon,” it’s most likely he hails from the Targaryen or Velaryon lineage.
What does Ulf Being a Dragonseed mean?
Ulf the White, being a dragonseed, carries the blood of the dragon. Essentially, this means he has the potential to bond with an unclaimed dragon.
In Season 2 of “House of the Dragon,” we’ve already seen other notable dragonseeds like Alyn of Hull, his brother Addam of Hull, and Hugh Hammer.
In “Fire & Blood,” Jacaerys Velaryon puts out a call for all dragonseeds to come to Dragonstone and attempt to bond with unclaimed dragons, pledging them land, wealth, and knighthood if successful.
Ulf is among these dragonseeds who answer the call and shows the potential to bond with the dragon named Silverwing. This storyline appears poised to unfold in “House of the Dragon,” especially given the show’s pattern of introducing new dragonseeds in each episode.
This gathering of dragonseeds is formally known in “Fire & Blood” as the Sowing of the Seeds and is anticipated to occur around Episode 5 of “House of the Dragon” Season 2.
It’s worth noting that Ulf’s journey leads to significant involvement in the Dance of the Dragons once he becomes a dragon rider.
“House of the Dragon” is available for streaming on HBO Max, with new episodes airing every Sunday at 9 p.m. ET.
