‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2 Episode 7 Ending Explained: How Many Dragons Does Rhaenyra Have? “The Red Sowing” Explained

In HBO‘s House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 7 “The Red Sowing,” Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) goes from only having a modest lineup of three dragons at her disposal to six — maybe even seven or eight, if we’re keeping an eye on what’s happening in both the Riverlands and the Vale — at her beck and call. Her risky gambit to invite Targaryen bastards to Dragonstone to try their hand at taming dragons seriously seems to have paid off. So much so, House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 7
“The Red Sowing” ends with the usually cocky Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) surveying the scene at Dragonstone and deciding that it’s smarter for his massive dragon Vhagar to retreat. Team Black now appears to have the upper hand in the civil war, but who can honestly keep track of all the dragons Rhaenyra now has?

Who are all these massive battle-ready dragons? And how do unlikely Targaryen bastards manage to tame them, if the likes of Rhaena (Phoebe Campbell) could not?

**Spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 7 “The Red Sowing,” now streaming on Max**

For weeks, we’ve been told that Team Green was going to be nigh on impossible to beat because they have the largest, oldest dragon, Vhagar, in their camp. Indeed, Vhagar easily killed two of Rhaenyra’s dragons already. First, she murdered young Lucerys Velaryon (Elliott Grihault) and his small dragon Arrax and then she took down Rhaenys (Eve Best) and her battle-hardened dragon, Meleys. With Daemon (Matt Smith) dithering with Caraxes in the Riverlands, that meant that Rhaenyra only had three full-grown dragons left: her Syrax, son Jace’s (Harry Collet) Vermax, and Baela’s (Bethany Antonia) Moondancer. Even united, it was doubtful the three smaller dragons could take down Vhagar.

So what did Rhaenyra do? She decided to find new dragon riders for three large dragons hanging out at Dragonstone. Where did she find these riders? Among the lowborn Targaryen bastards of King’s Landing. Many are quickly massacred in the process — in an event George R.R. Martin dubs “The Red Sowing” in the books — but Hugh the Hammer (Kieran Bew) and Ulf the White (Tom Bennett) manage to survive, joining Addam of Hull (Clinton Liberty) as newly minted dragonlords.

By the end of House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 7 “The Red Sowing,” there are three more massive dragons on Team Black, each claimed by a lowborn bastard (to the consternation of Jace and the sacred order of dragonkeepers). Who are these dragons, who are their riders, and how many dragons does Rhaenyra now have? Here’s everything you need to know about all the dragons on Team Black…

New Team Black Dragon #1: Seasmoke

New Rider: Addam of Hull, bastard son of Lord Corlys Velaryon and a shipwright named Marilda in the books

Original Rider: Laenor Velaryon, son of Lord Corlys Velaryon and Princess Rhaenys

At the end of House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 6 “Smallfolk,” Seasmoke hunts down Addam of Hull to insist that the lowborn bastard son of Corlys Velaryon becomes his new rider. As Addam tells Rhaenyra in this week’s episode, he did not seek out the dragon. It was all Seasmoke, baby.

So why does Seasmoke choose Addam? Beyond the fact that he’s Laenor’s half-brother, it’s suggested that Marilda herself might have been a Targaryen bastard. In the books, it’s clear that the Velaryons intermarried with Targaryens in the past. Moreover, they are Valyrian.

Either way, Seasmoke’s bold choice in dragonrider inspires Mysaria to push Rhaenyra to seek out new dragonriders amongst the smallfolks…

New Team Black Dragon #2: Vermithor, aka the Bronze Fury

New Rider: Hugh the Hammer, son of Saera Targaryen and an unknown father

Original Rider: King Jaeharys Targaryen, father of Saera Targaryen and grandfather to King Viserys and Prince Daemon

As Rhaenyra explains in House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 7, Vermithor is the largest, oldest, and mightiest dragon after Vhagar. “The Bronze Fury” was originally claimed by King Jaehaerys, the iconic “Conciliator” who brought peace to the realm.

When presented with a group of Targaryen bastards hoping to claim him as their dragon, Vermithor explodes. He burns and eats most of the contenders before being finally claimed by a blacksmith named Hugh.

We learned in this week’s House of the Dragon that Hugh doesn’t know who his father was, but his mother was a silver-haired Targaryen sex worker. When he adds that she would tell him that he was no different from her brother’s sons, Viserys and Daemon, it’s clear to Fire & Blood readers that Hugh’s mom is Saera Targaryen. In George R.R. Martin’s book, he tells the sordid tale of the rebellious Targaryen princess. As a teen, she indulged in illicit sex games with her favorites and was sent to Oldtown to become a “Silent Sister” as penance. Eventually, she ran away to Lys and worked in the pleasure houses, ruling over her own underworld kingdom.

Hugh heroically confronts Vermithor, noting that he’s “ready” now for the dragon and Vermithor comes to heel. On a related note, it’s said that Saera was adept at manipulating her father as a child, so maybe Vermithor recognizes his rider’s prodigal daughter in Hugh?

New Team Black Dragon #3: Silverwing

New Rider: Ulf the White, who purports to be the bastard son of Prince Baelor Targaryen, Viserys and Daemon’s father

Original Rider: “Good” Queen Alysanne, sister and wife of King Jaehaerys and Prince Baelor’s mother

We don’t hear a lot about Silverwing this week, but she’s iconic for many reasons in the lore of Game of Thrones. It was Silverwing who famously refused to fly past the Wall, inspiring her rider Alysanne to invest more resources into the Night’s Watch. And much like Alysanne is forever tethered to her husband, Silverwing was supposed to be close with Vermithor. In the books, it’s said they would sometimes be find “coiled” together.

So when Ulf, running in terror from Vermithor, literally stumbles upon a clutch of Silverwing’s dragon eggs, you can understand why he thinks he’s going to be eaten. However, Silverwing doesn’t attack the Targaryen bastard. Instead, she sort of boops him with her snout like a loving pet would. This week’s episode ends with Ulf flying Silverwing over King’s Landing, prompting Aemond to chase after upon Vhagar.

Why did Silverwing consider Ulf worthy? It honestly could be because Hugh managed to claim Vermithor. It’s possible she would have bowed to any Targaryen bastard who crossed her path if only to stay in sync with Vermithor. Or perhaps she likes storytellers like Ulf.

Another Potential New Dragon? The Wild Dragon Sheepstealer in the Vale

Oh boy, House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 7 continued to push the show’s “Rhaena as Nettles” agenda this week when Rhaena literally chases after the wild, sheep-stealing dragon terrorizing the Vale. She not only goes off on her own to find this dragon, but she abandons her post as guardian to Prince Joffrey (Oscar Eskinazi) and little brothers Viserys and Aegon.

The implication is that Rhaena will come face to face with this wild dragon in the House of the Dragon Season 2 finale next week.

If she manages to tame this dragon, she will likely join Rhaenyra’s ever-growing numbers of dragons capable of battling Vhagar. We’ll have to wait and see! (Especially since, in the books, Rhaena eventually claims a small hatchling dragon she names Morning.)

Who (and Where) Are ALL the Dragons in House of the Dragon?

Simply looking for a list of all the dragons in House of the Dragon and where they are? Here’s Team Black vs. Team Green’s tally of dragons:

Team Black’s Dragons — as of House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 7:

• Syrax, ridden by Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, located on Dragonstone
• Vermax, ridden by Prince Jacaerys “Jace” Velaryon, located on Dragonstone
• Moondancer, ridden by Baela Targaryen, located on Dragonstone
• Seasmoke, ridden by Addam of Hull, located on Dragonstone
• Vermithor, ridden by Hugh the Hammer, located on Dragonstone
• Silverwing, ridden by Ulf the White, located on Dragonstone
• Caraxes, ridden by Prince Daemon Targaryen, located at Harrenhal
• Tyraxes, bonded to Prince Joffrey Velaryon, leaving the Vale for Pentos
• Stormcloud, bonded to Prince Aegon Targaryen, leaving the Vale for Pentos

Team Green’s Dragons – as of House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 7:

• Vhagar, ridden by Prince Regent Aemond Targaryen, located just outside King’s Landing
• Sunfyre, ridden by King Aegon II, withering away outside Rook’s Rest
• Dreamfyre, ridden by Queen Heleana Targaryen, located in the Dragonpit in King’s Landing
• Tessarion, ridden by Prince Daeron Targaryen, located in Oldtown, with the Hightower host