House of the Dragon: How Does Seasmoke Die?

House of the Dragon is back to action with its season 2, and the Targaryens’ fire-spitting pets finally come up on the main stage.

With some of them remaining unclaimed, the dragons will play a crucial role in all the major battles that are already foreseen by the show for the approaching war, yet there’s still a need to make some kind of deal with the beasts before bringing them into the fight.

The second installment’s episode 6 follows sorrowful repercussions of Rhaenyra’s attempt to find a fitting rider for Seasmoke, and while her first candidate fails to claim the dragon, there’s another potential dragonrider out there who Seasmoke will remain loyal to until the very end.

One of the youngest dragons that haven’t yet gained enough experience in battles, Seasmoke is still capable of being a lifesaver when there’s a need for it, which he proved several times during House of the Dragon’s earlier events.

He’s initially ridden by Laenor Velaryon who then seemingly fakes his death and flees Westeros, also leaving Seasmoke behind.

Since Laenor’s death was never confirmed and he still might return, Seasmoke remains unclaimed by any other rider for quite a long time. However, things soon change and he has no other option but to join Rhaenyra’s forces with Lord Corlys Velaryon’s bastard, Addam of Hull, whom Seasmoke eventually accepts as his new dragonrider.

Why Did Seasmoke and Vermithor Fight?

Though Vermithor and Seasmoke were both set to fight the Greens on the Blacks’ side, something went completely wrong between them during the Second Battle of Tumbleton. As George R.R. Martin’s novel Fire & Blood suggests, Seasmoke was unlucky to get in Vermithor’s way when the latter was outraged enough to destroy everything around him.

The dragon went through a lot before, ending up being riderless when his master Hugh Hammer was killed and then surviving an attempt of several knights to slay him while he was half-asleep after a battle.

Desperate to avenge his murdered dragonrider and his own wounds, Vermithor chooses Seasmoke as his primary victim and eventually rips the latter’s head off.

However, the win soon turns into Vermithor’s massive failure when he realizes his wounded wings can’t take him to the sky anymore, and he later on dies after collapsing on the ground.