What Game of Thrones says about House of the Dragon’s dragon riding rules

[Ed note: This story contains spoilers for House of the Dragon season 2, episode 7.]

House of the Dragon season 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?

How does dragon bonding work in George R.R. Martin’s books?

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 and Fire novels — from Aemond Targaryen to Daenerys Targaryen — does so by approaching a riderless dragon and finding out whether they vibe. On the plus side, Martin promised he’ll clear up the ambiguity around dragon bonds in the final two A Song of Ice and Fire installments (prayers up) in a recent blog post:

[Dragons] bond with men… some men… and the why and how of that, and how it came to be, will eventually be revealed in more detail in The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring and some in Blood & Fire [Volume 2]. (Septon Barth got much of it right). Like wolves and bears and lions, dragons can be trained, but never entirely tamed. They will always be dangerous. Some are wilder and more wilful than others. They are individuals, they have personalities… and they often reflect the personalities of their riders, thanks to the bond they share.

That said, Martin has already shared some concrete info about dragon bonds in the books he’s published so far. Notably, A Song of Ice and Fire steadfastly presents a one-rider-per-dragon system (passengers notwithstanding). Even Daenerys Targaryen, who “raised” three dragons, only truly bonds with one of them, Drogon. The other two, Rhaegal and Viserion, essentially follow their brother’s lead and back up their “mom” as needed. Is it normal? Not really — but then Dany’s no stranger to unique circumstances. Martin’s lore also emphasizes that age isn’t a factor in the bonding process. For instance, like the show, Fire & Blood depicts 10-year-old Aemond claiming Westeros’ biggest, baddest living dragon, Vhagar.

Do dragon training and riding lessons work differently in the Game of Thrones books?

Image: Warner Media

Dragon training is a big deal in Martin’s books. That’s why there’s such a thing as a wild dragon — left to their own devices, dragons can and will fuck shit up. Fire & Blood contains references to Targaryen dragon riders using whips and verbal commands to steer their firebreathers. The core A Song of Ice and Fire books also depict Dany teaching Drogon to spit flames when she says the High Valyrian word “dracarys,” which roughly translates to “torch these fools” (or “dragonflame,” who can say).

The books also highlight what happens when dragons don’t get proper training. Daenerys has to chain up her dragons when they start going feral in A Dance with Dragons. She also employs tough love in the form of a whip to bring Drogon to heel later in that same book. If it all sounds a bit haphazard, that’s because it is: Dany is the first person to train a dragon in the A Song of Ice and Fire universe in well over a century. She’s figuring it out as she goes.

What about the fun part, dragon riding? Martin doesn’t really devote many pages to flying lessons, however, Fire & Blood suggests that (unsurprisingly) experienced dragon riders are more effective flyers (and fighters) overall. At the same time, Daenerys’ successfully takes to the sky on Drogon on her first attempt in A Dance with Dragons (although the angry mob closing in around them probably helped!). Dany needs several more aerial outings before Drogon obeys her commands, however, so there’s at least some learning curve.

Still, it seems like bonding and basic training are the hard bit; once that’s out of the way, the sky is literally the limit for a dragon rider.

How does dragon bonding and training work in Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon?

Image: Warner Media

It’s all roughly the same as in Martin’s books. Game of Thrones faithfully recaps the highs and lows of Daenerys’ half-assed training regime (though live-action Dany eschews the whip), and likewise has her getting airborne with little difficulty. Meanwhile, House of the Dragon includes scenes in season 1 (notably, in episode 6) in which the junior Targaryen males go to dragon school, and seasons 1 and 2 both accurately reflect the perils and vagaries of bonding (again: pour one out for Ser Darklyn, along with all the charred dragonseed candidates in episode 7).

There are few exceptions to the above, though. For starters, Jon Snow bonds with Rhaegal in Game of Thrones season 8 no time at all. Yes, he has Targaryen blood, and yes, he had Dany’s permission (for as much as that’s worth), but he saddles up with less hassle than anyone — even Addam. Is he a good dragon rider? Nope. But he still completes a full run. The Jon/Rhaegal bond also appears temporary, something without any basis in Martin’s books (so far, at least). Then there’s also technically the Night King, who has zero problems bonding with and commanding Viserion — although since the poor beastie was essentially a snow zombie at this point, it arguably doesn’t count.

So, just how tough is dragon bonding, training, and riding in Westeros? Well, it’s no cakewalk in either version of the Seven Kingdoms, but on balance, it’s still much easier than it should be.