House of the Dragon: Ulf's Shocking Rise and Future Betrayal
ne of the biggest surprises of House of the Dragon season 2 unfolds in episode 7 when a seemingly random townsperson in King’s Landing named Ulf claims a dragon! The character, portrayed by Tom Bennett (A.P. Bio), goes from being a nobody to a dragon-riding Targaryen overnight. How did this happen? It turns out the rumors of him being a bastard descendant of Baelon Targaryen are true. Astonishingly, he’s revealed to be the half-brother of Daemon (Matt Smith) and the late Viserys (Paddy Considine).
"Ulf is the bottom of the barrel," Bennett told The Hollywood Reporter. "He’s Flea Bottom through and through. He’s poor folk and the oppressed. He’s the working-class man under the thumb of the ruling classes and lived with that his entire life. Suddenly, he’s sitting on a nuclear warhead. The power shift is huge."
Ulf's Background and Future in House of the Dragon
In George R. R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, Ulf the White is a lowborn man from Flea Bottom unsure if he’s a Targaryen bastard or who his parents were. In House of the Dragon, Ulf claims to be a bastard son of Baelon the Brave, the only son of the late King Jaehaerys I to father children. Baelon and Aemma Arryn were the parents of Viserys and Daemon. Season 2 suggests Baelon was unfaithful to his Queen, and Hugh Hammer, another dragon rider, also claims Baelon as his father.
Before his big moment at Dragonstone, Ulf is seen sporadically throughout season 2, drinking at a bar in Flea Bottom. The venue's patrons support Team Black, cheering for Rhaenyra and encouraging Ulf to make the journey. At Dragonstone, Ulf is among the bastards attacked by Vermithor. Escaping through caverns and tunnels, he encounters Silverwing, the dragon of Queen Alysanne Targaryen, who had remained riderless since her death—until Ulf found her.
Spoilers from Fire & Blood: Ulf's Betrayal
If you don’t want spoilers from Fire & Blood, stop reading here. Though it isn’t likely to happen in the season 2 finale, Ulf eventually betrays Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy). After surviving his first battle and helping Team Black retake King’s Landing, Ulf and Hugh get ahead of themselves. Rhaenyra knights them for their efforts, but Ulf demands they become official Targaryen lords. Daemon suggests potential marriages or titles, but Rhaenyra and Corlys (Steve Toussaint) advise against it. After Ulf and Hugh are sent to defeat Lord Ormund Hightower at Tumbleton, both defect to Team Green. Daeron Targaryen names Ulf Lord of Bitterbridge, but Ulf seeks more. Attempting to claim Highgarden, Daeron regrets the deal. Ulf ultimately becomes a monstrous ruler at Tumbleton, breaking the hearts of any fans.
Ulf's Fate
In the second Battle of Tumbleton, Addam (Clinton Liberty) attacks while riding Seasmoke, meeting his end alongside Hugh, Vermithor, and Daeron. Ulf survives by drunkenly sleeping through the battle. When he’s finally awakened by the Hightowers, he’s poisoned and dies. Both Team Black and Team Green had grown tired of his tyranny in the Reach. While Ulf's fate may differ in House of the Dragon, he’s certainly on a dark path now that he has a dragon.
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