'House of the Dragon' Season 2 Episode 7 Ending Explained: Why Aemond didn't attack dragonrider

Ulf rides his newly claimed dragon Silverwing above King's Landing
Aemond Turned around with his dragon Vhagar instead of attacking Silverwing (@hbo)
Aemond Turned around with his dragon Vhagar instead of attacking Silverwing (@hbo)

Contains Spoilers for 'House of the Dragon'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 Episode 7 aired on HBO on July 28. The intriguing episode had a mind-blowing turn of events that would tilt the scales in favor of the Blacks as Rhaenyra Targaryen's (Emma D'Arcy) brave step helped her recruit Dragonriders to serve the realm. 

The episode was centered around the Blacks and their quest for dragonriders as they looked for the illegitimate children of Targaryens to be the dragonriders who could assist them in the war.

Claiming a dragon however is easier said than done especially if you're talking about Vermithor who is the second-largest dragon in the seven kingdoms after Vhagar. Will Rhaenyra find what she is looking for? How will Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell) react? Here we explain the end to 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 Episode 7. 

Hugh and Ulf claim Vermithor and Silverwing

Meet 'Hugh the Hammer', a lowborn blacksmith with dragon blood poised to shake up House of the Dragon (@max)
A still from 'House of the Dragon' (@hbo)

As people with Targaryen blood gather on Dragonstone, Rhaenyra takes them to Vermithor, a vicious dragon who could be the hardest one to control. As people step up to Vermithor, he is agitated and burns down almost everyone. 

When everyone else runs helter-skelter trying to save themselves from the dragon's ferocity, Hugh (Kieran Bew) steps up to Vermithor and claims he is ready. The dragons as we have already seen with Aemond when he claimed Vhagar, appreciate bravery. Hugh has the blood of Targaryens and is brave enough to step up to Vermithor who surrenders to him. 

Skipping away from Vermithor's fury, Ulf (Tom Bennett) finds himself escaping to another dragon Silverwing who has been unclaimed for a long time. Ulf too has the blood of the dragon and while initially skeptical, Silverwing takes a liking to Ulf and allows himself to be taken by Ulf. 

With Ulf claiming Silverwing, Hugh claiming Vermithor, and Addam of Hull (Clinton Liberty) having Seasmoke, the Blacks now have a distinct advantage in terms of dragons with Syrax, Vermax, and Moondancer already with them and Caraxes there at Harrenhall.

Aemond backs down for the first time

A still from the series 'House of the Dragon' (@hbo)
A still from the series 'House of the Dragon' (@hbo)

Ulf rides Silverwing above King's Landing to the surprise of Aemond who immediately rushes towards Vhagar. When Aemond and Vhagar take flight and chase Silverwing down, they do not anticipate what is in store for them. 

Vhagar alone is good enough to take on any dragon that the Blacks have but he might have some problem when there is more than one dragon up against it. 

Aemond recognizes that it is a setup and Rhaenyra is waiting with her dragons to take on Vhagar and for the first time, he takes a circumspect decision of turning back and not engaging in action. 

 A moment that slipped under the radar while all the action was happening was the mention of Daeron Targaryen and his dragon Tessarion. The Greens are short on dragons and Tessarion could be a valuable addition to them going forward. In 'Fire and Blood', Daeron and Tessarion become important players as Daeron convinces Ulf and Hugh to betray Rhaenyra. This might take place in the next season.

'House of the Dragon' is streaming on HBO.

GET THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINMENT STORIES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

Sean Reagan’s past shapes a rescue in ‘Boston Blue’ Season 2 Episode 6 as Mika Amonsen discusses continuing the character’s ‘Blue Bloods’ story.
2026-11-14T19:02:59.000Z
Left Bank Pictures has responded to a tragic incident at the Edinburgh studio used for ‘Dept. Q’ as police inquiries into the circumstances continue.
2026-11-14T15:25:47.000Z
A fan-favorite ‘Matlock’ star shares a behind-the-scenes update as the CBS drama prepares for its Season 3 return.
2026-11-14T14:08:57.000Z
‘Gilmore Girls’ documentary ‘Drink Coffee, Talk Fast’ brings back familiar cast members, including Jared Padalecki and Scott Pattersonts
2026-11-14T10:08:21.000Z
'CSI' veteran Marg Helgenberger was once one of the highest-paid small-screen actresses
2026-11-14T09:17:43.000Z
Dexter sets his sights on the Jaw Splitter in Season 2, Episode 3, while a fan theory links the mysterious killer to actor Jack Dylan Grazer.
2026-11-14T07:37:35.000Z
‘Law & Order: SVU’ showrunner Michele Fazekas addresses Benson and Stabler’s future after their emotional reunion in the milestone 600th episode
2026-11-14T07:25:13.000Z
‘Station 19’ alum Jay Hayden joins ‘Fire Country’ Season 5 as Mason Ellis, whose return to Edgewater sparks a new conflict between Bode and Jake
2026-11-14T06:34:18.000Z
CBS brings ‘Marshals’ and ‘Tracker’ back to its Sunday lineup on November 15 with new episodes following a one-week break for ‘Cupertino.’
2026-11-14T05:54:18.000Z
Boone and Mickey's relationship gets complicated with Emmy's arrival in 'Sheriff Country'
2026-11-14T04:43:33.000Z