Summary

• Hugh Hammer's actions suggest a more ambitious and pragmatic side, prioritizing personal desires over family needs.
• Bew's surprising interpretation reveals a darker side to Hugh, showcasing manipulation and agency in claiming his dragon.
• Hugh's willingness to harm a stranger for food in King's Landing hints at the potential danger he poses with control of Vermithor.

This article contains spoilers from House of the Dragon season 2, episode 7, "The Red Sowing."

Vermithor or Silverwing. Before officially becoming a dragonrider, Hugh waves his arm to grab Vermithor's attention before the dragon can kill a scared woman, who is one of the other Targaryen bastards that traveled to Dragonstone.

In an interview with TVLine, Bew was asked how much thought Hugh, who previously seemed like a good person, put into his choice to save the woman, or whether he did it based on instinct. He breaks down the scene and shares his interpretation that saving the woman's life may have been a more pragmatic than heroic decision. Hugh's choice to not be the first one to step forward to claim Vermithor may have factored into the character's decision as well. Check out his comments below:

Well, it’s interesting that you say that, because let’s talk about odds. So, this is a massive gamble, and everyone’s going there knowing they’re going to die. And of course, the worst thing happens, and it looks like Vermithor is literally going to have his lunch and then go home. At that point, [Hugh] was trying to survive. And as the people are running around him, on fire and dropping from the ceiling, coming across the girl behind the rock as he’s trying to hide is not what he wants. But it’s interesting you observed that he is a stand-up guy because he waves his arms — because we’re not there to help each other.

There are a finite number of dragons. There are a lot of people. So, if you’re buying a lottery ticket, do you want everyone to have a ticket? If there can be only one winner, then you need to make sure nobody wins before you. At the very, very beginning, Silver Denys steps forward and gets burned. Everybody is standing in front of this formidable being that they’ve never been this close to before, in fear, and Hugh doesn’t step forward as the first person. So, maybe I already made a mistake, because if somebody else touches that dragon, then how many more dragons are there? How many more chances have I got? So, at that very moment when everyone’s on fire, it’s interesting that you think I saved the girl. [Grins]

Hugh's Ambition Should Not Be Underestimated

He May Be More Ambitious Than The Other Dragonseeds

Bew's interpretation is surprising, as Hugh is shown to be an honorable person who tries to believe that others will share similar values. Prior to this episode, he spent House of the Dragon season 2 doing his utmost to protect his family and clinging to promises made by Aegon Targaryen, even though all evidence indicated that his promises would not be honored. "The Red Sowing" demonstrates a more ambitious side to Hugh as he reveals the chip he has always had on his shoulder as a Targaryen bastard and goes to Dragonstone despite his wife's pleas that he did not do so.

The other newly anointed dragonriders, Ulf and Addam of Hull, are seemingly content with their suddenly elevated positions, but Hugh appears to be the kind of individual who may desire more.

For the first time, Hugh is shown prioritizing his own desires over the needs and desires of his family. While he does save a fellow Targaryen bastard's life in the dragon cave, this also gives him a chance to claim Vermithor for himself, a choice just as pragmatic as not being the first one to step forward. Now that he has achieved what was once believed to be impossible, Hugh's ambition will likely only grow further, and potentially beyond what Rhaenyra wants of him.

The other newly anointed dragonriders, Ulf and Addam of Hull, are seemingly content with their suddenly elevated positions, but Hugh appears to be the kind of individual who may desire more. He was arguably more manipulative and showed more agency in claiming his dragon than either of them, who stumbled into being chosen. If Hugh's ambition extends to him believing he deserves even further power, this could cause significant issues for Rhaenyra and further complicate House of the Dragon's overarching war.

A King's Landing Scene Teased Hugh's Darker Side

He Was Willing To Hurt A Stranger

In House of the Dragon season 2 episode 6, "Smallfolk," Rhaenyra sends food to King's Landing to help the starving masses and gain further from them. Once word of this gets out, the people of King's Landing inevitably begin fighting over the food, with Hugh ing in as he grabs a man, demands that the cabbage he is carrying be handed over, and punches him in the face. He does this before soldiers begin riding in to break up the violence that erupted over the unexpected arrival of food.

The Lady Mysaria enabled the shipments of food to be delivered to King's Landing.

This scene can be viewed as Hugh doing what was necessary to find food to feed his family. At the same time, punching someone in the face to steal their food, and slipping away with it before the authorities swoop in, shows a certain amount of aggression and cunning in his actions. If he was willing to be this aggressive and cunning with nothing but his fists to get a bag of cabbage, it is chilling to think of what Hugh might do now that he rides the second-largest living dragon in the world.

Vermithor has not been ridden for decades, as his last rider was King Jaehaerys Targaryen, who ruled the Seven Kingdoms before Rhaenyra's father, Viserys, was chosen to take his place on the Iron Throne. Westeros may not be prepared for the power that Vermithor can unleash, especially with Hugh being the one to control the formidable dragon. He is poised to become more dangerous in House of the Dragon's future seasons than the man who fought over cabbage in the streets of King's Landing.

Source: TVLine