Warning: The following article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 3, “The Burning Mill.” It also includes potential spoilers for future episodes of the series, as well.
In House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 3, “The Burning Mill,” King’s Landing barfly Ulf White claims a close familial connection to the Iron Throne. But is Ulf really the half-brother of King Viserys I Targaryen and Prince Targaryen?
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Ulf’s Alleged Connection to Daemon Targaryen, Explained
Ulf reveals his supposed heritage midway through House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 3 while knocking back ales at a tavern. “I am the son of Baelon the Brave,” he declares. “Bastard brother to Prince Daemon and the late King Viserys, uncle to the one true queen Rhaenera Targaryen.” He also refers to himself as a “dragon seed” – the term for illegitimate offspring of Valyrian (Targaryen or Velaryon) descent. What’s more, Ulf frames himself as a half-Targaryen-in-exile who relies on his wits to evade those who would “take [his] head” because of the “blood of the dragon” in his veins.
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So, is any of this actually true? Is Ulf White the bastard brother of Viserys I and Daemon? Probably not. Ulf has clearly told more than his fair share of tall stories over the years, and he doesn’t produce much hard evidence. He’s also got a head of salt-and-pepper hair, unlike Visery and Daemon’s silvery locks (although as Ulf correctly observes, not all half-blooded Targaryens have fair hair). But even if Ulf’s not Viserys and Daemon’s half-brother, could he still be a dragonseed? Absolutely, assuming House of the Dragon stays true to its source text, Fire & Blood.
Is Ulf Related to Daemon Targaryen in the Book?
Nope – in the sense that Fire & Blood doesn’t explicitly describe Ulf as Daemon and Viserys’ half-brother. But then, the book doesn’t cover Ulf’s parentage, period. All we really know is that he’s a dragonseed, so he’s either the son (or the son of the son) of an unidentified Targaryen or Velaryon male. So, in theory, Ulf could be Daemon and Viserys’ brother. However, what we know of the pair’s father, Baelon, seemingly rules this out.
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According to Fire & Blood, Baelon adored his wife, Alyssa, which means the odds of him knocking boots out of wedlock are slim (a true rarity in Westeros). Even after Alyssa died, Baelon supposedly had little interest in other women. As such, Ulf probably isn’t Baelon’s kid in A Song of Ice and Fire canon. House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal could easily ignore this, though. After all, Fire & Blood is a faux historical text (not a conventional novel), which gives Condal and his writers plenty of latitude when translating its narrative to the screen.
House of the Dragon Season 2 is currently airing on HBO and Max, with new episodes dropping Sundays.
