Hugh the Hammer May Not Be the Blacks' Savior — 'House of the Dragon' (SPOILERS)

This article contains spoilers for Season 2, Episode 7 of House of the Dragon .

As the Dance of the Dragons continues to gain momentum, Rhaenyra has had to grapple with the knowledge that she's up against an enemy with more dragons at their disposal than she has. Aemond's behemoth Vhagar is a threat alone, and though the blacks already have four dragons on their side, they're itching to balance the scales in their favor a bit more. Which is where Hugh the Hammer and Ulf the White come in.

After Rhaenyra's oldest, Jacaerys, suggested she look for illegitimate children to put on the backs of the remaining dragons at Dragonstone, a flurry of anyone claiming to have Targaryen blood flocked to Rhaenyra's base, ready to die trying to claim a dragon for their own.

Hugh managed to claim Vermithor, while Ulf snagged Silverwing. But these two distant cousins will ultimately betray the cause that granted them dragons. Why?

Why does Hugh betray Rhaenyra? Ulf will join him in his betrayal.

Though viewers have yet to see the First Battle of Tumbleton, this will be when the new dragon rider decides to make moves to support his own cause. As a man who has just lost his child due to the severe lack of food in King's Landing, he's joined the cause with the sole purpose of making a better life for himself.

As part of the agreement, not only do the new dragon riders receive a dragon to ride, but as many of them are illegitimate children, they've been offered land.

In Fire & Blood , Daemon suggests to Rhaenyra that Hugh be granted Casterly Rock, and Ulf be given either a place in the Crownlands or Storm's End as replayment for their loyalty. Instead, Rhaenyra grants them both land in Driftmark, ultimately offending both men.

As a result, after claiming victory at the First Battle of Tumbleton, he and Ulf decide to burn the city, sending plenty of innocent people up in flames.

The blacksmith feels scorned by Rhaenyra, and he ultimately decides he wants to be king himself. Hugh believes that as Vermithor's former rider is the late King Jaehaerys, this helps his claim to the throne. He also believes he is the man in an ancient prophecy that claims a new king will rise after a hammer falls upon a dragon. As he is known as Hugh the Hammer (given his background as a blacksmith), he is firm that he is the one the prophecy speaks of.

How does Hugh Hammer die?

Unfortunately for the former small folk, Hugh will die before the Dance of the Dragons is over. Though he ultimately betrays Rhaenyra and briefly realigns with the greens, they do not take kindly to his claim for the Iron Throne and plot in secret to kill him.

When the blacks land a surprise attack on Tumbleton, the greens are in the midst of planning Hugh's demise. Thankfully, Ser Jon Roxton, who is fighting for the greens, uses the chaos as a moment to slay him.

Ser Jon is ultimately killed by the men who had sworn allegiance to Hugh, though it removes just one more external enemy from the fight between the greens and the blacks.

How this all plays out is for viewers to watch when the story unfolds on House of the Dragon , airing new episodes every Sunday at 9 p.m. EST on HBO and Max.