Only the Velaryons and Targaryens of House of the Dragon were thought to be able to ride the fire-breathing creatures up until season 2. But it all changed in episode 7 of the previous season. Regretting that she has more dragons than riders, Rhaenyra follows her son Jacaerys' suggestion and begins looking through family archives for illegitimate Targaryens who could be useful with the terrifying creatures. This introduced the concept of dragonseeds in the show - the illegitimate or unrecognized children of Valyrian blood, who may be able to bond with dragons due to their ancestry.

Among the dragonseeds who joined Rhaenyra’s side was Hugh Hammer. And the actor playing Hugh Hammer has made quite an impact on the audience with his performance.

Kieran Bew plays Hugh Hammer in House of the Dragon. Hugh Hammer, a blacksmith and dragonseed, claimed Vermithor, the biggest among Rhaenyra’s dragons. Hugh initially came to viewers' attention when he petitioned King Aegon Targaryen to pay blacksmiths before they made weapons. Aegon granted Hugh's request, much to Otto Hightower's dismay, citing the need for the small folk to support him in the impending conflict.

But as the series progresses, we discover that Hugh has not received payment in spite of Aegon's assurance, and that he and his spouse may be gradually losing faith in the king. After his daughter dies in episode 7, Hugh defies his wife's wishes and responds to Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen's request for Targaryen bastards to train as dragonriders. He discloses his Targaryen ancestry and succeeds in claiming Vermithor despite seeing the cruel burning to death of some of his fellow contenders.

Talking a bit about Kieran Bew, he is a well-known English actor and producer. Bew's filmography dates back to the early 2000s. He starred alongside Elijah Wood in the sports drama Green Street in 2004 and with a teenage Matt Smith in Jimmy McGovern's critically praised The Street. He is well known for playing the titular character in ITV's epic series Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands and for his pivotal role as Bill O'Hara in all three seasons of the martial arts drama Warrior. In 2026, he became a key antagonist in the eighth and last season of the popular historical drama Outlander.

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Hugh Hammer is not merely a pawn in this Targaryen civil war but a key piece in the shifting balance of power and ambition.

Hugh Hammer's storyline is a little unpredictable due to the artistic license taken with his character in House of the Dragon. His importance to the story, however, is still indisputable, reflecting his crucial position in the original work. In Fire & Blood, Hugh rides the dragon Vermithor after responding to Prince Jacaerys Velaryon's call to all Dragonriders. Rhaenyra later makes him a knight, but his ambition rises as the conflict progresses.

However, his ultimate goal is to become a king, so he changes sides. His ambition eventually proves to be the primary cause of his demise. It will be intriguing to watch how Hugh's story develops in the show, given the modifications. He is currently in King’s Landing, as seen in House of the Dragon season 3 episode 2.

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Do you like Hugh Hammer’s character in House of the Dragon? Do let us know.