Includes SPOILERS for House of the Dragon season 2’s finale and MASSIVE SPOILERS for Fire & Blood, the show’s source material.
Summary
House of the Dragonseason 2 hasfound its replacement for Bronn with Ulf, the King’s Landing commoner turned powerful dragonrider. A common critique of the prequel series in comparison is a lack of humor, with Ulf himself pointing out the self-seriousness of the nobles in theHouse of the Dragonseason 2 ending. Part of what madeGame of Thronesso consistently enjoyable was that it involved more lowborn characters who commonly shared their perspectives regarding the harsh, feudal society of Westeros with hilarious dark humor. Bronn is the epitome of this character type.
While theHouse of the Dragoncastand character ensemble are phenomenal, it’s fair to say there isn’t much humor going around. Aegon and Daemon are the characters who will most often give audiences something to snicker about, but others like Aemond, Jacaerys, and Rhaenyra are almost entirely serious.Ulf adds some more humor to the show, but there are other vital characteristics that allow for comparisons to BronninGame of Thrones.
How Ulf Is Set Up As House Of The Dragon’s Replacement For Game Of Thrones' Bronn
Ulf Is Both Humorous And Self-Motivated, Like Bronn
House of the Dragon’sseason 2 finale sees Ulf getting snarky with the irritable Jacaerys, then later offending Rhaenyra at the dinner table with his humor and poor manners. Ulf seems to be a bit more concerned for his well-being than Bronn generally was, buthe’s still not going to shy away from demonstrating his arrogance in front of royalty, even if it gets him reprimanded. However, Ulf is a far more terrifying person to behave in this manner, as riding a dragon makes him enormously powerful, and he can’t be fully trusted.
Game of Thronessees Bronn typically stray toward helping Tyrion, but he proves himself to be disloyal and financially oriented in the final conflicts. He likes Tyrion and admits that they’re friends, but he’s ultimately self-serving. Ulf is characterized similarly, and his role, heading toward theoutcome of the Dance of the Dragons, is one oriented toward personal gain. He’s loyal to Rhaenyra now, while it’s convenient for him, buthe’s never going to shy away from a generous offer. It’s a terrifying thought, given how much impact he has now that he rides Silverwing.
What Happens To Ulf In The Dance Of The Dragons
Ulf Becomes Known As A Traitor After Joining The Greens
As the season 2 finale foreshadows, Ulf eventually betrays Rhaenyra and the Blacks. Along with Hugh,Ulf switches sides at the First Battle of Tumbleton, joining the Greensand setting an entire town on fire. Ulf is motivated primarily by financial gain in the war and tries to play his position as a dragonrider to his benefit when other, more powerful dragonriders, die. He’ll likely be one of the most hatable characters inHouse of the Dragon, even demanding Highgarden, similar to Bronn in Game of Thrones.
House of the Dragon
House of the Dragon is a 2022 fantasy drama set in the world of Westeros, chronicling the Targaryen dynasty at its height. The story revolves around King Viserys’s controversial decision to name his daughter Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne, sparking tensions and divisions within the realm.
