Warning: Contains SPOILERS for House of the Dragon season 2, episode 6.
Summary
House of the Dragonmay be based on George R.R. Martin’sFire & Blood, but it breaks one of the author’s rules in season 2, episode 6, “Smallfolk.” It was an episode with a few notable moments, ranging from thedragon Seasmoke choosing a new riderto the returning of Paddy Considine as Viserys Targaryen, and Rhaenyra Targaryen and Mysaria kissing.
Among all that was awild dragon in the Vale of Arryn, which Rhaena Targaryen comes across. Though not explicitly confirmed in the show,this is likely Sheepstealer, one of the three unclaimed, wild dragonswho was around during the time of the Dance of the Dragons, as per the book. The other wild dragons are called Grey Ghost and The Cannibal but, given this one is said to be hunting for food, it being Sheepstealer is a safe bet. He does eventually get a rider, so setting him up now makes sense, but not in the way they’ve done it.
Every Dragon In House Of The Dragon Explained
As war erupts in Westeros, dragons will be sent to battle. Here’s a description of every dragon in HBO’s House of the Dragon, heading into season 2.
The Wild Dragon In The Vale Goes Against A Recent George R.R. Martin Rule
Martin Stated That Dragons Wouldn’t Go To The Vale For Food
According to Jeyne Arryn,the wild dragon arrived in the Vale shortly after the Targaryen civil war started. According to her Maesters' assumptions, it is"ranging more broadly for food,“which, again, would fit it living up to the name Sheepstealer. There doesn’t seem to be a problem with that, except for something Martin said on hisNot A Blogpage in a post on July 22, 2025, which may well have been foreshadowing what was to come:
“…The dragons of Westeros seldom wander far from Dragonstone… The three wild dragons mentioned in Fire & Blood have lairs on Dragonstone. The rest can be found in the Dragonpit of King’s Landing, or in deep caverns under the Dragonmont. Luke flies Arrax to Storm’s End and Jace to Winterfell, yes, but the dragons would not have flown there on their own, save under very special circumstances.You won’t find dragons hunting the riverlands or the Reach or the Vale, or roaming the northlands or the mountains of Dorne.”
Yes, that’s Martin saying a dragon, including the wild ones fromFire & Blood, would not go hunting in the Vale… and just over a week later,House of the Dragonshowed… a wild dragon, presumably the one fromFire & Blood, hunting in the Vale. It’s unclear if Martin knew this was coming and addressed any potential criticism in his own way, or if the timing was mere coincidence, but regardless, it creates an interesting conflict between Martin’s book canon and the show canon.
On Dragonstone, there’s apparently enough food for Rhaenyra to send some to Westeros' capital, but it’s unclear if this extends to the dragons, of which there are many.
That is always going to be the case with any adaptation, of course, and the presence of a dragon in the Vale doesn’t inherently seem like a problem for the show’s own logic. There is a war, after all, which could make food more scarce. That’s certainly the case in King’s Landing, though they have plenty for the dragons, as the smallfolk point out. On Dragonstone, there’s apparently enough food for Rhaenyra to send some to Westeros' capital, but it’s unclear if this extends to the dragons, of which there are many.
Aside from going against Martin’s rule, there’s a bigger problem with the dragon. That’s the suggestionHouse of the Dragonis cutting Nettles, an important book characterwho, inFire & Blood, is the one who claims Sheepstealer. The show appears to be setting up Rhaena to take that particular role, which would be more egregious than just having a dragon in the Vale.
It Looks Like House Of The Dragon Has Cut An Important Book Character & I’ll Be So Mad If It’s True
House of the Dragon season 2, episode 6 reveals a wild dragon in the Vale of Arryn, and it suggests one Fire & Blood character may have been cut.
Sheepstealer Actually Does Go To The Vale In GRRM’s Fire & Blood
There’s A Key Difference Between This And House Of The Dragon, However
George R.R. Martin’s rule about dragons makes sense, and far be it from me to question how the logic of his world works. If Martin says it, then it’s true. However, it is interesting - and a little amusing - to note thatthis same wild dragon does end up in the Vale of Arryn inFire & Blood.
Nettles and Sheepstealer disappear together in the Dance of the Dragons, and are believed to have gone to the Mountains of the Moon, which exist in the Vale of Arryn.
Nettles and Sheepstealer disappear together in theDance of the Dragons, and are believed to have gone to the Mountains of the Moon, which exist in the Vale of Arryn. The last known sighting of them came when a host of men, trying to find passage through the mountain, are said to have roused the dragon. Sixteen men were killed, and dozens more injured, before"the angry brown wyrm took wing and fled deeper into the mountains with ‘a ragged woman clinging to its back.'”
Episode 8
August 4
Does this break Martin’s rule? Well,Fire & Bloodis an in-universe history, but the sources conflict and there’s plenty that may not be true, so there’s a slim chance that wasn’t actually the case for Sheepstealer and Nettles. The more simple and likely explanation is that this fits with him saying"the dragons would not have flown there on their own, save under very special circumstances.“Since Sheepstealer and Nettles went into hiding together, that can explain why they did go to the Vale, when a wild dragon normally wouldn’t on their own like inHouse of the Dragon.
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