Billy Oduory looks at House of the Dragons’ titular beasts and their riders…
“The idea that we control the dragons is an illusion, They’re a power man should never have trifled with. One that brought Valyria its doom,” Viserys reminds Rhaenyra in season 1 of House of the Dragon. His warning could have saved House Targaryen, had his family heeded it, but it is too late now that the Dance of the Dragons has already started. Season 1 finale of House of the Dragon showed the first instance of a dragon killing another dragon and its rider when Aemond’s Vhagar vanquished Arrax and Lucerys Velaryon in one bite. That incident opened the floodgates to an all-out dragon war that will see more beasts and their riders die until only a skeleton of House Targaryen is left.
According to George R. R. Martin, House of the Dragon will have at least 17 dragons which is way more than the three in Game of Thrones. Fans will also get to learn more about these creatures and their riders in the second and subsequent seasons of the show. The one lesson that fans have to remember is that in battle a dragon is only as good as its size, its battlefield experience, and most importantly, its bond with the rider. While Vhagar killing Arrax gives the impression that Aemond’s beast is invincible, there are other dragons in the show that could easily match her in a battle. With the Dance of the Dragons about to reach its peak, let’s look at all the dragons that are alive during the war and their riders, ranked by power. Spoilers for the book Fire & Blood follow…
Caraxes: Daemon Targaryen
He may not be the biggest or the oldest dragon alive, but Caraxes, also called Blood Wyrm, is the fiercest dragon alive and the only one under control that can take Vhagar. The dragon keepers named him Blood Wyrm because of his blood-red body and scales as well as his temperament. He was first claimed by Daemon’s uncle Aemon Targaryen (Rhaenys’s father) who rode the dragon to multiple battles. By the time Daemon claimed Caraxes in 105AC, he was in his prime. Caraxes has a deafening scream that scares enemies in battle even before he breathes fire on them. His long slender body with entrails extending to his hind legs also make him extremely maneuverable in battle.
According to the books, Daemon’s dragon is merely half Vhagar’s size and similarly younger in age, but Vhagar is old and hasn’t ridden to battle in many years, unlike Caraxes. Daemon’s temperament also seems to match his dragon perfectly and that is the one thing that makes him a dangerous weapon in any battle. Caraxes shows up at the perfect moment to burn the Crab Feeder’s soldiers during the battle at the Stepstones in the show, proving just how vital his strong bond with Daemon is. So, while he may not match Vhagar in raw pound-for-pound strength, Caraxes and Daemon’s battle experience and perfect bond make them the most dangerous combination in any war.
Vhagar: Aemond Targaryen
Vhagar is the largest tame dragon alive, and also the last creature that took part in Aegon’s conquest of Westeros, making her the largest and strongest dragon in the Dance of the Dragons. When Aemond took control of her, he turned the tide against the Blacks before the war even started. She is undoubtedly the most experienced dragon on the battlefield, but clearly living too far ahead of her time as her original riders would never dream of a battle in which dragons turn on other dragons. Having previously had great riders such as Visenya, Baelon, and Queen Visenya, having to obey an impulsive boy like Aemond makes Vhagar a victim rather than the legend she is.
Being the largest and most experienced dragon alive, Vhagar is single-handedly formidable and doesn’t have any rider she can connect with and obey fully as she did with Visenya. Vhagar’s first instance of disobedience is seen when she refuses to obey Leana Velaryon’s orders to burn her. By the time Aemond claims her, Vhagar is clearly operating with a mind of her own rather than obeying Aemond’s orders, and it is this disobedience that leads to her killing Luke and Arrax, effectively starting the Dance of the Dragons.
Vermithor: Hugh Hammer
Vermithor is one of the unlucky older dragons that get caught up in the madness of the Dance of the Dragons. He was previously ridden by old King Jaehaerys I Targaryen and remained unclaimed throughout Viserys I’s rule until the Dance started. Having previously ridden to battle with the old king, Vermithor is nearly just as experienced in battle as Caraxes. In his prime, Jaehaerys I rode him to Alyssane’s rescue when the queen rode Silverwing beyond the wall. While Vermithor is nearly as large as Vhagar, staying for so long without a rider and battlefield experience turned him into less of a threat, and his age doesn’t help him much either.
In Fire and Blood, Vermithor is one of the dragons that is eventually claimed by the Dragon Seeds, in this case, a blacksmith’s bastard named Hugh Hammer. Despite fighting valiantly for the Blacks in the Battle of the Gullet, burning down a fleet belonging to the Three Sisters, the power of owning one of the largest and most powerful dragons in the world gets into Hugh’s head and he declares himself a king. Vermithor is eventually forced to fight Seasmoke and Tessarion in the Second Battle of Tumbleton, dying in the tangle of the three dragons that marked one of the saddest events in the war.
Seasmoke: Leanor Velaryon/Addam of Hull
Leanor Velaryon was one of the candidates to succeed Jaehaerys I Targaryen as king, his ability as a dragon rider is one of the qualities that made him look like a better candidate than Viserys I Targaryen. However, both Leanor and Seasmoke were young at the time, but as they grew, they created a strong bond. In the battle of the Stepstones, Leanor rides Seasmoke to battle where the young dragon vanquishes many of the Triarchy’s soldiers, although he doesn’t have as much impact as Caraxes.
After Leanor Velaryon’s “death,” it is unclear what the show will do with Seasmoke, but as one of the dragons that most recently rode to battle, he is one of the most important dragons for the Blacks in House of the Dragon. In the books, Seasmoke is claimed by a Dragonseed called Addam of Hull who claims to be Leanor’s bastard, although other sources claim he could be Corlys’s bastard because Leanor is gay. Seasmoke turns the tide of the war in the Riverlands when he battles both Vermthor and Tessarion to death despite being a far smaller dragon than Vermithor. Unfortunately, Vermithor eventually bites Seasmoke’s head clean off, but not before the former being mortally wounded.
Syrax: Rhaenyra Targaryen
In the first season, Rhaenyra says that her dragon has grown nearly as big as Daemon’s Caraxes, suggesting that she is just as powerful. However, unlike Caraxes who has battlefield experience, Rhaenyra never rode Syrax to battle before so the fertile female dragon has hardly ever thrown a flame. In the books, Syrax is described as fearsome as Caraxes, but her rider is not as enthusiastic about war as Daemon. Syrax is also in her prime, strong and agile, so she would make one of the deadliest dragons in the show if Rhaenyra took her to battle.
Unfortunately, Syrax doesn’t get to exploit her full potential in the books because Rhaenyra doesn’t ride to any battle. She could have saved the day during the Storming of the Dragonpit when an angry mob descends on the dragons after Rhaenyra retakes King’s Landing. Unfortunately, due to lack of battlefield experience, Syrax tries to fight the mob with her claws and jaws instead of bathing them in fire and is overpowered and dies in the process.
Sunfyre: Aegon II Targaryen
Described as the most beautiful dragon alive, the golden Sunfyre is a spectacle to witness, which explains why Otto Hightower fought so hard for him to be given to his grandson. Sunfyre is not just golden in appearance, his glow is extended to his flame which is also described as golden. Unfortunately, the beautiful dragon doesn’t have any battle experience when the Dance of the Dragons starts since Aegon is his first rider. Aegon II Targaryen was always an unworthy king, spending most of his time in the tavern than with his dragon, but Sunfyre is one of the most formidable dragons alive as he is fierce and grows very quickly compared to Arrax and Vermax.
In the books, Aegon rides Sunfyre to the Battle of Rook’s rest where Ser Cristone Cole sets a trap for Rhaenys and her dragon Meleys. While Meleys and Sunfyre are locked in a duel, Aemond and Vhagar descend on them from above and Meleys and Rhaenys don’t survive while Sunfyre is left with a badly injured wing but he is still alive. Despite being injured and flightless, Sunfyre manages to kill all the men who try to kill him after the Blacks retake Rook’s Rest. He also kills and partially devours the wild dragon Grey Ghost upon his return to Dragonstone while still injured. When he finally regains a little flight, Sunfyre proves his power in battle once more by killing Moondancer in his final dragon fight, although his injuries from this battle eventually prove fatal.
Meleys: Rhaenys
Called the Red Queen, Meleys is the slender red and pink dragon ridden by Rhaenys, the queen who never was. Previously ridden by Princess Alyssa Targaryen before she died during childbirth, Meleys was considered the fastest and most cunning dragon in Westeros in her prime. However, by the time she is claimed by Rhaenys, age is catching up with her. Meleys is still one of the most powerful dragons in House of the Dragon, with her full majesty being put on display in the Dragonpit during Aegon II’s coronation when she breaks through the floor or the Dragonpit killing many people in the process, although Rhaenys fails to stop the Dance before it starts at that moment.
In the books, Rhaenys takes responsibility when Cristone Cole attacks black-allied armies at Rook’s Rest and Rhaenyra doesn’t do anything to help. Unknown to Rhaenys, Criston Cole and his armies are just a trap as Aegon II and Aemond lie in wait with their dragons and pounce on Meleys. Despite her power and agility, Meleys is no match for Sunfyre and Vhagar, and that marks the end of the Red Queen and the Queen who never was.
Moondancer: Baela Targaryen
This is one of the dragons shown in the season 2 Trailer of House of the Dragon, now big enough for Baela Targaryen to ride, but still too young to take on any of the giant dragons. The pale green dragon is one of the fastest and most agile ones alive and could easily burn down armies in a battle. However, the books suggest that “she is no bigger than a war horse in the Dance of the Dragons and weighs even less.” Her battle with Aegon II Targaryen and Sunfyre over Dragonmont is Moondancer’s first and last taste of war, but despite her inexperience, she mortally wounds the golden dragon although she doesn’t survive.
Silverwing: Ulf White
Hatched on Dragonestone in 36AC, Silverwing is one of the older dragons in the Dance of the Dragons that was totally out of place in the war. She spent most of her early life carrying Queen Alysanne Targaryen all over the Seven Kingdoms, often flying next to Vermithor who was ridden by Alyssane’s brother/husband King Jaehaerys I. Despite being the first dragon to fly North of the Wall, Silverwing never tasted battle throughout her long service to the legendary queen because Jaehaerys and Alysanne reigned over a largely peaceful Westeros. During the Dance of the Dragons, Silverwing was one of the dragons claimed by the Dragonseeds, her new ride being the unreliable Ulf White.
After fighting for the Blacks against the 90-ship fleet of the Three Daughters in the Battle of the Gullet and helping Rhaenyra retake King’s Landing, Ulf changes allegiance to the Greens, riding Silverwing during the dreadful Sacking of Tumbleton. However, after Addam of Hull and his host of Rivermen defeats the betrayers, Silverwing refuses to take part in the battle and only rides high up in the sky as Vermithor, Tessarion, and Seasmoke fight each other to their deaths. Silverwing eventually refuses to be ridden by any other dragon rider and becomes a wild dragon after the Dance.
Vermax: Jacaerys Velaryon
Jacaerys is the most promising of Rhaenyra’s sons, but his dragon, Vermax, is small and inexperienced which makes him dangerous to ride into battle. Vermax only hatched recently on Dragonstone and bonded with Jacaerys, and can be seen in the first season of House of the Dragon learning how to use his flames on a goat.
The Season 1 Finale showed Jacaerys riding Vermax North to affirm House Arryn and Stark’s support for Rhaenyra, and he doesn’t face any battles on this trip according to the books. Vermax’s first taste of battles comes in the upcoming Battle of the Gullett when Jacaerys leads the Dragonseeds against the Three Daughters’s fleet. Unfortunately, Vermax’s inexperience proves fatal for both the dragon and its rider.
Tessarion: Daeron Targaryen
While she wasn’t revealed in the first season of House of the Dragon, Tessarion was hatched in 120AC, so she is already bonded to Daeron when the Dance of the Dragons starts. We believe both Tessarion and Daeron are in Oldtown because, in the books, the two of them first appear in the Battle of Honeywine, helping the Hightower army quash a rebellion in The Reach. Despite being inexperienced in battle, Tessarion proves formidable, helping the Greens win the Battle of Honeywine and the First Battle of Tumbleton. She is described as a beautiful blue dragon with a blue flame. Unfortunately, Tessarion is no match for Seasmoke in the Second Battle of Tumbleton and ends up mortally wounded when the three dragons drop to the ground.
Dreamfyre: Helaena Targaryen
Despite being one of the largest and most experienced dragons alive during the Dance of the Dragons, Dreamfyre is one that had the least impact on the events of the war. She was hatched in 35AC during the reign of Aegon the Conqueror himself and bonded to his first granddaughter Rhaena. Despite riding to many parts of the world and laying lots of eggs, Rhaena never used Dreamfyre in battle. After Rhaena’s death, Dreamfyre bonded with Helaena Targaryen who started riding at the young age of 11.
Unfortunately, Helaena became mentally unstable after the cold-blooded murder of her son and could not ride the dragon anymore. Dreamfyre was therefore one of the dragons that died during the Storming of Dragonpit. She was powerful enough to break her chains and crack the dome of the Dragonpit, but she was crushed by the rubble alongside the rest of rioters.
Arrax: Lucerys Velaryon
Arrax and his young rider Lucerys Velaryon were the first to die in the Dance of the Dragons. The dragon had been hatched in Luke’s crib at birth and was therefore too small to take on Vhagar. Arrax still snapped at the larger dragon during the incident despite Luke encouraging him to stay calm. It proved fatal for the both of them, marking the beginning of the end for both the dragons and Targaryens.
Sheepstealer: Nettles
Sheepstealer is one of the three unclaimed dragons on Dragonmont that never had a rider since they were hatched, having grown accustomed to mutton and taken to stealing sheep and dogs in Driftmark and Blackwater Bay. Sheepstealer is believed to have hatched in the early days of Jaehaerys I’s reign, meaning he is 50 to 70 years old when the Dance of the Dragons starts. He is comparable to Meleys and Dreamfyre in terms of build and size as he is described as slender.
Sheepstealer is one of the fiercest dragons on Dragonmont and is said to have killed more Dragonseeds than Vermithor, Silverwing, and Sasmoke combined before he eventually accepts Nettles, a bastard girl that entices him with corpses of freshly slain sheep. Nettles and Sheepstealer faithfully fight for Rhaenyra in the Battle of the Gullet and conquest of King’s Landing before joining Daemon and Caraxes in their hunt for Aemond and Vhagar. Unfortunately, Rhaenyra mistakenly accuses Nettles of being a traitor leading to both the dragon and its rider escaping and they play no further role in the Dance of Dragons.
Cannibal: Unclaimed
While some people assume that Vhagar is the oldest and largest dragon alive, that title actually goes to this dreaded beast. Cannibal is believed to have started living on Dragonstone even before the Targaryens arrived, with some alleging that he is older than Balerion the Black Dread. However, since Balerion died of old age, Maesters believe that the rumors are false.
Being a wild dragon, Cannibal still managed to outgrow all of the dragons owned by the Targaryens. Cannibal also raids dragon hatcheries on Dragonstone to eat dragon hatchlings and dragon eggs, hence his name. He has never accepted a rider and his layer is said to be filled with bones of would-be riders, which means he is unlikely to be seen in any battle in House of the Dragon.
Grey Ghost: Unclaimed
This is the least harmless of the wild dragons that resided in the smoking caverns of Dragonmont. There are no details about how big or fearsome he is, just that he prefers to eat fish and is often seen in the narrow sea diving for his prey. He always avoids men and won’t take any part in the battles that happen during the Dance of the Dragons. Unfortunately, the battles eventually find him when a hungry and wounded Sunfyre fights and kills him over Dragonmont after the battle at Rook’s Rest.
SEE ALSO: Defend Your Council in the House of the Dragon season 2 trailer
Billy Oduory
