House of the Dragon had big shoes to fill when it debuted on August 21, 2022. With the legacy Game of Thrones left behind, House of the Dragon needed to be bigger and bloodier to step out of its predecessor’s shadow. Years down the line, it’s safe to say the sequel series delivered just that, balancing captivating characters with intriguing power play – and we can’t forget about the dragons.
Syrax
Syrax is the first dragon to appear in the show. With Queen Rhaenyra as her rider, she’ll be very crucial in the upcoming war, the Dance of Dragons. Described as a huge and formidable beast, we learn from the book that the princess bonded with Syrax from age 7. With a golden hue, Syrax is incredibly fast, and named after a goddess of old Valyria. In season 1, viewers learned that Syrax had been laying eggs when Daemon retrieved some. Queen Rhaenyra sends four Syrax eggs with Princess Rhaena to the Vale. Syrax’s eggs are speculated to be the three dragons of Queen Daenerys .
Caraxes
People nickname Caraxes the “Blood Wyrm” because of his brutal tendencies and bright red color. Daemon Targaryen rides Caraxes, one of the most battle-tested dragons. In season 1, viewers see Caraxes in action at the battle at the Crabfeeder. With multiple appearances, Caraxes has been one of the most active dragons so far. The books describe Caraxes as “the fiercest of all the young dragons in the dragon pit.” Authors noted him as a “lean red beast” who was “savage, cunning and battle-tested.”.
Seasmoke
The books describe Seasmoke as a “pale gray beast”; this battle-tested dragon gives an advantage to the Blacks. In season 1, viewers see Seasmoke and Ser Laenor in action as they step up to assist Daemon and Laenor’s father, Corlys, in the battle of the Stepstones.. Ser Leanor later faked his death and eloped with his lover, leaving Seasmoke riderless and restless. Queen Rhaenyra senses the dragon’s predicament and tries to get a distant relative to claim him but to no avail. However, Seasmoke flies out and chases down Addam of Hull, bonding with him. With Addam swearing his loyalty to the Queen, the Blacks gain one more dragon.
Meleys
Meleys is famous for having scarlet scales and pink membranes on her wings, earning her the nickname, The Red Queen. Rhaenys Targaryen, the “Queen that never was”, rides Meleys; a befitting and formidable team of human and dragon. Meleys is the largest and most experienced dragon of the Blacks, and also the fastest dragon in Westeros. In season 1, she made a grand entrance by escaping the dragon pit and crashing Aegon II’s coronation. She and Rhaenys met their death against Aemond and his much larger dragon Vhagar, shortly after fending off Aegon II and Sunfyre.
Sunfyre
With gleaming gold scales, the books describe Sunfyre as the most “beautiful dragon” of his time. Sunfyre’s rider is Aegon II, who sits on the iron throne amidst his power tussle with his elder and half-sister Rhaenyra. In season 2, there’s climatic action between the dragons Sunfyre, Meleys, and Vhagar. Aegon, atop Sunfyre, attacks Rhaenys and Meleys, seemingly losing out in the battle before Vhagar and Aemond interfere. Vhagar blasts both dragons with fire, and Sunfyre falls to the ground badly injured. The badly burned Aegon II confirms that Sunfyre is dead in the season finale.
Vhagar
The oldest and most formidable of the dragons, Vhagar has been central in the series so far. Dwarfing all other dragons, Vhagar size is immense. Furthermore, having had four rider, she’s also the most battle-tested. The show has introduced viewers to two of her riders. In season 1, she assists Laena in committing suicide by dragon fire. Later on, a young Aemond claims Vhagar as his mount. Vhagar has been the busiest dragon so far, killing the dragons Arrax and Meleys in seasons 1 and 2 respectively. She also badly hurt Sunfyre while attacking Meleys and burned Aegon II in the process. Ridden by the erratic and aggressive Aemond, Vhagar and her rider have major roles in the coming season.
Moondancer
A small and relatively young dragon, Moondancer bonded with Baela Targaryen, daughter of Daemon and Laena Targaryen. The she-dragon is pale green and described as fast and nimble. She’s popular for her pearl-colored horns and bones. In season 2, Queen Rhaenyra charges Baela with watching King’s Landing for any signs of movement. This task leads to the Moondancer’s first scene. Baela atop her dragon, gives a hot chase to Sir Criston Cole, Gwayne Hightower, and a few other green knights. The riders escape to the forests in the nick of time and barely manage to stay hidden from the dragon. The author notes that Moondancer is just as fierce as her rider, despite her small size.
Dreamfyre
Helena Targaryen, the daughter of King Viserys and Alicent Hightower, rides Dreamfyre. One of the older dragons, Dreamfyre has blue and silver coloration. Viewers have seen brief appearances of Dreamfyre, first scaring a young Aemond when he tried to steal a dragon egg. She’s also important because she laid several eggs, including the one Daemon stole in season 1. While she’s old, battle-tested, and a formidable dragon, neither Dreamfyre nor her rider like war, grossly limiting her appearances and role in the Dance of Dragons.
Silverwing
Over 100 years old, Silverwing is famous for her calm temperament, even as a dragon. For this reason, Princess Rhaenyra didn’t consider her as one of the dragons to claim in her bid to have more dragon rider allies. Formerly ridden by Queen Allysane, Silverwing spots silver scales as her name suggests. The dragon has now bonded with Ulf the White, who stumbles on her in the dragon pit. The pair even fly to King’s landing, causing Aemond and Vhagar to give chase, but promptly retreating upon seeing Rhaenyra surrounded by three dragons.
Vermax
Hatched from the egg given to Prince Jaycerys Valryon, Rhaenyra’s son, Vermax has bonded with his rider from birth. The dragon hatching put to rest any rumors that Queen Rhaenyra’s sons are bastards, as only the Targaryens can hatch a dragon egg in the show. Vermax is first seen in season 1 when a young prince Jaycerys, barely succeeds in controlling the young dragon. Though still young, the dragon can fly long distances, confirmed by her trip to the north. With olive scales and orange membranes, Vermax is noted as typically disliking ice, snow, and cold.
Arrax
Arrax is the mount of Lucerys Velaryon, the younger brother of Jacerys and son of Queen Rhaenyra. The dragon hatched from the egg given to the young prince and is one of the youngest dragons in the series. Being the smallest dragon to carry a rider, Arrax couldn’t defend itself or its rider much after running into Vhagar in the first dragon fight of the series. Described as “pearlescent white”, remains of the dragon washed up on the shore when Queen Rhaenyra was searching for her son’s body.
Vermithor
Known as the Bronze Fury, due to his copper bronze color and tan wings, Vermithor is almost 100 years old. The dragon previously bonded with King Jaehaerys, grandfather to King Viserys. Vermithor is second only to Vhagar in size and one of the more formidable dragons in the series. In season 1, Daemon mentions Vermithor as a dragon they can recruit and is seen singing to the beast at the end of the season. In the second season, the looming battle and high stakes force Princess Rhaenyra to search for dragon seeds to claim riderless dragons, including Vermithor. The Bronze Fury, true to its name, kills several people with dragon fire, before acquiescing to Hugh Hammer, the blacksmith. One of the most powerful dragons in the series, Vermithor is bound to play a crucial role in the upcoming Dance of the Dragons.
Tessarion
Tessarion is the smallest of the Green’s dragons and belongs to the brave Daeron, the youngest son of King Viserys and Alicent Hightower. Called the Blue Queen, Tessarion is described as having cobalt blue scales, a copper-colored belly, and blue flames. She and her still unseen rider make their first appearance in season 2, flying overhead as the Hightower army marches on Harrenhal and prepares for war. The Greens, who are looking to add more dragons to their arsenal, have been eager to add Tessarion to the fray of fighting dragons, and it seems we might see that in the coming season.
Stormcloud
Hatched from the egg given to Aegon the younger, Rhaenyra, and Daemon’s first son, Stormcloud is still too young to participate in the dance of the dragons. Viewers see the young dragon in Season 2 of the series, with Queen Rhaenyra remarking that the dragon is “young but will grow.” It will be interesting to see what role, if any, Stormcloud will have in the upcoming war.
Sheepstealer
Several wild dragons exist in the series, and some of them like to roam free, Sheepstealer is one of them. One of the larger dragons in the show, Sheepstealer has spent many years on his own, growing to a considerable size. Riderless and wild for a long time, the brown dragon appears in the season 2 finale when Rhaena stumbles on the dragon on a visit to the vale. Sheepstealer is aptly named for his taste for mutton and for stealing sheep from farmers. Rhaena investigates large expanses of scorched fields and comes face to face with the dragon. In the book, Nettels, a bastard girl, claims Sheepstealer. However, with a slight spin-off in the show, It is expected that Rhaena claims the dragon for the Blacks, like Nettles in the book.
Other Dragons
Viewers are yet to get a good look at Tyraxes, the mount of Joffrey Velaryon. He’s mentioned in the series but has yet to make any notable appearance. Tyraxes travels with Stormcloud so both dragons can reside with Lady Arryn in exchange for her army. The lady of the Vale notes that Tyraxes is “but a hatchling”. Unless the dance of the dragons lasts for years, both Tyraxes and Stormcloud are unlikely to play a major role in it.
Daemon mentions that several wild dragons reside on Dragonstone and are claimable earlier in the show. After Reana encounters Sheepstealer, there remain two dragons yet to make an appearance. Both dragons could still feature in the show. On Rhaena’s trip to the Vale, Princess Rhaeneyrs gave her four dragon eggs, calling them the future. Three of these eggs appear in the original Game of Thrones timeline, implying one could still play a part in the Dance of Dragons. However, that remains to be seen.
Not all famous dragons are breathing, some are dead. The skulls of Balerion, the Dread, and Meraxes are kept on display in the Red Keep and Dragonstone respectively. Balerion died of old age at over 200 years old and was larger than Vhagar. She was so big, that the books remark she could blot out the sun. Meraxes died in battle when a Dornish Scorpion bolt pierced her eye, killing her instantly in mid-air. The skulls remind viewers that dragons are mortal after all.
To witness the dragons in all their glory, House of the Dragon is currently streaming on Max.
