House of the Dragon Season 1 features several of the over-grown lizards that lend the show its name ā and even more are headed our way in Season 2! So, to help you keep track, here’s a round-up of all dragons and their riders in House of the Dragon.
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Syrax (Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen)
Syrax is Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen’s golden-scaled dragon. Named after a Valyrian goddess, Syrax is a decent-sized mount, albeit smaller than Caraxes and outright dwarfed by Vhagar. Syrax also lacks the battle experience of those dragons. But given the Dance of the Dragons civil war will properly kick off in House of the Dragon Season 2, both Syrax and Rhaenyra will have plenty of opportunity to practice aerial combat maneuvers soon!
Caraxes (Prince Daemon Targaryen)
Nicknamed “The Blood Wyrm” on account of his crimson hide, Caraxes is Prince Daemon Targaryen’s dragon. Like his rider, Caraxes is no stranger to battle, as seen in some of House of the Dragon Season 1’s War for the Stepstones action sequences. Even so, Caraxes is far from the most formidable dragon in Westeros; that honor goes to the much larger Vhagar. He’s not exactly the quickest, either. According to House of the Dragon‘s source text, Fire & Blood, Princess Rhaenys Targaryen’s mount, Meleys, flies much faster than Caraxes (or once did, at least).
Meleys (Princess Rhaenys Targaryen)
Princess Rhaenys Targaryen may be the “Queen Who Never Was,” but her mount Meleys rules the airways over Dragonstone. Indeed, Meleys’ regal stature ā together with her crown of horns and red scales ā have earned her the moniker “The Red Queen.” As noted in the above entry on Caraxes, Meleys also has a reputation as a speed demon. In the years prior to House of the Dragon, Rhaenys’ dragon was one of the fastest in all of Westeros. Meleys is a bit longer in tooth now, however, she remains a force to be reckoned with.
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Vhagar (Prince Aemond Targaryen)
The reigning champ of the Westerosi dragon scene, Vhagar is Prince Aemond Targaryen’s mount. She is both the oldest and largest living dragon in House of the Dragon. Heck, Vhagar took part in King Aegon I Targaren’s conquest of Westeros over a century before House of the Dragon Season 1 kicks off! Her original rider was Visenya Targaryen. Subsequent riders include Prince Baelon Targaryen, Laena Velaryon, and finally, Aemond. Vhagar’s size, ferocity, and battle experience give the Green Targaryen camp the edge ā nobody in the Black camp wants to face her alone!
Sunfyre (King Aegon II Targaryen)
Aegon II’s dragon Sunfyre hasn’t done much in House of the Dragon Season 2, although that’s hardly his fault. The Small Council remains adamant that the king and his mount should stay away from the battlefield, to avoid misfortune befalling either. So, for now, Sunfyre’s only real contribution to the Season 2’s civil war is to fly around, looking pretty. In that, he does a fine job. Sunfyre is known as “Sunfyre the Golden” thanks to his dazzling yellow scales, which gleam as he streaks through the air.
Vermax (Prince Jacaerys Velaryon)
Another of House of the Dragon‘s winged firebreathers who’s largely doubled as a flying taxi so far, Vermax belongs to Prince Jacaerys Velaryon. In fairness to Vermax, his relatively short list of achievements is partly down to his youth. The green-scaled dragon only hatched in House of the Dragon Season 1. As such, Vermax was too young to do much more than play courier last time around (as was Jacaerys, for that matter). But as fans familiar with Fire & Blood will already know, it won’t be long until Vermax enters the fray properly in House of the Dragon Season 2.
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Arrax (Prince Lucerys Velaryon)
Poor Arrax and Lucerys were both taken before their time. As chronicled in House of the Dragon Season 1’s finale, “The Black Queen,” both dragon and rider died after a lopsided encounter with Prince Aemond and Vhagar. The much younger and smaller Arrax never really stood a chance against an oversized firebreather like Vhagar, and flipped out. Just as Lucerys regained control of Arrax, Vhagar ā none too happy about Arrax spitting flame in her face ā chomped them both. Arrax plummeted into the bay below in pieces, while Lucerys wound up in Vhagar’s belly!
Moondancer (Lady Baela Targaryen)
Baela Targaryen’s dragon Moondancer hasn’t appeared on screen in House of the Dragon yet. Fortunately, Season 2’s trailers confirm that we’ll see her in action at least once in the HBO show’s second batch of episodes. When she arrives, expect Moondancer to exhibit speed and agility, rather than raw power. That’s if Fire & Blood is any guide, as in the book, the light-green scaled Moondancer is far smaller than the likes of Vhagar and Caraxes, but also a heckuva lot more nimble.
Dreamfyre (Queen Helaena Targaryen)
Following her fiery introduction in House of the Dragon Season 1, Dreamfyre largely stays on the sidelines. Other than protecting a mound of eggs at King’s Landing’s Dragonpit, the only other thing of note she does in Season 1 is ferry future queen Helaena Targaryen home from Laena Velaryon’s funeral. This scene establishes Helaena as Dreamfyre’s rider, and also explains why she spends so little time on screen. After all, Helaena typically stays cooped up in the Red Keep, so it’s not as if Dreamfyre is let of her leash all that often.
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Seasmoke (Ser Laenor Velaryon)
Ser Laenor Velaryon’s dragon Seasmoke only appears in three episodes of House of the Dragon Season 1 ā but boy, does he make the most of it. Unlike several of the show’s other dragons and their riders, Seasmoke and Laenor mix it up in House of the Dragon‘s first season, during the War for the Stepstones. Indeed, the pair play a crucial role in the conflict’s final battle, the siege of Bloodstone. Spewing flame all the Triarchy’s archers, Seasmoke frees up Daemon Targaryen to take down enemy field commander, the Crabfeeder. That’s the last time Seasmoke goes into battle, though. Now that Laenor has exited the picture, his riderless dragon lounges around Driftmark.
Vermithor (No Rider)
Vermithor is one of the biggest and baddest dragons ever to soar Westeros’ skies. Also known as the Bronze Fury, his size is eclipsed by only one other living dragon, Vhagar. Vermithor’s last known rider was King Jaehaerys I Targaryen. Since Jaehaerys’ death, he’s chilled out in his lair (alongside his as-yet-unseen mate, Silverwing), without a rider. House of the Dragon Season 1, Episode 10, “The Black Queen,” teases that’s about to change, though. Here, Daemon Targaryen successfully approaches Vermithor (although Daemon’s still riding Caraxes in Season 2’s debut episode).
Balerion (Deceased)
Widely regarded as the GOAT, Balerion was the dragon King Aegon I Targaryen rode when he conquered Westeros. Called “The Black Dread,” Balerion has taken on near-mythical status by the time of House of the Dragon. It’s not hard to see why, either. Aside from his key role in shaping Westerosi history, Balerion was massive. His shadow was supposedly so vast, it blanketed whole towns as he flew over them ā and based on the size of Balerion’s skull (as seen in House of the Dragon Season 1), that’s probably no exaggeration. Aside from Aegon I, the Black Dread’s other riders included Maegor I Targaryen, Aerea Targaryen, and Viserys I Targaryen.
And there you have it: all dragons and their riders in House of the Dragon. To see these winged beasties in action, tune into House of the Dragon Season 2, currently airing Sunday nights on HBO and Max.
