House of the Dragonhas proven to be a rousing success among fans of fantasy shows. This prequel to the belovedGame of Thronesis based on the bookFire & BloodbyGeorge R. R. Martinand focuses on a civil warbetween House Targaryenover who will succeed King Viserys I (Paddy Considine) as king or queen of Westeros. On one side is Queen Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy), who Viserys chose to be his heir; on the other, King Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney), whose Hightower relatives pushed him to rule as Viserys' eldest son.
While the show is full of interesting political intrigue and character relationships,the stars are the mighty dragonsthrough which House Targaryen ruled unchallenged for over a century. Season 2 has expanded the roster of dragons and given them many moments to show off their majesty and power. However, some are undeniably stronger than others.These are the most powerful dragons inHouse of the Dragon, providing enough action and lore to satisfy audiences' cravings to see a true clash of titans.
House of the Dragon
10Tessarion
Rider: Prince Daeron Targaryen
Called the Blue Queen for her vibrant sapphire scales, Tessarion isthe dragon of Prince Daeron, the youngest child of King Viserys and Queen Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke). Unlike his siblings, who lived in King’s Landing, Daeron lived in Oldtown with his Hightower relatives, allowing him to grow along a completely different path. Now that Tessarion is large enough to ride, Daeron flies her above the Hightower army as they march to war.
Tessarion is only given a few seconds of screentime as she flies over the Hightower army in Episode 8, but she shows the most promise out of the youngest dragons. Her design is light and nimble, meaningshe can be quick in the air, and though Daeron has never flown her to war, his uncle, Ser Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox), mentions thathe is skilled in combat. Since the armies of the Reach have no dragons nearby, Tessarion will have lots of chances to prove herself as she deals with Rhaenyra’s supporters between Oldtown and King’s Landing.
9Sheepstealer
Rider: Lady Rhaena Targaryen
While most dragons have taken at least one rider in their lifetimes, some dragons grow up on Dragonstone and never know a rider. One of these wild dragons, called Sheepstealer, leaves Dragonstone for the mountains of the Vale to look for food. Eventually, Lady Rhaena Targaryen (Phoebe Campbell) goes to the Vale and, upon finding evidence of Sheepstealer, sets off to claim the dragon.
Sheepstealer also has only a few seconds of screentime, but what little is shown paints him as a potentially formidable dragon. The fact that he has lived in the wild long enough to grow to maturity shows thathe is a skilled and experienced hunter, and hisworn-down appearance hints that he has experienced combat. Time will tell if Rhaena will be able to use him to the fullest, of course.
Rider: Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen
Named after one of the Gods of Old Valyria, Syrax has been the longstanding companion to Rhaenyra, who enjoyed flying her every chance she could. The two share a very close bond, with Syrax often roaring in distress or anger whenever Rhaenyra feels such extreme emotions. She has also joined Rhaenyra in motherhood, layingseveral clutches of dragon eggsto ensure the future of the Targaryen dragons.
Despite her large size,Syrax is untested in battle and rarely goes out hunting. Her age and skills on the wing mean that she could still do considerable damage to humans or dragons, but she might not be strong enough to overpower some of the more battle-hardened dragons. The chance of her being used in battle is unlikely since to do so would put Rhaenyra in danger, but should her time come, Syrax could prove herself a formidable foe.
7Dreamfyre
Riders: Princess Rhaena Targaryen and Queen Helaena Targaryen
Born during the reign of Aegon The Conqueror, Dreamfyre was the beloved dragon of his eldest grandchild, Princess Rhaena. She toured all of Westeros with her rider and after Rhaena’s death, was kept in King’s Landing’s dragonpit and laid several eggs which would hatch dragons for future Targaryen children. She was eventually claimed by Visery’s and Alicent’s daughter, Helaena Targaryen (Phia Saban). However, and unlike her relatives,Helaena doesn’t ride Dreamfyre too often.
Dreamfyre is the second-oldest dragon, and though not as large as some of the other elder dragons,she is a fierce and formidable combatant. That said, she also has never seen battle, and Helaena doesn’t want to unleash her on innocent people. If Dreamfyre is let out of the pit, she will likely cause great destruction, butshe likely won’t stand up to the other large dragonswho have seen more battle and spent more time on the wing than underground.
6Silverwing
Riders: Queen Alysanne Targaryen and Ulf White
One of the largest Targaryen dragons, Silverwing, was bonded to Queen Alysanne, the sister-queen to Westeros' longest-serving king, Jaehaerys I Targaryen (Michael Carter). She bore Alysanne all across Westeros, even as far north as the Wall itself, but refused to fly beyond it. After Alysanne’s death, she remained in her cave on Dragonstone untila Targaryen bastard named Ulf(Tom Bennett) stumbled into her lair and bonded with her.
Silverwing is another large dragon who hasn’t seen combat, but since she didn’t remain in the dragon pit like Dreamfyre, she has grown to an impressive size. Normally, Silverwing is known for being more friendly and calm than other dragons, but when roused,she can be just as ferocious as any other dragon. The fact that she is the mate of Vermithor also adds complications: when the two dragons go to war, will they fight better when protecting one another?
Riders: Ser Laenor Velaryon and Addam of Hull
The beloved dragon of Ser Laenor Velaryon (John Macmillan), Seasmoke accompanied his rider into battle in the Stepstones with Laenor’s father, Corlys Velarion (Steve Toussaint), against the forces of Prince Craghas “The Crabfeeder” Drahar (Daniel Scott-Smith). Years later, he was separated from Laenor when he faked his death and fled across the sea. Eventually, Seasmoke grows restless, and after incinerating Ser Steffon Darklyn (Anthony Flanagan), he seeks out Laenor’s bastard half-brother, Addam of Hull (Clinton Liberty).
Seasmoke might not be as large as some of the other dragons, but his time with Laenor has seen himgain a good few years of combat experience. Despite this, he is very sociable and actively seeks out his choice of a new rider rather than wait for one to find him. This makes Seasmoke very protective of his rider, and he will even bare his teeth against his allies, like Rhaenyra, to keep them safe.
Rider: Princess Alyssa Targaryen and Princess Rhaenys Targaryen
Called the Red Queen, Meleys was originally ridden by Princess Alyssa Targaryen (Emeline Lambert), the mother of Viserys, and his brother, Daemon (Matt Smith). After her death, Daemon tries to claim Meleys, but she rejects him for his cousin,Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, the Queen Who Never Was(Eve Best). When the Dance of the Dragon begins, Meleys is the largest dragon on the Black’s side and gets to prove her valor in the Battle of Rook’s Rest, though she sadly doesn’t survive.
Meleys was a powerful dragon, able to take down Aegon’s Sunfyre and wound Vhagar to the point where she needed to return to King’s Landing to heal. Though killed in action,Meleys showed that she was skilled in combat, as her strategy allowed her to deal good damage to Vhagar before she was taken out in an ambush. She also had a very strong bond with Rhaenys and seemed to be in sync with her every thought.
Riders: Prince Aemon Targaryen and Prince Daemon Targaryen
Called the Blood Wyrm for his red scales,Caraxes was bonded to Rhaenys' father, Prince Aemon Targaryen, until his accidental death. He was then claimed by Aemon’s nephew, Daemon, who took Caraxes across the Narrow Sea several times in his many adventures. He is now a dragon of formidable size who is justas unpredictable and ready for a fight as his rider.
Between his two riders,Caraxes has accumulated more combat experiencethan any living dragon save for Vhagar. This valuable familiarity with carnage makes him a truly deadly foe to face since he knows how to attack his enemies in the most advantageous of ways. Caraxes is also shown to be affectionate towards Daemon, enjoying pets and being willing to flee from battle to protect him from harm.
2Vermithor
Rider: King Jaehaerys I Targaryen and Hugh Hammer
Called the Bronze Fury, Vermithor is the second-largest living dragon, even though he’s not the oldest of the Targaryen’s second generation of dragons. For decades, he served as the mount of the old king, Jaehaerys I, and even helped burn a Dornish fleet. After Jaehaerys' death, Vermithor remained on Dragonstone with his mate, Silverwing, until he was claimed bythe humble blacksmith, Hugh(Kieran Bew).
Vermithor isone of the best representations of dragon size and majestyin bothHouse of the DragonandGame of Thrones.Before Hugh claims him, Vermithor demonstrates the unpredictable nature of dragons as he devours and burns the rest of the dragonseeds. It’s a terrifying sample of what the Bronze Fury can unleash when he’s on the wing, especially if he doesn’t distinguish friend from foe.
Riders: Queen Visenya Targaryen, Prince Baelon Targaryen, Lady Laena Velaryon, and Prince Aemond Targaryen
When she was ridden by Queen Visenya to help Aegon conquer Westeros,Vhagar was the smallest of the three Targaryen dragons. Over the decades, she outlived Meraxes and Balerion to become the largest living dragon in Westeros. After going through several different riders, including Viserys and Daemon’s father, and Daemon’s second wife, Laena Velaryon (Nanna Blondell), she was claimed by Prince Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell), giving the Greens a tremendous advantage in the war.
Vhagar is as big as Balerion was during the conquest and has seen more battles than any other dragon. As such,she is utterly fearless in battleand proves to be skilled at ambushing her foes to kill them with a devastating bite or an overwhelming rain of fire. Sometimes, her eagerness for battle leads her to rebel against Aemond’s commands, making her something of a wild card.
NEXT:Westeros War Report: Rhaenyra Wins Over the Riverlands! [SPOILER] Betrays the Greens!
