Dragon House: All Dragons and Dragon Riders

Dragon’s House There was a lot of political maneuvering in season one. With factions and animosities growing equally, House Targaryen spent far more time fighting and shouting in the halls of King’s Landing than riding dragons. But the final episode centers around dragons and their use in the upcoming Dragon Dance.

And now that House Targaryen is embroiled in a full-blown civil war, every dragon counts, and so does every dragon rider. As we saw in season 2, Raynor takes this lesson a little more seriously than her siblings in King’s Landing, and the Targaryen queen offers her family’s illegitimate children (even those of lowly birth) the chance to bond with and ride dragons in her stead. It won’t be an easy road. After all, as we saw in episode 10, even with the right riders, a dragon war can have disastrous consequences. But this is the dance of dragons. Claws must clash with claws.

In particular, as Daemon (Matt Smith) mentioned in the season 1 finale, not all dragons in Westeros are considered. There are “neutral” dragons, which are dragons that (for whatever reason) don’t have riders. In a war where dragons and riders vary in power, might, and size, affecting who controls what part of the map, the dragons that are available are likely to be important.

So with the Season 2 War underway, it might be a good idea to take a moment to consider each dragon. Dragon’s House Check out what’s been set so far, which side it is on, who the riders are, etc.

(Editor’s note: This story contains spoilers for Season 2, Episode 6. Dragon’s House.)

Bahager

Image: HBO

Riders: Rhaenar (deceased), Amond Targaryen

The oldest and largest of Westeros’ Targaryen dragons, and the sole surviving remnant of Aegon’s conquests, Vhagar was once ridden by Visenya Targaryen when she, her brother, and her sister united the Seven Kingdoms. Vhagar subsequently passed to Baelon Targaryen, and was most recently (prior to Episode 7) ridden by Rhaenar Velaryon. After Rhaenar’s death, the dragon was briefly riderless until it was claimed by Aimon Targaryen, whose gift of a dragon egg never hatched. Despite his age, Vhagar remains one of the most fearsome and dangerous dragons in Westeros, and is now ridden by one of the Greens’ most ardent supporters.

Vhagar and Aemond were directly responsible for Lucerys’ death at the end of Season 1. Now Aegon wants to use Vhagar to break through this civil war. Alicent (etc.) is less than enthusiastic about that plan, and actually wants Vhagar to stay in King’s Landing for as long as possible to defend it.

Sunfire

Image: HBO

Rider: Aegon Targaryen

A bright gold dragon with pink wings, Sunfire is the dragon of Aegon Targaryen, and while he is a swift flyer, he is far from the largest of the Targaryen dragons left. Nevertheless, Aegon believes that the teamwork between Sunfire and Vhagar is enough to attract the houses that have not yet surrendered to him.

Or at least it was until the cold reality came to light in episode 4. The Targaryens Dragon’s House ~is ~ No Fireproof, Sunfire was another dragon defeated in an aerial brawl with Baghar. Aegon survived (though fortunately with many injuries), but Sunfire slowly died after falling from the sky above Lux Rest.

Dreamfire

Rider: Helena Targaryen

Dreamfyre is a pale blue dragon, older and more slender than the others. She is owned by Helaena Targaryen.

Sirax

Image: HBO

Rider: Raynira Targaryen

Rhaenyra was probably the first rider of Sirax, the dragon named after the Valyrian goddess when the princess took possession of him at the age of nine. Sirax was as large and menacing as Charaxes, but Rhaenyra never rode him into real battle.

Carax

Image: HBO

Rider: Damon Targaryen

Charaxes is one of the largest and most dangerous of the remaining Targaryen dragons, and that is because it has been in war recently. Charaxes has red scales and was ridden by Damon Targaryen in many of the prince’s battles around the world, most notably at Stepstone.

Melis

Image: HBO

Rider: Reynis Targaryen

Death: Eaten by Vhagar above Rook’s Rest

Meleys was known as the Red Queen because of her red scales and pink wing membranes. Meleys was an old dragon, but in her youth she was probably the fastest and most agile of all Westerosi dragons. However, even at her age, she was still feared in battle.

At the start of Season 2, Reynis and Melis patrolled the “100 Miles of Open Sea” to prevent a blockade by the Sea Serpents. Ultimately, when Reynis and Melis went to stop Lord Kristen Cole from taking over Rook’s Rest, they met their untimely deaths at the hands of Vagar.

Vermax

Image: HBO

Rider: Jacaerys Velaryon

Vermax hatched from an egg given to him by Jacaerys when he was an infant, partly as a stunt designed to demonstrate his status as a true Targaryen. Because of this, the dragon was quite small by the time he was born. Dragon’s House Let’s start with Jace.

Arabic

Rider: Lucerne Velaryon

Death: Eaten by Baghar somewhere above Storm’s End.

Like his brother’s dragon, Luke’s dragon hatched from an egg he received at birth, meaning that at this point the dragon is very small. Will grow It would have gotten bigger over time.

Sysmoke

Photo: Theo Whiteman/HBO

Seasmoke’s only previous rider was Laenor Velaryon, who renounced dragons when he fled from his life in Westeros to Essos. After Laenor’s death, Seasmoke took up residence at Dragonmont on Dragonstone.

But as we see in the last few episodes of season 2, Seasmoke has grown tired of not having a rider, and seems to have chosen someone new: Addam of Hull. In “The Red Sowing,” Addam meets Rhaenyra on the beach and swears loyalty to the Targaryen queen if she will teach him how to be a dragon rider.

Vermis

Photo: Ollie Upton/HBO

Vermithor is one of the oldest living dragons in Westeros and resides in Dragonmont on Dragonstone. Despite his age and enormous size, we do not know much about Vermithor’s previous riders, except for one, King Jaehaerys Targaryen, who rode the dragon until his death. Vermithor is one of the largest dragons to have ever lived in Westeros, surpassing him in size only by Vhagar and Balerion. As Rhaenrya tells the Targaryen gnomes gathered at Dragonstone, Vermithor is known as “Bronze Fury.”

And in “The Red Sowing”, the same guys are lining up to bond with Vermithor. Ultimately, it’s Hugh Hammer (apparently the Targaryen bastard son of Viserys and Daemon’s bastard aunt) who wins Vermithor’s favor.

Silver Wing

Silverwing was once bonded to Queen Alysanne Targaryen, wife of King Jaehaerys. Apparently reflecting the couple’s love, Silverwing and Vermithor were often found crouching together in the same lair within Dragonmont on Dragonstone.

So it stands to reason that the dragon Wolf befriends in Season 2 Episode 7, or more specifically, the dragon he beats up while desperately running away from the massacre of Vermisor, is Silverwing. Silverwing is the only dragon we know of in the Dragonstone lair.

Neutral

A neutral dragon is a dragon without a rider. In some cases, it is a dragon that has not accepted a rider, and in other cases, it is a dragon whose rider has died but has not yet bonded with another rider.

Veil’s Mystery Dragon

Image: HBO

In episode 6, “Smallfolk,” we see the remains of a mysterious dragon that was hiding around Vale. Based on the remains left behind by the dragon, Rhaena believes that the dragon is large, wild, and (according to Lady Arryn’s limited reporting) appeared in the area shortly after the war broke out.