Dragons of all shapes and sizes have appeared in the brand-new Game of Thrones spinoff from HBO, House of the Dragon. They stand out from other dragons with their distinctive traits, outward appearance, and riders. Targaryens are successful dragonriders, and their relationship with dragons is extraordinarily depicted in the House of the Dragon.
If you need to refresh your memory and familiarize yourself with the House of Targaryen, check out ExpressVPN’s infographic on Targaryen family relations.
The dragons from the first season are listed below:
Arrax: Rhaenyra Targaryen and Ser Laenor Velaryon’s second son, Lucerys Velaryon Luke, ride Arrax, one of the smaller dragons. Like his mother and brother Jace, he is a dragon rider, and gets along well with Arax.
Balerion: Aegon the Conqueror Viserys I Targaryen rode Balerion, often known as the Black Dread when he took control over the Seven Kingdoms. Viserys I Targaryen rode him until the dragon died. He is thought to have been the last living thing from Valyria, and as he took flight, his shadow is said to have been so large that it could engulf a whole town.
Caraxes: The Blood Wyrm-named Caraxes is ridden by Daemon Targaryen. He has blood-red scales, a slim body, and an unusually long neck. He is also a pretty dangerous dragon. Caraxes has a noticeable appetite, and he is savage and cunning, and battle-tested.
Dreamfyre: Dreamfyre is silver and blue in hue and lays several eggs over her lifetime. Some have even suggested that Dreamfyre’s long-lost descendants might be Daenerys’ dragons. She is currently the steed of Princess Helaena Targaryen, a dragon-dreamer who is also the daughter of Viserys and Alicent Hightower.
Meleys: Princess Rhaenys Targaryen rides Meleys, a she-dragon known as the Red Queen. She has copper highlights and is covered in scarlet scales. She got her moniker because of her distinctive coloring. She is reported to have outrun even Caraxes and Vhagar in her youth.
Moondancer: Moondancer, a young and agile dragon, bonded with Baela Targaryen from birth.
Seasmoke: A light, silver-gray dragon, Seasmoke. He is a highly agile dragon despite still being young. According to Fire & Blood, he had been Ser Laenor Velaryon’s pride and passion.
Sunfyre: Aegon Targaryen is Sunfyre’s rider, making him the most spectacular dragon in the kingdom. When the sun hits them, his golden scales gleam. He bonded in 120 AC with Rhaenyra’s younger half-brother Aegon, a gold dragon with golden flames.
Syrax: The dragon Rhaenyra Targaryen rides is named Syrax after a Valyrian goddess. She is a baby, yellow-scaled dragon who is not yet as intimidating as her adult counterparts. In the iconic opening scene of the first episode, a yellow beast soaring through the sky with a Targaryen royal on its back introduces the first terrifying creature to appear in House of the Dragon.
Vhagar: Younger dragon named Vermax was born connected to Jace Velaryon. He has pale orange wing membranes and olive-green scales. Vhagar, the sister of Balerion the Black Dread and the only still-living dragon to have traveled to Westeros with Aegon the Conqueror, is arguably the most physically stunning dragon on the show. This dragon had grown almost as enormous as the Black Dread of old by the end of Fire & Blood. Her fires were so fierce they could melt stone.
Vermax: The largest dragon in the kingdom is Vhagar, also known as the Queen of All Dragons. Vhagar is twice as big as Caraxes. She has deep jade scales. She was ridden by Queen Visenya Targaryen during the conquest of Westeros and afterward claimed by Laena Velaryon. She was named after the god of Old Valyria. To the dismay of Laena’s children, Aemond Targaryen heeded Vhagar’s call after Laena’s passing and became her rider.
The first season of House of Dragons’ photorealistic dragons left a lasting impression on the viewers’ minds. For season 2, the viewers’ desire to witness more dragons will not diminish.