For its Game of Thrones prequel series, House of the Dragon, HBO has transported fans from the time after dragons to the height of the creatures' and their riders in the Targaryen family's power. While fans first met the fire-breathing beasts with Daenerys' and her three children, the prequel series takes place nearly two centuries prior—where there are many more of the winged creatures taking to the sky and fighting battles.
As House of the Dragon season 2 focuses on the Dance of the Dragons civil war, which unfolds between the two branches of the Targaryen family known as the Greens and the Blacks, it's more important than ever to know which side each dragon sits on. To help keep up, we're breaking down all of the dragons from the hit HBO show based on George R. R. Martin's book series, organized by their allegiance in the Targaryen conflict.
The Greens
Dreamfyre
Rider: Helaena Targaryen (Phia Saban)
When Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) enters the Dragon Pits in season 1, episode 6, he's almost smoked by Dreamfyre, who was hatched sometime during the reign of Aegon the Conquerer. By season 2, the blue female dragon has bonded with Aemond's older sister Helaena. Dreamfyre has also laid several dragon eggs. (There's even a theory that she's the mother to the eggs that will become Drogon, Viserion, and Rhaegal!)
Sunfyre
Rider: Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney)
This male dragon is known as "Sunfyre the Golden" for his bright-gold scales and pink-membraned wings. By the time jump after season 1 episode 6, he's already bonded to young Aegon (Ty Tennant) and remains close to the Greens' heir.
Vhagar
Rider: Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell)
Female Vhagar is the oldest and largest living Targaryen dragon, an ancient beast who was ridden by Queen Visenya during Aegon's Conquest. She was lost for years, as we heard from young Laena Velaryon (Nanna Blondell) in episode 2 before Laena herself encountered and bonded with her. After Laena experiences complications during childbirth and commands her dragon to kill her, Vhagar is brought to Westeros, where she bonds with Viserys (Harry Lloyd) and Alicent's (Olivia Cooke) third-eldest Aemond in season 1, episode 7.
The Blacks
Arrax (Deceased)
Rider: the late Lucerys Velaryon (Elliot Grihault)
By season 1, episode 8, Luke has claimed Arrax, a just-matured beast who author George R. R. Martin described as "pearlescent white with yellow flame, golden eyes and a golden chest." In the season 1 finale, we see that he's the smallest of the dragons we've been introduced to thus far, which makes it even more terrifying when he goes up against Vhagar and Aemond. Arrax and Luke are eventually killed by the much larger dragon, marking the first blow of the Dance of the Dragons.
Caraxes
Rider: Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith)
Also known as Blood Wyrm, this red, horned male is bonded to Daemon, and is known for being as fearsome and vicious as his rider. We got to see Caraxes in action during the battle against the Triarchy in season 1, episode 3.
Meleys
Rider: Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Best)
Known as the "Red Queen," this female dragon has copper strips along her red body and is known as one of the swiftest dragons. We (and the Greens) got a good look at Meleys when she emerged as the "beast beneath the boards" at Aegon II's coronation in season 1, episode 9.
Moondancer
Rider: Baela Targaryen (Bethany Antonia)
In season 2 we meet Moondancer, a young, slender dragon with a pale-green body and pearl horns and wingbones. For anyone wondering why Moondancer and Seasmoke have such different names than the rest of the dragons, it looks like Laenor (John MacMillan) and Baela didn't follow the custom of giving new dragons Valyrian names (language that is to thank for all the "ae"s in these characters).
Syrax
Rider: Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy)
This female dragon with a yellow hue bonded with Rhaenyra when the princess was only 9. Syrax opens up the series, though we haven't seen her up close since the first episodes of season 1. Rhaenyra has also never ridden her into battle, though that'll probably change once the Dance of the Dragons starts.
Tyraxes and Stormcloud
Riders: Joffrey Velaryon (Oscar Eskinazi) and Aegon III Targaryen (Jake and Rory Heard)
In season 2, episode 3, Rhaenyra decides to send off her three youngest sons (Joffrey, Aegon "the Younger," and Viserys II) away from Dragonstone, which will not be safe for them as the war continues. The queen has promised a dragon to Lady Jeyne Arryn of the Vale (Amanda Collin) in exchange for an army, so she sends the children (with their cousin Rhaena chaperoning) along with their dragons, Tyraxes and Stormcloud. Both of the dragons are described as no more than "hatchlings," but they will (hopefully) have time to grow as the war goes on.
Vermax
Rider: Jacaerys Velaryon (Harry Collett)
We meet this young horned dragon after the season 1, episode 6 time jump after he's already bonded to Jacaerys and the prince is learning to command him. Vermax was born of the egg that laid with Jacaerys in his cradle, showing that Jacaerys had the "blood of the dragon" and was a true Targaryen (though the Velaryon side was in question).
Unclaimed Dragons
Balerion (Deceased)
Rider: The late Aegon the Conqueror
The largest and oldest Targaryen dragon, known as "the Black Dread," is mentioned several times throughout House of the Dragon, as the characters will bring up him and his rider when they speak of the history of Westeros and the Targaryen line. The black and red mal dragon and his rider have been long dead by the events of HotD, but Balerion's head can be seen on display in the Red Keep.
Seasmoke
Rider: Laenor Velaryon (John MacMillan)
This pale silver-hued dragon is a younger and more nimble dragon, who bonded to Laenor while he was still young. During the Battle of the Stepstones in season 1, episode 3, Laenor and Seasmoke attacked the Triarchy from the sides while Daemon distracted the Crabfeeder. Though Seasmoke is now considered wild since Laenor faked his death in episode 7, the dragon still roams the skies near Dragonstone in season 2.
Vermithor
Rider: Unclaimed
In the season 1 finale, while preparing for the upcoming war against the Greens, Daemon goes down into the volcano under Dragonstone, where several unclaimed dragons live. While singing an Old Valyrian song, the prince encounters Vermithor, the second-largest living dragon in Westeros. Formerly ridden by Jaehaerys I, he's described in the book as a fearsome bronze dragon with "great tan wings."
Cannibal, Grey Ghost, Sheepstealer, and Silverwing
According to Fire & Blood, besides Vermithor and Seasmoke, there are four other dragons residing in the caves of the volcano Dragonmont as of Rhaenyra and Aegon II's coronations. If the show stays faithful to the books' dragons (as they have so far), they'll likely be a part of the plot.
Cannibal, Grey Ghost, and Sheepstealer are all completely wild dragons with no previous riders. The largest and oldest of them, Cannibal, has a black body and his name because he eats the carcasses of his kind, newborn dragons, and dragon eggs (which is probably why dragon eggs are kept in warmers and not in the volcano). Grey Ghost is pale grey-white and shy, avoiding men for years at a time. Sheepstealer is a "mud brown" color who only attacks humans when provoked; his name is self-evident.
Meanwhile, Silverwing is a docile, friendly female dragon with a silver body, and was previously ridden by King Jaehaerys' sister/queen consort Alysanne.
'Game of Thrones' Easter Egg
Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion
Season 2, episode 3 of House of the Dragon includes a major callback (or call-forward?) to the lead Targaryen of Game of Thrones. When Aegon III and Viserys II are sent off to Pentos under the care of Rhaena, they're accompanied by the fledgling dragons Tyraxes and Stormcloud, as well as a crate of unhatched dragon eggs, one gold, one green, one reddish-black, and one silvery-blue. The first three of those eggs will look quite familiar to GoT fans.
In an interview with Mashable, episode 3's director Geeta Vasant Patel confirmed that those are the same eggs that Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) receives as a wedding gift over 150 years later, in the events of the first episode of Game of Thrones. This answers a major question of how three dragon eggs made it to Essos, especially since Rhaenyra plans for Rhaena, Aegon III, and Viserys II to eventually make it to Pentos should their first destination, the Vale, no longer be safe for them. Hopefully, HotD will continue to follow the eggs' journey to Dany in later seasons.
