Summary
- House of the Dragon season 2 will introduce new dragons to join the battle for the Iron Throne, with varying sizes and battle experience.
- The dragons' power is determined by their size, battle experience, and control of the rider.
- Aemond Targaryen's dragon, Vhagar, is the most powerful dragon in the series, while Vermax, Syrax, Moondancer, and other dragons have their own strengths and weaknesses.
HBO's House of the Dragon boasts an exciting lineup of dragons that range significantly in power. Season 1 saw the build-up to the Dance of the Dragons, a civil war between factions of the Targaryen dynasty vying for the Iron Throne. Of course, each side is well-equipped with numerous dragons, and the season 1 finale provided a taste of the dragon-on-dragon action to come. Aemond Targaryen's Vhagar has already eliminated Lucerys Velaryon's Arrax, and much more dragon blood will be spilled in season 2, which will be released in the Summer of 2024.
Many of the House of the Dragon characters have fully grown dragons in season 1, and many more will be introduced in season 2. Among the new dragons include several that are unclaimed, roaming riderless around Dragonstone and Westeros, ready to be brought on one of the sides, foreshadowed by the season 1 finale. A dragon's power consists of multiple factors: its size, battle experience, and experience and control of the rider.
12 Vermax
Rider: Jacaerys Velaryon
The dragon belonging to Jacaerys Velaryon is one of the youngest dragons alive in House of the Dragon. Like Lucerys' Arrax, Vermax pales compared to the size of gigantic dragons like Vhagar and Vermithor. In Fire & Blood, Vermax is known for growing larger each year, which aligns with Jacaerys' desire in House of the Dragon to grow and contribute to his mother's side in the war.
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11 Syrax
Rider: Rhaenyra Targaryen
The first dragon shown in House of the Dragon, Rhaenyra's Syrax is a dragon of unknown age. Presumably not much older than Rhaenyra, Syrax should be around the middle of the pack in terms of age and size. However, Syrax lacks battle experience and has been in chains for years before the start of the war, and still won't see much combat at the start of the war, unlike many of the other dragons around its size.
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10 Moondancer
Rider: Baela Targaryen
The House of the Dragon season 2 trailer revealed that the young Baela Targaryen will armor up to help the blacks in the Dance of the Dragons. Her companion, Moondancer, is one of the youngest dragons and, in Fire & Blood, is considered one of the smallest dragons alive at the start of the war. The TV adaptation will likely size up the dragon along with aging up its rider, as the trailer indicates they'll be expediting her process of joining the war.
9 Silverwing
Rider: Unclaimed
One of the oldest dragons alive at roughly 80, Silverwing has some advantages, as dragons are known to grow continuously as they age. Compared to the other riderless dragons living on Dragonstone, the she-dragon is described as being docile and largely lacks battle experience. Her first rider, Alysanne Targaryen, lived during a period of prolonged peace, meaning Silverwing hasn't seen battle like Caraxes or Seasmoke.
8 Dreamfyre
Rider: Helaena Targaryen
Helaena Targaryen doesn't seem like the most threatening warrior in House of the Dragon, but the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms has one of the oldest dragons alive. Despite being roughly one hundred years old, Dreamfyre is a slender dragon, so she's medium-sized. Dreamfyre is primarily used as a breeding dragon and rarely sees battle, meaning it's essentially wasted potential for the greens.
7 Sheepstealer
Rider: Unclaimed
A wild dragon known for stealing sheep and hunting around the Crownlands, Sheepstealer is one of the unclaimed dragons living on Dragonstone at the start of House of the Dragon season 2. Sheepstealer is one of the older dragons alive, but it's known as being slender. It's a unique dragon, given that it never had a rider before the Dance, making Sheepstealer a gamble for any potential human companion.
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6 Seasmoke
Rider: Unclaimed (Previously Laenor Velaryon)
A dragon whose battle experience has been demonstrated in House of the Dragon season 1, Seasmoke is a valuable unclaimed dragon heading into season 2. Seasmoke was ridden by Laenor Velaryon, helping his father's forces in the War for the Stepstones, providing experience to compensate for its lack of size. Seasmoke is described in Fire & Blood as roughly a third of Vermithor's size, but its agility makes it a viable threat.
5 Sunfyre
Rider: Aegon II
The dragon of King Aegon II Targaryen, Sunfyre, is best known for its beautiful golden scales, though it's still a viable threat to the greens. Sunfyre is a relatively young dragon, but it's known for being decently large for its age by the start of the Dance of the Dragons. The beauty of Aegon's dragon wasn't fully demonstrated in season 1 and will be a site to behold in season 2 as it picks up some battle experience.
4 Meleys
Rider: Rhaenys Targaryen
Meleys, also known as the Red Queen, is the dragon of Rhaenys Targaryen, who was seen in action in season 1, episode 8, escaping King's Landing after Aegon II took the throne. While not the most battle-hardened dragon in the show, Meleys is known to be far faster than larger dragons like Vhagar. In terms of age, Meleys is roughly 50 years old, making her one of the older dragons alive during the war.
3 Vermithor
Rider: Unclaimed
Teased briefly at the end of House of the Dragon season 1, Vermithor, "the Bronze Fury," was the dragon Daemon sang to beneath Dragonstone. Once the dragon of Jaehaerys I, Vermithor has been without a rider since the king's death, years before the show's start. Vermithor will be one of the blacks' biggest priorities in the search for new riders, as he's a seasoned beast at nearly one hundred years old.
2 Caraxes
Rider: Daemon Targaryen
The strength and skill of Caraxes has been demonstrated in House of the Dragon season 1, as it made its mark on the War for the Stepstones. "The Blood Wyrm" is depicted in the HBO adaptation as a unique, serpentine shape, giving it some added strength despite its smaller size. Caraxes' battle experience and its bond with Daemon make it a formidable force for the blacks. Daemon is the most powerful House of the Dragon character heading into season 2, mainly due to his war experience.