All the Dragons in 'House of the Dragon,' Explained

For its Game of Thrones prequel series, HBO transported fans from the time after dragons to the height of the creatures' (and their Targaryen riders') power. House of the Dragon takes place nearly two centuries before we meet Daenerys' three children, and there are a lot more of the winged creatures popping up. As the season progresses, getting closer to the full-out civil war between two branches of the Targaryen family (known as the Greens and the Blacks), it's more important than ever to know which side each creature sits during the Dance of the Dragons.

To help keep up, here are all of the House of the Dragon dragons, in the order they were introduced (and including a couple we've yet to see).

Syrax

Rider: Rhaenyra Targaryen

Allegiance: the Blacks

This female dragon with a yellow hue bonded with Rhaenyra when the princess was only nine. Syrax opens up the series, though we haven't seen her since the first episodes (so for about 10 years in show time). Rhaenyra has also never ridden her into battle, though that'll probably change once the Dance of the Dragons starts.

Caraxes

Rider: Daemon Targaryen

Allegiance: the Blacks

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 episode 3.

Balerion

Deceased

Rider: 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 him and his rider, Aegon the Conqueror, up 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 ("deceased")

Allegiance: unknown

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 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, he's still in the possession of Rhaenyra and her sons.

Meleys

Rider: Rhaenys Targaryen

Allegiance: the Blacks

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 saw her when the Velaryons traveled to King's Langing for Laenor and Rhaenyra's wedding, with Rhaenys arriving for her son's nuptials.

Vermax

Rider: Jacaerys Velaryon

Allegiance: the Blacks

We meet this young horned dragon after the 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).

Dreamfyre

Rider: unclaimed

When Aemond enters the Dragon Pits in episode 6, he's almost smoked by Dreamfyre, who was hatched sometime during the reign of Aegon the Conquerer. According to the books, Aemond's older sister Helaena will bond with the blue female dragon. She's been the mother of several other dragons, including the egg that Daemon and Rhaenyra fought over at the beginning of the season. (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

Allegiance: the Greens

This male dragon is known as "Sunfyre the Golden" for his bright-gold scales and pink-membraned wings. He's already bonded to young Aegon when we meet the young generation after the episode six time jump. (He's mentioned, though we don't see him.)

Vhaghar

Rider: Aemond Targaryen

Allegiance: the Greens

Female Vhaghar 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 in episode two, before Laena herself encountered and bonded with her. After Laena's death by dracarys, Vhaghar was brought to Westeros, where she bonds with Viserys and Alicent's third-eldest Aemond in episode 7.

Vermithor

Rider: unclaimed

In the finale (opens in new tab), 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 (opens in new tab), he's described in the book as a fearsome bronze dragon with "great tan wings." We don't see whether he and Daemon claimed each other in the finale, so he's still a toss up in the war.

Arrax

Deceased

Rider: Lucerys Velaryon

By episode 8, Luke has claimed Arrax, a just-matured beast who author George R.R. Martin described (opens in new tab) as "pearlescent white with yellow flame, golden eyes and a golden chest." In the finale, we see that he's the smallest of the dragons we've met, which makes it even more terrifying when he goes up against Vhaghar and Aemond. Arrax and Luke are killed by much-larger dragon, the first blow of the war.

Moondancer

Rider: Baela Velaryon

Allegiance: the Blacks

Another young dragon that we haven't met is Moondancer, who is slender with a pale-green body and pearl horns and wingbones. For anyone wondering why Moondancer and Seasmoke have such different names, it looks like Laenor and Baela didn't follow the custom of giving new dragons Valyrian names (that language is to thank for all the "ae"s in these characters).

The Unclaimed

Names: Cannibal, Grey Ghost, Sheepstealer, Silverwing

Per 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), here's a rundown of the beasts and their past riders.

Cannibal, Grey Ghost, and Sheepstealer are all completely wild dragons with no previous riders. The largest and oldest of the wild dragons, the Cannibal, has a black body and has his name because he eats dead and 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 King Jaehaerys' sister/queen consort Alysanne.