House Of The Dragon: From Syrax to Vhagar, here¡¯s how all the dragons died as per 'Fire & Blood'
As fans eagerly awaited Dance of the Dragons, the second season of House of the Dragon concluded without featuring a major Targaryen battle. Some viewers described the season as essentially an eight-episode trailer for future events, while others held out hope that the finale would offer a more substantial payoff. Ultimately, the uneventful finale episode was widely regarded as underwhelming.?
For the unversed, during the Dance of the Dragons in George R.R. Martin's novel Fire & Blood, the dragonriders of House Targaryen engage in a brutal internal conflict over the Iron Throne, leading to the deaths of most of their dragons. Despite the dragons' popularity with audiences, it appears that many of them in House of the Dragon are destined for a grim fate.
There are several reasons why the dragons perished before the events of Game of Thrones, and the histories of the Targaryen dragons are often as compelling¡ªand, in some cases, as tragic¡ªas the stories of their riders. If you are someone who cannot wait another 2-3 years and want to know each and every details about the mesmerizing beasts, you are in for a treat!
(Disclaimer: Spoiler Alert! Proceed with caution if you prefer to avoid details about the dragons. This is your warning to retreat now if you don¡¯t want to learn more!)
1. Caraxes?
One of the most significant dragons of the Blacks (Rhaenyra¡¯s army), Caraxes is the dragon of her uncle/husband Daemon Targaryen. Daemon was the second rider of the beast as before him, Rhaenys¡¯ father Aemon was the OG dragonrider of Caraxes. In the coming seasons, Daemon will challenge Aemond Targaryen and his dragon Vhagar at Harrenhal during the Dance of the Dragons. This legendary duel is also known as the Battle Above The Gods Eye.
None of the participants survived, though Caraxes was the last dragon standing. After falling into the Gods Eye lake with Vhagar, Caraxes managed to drag himself ashore near Harrenhal but soon succumbed to his severe injuries.
2. Vhagar?
Vhagar, one of the largest and most formidable dragons in House of the Dragon, was known as the "Queen of All Dragons." Vhagar played a significant role in uniting the Seven Kingdoms with Aegon and was ridden by Aegon's sister-wife, Visenya Targaryen. Despite her immense size, power, and age, Vhagar met her end during the Targaryen Civil War. Her final rider was Aemond Targaryen, and she perished during his fateful duel with Daemon and his dragon, Caraxes.
3. Syrax?
Syrax, the dragon of Rhaenyra Targaryen, bonded with her when she was only seven. During the Dance of the Dragons, Syrax was actively breeding and had a deep bond with Rhaenyra, displaying empathy during her miscarriage.
Of all the dragon deaths, Syrax¡¯s end is among the most tragic. During the Targaryen Civil War, an uprising in King's Landing led to an assault on the Dragonpit, where Syrax was killed by the enraged mob in this violent event.
4. Vermax
Vermax, one of the youngest dragons during House of the Dragon, was bonded with the young Prince Jacaerys Velaryon. Unfortunately, both met violent ends during the Dance of the Dragons, dying in the Battle of the Gullet, one of Westeros's most brutal sea battles.?Vermax was struck in the eye by a crossbow bolt, causing him to fly too low, crash into a burning ship, and presumably drown.
5. Dreamfyre?
As per speculations, many believe that Dreamfyre may be the mother of Daenerys' dragons - Drogon, Viserion and Rhaegal. While Dreamfyre is mentioned a few times in House of the Dragon(She is Helaena¡¯s dragon), she is not as central to the plot. Tragically, she perished during the Storming of the Dragonpit when the citizens of King's Landing revolted. Although Dreamfyre fought fiercely and killed many rioters after breaking free from her chains, she was ultimately crushed under the rubble as the Dragonpit was destroyed.
6. Moondancer?
After making brief appearances in Season 1, Moondancer and her rider Baela Targaryen featured more prominently in the show's second season. In the book Fire & Blood, Moondancer met a tragic end during a duel with Aegon II and his dragon, Sunfyre.
7. Seasmoke
Seasmoke, the dragon of Laenor Velaryon in House of the Dragon, later became bonded with Laenor¡¯s half-brother, Addam of Hull aka dragonseed.
Seasmoke met his end during the second Battle of Tumbleton. In a fierce three-way fight involving Tessarion and Silverwing, Seasmoke was mortally wounded by Vermithor. Addam was not riding him at the time but he witnessed Seasmoke¡¯s throat being torn open.
8. Sunfyre?
King Aegon II Targaryen¡¯s dragon, Sunfyre was gravely wounded at Rooks Rest but managed to escape, though he never fully recovered and spent the remainder of his days at Dragonstone. In a brutal act, Aegon fed his half-sister Rhaenyra to Sunfyre, leading to her agonizing death. After this, Sunfyre refused to eat and eventually succumbed to starvation and his injuries.
Also Read:?From Daenerys' cameo to Alicent-Rhaenyra's pact, 9 highlights of the otherwise dull House Of The Dragon S2
9. Meleys
The 'queen who never was' Rhaenys was the rider of Meleys. During the Battle of Rooks Rest, Meleys engaged in a fierce duel with Vhagar and Sunfyre. While Sunfyre managed to survive, Meleys did not. After a violent clash, Vhagar crushed Meleys' neck in his jaws, and her body crashing into the walls of Rooks Rest.
10. Vermithor?
Vermithor, one of the oldest dragons in Fire & Blood, was initially ridden by King Jaehaerys. After Jaehaerys' death, Vermithor¡¯s second rider was Hugh Hammer, the bastard son of a blacksmith with Velaryon blood. Hammer and Vermithor became a formidable duo during the Targaryen Civil War. They were eventually brought down by the combined efforts of Tessarion and Seasmoke, with Seasmoke also perishing in the conflict.?
11. Tessarion
Alicent¡¯s youngest son Daeron died during the Second Battle of Tumbleton, but the exact circumstances and responsible parties remain unclear. After Daeron's death, his dragon Tessarion ascended into the sky and engaged in a fierce battle with Addam Velaryon's dragon, Seasmoke. This dramatic confrontation was described as a "dance of dragons," with some even likening it to a mating dance due to its intense and graceful combat. Seasmoke and Vermithor perished immediately during the clash, while Tessarion was left severely injured. Later, Tessarion was mercifully put down by a Blackwood archer to end her suffering.
These dragon deaths are detailed in George R.R. Martin¡¯s books. Although the show has taken numerous liberties with the plot, it remains to be seen whether it will also modify the fates of the dragons as described in the novels.
