Which dragons are ridden by the young Targaryens during the dance?

HBO’s House of Dragons (HOTD) is heading into the final showdown of Targaryen’s Rule of Westeros – the Dance of the Dragons (DoD). The civil war that dragged the family down eventually decimated the Targaryen Empire in Westeros. With the death of Viserys Targaryen in the final episode, the series focused on Targaryen’s NextGen – children. The children share a break with each other, thanks to the enmity and hatred between their parents. However, being Targaryen, they (except Viserys II) were Dragonriders and had a Dragon as their mount.

Each of these dragons has a defining characteristic and traits, and they all played a central role during the Dragon Dance (as mentioned in the book fire and blood). Some of these dragons have made their live appearance in HOTD, others have yet to. So, let’s look at these dragons. Let’s go?

(Potential for huge spoilers ahead for future HOTD episodes)

1. Children of Rhaenyra Targaryen and Laenor Velaryon

Jacaerys (Jace) Velaryon : VERMAX

Although his appearance is not depicted in the books, in HOTD Vermax appeared as a fierce dragon with light green scales and large magenta-colored wings. Prince Jacaerys used Vermax during the Battle in the esophagus, during DODs. There Vermax attacked a fleet, but he flew too low and crashed into the sea. Different stories tell how and why the dragon fell. Jacaerys perished alongside his Vermax.

Lucaerys (Luc) Velaryon: ARRAX

In the words of author George R. R. Martin, Arrax had a coloring that was “pearlescent white with a yellow flame, golden eyes and a golden chest”. At the start of the Dance (DoDs), Arrax and his rider were killed by Prince Aemond Targaryen and Vhagar in the skies over Shipbreaker Bay. Arrax fell, broken, to be engulfed in the choppy waters of the bay. Three days later, the dragon’s head and neck washed up under the cliffs below Storm’s End, along with the corpse of Prince Lucerys.

Joffrey Velaryon: TYRAXES

Slightly smaller than Vermax and Arrax, Tyraxes was not ready for combat during DOD. Joffrey repeatedly pleaded with his mother to go to war on Tyraxes but she forbade him. However, when Rhaenyra acquired King’s Landing from the Greens, a mob of dragon slayers attempted to kill Tyraxes in the dragon pit. In the books it is said that “Tyraxes killed so many people with his fire that soon corpses blocked the entrance to his lair”. However, several men entered through the back door, which confused Tyraxes and he ended up choking in his chains.

2. Children of Alicent Hightower & Viserys I Targaryen

Aegon II Targaryen: SUNFYRE

A male dragon, Sunfyre had shiny golden scales and pale pink wing membranes. He was one of the most beautiful dragons of all. He lost his only wing in battle with Rhaenys Targaryen’s dragon – Meleys, in the Dance of the Dragons (DOD). Thereafter, he remained on Rook’s rest, until he was cured. Then ‘on the 22nd day of the tenth moon’ of 130 AC (as told in the books), Sunfyre burned and devoured Rhaenyra Targaryen after she was captured by the ‘Greens’, thus ending the Dance. He finally succumbed to his declining health and injuries on the “ninth day of the twelfth moon” of 130 AC.

Aemond Targaryen: VHAGAR

Vhagar was a dragon, whose first riders were – Visenya Targaryen, Baelon Targaryen and Laena Velaryon. Subsequently, it was claimed by Aemond Targaryen. She was the second largest dragon after Belarion, the Black Terrorand was the only dragon to survive the Fate of Valyria. Its scales had a bronze appearance with greenish-blue highlights and bright green eyes. She was named after a god of the Valyrian Freehold. During DoD, she was the largest living dragon of them all. Vhagar eventually succumbed to the wounds he suffered after a fierce battle with Daemon Targryen’s Caraxes (also called- Battle above God’s eye). She was 181 when she died.

Halaena Targaryen: DREAMFYRE

Dreamfyre was a female dragon. Its scales were mostly blue in appearance with silver markings. She had silver crests and pale blue wings. First bond with Rhaena Targaryen, however, during the reign of King Viserys I Targaryen, Dreamfyre bonded with Princess Helaena. Halena loved her Dreamfyre. But, during the dance, after the death of her six-year-old son, Rhaena refused to ride Dreamfyre any longer. Dreamfyre remained chained in the dragon pit. Until she broke her chains when Halaena committed suicide. The people of King’s Landing stormed the pit, but Dreamfyre killed many of them and the three remaining dragons in the pit, but was killed by the pit’s dome falling during its escape.

Daeron: TESSARION

Also called Blue Queen, Tessarion was ridden by Prince Daeron Targaryen. Tessarion was distinguished by its blue body and wings and had bright copper-colored claws and crests. Even its flames were cobalt blue in color. She was the youngest dragon of the Targaryen ‘Blacks’ during the DoDs. She proved to be a very fierce ally for the Targaryens during the Battles of Tumbleton. Tessarion battled Hugh Hammer’s Vermithor and Addam Velaryon’s Seasmoke, until he succumbed to his wounds and was mercifully slain on Lord Blackwood’s orders.

3. Children of Laena Velaryon and Daemon Targaryen

Baela Targaryen: MOONDANCER

A slender pale green dragon, Moondancer had pearl horns, a crest, and wing bones. She (Moondancer) was very fast, both in the sky and on the ground. She was born in Dragonstone and fought fiercely with Aegon’s Sunfyre during DoD and later succumbed to her wounds in 130 AC.

Rhaena Targaryen: MORNING

A She-Dragon, Morning was distinctive for her pink scales and black horns and crest. She hatched during the Battle of Targaryen and was therefore too small to be ridden by Rhaena. Morning was one of four dragons to survive the DoD, and the only one still controlled by the Targaryens.

4. Children of Rhaenyra Targaryen and Demon Targaryen

Aegon III Targaryen: STORMCLOUD

Stormcloud was born to Prince Aegon III Targaryen. However, during DoD, Aegon was too young (nine years old) to ride Stormcloud. Stormcloud, however, helped Aegon flee the Esophaguswhen he was attacked by Three girls. They both reached Dragonstone, but Stormcloud was stabbed with countless arrows and a scorpion bolt stabbed through his neck, killing him within an hour.

Viserys II Targaryen

Viserys apparently did not possess a dragon as the dragon egg placed in his cradle at birth did not hatch. However, he became the tenth Targaryen King to sit on the Iron Throne. At the start of this, he served as Hand of the King to his older brother, Aegon III Targaryen, as well as his nephews Daeron I and Baelor I.