HBO’s House of the Dragons (HOTD) is inching toward the final confrontation of Targaryen’s Rule of Westeros – the Dance of the Dragons (DoDs). The Civil war that resulted in the family ended in decimating the Targaryen’s empire in Westeros. With the death of Viserys Targaryen in the latest episode, the show has shifted its focus to the NextGen of Targaryens – the children. The children share a rift with each other, thanks to the enmity and hatred among their parents. However, being Targaryen, they all (except Viserys II) were Dragonriders and possessed a Dragon as their ride.

Each of these dragons has a defining characteristic and traits, and they all played a pivotal role during the Dance of Dragons (as mentioned in the book Fire and Blood). Some of these dragons have made their live-action appearance in HOTD, some are yet to. So, let’s have a look at these dragons. Shall we?

(Potential Huge Spoilers Ahead for upcoming HOTD episodes)

1. Children of Rhaenyra Targaryen & Laenor Velaryon

Jacaerys (Jace) Velaryon: VERMAX

Although his appearance is not described in books, in HOTD, Vermax appeared as a ferocious dragon with light green scales and large magenta-colored wings. Prince Jacaerys used Vermax in during the Battle in the Gullet, during DODs. There, Vermax attacked a fleet, but he flew too low and went crashing down into the sea. Differing tales are told of how and why the dragon fell. Jacaerys perished alongside his Vermax.

Lucaerys (Luke) Velaryon: ARRAX

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

Joffrey Velaryon: TYRAXES

Slightly smaller than Vermax and Arrax, Tyraxes was not ready for combat during DODs. Joffrey repeatedly begged his mother to ride to war on Tyraxes but she forbade it. However, when Rhaenyra acquired King’s landing from the Greens, a mob of dragonslayers attempted to kill Tyraxes in the Dragonpit. In the books, it is said that ‘Tyraxes killed so many people with its fire that soon the corpses blocked the entrance to his lair.’ However, several men entered from the back gate, this confused Tyraxes and he ended up strangling himself in his chains.

2. Children of Alicent Hightower & Viserys I Targaryen

Aegon II Targaryen: SUNFYRE

A male dragon, Sunfyre had gleaming gold scales and pale pink wing membranes. He was one of the most beautiful dragons of all. He lost his one wing in battle with Rhaenys Targaryen’s dragon – Meleys, during the Dance of Dragons (DODs). Thereafter, he remained at Rook’s rest, until he was healed. Then ‘on the 22nd day of the tenth moon’ of 130 AC (as said in the books), Sunfyre burned and devoured Rhaenyra Targaryen after she was taken captive by the ‘Greens’, thus ending the Dance. He finally succumbed to his diminishing health and wounds on the ‘ninth day of the twelfth moon’ of 130 AC.

Aemond Targaryen: VHAGAR

Vhagar was a she-dragon, whose earlier riders were – Visenya Targaryen, Baelon Targaryen, and Laena Velaryon. Thereafter, she was claimed by Aemond Targaryen. She was the second largest dragon after Belarion, the Black Dread, and was the only dragon to survive the Doom of Valyria. Her scales had a bronze appearance with greenish-blue highlights and bright green eyes. She was named after a god of the Valyrian Freehold. During DoDs, she was the largest living dragon of all. Vhagar ultimately succumbed to the injuries that he received after a ferocious battle with Daemon Targryen’s Caraxes (also called- Battle Above God’s Eye). She was 181 years old during her death.

Halaena Targaryen: DREAMFYRE

Dreamfyre was a female dragon. Her scales were primarily blue in appearance with silver markings. She had silver crests and pale blue wings. First bonding 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 anymore. Dreamfyre remained chained in the Dragonpit. Until she broke her chains at the moment Halaena committed suicide. King’s Landing people stormed the pit, but Dreamfyre killed many of them and the three dragons remaining in the pit, but was killed by the pit’s dome which fell down during her escape.

Daeron: TESSARION

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

3. Children of Laena Velaryon & Daemon Targaryen

Baela Targaryen: MOONDANCER

A slender pale green dragon, Moondancer had horns, a crest, and wing bones that were pearl. She (Moondancer) was very quick, both in the sky and on the ground. She was born at Dragonstone and fought ferociously with Aegon’s Sunfyre during DoDs and later succumbed to her injuries in 130 AC.

Rhaena Targaryen: MORNING

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

4. Children of Rhaenyra Targaryen & Daemon Targaryen

Aegon III Targaryen: STORMCLOUD

Stormcloud hatched to Prince Aegon III Targaryen. However, during DoDs, Aegon was too young (nine years old) to ride Stormcloud. Stormcloud, however, helped Aegon to flee the Gullet, when it was attacked by Three Daughters. They both reached Dragonstone, but Stormcloud was stabbed by countless arrows and a scorpion bolt went through his neck, killing him within an hour.

Viserys II Targaryen

Viserys reportedly did not possess a dragon as the dragon egg placed in his cradle during birth failed to hatch. He, however, went on to become the tenth Targaryen king to sit on the Iron Throne. Early to that, he served as the Hand of the King to his elder brother, Aegon III Targaryen, as well as to his nephews Daeron I and Baelor I.