The Strongest Dragons in House of the Dragon, Ranked

The next season of Game of Thrones is coming soon! But in the world of Westeros, when dragons fight, it’s rarely a simple win for anyone.

The Targaryen dynasty was known for its incredible dragons – some were beautiful and unique, while others were terrifying. By looking at details from George R.R. Martin’s books, as well as the shows House of the Dragon and Daenerys’ story in Game of Thrones, we can start to figure out which dragons were the most impressive when paired with their Targaryen riders.

Silverwing Is Amiable and Fierce

Silverwing was one of the few dragons to survive the Dance of the Dragons, and she was the largest of those that did. She was previously ridden by Queen Alysanne Targaryen and was recently, and somewhat unexpectedly, claimed by Ulf White in House of the Dragon. Because Silverwing is generally gentle and accustomed to people, she allowed some to enter her lair—which is how Ulf was able to approach her without being harmed.

Silverwing’s greatest quality was her loyalty, but sadly, it didn’t help her in combat. During the Second Battle of Tumbleton, as described in Fire & Blood, she panicked and flew off, not realizing her dragon, Vermithor, was fighting Tessarion and Seasmoke by himself. Her lack of battle experience led to Vermithor’s death, and after grieving, Silverwing became resentful and refused to bond with another rider. Due to her gentle nature, Silverwing is considered one of the weaker dragons of House Targaryen.

Moondancer Dies Too Young to Prove Her Strength

I remember hearing about Syrax during the Dance of the Dragons – she wasn’t a massive dragon at all, actually smaller and lighter than a warhorse! In the show House of the Dragon, I saw her flying over the Riverlands, hunting down Criston Cole. She almost got him, but he managed to escape into the forest.

Moondancer nearly turned the tide of the war for the Blacks. She unexpectedly attacked Aegon and Sunfyre as they landed on Dragonstone, sparking the final dragon battle. She fiercely fought Sunfyre in the air, seriously wounding him. Though Moondancer was small and not as powerful, her speed wasn’t enough for a quick victory. However, Sunfyre died soon after from his injuries. Had Moondancer been larger and stronger in that first fight, the war might have had a different result.

Tessarion Proves to be One of the Green’s Most Valuable Weapons

Tessarion, the Blue Queen, was a formidable dragon belonging to Prince Daeron, Queen Alicent’s youngest and most gentle son. The show House of the Dragon has been leading up to Daeron’s first flight, and news of it has now reached the Green Council as he takes to the skies over the Riverlands.

Tessarion was a beautiful dragon, easily recognized by her bright blue scales and reddish-brown claws. Though still young and not fully grown, she often determined the outcome of battles against the enemy forces known as the Blacks. Her fight with Seasmoke during the Second Battle of Tumbleton was unique – it wasn’t just a fight, but a graceful and deadly ‘dance’ between two magnificent creatures.

Though much smaller than her opponents, Tessarion fiercely defeated the wild dragon Vermithor and was the only dragon left fighting after a battle with the ancient Seasmoke. Sadly, she was too badly wounded to recover and had to be euthanized.

Sunfyre Goes Through Hell and Survives

Sunfyre and King Aegon were both critically wounded during the Battle of Rook’s Rest, but remarkably, they both survived. Before the battle, Sunfyre was already a highly experienced dragon, and even surpassed Vhagar in that regard. Though he faced a near-fatal clash with Meleys, Sunfyre ultimately proved his power and emerged victorious.

Though his wing healed crookedly, Sunfyre won a fierce battle against both Grey Ghost, a wild dragon from Dragonstone, and Moondancer, ridden by Baela Targaryen. This final fight decided the outcome of the Dance of the Dragons, but left Sunfyre fatally wounded. Before he died, Sunfyre ate Rhaenyra on Aegon’s command, effectively ending the war between the Blacks and Greens with a single, devastating bite.

Dreamfyre Deserves to Go to Battle

Dreamfyre might have been a missed opportunity in Fire & Blood. This beautiful dragon, with its pale blue scales and wings, formed a close bond with Helaena Targaryen, who was the least inclined towards conflict. Helaena was already a quiet and sensitive queen, and she was deeply affected by the tragic death of Prince Jaehaerys.

Because of the danger she posed, Dreamfyre was kept confined in the Dragonpit during the major conflicts. Surprisingly, her imprisonment seemed to make her even more formidable. When a large group of commoners overran the Dragonpit, Dreamfyre proved to be the most lethal of all the dragons held there, breaking free and killing far more people than the other three combined.

Even though Dreamfyre was attacked from all sides, she successfully flew up and shattered the dome over the Dragonpit, and it was the collapsing structure that ultimately caused her death. However, House of the Dragon may be hinting at a different outcome for Dreamfyre, as Aemond plans to persuade Helaena to join him in aerial combat.

Sheepstealer Was the One Wild Dragon to Be Tamed

Rhaenyra’s army began the war at a significant disadvantage against her rivals, the Greens. To even the odds, she focused on her one advantage: dragons. She sought out individuals of Targaryen descent, known as “dragonseeds,” and trained them to ride the unclaimed dragons on the island. One dragon, nicknamed Sheepstealer, had never been ridden before. Despite preferring sheep as prey, he was still a dangerous beast, having already injured two dragonseeds – ripping off one person’s arm and burning another.

It took a careful strategy to get the dragon used to being ridden, eventually making him accept a human partner. Once accustomed, Sheepstealer joined Rhaenyra’s forces, adding a powerful dragon to her side. He played a crucial role in key events like the Battle of the Gullet and the Capture of King’s Landing, and was later used to hunt Prince Aemond Targaryen and his massive dragon, Vhaegar. The rider of Sheepstealer was originally intended for a character named Nettles, but in the House of the Dragon series, this role was given to Rhaena, who was searching for the wild dragon in the Vale. While vital to Rhaenyra’s initial victories, Sheepstealer vanished before the war concluded.

Seasmoke Brings Justice Upon A City Taken by Traitors

In House of the Dragon, the selection of a dragonrider marked the beginning of the ‘Sowing of the Seeds’ storyline. Laenor Velaryon bonded with Seasmoke, a pale silver-grey dragon. After Laenor’s death (which happened offscreen), Seasmoke ended up with Addam of Hull. Seasmoke is a young and agile dragon, valuable for his speed and accuracy in flight.

Perhaps most notably, Seasmoke is a proven warrior. He fought alongside the dragon Caraxes against the Triarchy for several years, demonstrating skill in both dragonfire tactics and using his claws to target enemies. As detailed in Fire & Blood, Seasmoke significantly impacted the Dance of the Dragons again when Addam Velaryon recaptured Tumbleton – a city held by those who had turned against Rhaenyra – as a display of his allegiance.

Addam launched a sudden attack on Seasmoke, single-handedly defeating his opponents – though he was aided by his dragon, Vermithor. The battle was essentially over, but Seasmoke couldn’t withstand the power of the riderless, ancient dragon. Vermithor tragically killed Seasmoke, who had fought valiantly.

Syrax Is Named After a Valyrian Goddess

While historical accounts don’t mention Syrax being used in combat, the show House of the Dragon adds details not found in the book Fire & Blood. We see this in two scenes where Rhaenyra rides Syrax: once to face her uncle Daemon, where she showed mercy, and again in another confrontation. In both instances, Syrax acts as a powerful presence, with Rhaenyra implying the dragon would fiercely defend her and attack anyone who posed a threat.

Rhaenyra and Syrax share a deep connection, having bonded since Rhaenyra was just seven years old when she claimed the young dragon. They essentially grew up together, forging a relationship similar to the one between Daenerys and Drogon. We can expect to see Syrax play a larger role in the upcoming conflict, the Dance of the Dragons, and she will fiercely defend Rhaenyra from any threats.

Meleys Was the Fastest Dragon in Westeros

Meleys, nicknamed “the Red Queen,” was a particularly dangerous dragon in House of the Dragon and the fastest in Westeros. Having lived for many decades, she was fully grown and renowned as one of the Targaryen’s most fearsome dragons, even without prior experience fighting other dragons. This was clearly demonstrated during the Dance of the Dragons, where she famously withstood a barrage of arrows and bolts before incinerating eight hundred soldiers.

Her most famous—and final—battle involved fighting two dragons at once. Meleys and Rhaenys were surprised by King Aegon II and Prince Aemond. While Meleys died in the fight, she managed to tear off half of Sunfyre’s wing, causing Aegon to fall, suffer burns, and become permanently injured. Some historians believe Meleys had a good chance of winning if she had only faced Vhagar, as she was younger and quicker than the much older and slower dragon.

Meraxes Helped Conquer Westeros

Even though Meraxes died almost two hundred years ago, she’s still considered one of the most significant dragons in the Targaryen family’s history. This is largely due to her impact during key battles while ridden by Rhaenys Targaryen. Though Rhaenys wasn’t known as a warrior like her siblings, she skillfully used Meraxes in battle, most notably helping to defeat House Durrandon at the Battle of the Last Storm. Meraxes also fought in the Field of Fire, a decisive victory that led most of Southern Westeros to pledge allegiance to Aegon and his sisters.

According to historical accounts, Meraxes was bigger than Vhagar during her lifetime. If this is accurate, and considering Meraxes was younger and still alive when the Dance of the Dragons started, she could have potentially grown even larger. At that time, Vhagar was reportedly almost as big as Balerion.

2025-12-12 23:40