Includes MASSIVE SPOILERS for Fire & Blood,House of the Dragon’s source material.
Summary
Vhagar is one of the most notable dragons inHouse of the Dragon, but the behemoth had multiple riders before ending up with Aemond Targaryen. Vhagar is one of thelargest dragons inGame of Throneshistory, only falling behind Balerion the Black Dread. To be so large means two things: Vhagar is exceedingly old, and Vhagar has had a ton of experience. Dragons in theGame of Thronesuniverse never stop growing as they age, as long as they’re fed and given space to fly. Vhagar was born in 52 BC, nearly two centuries before the Dance of the Dragons.
In George R.R. Martin’s world, BC and AC refer to (Years) Before Conquest and (Years) After Conquest. The Dance of the Dragons happens in 130 AC.
Vhagar was initially born on Dragonstone decades before Aegon the Conqueror flew to Westeros to begin conquering. She grew to be just over 180 years old, with the Dance of the Dragons being her last conflict, as, like many of the Targaryen dragons, she was eventually killed in battle.George R.R. Martin’sA Song of Ice & Firebook seriesdepicts Vhagar as one of the most powerful and menacing creatures in its entire existence, which has been demonstrated consistently throughout HBO’s prequel series,House of the Dragon.
4Visenya
Circa 20 BC - 44 AC
Decades before the conquest of Westeros began,Visenya Targaryen claimed Vhagar on Dragonstone and became its first rider. Visenya was Aegon the Conqueror’s older sister and was known for being a warrior and dragonrider, on top of being the realm’s first queen and the ancestor of all Targaryen rulers to follow. The HBOAegon’s Conquestseriesshould feature her as one of its main characters, with a younger version of Vhagar accompanying her into her many battles in Westeros, including famous events like the Field of Fire and the submission of Torrhen Stark.
Visenya was Aegon’s older sister, and they married out of responsibility and Valyrian tradition. It was his younger sister, Rhaenys Targaryen, whom he also married, who was believed to be his primary lover. Still,Visenya outlasted both of her younger siblings, eventually living on to help her son Maegor claim the Iron Throneafter his older brother Aenys had been killed. Visenya spent the last two years of her life supporting Maegor, as his violent methods allowed the Targaryen dynasty to remain intact in its early years.
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Up until 43 AC, Visenya and Vhagar still worked together to thwart the enemies of House Targaryen, destroying castles in the Riverlands and Dorne on behalf of her son. She was 73 years old when she eventually died, too old to ride Vhagar in her final year. Visenya passed away, leaving her Valyrian steel sword, Dark Sister, behind, which would eventually end up with Daemon in House of the Dragon. Vhagar was left for decades before finding a new rider.
3Baelon
73 AC - 101 AC
Baelon Targaryen, also known as Baelon the Brave, wasthe fourth-born son of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen. The reign of King Jaehaerys was defined as an elongated period of peace and prosperity for the realm, but problems with his succession were what eventually led to the Dance of the Dragons. Jaehaerys had five sons and several more daughters in his lifetime, yet tragedy continued to plague them, with none living to succeed him as his heir. Baelon’s son, King Viserys I, eventually ruled the Seven Kingdoms instead.
As for Baelon, he claimed Vhagar at the age of 16, just weeks after proving his valor and being knighted at a jousting tourney. From there, he married his sister, Alyssa Targaryen, whom Daemon fantasized about inHouse of the Dragonseason 2. Since this era was primarily peaceful,Baelon didn’t have as many opportunities as Visenya to ride the massive Vhagar to battle, aside from a botched Dornish invasion in 83 AC. Jaehaerys, riding Vermithor; Baelon, riding Vhagar; and Baelon’s brother Aemon, riding Caraxes, flew out and burned the Dornish fleet before it touched the ground.
his appendix burst and killed him, leaving Vhagar riderless once again and the realm without an heir.
Aemon was killed in 92 AC, making Baelon the heir to the Iron Throne. However, none of Jaehaerys' children lived to hold this title, and Baelon himself passed away just under a decade later. On a hunting trip, he complained about pain in his side. Days later, his appendix burst and killed him, leaving Vhagar riderless once again and the realm without an heir. The Great Council of 101, as depicted inHouse of the Dragon’spremiere, saw Viserys named heir in his stead.
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2Laena
Circa 104 AC - 120 AC
Vhagar’s wait for a new rider wasn’t that long, asLaena Velaryon claimed the massive dragon around 104 AC when she was 12 years old. By this point, Balerion had died, making Vhagar the largest dragon left alive at the time. This was a huge win for House Velaryon, who were seeing a golden age of power between Corlys Velaryon’s wealth and political influence and Rhaenys Targaryen’s connection to the royal family, allowing their children to claim dragons. Laena later married Prince Daemon Targaryen, furthering the connection between the two Valyrian families.
While Laenor Velaryon helped his father in the War of the Stepstones in the TV adaptation, Laena is never shown taking part in the conflict despite having the massive Vhagar by her side. However, she’s known to love flying, and the show depicts this during her marriage with Daemon. Laena and Vhagar were shown flying beside Daemon and Caraxes, tragically foreshadowing the horrible events to come, as Vhagar would soon be one of Daemon’s biggest problems to deal with during the Dance of the Dragons.
Like many women in theGame of Thronesuniverse, Laena tragically died after a failed childbirth. In the TV adaptation,she approached Vhagar and had the dragon burn her alive, dying a traditional Targaryen death.In the book, she tried to reach Vhagar for one last flight but collapsed on her way.
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1Aemond
120 AC - 130 AC
Aemond Targaryen may not be Vhagar’s longest-lasting rider, but he’s the one TV audiences will be most familiar with. Aemond was bullied as a child by his siblings and cousins for being the only one not to have a dragon bound to him. So,on the night of Laena Velaryon’s funeral in Driftmark, the young Prince Aemond took his chances with the enormous Vhagar, risking obliteration by fire to show his spirit to the world’s largest dragon. When the other children found out Aemond had claimed Vhagar, it led to a skirmish that caused him to lose his eye.
Aemond Targaryen spent the rest of his life bitter about the horrible things that had happened to him as a boy. When the Dance of the Dragons began, he used the violence as an excuse to take revenge on all those who had tormented him. He killed Lucerys Velaryon shortly after King Viserys' death, arguably starting the war between theBlacks and the Greens. In the show, he even uses Vhagar to betray his brother, King Aegon I, at the Battle of Rook’s Rest, lighting him ablaze and sending him barreling to the ground.
Aemond’s reign of terror on Vhagar was accelerated after Aegon’s fall, as he was anointed Prince Regent while his brother recovered. InHouse of the Dragon’sseason 2 finale, Aemond is shown destroying an entire town out of anger, killing tons of innocents. Eventually,he and Vhagar are killed in a duel against Daemon and Caraxesin what becomes known as the Battle Above the God’s Eye. This should be one of the most climactic and epic moments inHouse of the Dragon, but it’s the end of the line for old Vhagar.
House of the Dragon
House of the Dragon is a 2022 fantasy drama set in the world of Westeros, chronicling the Targaryen dynasty at its height. The story revolves around King Viserys’s controversial decision to name his daughter Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne, sparking tensions and divisions within the realm.
