INCLUDES MAJOR SPOILERS from Fire & Blood, including events that will occur in House of the Dragon.
Summary
One of the most exciting aspects of theGame of Thronesuniverse is the array of dragonriders. Based on thenovel seriesA Song of Ice & Fireby George R.R. Martin, the originalGame of Thronesshow introduced Daenerys Targaryen as the primary representative of dragons in this fantasy universe. The original HBO series only saw three characters take flight on dragonback, while the prequelHouse of the Dragoncontinues to add on several more in the visual medium.
Targaryens like Princess Jaehaera won’t be included, as they never rode their dragons.
Aside from his main book series, Martin has expanded on his world and the history of the Targaryen dynasty in books likeThe World of Ice & FireandFire & Blood, which provide details on the many dragonrriders who haven’t been depicted on television.FutureGame of Thronesspinoffswill continue to show more of these figures, butbrief overviews of many of the dragonriders are already known in show and book canon.
38Lucerys Velaryon
Dragon: Arrax
Lucerys Velaryon wasthe second-born son of Rhaenyra Targaryen and Laenor Velaryon, who rode the young dragon Arrax. Following the death of King Viserys I Targaryen, Lucerys flew his dragon to Storm’s End, hoping to bring House Baratheon to his mother’s side for the impending war. There, he came face to face with Prince Aemond, who he had bullied as a child. InHouse of the Dragon’sseason 1 ending, Aemond gives chase to Lucerys, killing him and his dragon.
37King Aegon I Targaryen
Dragon: Balerion
Aegon I, commonly known as Aegon the Conqueror, flew from the Valyrian outpost, Dragonstone, to bring the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros to their knees.On the back of the massive Balerion, the Black Dread, he united the kingdoms under one banner for the first time in history, establishing King’s Landing, the Red Keep, and the Targaryen dynasty. He was motivated by his prophetic dream, where he envisioned a Targaryen leader defending the realm against the Long Night. This will be the subject of theAegon’s Conquestspinoff series.
36King Maegor I Targaryen
Maegor I, known as Maegor the Cruel, was the third Targaryen king to rule the Seven Kingdoms and the second rider of Balerion. Hisreign was marked by war and tyranny, and he was known for taking swift and violent actionagainst his many foes. His most drastic actions included burning down the Sept of Remembrance aback Balerion and killing his own nephew, Aegon.
35Princess Aerea Targaryen
Following the death of Maegor the Cruel, Balerion remained unclaimed for six years until Princess Aerea Targaryen went to Dragonstone and claimed it. Much to the dismay of King Jaehaerys I,Aerea disappeared with Balerion for over a yearbefore returning to King’s Landing in 56 AC in an awful state. Aerea was found dreadfully ill, dying soon after, leaving a mystery behind regarding their disappearance and what had occurred.
34Prince Viserys Targaryen
During the reign of King Jaehaerys I, the king’s grandson and heir,Viserys, became the last rider of Balerion. By this time, the massive dragon was nearly two centuries old, and Viserys only bonded it for the final year of its life. Years later, Viserys I ascended the Iron Throne and never claimed another dragon. This served as a perfect metaphor for his reign, as he was known for his weakness and inaction, eventually leading to the Dance of the Dragons.
33Prince Aemon Targaryen
Dragon: Caraxes
Prince Aemon Targaryen was the third son of King Jaehaerys I and the first rider of Caraxes. He was also the father of Rhaenys fromHouse of the Dragon. Like the good king’s other sons, Aemon died tragically by a crossbow bolt to the neck, which had been aimed at Lord Cameron Tarth by a Myrish scout. Aemon’s death added to the conflict of succession surrounding Jaehaerys that led to the Great Council of 101.
32Prince Daemon Targaryen
The younger brother of King Viserys I, Daemon Targaryen, rode the Blood Wyrm, Caraxes. Despite his often unpredictable, violent nature, he wasregarded as a powerful warrior in his time, actively taking part in the War of the Stepstones and later the Dance of the Dragons. Though Caraxes wasn’t the most massive dragon during this period, the pair were skilled and experienced enough to contend with the mightiest of opponents, even defeating Prince Aemond Targaryen and Vhagar in the Battle Above the God’s Eye, though they also died in the process.
31Princess Rhaena Targaryen
Dragon: Dreamfyre
Princess Rhaena Targaryen was the eldest child of King Aenys I Targaryen and the first rider of Dreamfyre. She was initially married to her brother, Prince Aegon, before Maegor the Cruel killed him and took her for himself. After Maegor’s death, she was denied the monarchy, with the realm favoring her younger brother, Jaehaerys, instead.
30Queen Helaena Targaryen
Queen Helaena Targaryen was thesister and wife of King Aegon II and the daughter of Viserys I and Alicent Hightower. Her dragon, Dreamfyre, was among the oldest alive during the Dance of the Dragons, though it was known primarily for breeding rather than fighting. InHouse of the Dragon, Helaena is shown to have prophetic visions of future events and is severely traumatized by the events of Blood & Cheese, where her son is murdered in front of her.
29Daenerys Targaryen
Dragon: Drogon
Over a century after the last dragon died and over a decade after House Targaryen was overthrown, Daenerys Targaryen hatched three petrified dragon eggs on the far side of the world. Years later, she mounted Drogon, named after the late Khal Drogo, for the first time.Daenerys and the return of the dragons was seen as a miracle, causing many to devoutly follow herin her mission to reclaim the Seven Kingdoms under the Targaryen banner. She was nicknamed the “Mother of Dragons.”
