Warning: Contains House of the Dragon Season 2 spoilers

House of the Dragon’s Targaryen family have ruled Westeros for over a century undisputed thanks to their bloodlust and their team of dragons behind them.

Dragons are fiercely loyal, and so bind themselves to one rider at a time, staying with them until their deaths. They will throw off and kill anyone else who dares ride them without permission.

As the Dance of Dragons civil war takes hold, they become a central force in both the Green and Black arsenals, providing devastation in their wake as they remain devoted to their riders.

As the battle intensifies, here’s everything you need to know about the Targaryen family pets.

Rider: King Aegon II Targaryen
Status: Unknown

Sunfyre, known throughout the realm as Sunfyre the Golden, was considered one of the most beautiful dragons of all the dragons, and defined by its golden scales.

Despite being younger than some of the other dragons in the fleet, Sunfyre was strong and formidable. Aegon was so attached to Sunfyre, it is part of the reason he placed a golden, three-headed dragon on the Green faction’s sigil.

During the Battle of Rook’s Rest, Aegon flew Sunfyre into battle, however both were blasted out of the sky by Prince Aemond’s dragon, Vhagar.

Sunfyre was last seen on screen gravely injured, and is currently believed to be dead, with Aegon left with horrific injuries from the battle.

Rider: Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen
Status: Alive

Syrax, a female dragon, was claimed by Rhaenyra when she was just seven years old. She is named after a Valyrian Goddess.

She has yellow scales, but is not as experienced in battle as some of the other dragons in the Velaryon or Targaryen fleet, having spent most of her life being kept in the Red Keep.

Nonetheless she is very attached to Rhaenyra and protective of the Queen.

Rider: Aemond Targaryen
Status: Alive

Vhagar is the largest and most fearsome dragon in the realm. Previously claimed by Visenya Velaryon and Laena Velaryon, Aemond Targaryen sneaked to the dragon, claiming Vhagar as his own upon the death of Laena during childbirth.

His underhanded move proved to be a massive turning point for the Targaryen family, with Laena’s daughters, Baela and Rhaena, furious that he would take their mother’s dragon from them.

It resulted in a fight between the children of the Targaryen family, with Aemond losing his eye at the hand of Lucerys. He considers the sacrifice worth it.

Rider: Daemon Targaryen
Status: Alive

Caraxes is a fierce fighter with blood red scales. Much like his rider, Daemon, he is a cunning and wise dragon, and ruthless when in battle.

Formerly owned by Aemon Targaryen, Prince of Dragonstone, Caraxes has seen battle in the Fourth Dornish War. He was claimed by Prince Daemon upon Prince Aemon’s death.

Rider: Heleana Targaryen
Status: Alive

Previously owned by Princess Rhaena Targaryen during the rule of Aegon the Conqueror, she bonded to Heleana Targaryen when the would-be Queen was still a child.

Heleana has a close fondness to Dreamfyre, however following the death of her son, Jaehaerys, she now never rides her dragon, too distraught to even leave the castle grounds.

Rider: Baela Targaryen
Status: Alive

A slender and young dragon, Moondancer has been bonded to Baela Targaryen since her birth, following the Targaryen tradition to have a dragon egg in her crib.

When Baela was old enough and Moondancer was big enough, the pair started training immediately for both riding and battle. Besides this, they were yet to see actual battle before the Dance of Dragons civil war.

They have proven essential in keeping eyes on the Green faction for the Blacks, monitoring their whereabouts.

Rider: Addam of Hull
Status: Alive

Silvery-grey in colour, Seasmoke was bound to Laenor Velaryon by birth and was the rider’s pride and joy.

After Leanor’s supposed “death”, Seasmoke, a male dragon, has remained in Dragonstone, though was noted by Mysaria to be “lonely” after remaining riderless.

When Rhaenyra’s attempts to find a new rider failed, Seasmoke flew off and found Addam of Hull, claiming the sea-dweller as his own.

Unbeknown to nearly everyone, Addam is Corlys Velaryon’s bastard son from his years at sea, and therefore Laenor’s secret brother.

Rider: Ulf White
Status: Alive

Silverwing was formerly owned by Queen Alysanne Targaryen, wife and sister of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen.

She has been largely inactive and lives in Dragonmont.

However, during Rhaenyra’s efforts to build her dragon army, Silverwing decides upon Targaryen bastard Ulf White, who stumbles upon her in his attempts to flee.

After seeing the dragon, Ulf accepts his fate is to die, but she chooses him to be her rider instead.

Rider: Jacaerys Velaryon
Status: Alive

Attached to Jacaerys from his birth, Vermax is one of the smaller and younger dragons. The hatching of Vermax helped those who doubted Jacaerys’s birthright as an illegitimate child of Rhaenyra and believed he wouldn’t be a dragonrider.

According to lore, Vermax can be ill-tempered in cold temperatures.

Rider: Hugh Hammer
Status: Alive

Vermithor is the second largest dragon in Westeros after Vhagar, and is known as the Bronze Fury from his time at war.

He was previously ridden by King Jaehaerys I Targaryen, and remained with him until his death.

Since then, he remained unclaimed, until Rhaenyra began her quest to build an Army, using people with Targaryen blood.

Killing dozens of bastards who attempted to claim him, he finally chose Hugh – a King’s Landing blacksmith – who stood up against him even in the face of death.

Rider: Joffrey Velaryon
Status: Alive

Tyraxes is the youngest of the dragons, and therefore at the time of Dance of Dragons is unable to fight, though could fly with a rider.

He is attached to Joffrey, the youngest child Rhaenyra “had” with Laenor (though it’s widely assumed his true father is the late Harwin Strong).

Rider: Lucerys Velaryon
Status: Dead

One of the smallest and youngest dragons in the family’s fleet, Arrax was nonetheless unafraid of battle.

Despite his small stature, Arrax went up against Vhagar, who was five times as big as him. Ultimately he was eaten, alongside Lucerys Velaryon, by Vhagar during a battle against Aemond Targaryen (as seen in season one of the show). All Rhaenyra was able to recover was a dragon wing, and Lucerys’s cloak.

Rider: Rhaenys Targaryen
Status: Dead

Meleys was nicknamed the Red Queen due to her bright scales coloured in scarlet and copper. She was one of the swiftest dragons in Westeros, and formerly claimed by Princess Alyssa Targaryen.

After Alyssa died during childbirth, Meleys was left riderless for three years before being claimed by Rhaenys, who even flew in on her when arriving at her wedding to Lord Corlys Velaryon.

Meleys died alongside Rhaenys in the Battle Of Rook’s Rest, during an in-air fight with Prince Aemond on the back of Vhagar. Her neck was snapped by the giant dragon, causing Meleys and Rhaenys to fall to the ground below, crashing through the castle walls.

Previously Riders: Aegon The Conqueror, King Viserys I Targaryen
Status: Alive but Riderless

Known as the Black Dread, Balerion was ridden by Aegon the Conqueror when he claimed the Seven Kingdoms and became ruler. After Aegon’s death, Viserys became his new rider.

The last surviving dragon from Valyria, Balerion has become something of legend, and his current status is not known.