House of the Dragon: Vhagar, Explained

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The first season of “House of the Dragon” is, as promised, stuffed with all kinds of dragons, from Daemon’s purple Caraxes to Rhaenyra’s hovering Syrax. But in episode six, one dragon steps into the highlight: Vhagar. In the episode, which aired Sept. 26, Vhagar is seen along with her rider, Laena Velaryon, and he or she performs a pivotal position in Laena’s loss of life. In episode seven, which aired Oct. 2, a battle over the dragon sows much more discord into the factions — the blacks and the greens — preventing over the throne. We’re breaking down the origins of this legendary dragon and the place she’ll in all probability go from right here.

Who Is Vhagar?

Vhagar is one of the oldest dragons nonetheless residing throughout “House of the Dragon.” Vhagar was claimed by Visenya Targaryen, who flew the dragon alongside her brother (and husband) Aegon the Conqueror when he conquered Westeros. Aegon rode on Balerion the Black Dread, whose cranium has a spot of honor in King Viserys’s Red Keep. Aegon’s different sister-wife, Rhaenys, rode on Meraxes, and each died throughout the First Dornish War.

Visenya died in 44 AC (so 44 years after the conquest), and Vhagar had no rider for 29 years. That’s when Prince Baelon — Viserys’s father — claimed the dragon. Baelon died in 101 AC, leaving Vhagar riderless once more.

In the second episode of “House of the Dragon,” Laena talks to Viserys about Vhagar and the way she’s gone lacking. Laena has heard rumors that Vhagar is nesting someplace in the Narrow Sea, probably close to Spice Town.

How Did Laena Find Vhagar?

“House of the Dragon” does not present how Laena finds Vhagar or how she turns into her rider. Presumably, after Daemon and Laena marry and transfer to Essos, Laena finds the dragon that she’d been in search of since she was a toddler and turns into her dragonrider.

This is fairly totally different from how issues go down in the “Fire & Blood” e book. In the e book, Vhagar is just not lacking, and Laena has claimed the dragon as her mount by the age of 12 (We know this does not occur in “House of the Dragon,” since she does not be a part of her mom and brother on dragonback on the solution to Rhaenyra’s marriage ceremony).

In the e book, as soon as Laena and Daemon marry, they go to Pentos, the place they fly their dragons collectively till she provides start to their twins, Rhaena and Baela. Then they return to Driftmark, the place Laena and Rhaenyra, who’s already residing on Dragonstone, develop into good associates.

Who Rides Vhagar After Laena’s Death?

Vhagar’s latest rider is be Prince Aemond, son of Alicent and Viserys. After Laena’s funeral at Driftmark, the younger prince sneaks out in the center of the night time to see if Vhagar will obey him. She does, and he flies off on her. When he returns to the fortress, he is confronted by Laena’s daughters, Rhaena and Baela. They’re quickly joined by their cousins, Jacaerys and Lucerys, who beat up Aemond. But Aemond, older and stronger, has the higher hand, till Jace takes out a knife and slashes his eye.

Things play out slightly in another way in George R.R. Martin’s e book. There, Viserys suggests to Aemond that he go to Dragonstone to assert a dragon or hatchling as a solution to show his boldness. Aemond chooses Vhagar and tries to assert her in secret however results in a battle with Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey (who’s nonetheless a child in the present). But in each variations of the story, their conflict solely additional stokes tensions between Alicent and Rhaenyra.

Why Doesn’t Aemond Have a Dragon Already?

Rhaenyra’s three sons — Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey — are all given eggs in the cradle that hatch and develop into the dragons they ultimately experience. The births of these dragons are seen by many as proof of their true Valyrian heritage. But eggs given to infants and youngsters — even Targaryen youngsters — usually do not hatch; in episode six, Rhaena is seen attempting in vein to hatch an egg. It appears the eggs given to Alicent’s youngsters additionally do not hatch, however all of them ultimately bond with older dragons. In the collection, Aegon has already bonded with Sunfyre. Aegon and Aemond’s sister Helaena does not have a dragon but.