There are many unclaimed dragons in House of the Dragon that could be claimed by worthy riders. The ending of House of the Dragon season 2, episode 5, sees Rhaenyra and Jacaerys come up with a new plan to replenish their forces. After the Battle of Rook’s Rest and the loss of Rhaenys and Meleys, along with Daemon’s questionable loyalties throughout season 2, the Blacks are at a disadvantage without a dragon large enough to contend with the Greens’ Vhagar. Their plan is to invite Valyrian descendants to try to bond with the riderless dragons on Dragonstone and Driftmark.
House of the Dragon has laid the foundation for this decision since season 1 and continues to prod at it throughout season 2. In the season 1 finale, Daemon was seen singing to a dragon in an underground dragonpit, suggesting that he may have a need for it soon. House of the Dragon season 2’s new characters have also been primarily composed of figures like Alyn, Addam, Hugh, and Ulf, all of whom have been teased as having Valyrian background, either through their silver hair or through dialogue connecting them to a Targaryen or Velaryon parent.
House Targaryen and House Velaryon are both surviving families from Old Valyria, an empire that was once ruled by dragon power. While the Valyrian civilization was wiped out by the Doom, descendants of Valyrian blood exist all throughout the world, primarily in the cities of Essos. Bastards of Valyrian blood, such as Alyn and Addam, are called dragonseeds, and they’re just as worthy of bonding with a dragon as any Targaryen. The addition of new, unclaimed dragons will expand on the already stacked House of the Dragon dragon roster.
5Vermithor
Vermithor Was King Jaehaerys I Targaryen’s Dragon
Vermithor is one of the two currently unclaimed dragons that have already been seen on the show. In House of the Dragon’s season 1 ending, Daemon sings to Vermithor, teasing its return to prevalence sometime in season 2. Vermithor is the second-largest dragon alive during the Dance of the Dragons, second only to Aemond Targaryen’s Vhagar. It’s nicknamed the Bronze Fury for its tan scale color and enormous size, and it’s one of the oldest dragons alive during the time, having been born nearly 100 years before House of the Dragon season 2’s events.
In the Game of Thrones universe, dragons continuously grow as they age.
Vermithor has been riderless since the death of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen, who was bonded with the dragon for nearly 70 years. Jaehaerys was known as the longest-reigning Targaryen monarch, celebrated for leading the realm through a period of peace and prosperity following the tumultuous period of Maegor the Cruel. The mighty Vermithor was the king’s companion from the beginning, with its egg hatching in Jaehaerys’ cradle. By the time the throne passed to Jaehaerys, Vermithor was already one of the largest dragons in Game of Thrones history (at least in Westeros), behind Balerion and Vhagar.
The Bronze Fury isn’t enough to handle Vhagar one-on-one, but it makes the Blacks far more threatening if ridden.
While Jaehaerys’ reign was marked by its relative peace, there were still conflicts for the dragon to gain battle experience, such as the Third and Fourth Dornish Wars, where Jaehaerys rode Vermithor to battle. In the Fourth Dornish War, Vermithor, along with Caraxes and Vhagar, set the Dornish fleet ablaze before it reached the shores of the Stormlands. With its massive size and experience, Vermithor has the potential to drastically change the course of the Dance if it finds a rider. The Bronze Fury isn’t enough to handle Vhagar one-on-one, but it makes the Blacks far more threatening if ridden.
4Silverwing
Silverwing Was Queen Alyssane Targaryen’s Dragon
As Vermithor was to Jaehaerys, Silverwing was to the beloved Queen Alysanne Targaryen, having hatched in her cradle around 36 AC, nearly 100 years before the Dance of the Dragons. Silverwing hasn’t yet appeared in House of the Dragon, but the she-dragon is another of the largest alive at the time. Silverwing is known for her silvery scales and docile nature compared to other, more violent dragons, especially among those who are riderless at the start of the Dance. She also hasn’t been described as having battle experience, but her size will count for something.
Possibly the most fascinating thing about Silverwing that raises questions about dragon autonomy in George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice & Fire universe is that she coupled with Vermithor for many years of her life. Dragons in this universe need to make babies, of course, but they aren’t known for forming romantic bonds. Thus, it seems like the strong relationship between their king and queen riders played some role in the two bonding to a more notable degree. The mystique of the dragon/rider relationship is one of the most compelling aspects of the dragons’ role in HOTD and GOT.
Like Vermithor, Silverwing has been riderless for roughly 30 years. She’s nesting somewhere in the caverns of Dragonstone, like Vermithor, and is just biding her time until someone attempts to claim her. While her docile nature may make Silverwing seem less important than Vermithor, she’d still be a tremendous addition to either side who could sway battles. Her lack of battle experience could make her less powerful than dragons like Caraxes and Vhagar, but she’s at least had decades of riding experience and is one of the only dragons to have been ridden to the Wall.
3Seasmoke
Seasmoke Was Laenor Velaryon’s Dragon
Seasmoke is another dragon that audiences have actually seen multiple times before on House of the Dragon. In season 1, Laenor Velaryon (Rhaenyra’s first husband) rode Seasmoke to aid Daemon and Corlys in the War of the Stepstones. The dragon also appears in season 2 and is shown to be flying aimlessly near Dragonstone and Driftmark. Mysaria even questions whether Seasmoke is lonely when she sees him, implying that he’s one dragon who’ll be excited to have a new rider.
Meleys already demonstrated the value of speed and battle experience, and Seasmoke checks both boxes.
Seasmoke was born around 101 AC, making it roughly 30 at the start of the Dance of the Dragons. It’s probably around the same age as Sunfyre and a decent amount older than Jacaerys’ Vermax, but it has an advantage in battle experience that the other young dragons don’t have. Seasmoke is regarded for its pale silver scales and speed, which make it a significant threat for the Blacks to obtain regardless of its smaller size. Meleys already demonstrated the value of speed and battle experience, and Seasmoke checks both boxes.
An interesting aspect of Seasmoke that comes from House of the Dragon’s book changes is that audiences know Laenor Velaryon survived. Generally, a bond with a dragon only severs when the rider dies. In the case of the show, the implication is either that Laenor died somewhere off-screen or that the fact that Seasmoke thinks he’s dead is good enough to break their bond. Laenor and Seasmoke bonded when both were quite young and were shown on the series as having a strong relationship, contributing to why Seasmoke has been antsy in his absence.
2Sheepstealer
Sheepstealer Is A Wild Dragon
While many of the dragons in George R.R. Martin’s world have fantastical names like Dreamfyre and Moondancer, while others have exotic Valyrian names like Balerion and Rhaegal, Sheepstealer’s name is rather straight-forward and self-explanatory. It’s a wild dragon who’s infamous among the smallfolk of Dragonstone and the Crownlands for stealing and eating their sheep. Sheepstealer is another dragon who’s old and large, having been born decades before the Dance of the Dragons.
The conflict with Sheepstealer is that, while it would likely be a formidable dragon due to its viciousness and temper, it’s never had a rider before the Dance. Dragons who’ve had previous riders, like Vermithor and Silverwing, are easier to bond with. On the other hand, Sheepstealer could be a massive hazard for any potential riders, as it’s known to be quite sensitive. Its nature in the books isn’t described as being entirely hostile toward humans, but it was quick to anger if provoked.
Sheepstealer could be an asset in the Dance, but it’s spent a long life already wild. The dragon is described as not being used to humans, and it’s known to be quite resistant to men trying to claim it. In the books, several minor dragonseeds are harmed or killed trying to mount it.
1Cannibal & Grey Ghost
Cannibal & Grey Ghost Are Wild Dragons
Cannibal and Grey Ghost are grouped together because it seems unlikely that either will appear in House of the Dragon. They may be mentioned or have brief cameos, but they’re not as crucial to the story, at least for season 2. Both of them are wild dragons and present similar issues to Sheepstealer when riders try to claim them. Cannibal is named for eating dead dragons, newborn dragons, and dragon eggs and is said to have left a lair filled with bones when riders tried to tame it.
Grey Ghost also didn’t take to any potential riders, though that’s because it was never found by any humans who looked for it, hence its name. Cannibal is one of the oldest and largest dragons alive during the Dance, having been born before Aegon’s Conquest. It’s a dragon both sides would surely like to have in their arsenal, but it’s been wild for so long that taming it is likely a near-impossible task that isn’t even worth investing time in. It will be interesting to see if either appears in House of the Dragon, but they do exist during this time in the books.
