HBO
‘House of the Dragon’s biggest and most ancient dragon is the Targaryen’s lethal crown jewel
After the death of Belarion, the Black Terror, Vhagar became the most fearsome dragon of the Seven Kingdoms, and had a starring role in the Dance of Dragons.
Aegon Targaryen flew on the back of Belarion, the Black Terror, heading towards the Seven Kingdoms. He unleashed an inferno of fire and blood, which culminated in his rise as sovereign. The swords of his fallen enemies were used to forge the Iron Throne, which took shape after the dragon expelled its searing breath. By the time of ‘House of the Dragon’, the beast had already died. Although its last rider was King Viserys, one of the main protagonists of the show, the creature died years before the beginning of the story told in the HBO series. However, another of the dragons from Aegon’s time survives until the second season, the fearsome Vhagar.
After Belarion’s death, Vhagar became the oldest dragon in the realm. They say that these reptiles do not stop growing, so at the time in which ‘The House of the Dragon’ takes place it had already acquired the same size the Black Terror had during its era of conquest. This deadly female dragon was ridden by Visenya Targaryen, Aegon’s sister and wife. She was in charge of lighting the king’s funeral pyre upon his death. After the death of Visenya herself, with Jaeherys I on the throne, Prince Baelon Targaryen claimed Vhagar as his personal mount. Battles and carnage ensued, and when the time came, Baelon too breathed his last.
Vhagar at the time of ‘The House of the Dragon’
Further ahead in the time of ‘House of the Dragon’, the rider of Vhagar was Laena Targaryen, another of the characters that appears in the series. The young woman dies prematurely and tragically and the dragon is once again left without a rider. Not for much longer, however, as the devious Aemmond Targaryen, son of Viserys and Alicent Hightower, manages to climb onto its back. As part of the Greens, Vhagar fights against the faction of Rhaenyra Targaryen, the official heir appointed by her father, the king. In fact, the dragon disobeys Aemmond and violently attacks Arrax, Lucerys’s dragon - Rhaenyra’s son. What happens next is that the reptile and beast fall into the void and die. In part, this event marks a turning point in the civil war that will follow.
Vhagar plays his role in the Dance of Dragons, the conflict that will be narrated in the second season of ‘House of the Dragon’. New episodes will be available on HBO and Max starting June 16 (here is the release date of each of the episodes).