House of the Dragon: Overview of Dragon Meleys the Red Queen

In Season 1 of House of Dragon series, at the enthronement ceremony of Aegon II organized by the Greens, in the midst of popular cheers, the Red Dragon Meleys suddenly appeared with Princess Rhaenys on her back, destroying the Dragonpit in a brief moment, and tempted to spew fire and consumed them all; but eventually flew away, signaling the beginning of the civil war.

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Meleys has bright red scales and pink membranes on her wings, which has earned her the nickname the Red Queen. Her crest, horns, and claws glittered like bronze.

There is no official information on the origin and linage of Meleys, but she seems to be the generation of dragons born on the continent of Westeros from the three dragons from Valyria - Balerion, Meraxes and Vhagar.

By 75 AC, Meleys was considered the fastest dragons in Westeros, easily surpassing both Caraxes and Vhagar in speed. By 129 AC – the setting of Dance of the Dragons, Meleys had become lazy, but still terrifying when maneuvered. Meleys is old, cunning, skillful, and no strange to battle.

In the event of Aegon II's coronation, the scene of Meleys' nimble crossing the gate and then taking off in the blink of an eye shows its graceful ingenuity.

Originally, Meleys resided in the Dragonpit in King's Landing, having never been ridden before. Later, Meleys was tamed by Princess Alyssa Targaryen. Alyssa was the fifth daughter of King Jaehaerys I, who later married her eldest brother, Prince Baelon, giving birth to three children, Viserys I, Daemon and Aegon.

Alyssa died after giving birth to her third child in the year 84 AC. In 87 AC, Meleys was claimed by Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, who later married Lord Corlys Velaryon in 90 AC and brought Meleys to live on Driftmark Island.

In Dance of the Dragons, when Rook's Rest was besieged by the armies of Ser Criston Cole - now made Right Hand to the King in 129 AC, Princess Rhaenys brought Meleys to the castle to aid. Meleys was attacked with iron bolts by Cole's army, which enraged her to spew fire at the troops below.

Suddenly Vhagar Dragon and Golden Dragon Sunfyre appeared above Rook's Rest and attacked Meleys together.

According to Archmaester Gyldayn, Meleys alone might stand a chance against the aging Vhagar, but against both Vhagar and Sunfyre is unlikely. Meleys tried to squeeze her jaws around Sunfyre's neck, until Vhagar fell on them, then the three dragons fell to the ground together.

Meleys did not survive the fall, and her body was torn to pieces.

A charred body was discovered next to Meleys and believed to be Princess Rhaenys. Vhagar and Aemon were unharmed after the battle, but Sunfyre was badly hurt, and King Aegon II suffered severe burns to the lower half of his body and has been disabled ever since.

Meleys' head was brought back by King Aegon II Targaryen's forces to King's Landing and dragged on a cart through the city, as a way of showing off to the populace.

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📺720 📁 HOUSE OF THE DRAGON 📁 JON SNOW 📁 SEAL TEAM SEASON 5

ON TREND

Paddy Considine ... King Viserys I Targaryen

Matt Smith ... Prince Daemon Targaryen

Emma D'Arcy ... Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen

Milly Alcock ... young Rhaenyra Targaryen

Olivia Cooke ... Lady Alicent Hightower

Emily Carey ... young Alicent Hightower

Rhys Ifans ... Ser Otto Hightower

Steve Toussaint ... Lord Corlys Velaryon

Eve Best ... Princess Rhaenys Targaryen

Sonoya Mizuno ... Mysaria

Graham McTavish ... Ser Harrold Westerling

Fabien Frankel ... Ser Criston Cole

House of the Dragon: Overview of Vahgar The Queen of All Dragons

The final episodes of the first season of House of the Dragon series introduced three other dragons that played an important role in the civil war for the Iron Throne in the Continent of Westeros – Dance of the Dragons: Vhagar (of Aemon), Meleys (of Rhaenys) and Vermithor (new rider unknown).

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Vhagar is a female dragon ridden by Queen Visenya Targaryen during the War of Conquest of Westeros. Vhagar together with the "Balerion" (of King Aegon I – the Conqueror) and "Meraxes" (of Queen Rhaenys) formed a powerful trio in the conquest of the 7 kingdoms.

Vhagar hatched from an egg during the "Century of Blood", the period after the Valyrian Empire on the continent of Essos was destroyed by a volcanic disaster. It is named after a goddess of Ancient Valyria. Vhagar is nicknamed "Queen of All Dragons".

Size & Appearance

The color of Vhagar's scales, horns, wings, wing bones and crest is green. In the timeline of the series, Vhagar is about 180 years old, roughly the same size as "Balerion" of the past, and twice the size of Daemon's Caraxes, Meleys. According to legend, it is so big that people can ride a horse to run straight into its throat.

The heat of Vhagar's fire could melt a knight's armor and cook him from within. At the present time, Vhagar is considered the largest and most experienced dragon among the living dragons on the continent of Westeros.

Before the Dance of the Dragons

After the death of Queen Visenya Targaryen, Vhagar was without a rider for 29 years, spending most of her time living on Dragonstone and then residing in the Dragonpit in King's Landing.

In 73 AC, during the reign of King Jaehaerys I, Prince Baelon the Brave (later being father of Viserys I and Daemon Targaryen) claimed her. During this period, Vhagar, along with the Caraxes and Vermithor, set fire to the Dornish fleet attempting to invade the Stormlands during the Fourth Dornish War in 83 AC.

After Balerion's death of old age in 94 AC, Vhagar became the last of the three dragons alive to have participated in the Conquest. Vhagar was riderless again after Prince Baelon's death in 101 AC.

In the House of the Dragon's timeline, Lady Laena Velaryon became Vahgar's new rider. According to the book, after Laena married Prince Daemon Targaryen in 115 AC, they often traveled with Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen: a spectacular sight that was often witnessed and cheered by the crowd as Vhagar, Caraxes and Syrax flying together.

Laena died early in 120 AC. According to the book, Laena tried to get to Vhagar in her dying minutes to fly one last time with her, but she didn't have the strength to dot it. In the show, Laena ordered Vhagar to burn her with fire because she was too painful to be unable to give birth. After Laena's funeral in Driftmark, 10-year-old Prince Aemond Targaryen secretly claimed Vhagar.

Dance of the Dragons Period

In the beginning of the Dance of the Dragons, Vhagar rode by  Aemon bite and slayed Prince Lucerys Velaryon (Queen Rhaenyra's second son) in a storm after leaving Lord Borros Baratheon's Storm's End. In the book, Aemon did not hesitate to kill Lucerys.

In The Dance of the Dragons, Vhagar played an important role in the power balance between the Greens and the Blacks. During the battle at Rook's Rest, Vhagar ridden by Aemond and Sunfyre ridden by King Aegon II ambushed and eliminated Princess Rhaenys Targaryen's Meleys the Red Queen.

After the Greens lost King's Landing, Aemond used Vhagar to undertake a solitary journey of revenge: she flew across the riverlands and burned down the villages and towns beneath, causing terrible destruction.

The Queen Escort Daemon with Caraxes declared a fight of death with Aemond and Vhagar at Harrenhal. All four men and the dragons died in this battle. It was in the year 130 AC – Vhagar was 181 years old then.

📺720 📁 HOUSE OF THE DRAGON 📁 JON SNOW 📁 SEAL TEAM SEASON 5

ON TREND

Paddy Considine ... King Viserys I Targaryen

Matt Smith ... Prince Daemon Targaryen

Emma D'Arcy ... Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen

Milly Alcock ... young Rhaenyra Targaryen

Olivia Cooke ... Lady Alicent Hightower

Emily Carey ... young Alicent Hightower

Rhys Ifans ... Ser Otto Hightower

Steve Toussaint ... Lord Corlys Velaryon

Eve Best ... Princess Rhaenys Targaryen

Sonoya Mizuno ... Mysaria

Graham McTavish ... Ser Harrold Westerling

Fabien Frankel ... Ser Criston Cole

Game of Thrones: Who Could Be "the Prince That Was Promised"?

Throughout the book A Song of Ice and Fire, a mysterious character who has been mentioned for centuries being The Prince That Was Promised - who will lead humanity on the continent of Westeros to defeat the forces of darkness from the North, as in Aegon The Conquerer's Dream. This character is mentioned again in the recent House of the Dragon series.

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In House of the Dragon, on his deathbed, King Viserys mistook Alicent for Rhaenyra, and referred to Aegon the Conqueror's Dream (Aegon I) and the role of the Prince That Was Promised.

The story of Aegon's Dream had turned into a prophecy among the elites of Westeros continent for several hundred years. Whenever there is a great tribulation, people choose the most likely prince and put their trust in him as the " Prince That Was Promised" or a savior.

In the book, the savior Prince corresponds to the image of Azor Ahai, the champion of R'hllor, aka the Lord of Light. However, the irony is that this character has never appeared in either the book or the movie so far, and we still don't know who he is, even after watching the finale of "Game of Thrones". 

Therefore, it is impossible to expect an explanation of this character in the House of the Dragon - as a prequel.

If we link the facts to the final developments of Game of Thrones, we can infer that Aegon I's Dream was a foreshadowing of events far far away - 300 years from his time. During those 300 years, Westeros experienced great tribulation, but most of such was civil war or struggle of power between man and man. It was not until 300 years later that a great tribulation threatened the entire continent and the survival of humans: the great tribulation that came from the North from other life forms, the Undead, whose lord was the Night King.

In Season 8 and the final season of Game of Thrones, Jon Snow was identified as carrying the blood of the House of the Dragon, whose real name is Aegon Targaryen. Considering Jon Snow's comprehensive role in the fight against the Night King, he may be the character closest to the title of "Prince That Was Promised". He really is a Targaryen Prince. He played the role of "leading" and "uniting" the continent, not necessarily the one slaying the Night King.

However, whether Jon Snow is the One has not been confirmed by anyone in the Westeros Continent or in the real world so far.

We hope the Jon Snow sequel series would be in the works; then it's very likely that author Martin will confirm exactly who is "The Prince That Was Promised".

Kit Harington ... Jon Snow / Aegon Targaryen

📺720 📁 HOUSE OF THE DRAGON 📁 JON SNOW 📁 SEAL TEAM SEASON 5

ON TREND

Paddy Considine ... King Viserys I Targaryen

Matt Smith ... Prince Daemon Targaryen

Emma D'Arcy ... Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen

Milly Alcock ... young Rhaenyra Targaryen (Young)

Emma D'Arcy ... Rhaenyra Targaryen (Adult)

Emily Carey ... Alicent Hightower (Young)

Olivia Cooke ... Lady / Queen Alicent Hightower (Adult)

Rhys Ifans ... Ser Otto Hightower

Steve Toussaint ... Lord Corlys Velaryon

Eve Best ... Princess Rhaenys Targaryen

Sonoya Mizuno ... Mysaria

Graham McTavish ... Ser Harrold Westerling

Fabien Frankel ... Ser Criston Cole

Ryan Corr ... Ser Harwin Strong

Matthew Needham ... Larys Strong

Arty Froushan ...Ser Qarl Correy

Tom Glynn-Carney ... Prince Aegon Targaryen

Ewan Mitchell ... Prince Aemond Targaryen

Elliot Grihault ... Prince Lucerys "Luke" Velaryon

Harry Collett ... Prince Jacaerys "Jace" Velaryon

Phia Saban ... Princess Helaena Targaryen

Bethany Antonia ... Lady Baela Targaryen

Phoebe Campbell ... Lady Rhaena Targaryen

Elliott Tittensor ... Ser Erryk Cargyll

Luke Tittensor ... Ser Arryk Cargyll

House of the Dragon: Overview of Balerion, Caraxes, Syrax and Seasmoke in Book and Film

In season 1 of the House of the Dragon series, four dragons have appeared or are mentioned first being  Viserys' Balerion (deceased), Daemon's Caraxes, Rhaenyra's Syrax, and Laenor Velaryon's Seasmoke.

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"Black Dread" Balerion

Balerion, known as the Black Dread, was ridden by Aegon the Conquerer as he made his conquest of the Seven Kingdoms on the Continent of Westeros.

After Aegon's death, during the reign of the old king Jaehaerys I, Viserys Targaryen (the king's grandson) became the rider of the beast until he died of old age. He is considered the last living dragon to migrate from Valyria after the apocalypse, the other dragons appearing in the series were born later on the continent of Westeros.

Balerion is said to be the largest dragon in the Game of Thrones universe, each time it flies through its shadow that can cover an entire town.

Balerion's scales and wings were black, sometimes with red stripes or swirls. At its peak, Balerion breathed fire hot enough to melt steel and stone, and melt sand into glass. His teeth were as long as swords, and his jaws were large enough to swallow a bull, or even a mammoth.

By 93 AC, Balerion finally stopped growing, meaning he entered his old ages. He gradually became slow, heavy, and difficult to take off. When King Viserys Targaryen took over the dragon, he struggled to fly. In the end, he died of old age after nearly 200 years of dominating the continent's sky.

Balerion is the only dragon to which Viserys is attached; Even after he ascended the throne (as the series' current timeline), he has not ridden any other dragons.

Along with eighteen other dragon skulls, Balerion's skull hangs on the wall in the Red Keep Palace - the seat of the Iron Throne. Later, in the course of Game of Thrones, after taking the throne from House Targaryen, King Robert I Baratheon removed the dragon skulls, including Balerion's, from the throne room and stored them in a cellar.

Caraxes  The Blood Wyrm

Dragon Caraxes was originally ridden by Prince Aemon Targaryen. He was the third son of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen and Queen Alysanne Targaryen. His daughter is Princess Rhaenys - who once competed with Viserys for the throne. Aemon is the uncle of Viserys and Daemon.

When Aemon died, Caraxes was claimed by Daemon Targaryen, and is considered the most combative and cunning dragon in Westeros at the present time.

Caraxes has a lean shape, but fierce, combative with blood-red scales.

In the book A Song of  Ice and Fire, Caraxes is later killed in battle with the female old dragon Vhagar who is twice its size. However, before it died, it also managed to rip Vhagar's throat.

Seasmoke The Silver Dragon

Seasmoke is a pale, silver-gray male dragon born on the Continent of Westeros. It is still a young dragon, small in size but very agile, and has the ability to hide in the clouds for surprise attacks.

Laenor, although surnamed Velaryon, is the son of Princess Rhaenys of House Targaryen, so he was also given a dragon.

In the Book, after Laenor's death in 120 AC, Seasmoke establishes his lair in Dragonmont on Dragonstone Island and refuses to be ridden for a decade. Laenor's sons hired many men to tame Seasmoke, but they were all killed.

Syrax The Yellow Dragon

Syrax, ridden by Rhaenyra Targaryen, is named after a goddess of Old Valyria. She is a young female dragon with yellow scales and seems to be the most pampered of her kind.

From the age of 7, Rhaenyra became accustomed to riding the Syrax and she became the sole owner in the dragon's short life. It is speculated that the dragon eggs intended for later Rhaenyra's sons were all laid by Syrax.

Syrax is large and ferocious, but not as fearsome and combat-experienced as Caraxes as it spends most of its life locked up in the Dragonpit, cared for and well-fed rather than hunting on its own like many other dragons.

Syrax was later killed while flying to the King's Landing Riot, during which angry mobs flooded into the Dragonpit where the dragons were chained helplessly and defenselessly. 

📺720 📁 HOUSE OF THE DRAGON 📁 JON SNOW 📁 SEAL TEAM SEASON 5

ON TREND

Paddy Considine ... King Viserys I Targaryen

Matt Smith ... Prince Daemon Targaryen

Emma D'Arcy ... Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen

Milly Alcock ... young Rhaenyra Targaryen

Olivia Cooke ... Lady Alicent Hightower

Emily Carey ... young Alicent Hightower

Rhys Ifans ... Ser Otto Hightower

Steve Toussaint ... Lord Corlys Velaryon

Eve Best ... Princess Rhaenys Targaryen

Sonoya Mizuno ... Mysaria

Graham McTavish ... Ser Harrold Westerling

Fabien Frankel ... Ser Criston Cole