House of the Dragon Reveals the Biggest Threat to Westeros in Episode 10

By Kofi Outlaw

House of the Dragon Season 1 was all about the mounting tensions and bloody betrayals within House Targaryen, but the finale episode reminded us that the biggest threat to Westeros is, and always has been, the dragons. As we wait for House of the Dragon Season 2 we do so with the knowledge that the infamous piece of Game of Thrones history known as "The Dance of the Dragons" has truly begun, and that the opening salvo between "The Greens" and "The Blacks" seems to reveal that one side has the most dangerous dragon of all!

WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS FOLLOW! 

House of the Dragon Episode 10, "The Black Queen" sees Princess Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) and Prince Daemon (Matt Smith) learn of King Visery's (Paddy Considine) death and Prince Aegon II's (Tom Glynn-Carney) coronation as king. As Rhaenyra and her circle try to rally support for her claim to the throne, Storm's End and House Baratheon became a key factor in the unfolding battle for power. 

Lucerys Velaryon (Elliot Grihault) steps up to be Rhaenyra's envoy to Storm's End, and that decision cost him (and her) dearly. Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell) is already at Storm's End to represent King Aegon. Aemond has never dropped his grudge against Luke over the childhood fight in which Luke cut out Aemond's eye; when Luke tries to leave, Aemond pursues him on the back of his dragon, Vhagar. During the ensuing chase and fight, Vhagar clearly rages and slaughters both Luke and his dragon, Arrax. 

Why Vhagar Is the Biggest Threat in House of the Dragon

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(Photo: HBO)

It was foreshadowed early on that Vhagar would be a major "villain" in House of the Dragon, if there is such a thing. It was foreshadowed in Episode 7 that this decisive battle between Luke, Aemond (and Vhagar) would be fought, when young Aemond claimed the dead Laena Velaryon's dragon for himself. Lord Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) told his daughter Queen Alicent (Olivia Cooke) that Aemond had won a major prize for their side with Vhagar – and as far as we see in Episode 10, Sir Otto was not wrong.

 Vhagar single-handedly began The Dance of the Dragons, and seems to have no qualm killing her fellow dragons – let alone any humans dumb enough to get in the way. With an ancient dragon now calling its own shots, who is left to claim control? Aemond thought himself a big man for taking Vhagar as his own – but now even he knows that while he rides the dragon, he is far from its master... 

Who is Vhagar the Dragon? 

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(Photo: HBO)

Vhagar is a she-dragon who is the oldest and biggest dragon of her time in the era of King Viserys I. Vhagar She was one of the three dragons ridden by Aegon the Conqueror and his sisters/wives – specifically by Visenya Targaryen, Aegon I's older sister. 

After Visenya, Vhagar passed to Baelon Targaryen, the father of Viserys I and Daemon. After Baelon's death Vhagar remained riderless until the dragon was taken by Laena Velaryon, Daemon's wife. House of the Dragon chronicles how Laena chose to die by Vhagar's fire instead of from childbirth, and how Aemond Targaryen then snuck up and claimed her, to prove his mettle after growing to such advanced age without his own dragon. 

As stated, Vhagar is the biggest, oldest, and most battle-hardened dragon in the era of House of the Dragon, making her all but unkillable. While Daemon is right in counting that Rhaenyra's side has more dragons to fight with, Vhagar proves that numbers won't equal automatic victory in this dance... 

House of the Dragon is streaming on HBO Max. 

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