House of the Dragon, season 2: we count the dragons after episode 5

They are the lifeblood of war. As Rhaenyra reviews her squad, we understand that there are more winged creatures in Westeros than those we are willing to show in the series…

There were losses. After the first aerial ball of the Dance of the Dragonsin season 2 of House of the Dragoneach side licks its wounds and counts its troops. Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) knows: this war will be won in the clouds. But how many dragons does she have left? Spoiler alert!

The defeat of Meleys and Princess Rhaenys (Eve Best) follow the destruction ofArraxdied at the same time as young Lucerys (Elliot Grihault) at the end of season 1. Two dragons less, defeated by the only Vhagar… Team Black begins to worry while only the famous one remains in Dragonstone Syraxridden by Queen Rhaenyra herself, as well as Vermaxridden by his son Jace. There is also Moondancerthe creature of his wife Bhaela. And that's about it. Ceraxes left with Daemon. As for TyraxesJoff's dragon, he is not yet fit for combat, the boy being too small still.

Three dragons are not enough to face the army of Team Green: if Sunfire fell with Aegon II (he is not dead, but is no longer fit to wage war), if Helaena does not seem close to going into battle on Dreamfirethere is still and always Vhagarthe ultimate weapon of Alicent and especially of Aemond (we are still waiting to see Daeron, the last son, who rises Tessarion (theoretically). How do you defeat the biggest and most powerful of all dragons?

Team Noir had an epiphany at the end of Episode 5. Jacaerys (Harry Collett) notes this week that Dragonstone, the ancestral seat of House Targaryen in Westeros, is teeming with dragons. Several wild or untamed beasts still roam the area, some of these dragons being the surviving companions of long-dead Targaryens. So who are we talking about here?

Jace specifically mentions two of these masterless dragons: Vermithor And Silverwing (Silverwing). Vermithor is the dragon that Daemon coaxed into his lair in the Season 1 finale. It was previously ridden by King Jaehaerys I (Michael Carter), Viserys' (Paddy Considine) grandfather. As for Silverwingthis is the dragon of Queen Alysanne, Jaehaerys' wife. A third masterless dragon roams the skies of Dragonstone: Smoke-of-the-Seasthe beast of Ser Laenor Velaryon (John MacMillan), who faked his death in Season 1, leaving his dragon alone. Three other wild dragons are also mentioned in the book Fire & Blood by George RR Martin: Sheep Thief, The Cannibal And Grey-Spectre have never had a rider on their backs and are untamed creatures, which will certainly be difficult to subdue.

And submit to whom? If there are these half-dozen dragons, ready to reinforce the ranks of Team Black, it is still necessary to find warriors to ride them. As Rhaenyra points out, in this episode 5, “a dragon will only accept a dragon lord to ride it“. So you need a Targaryen. Even a drop of Targaryen blood could do the trick? We've already seen a bastard named Jon Snow ride a dragon! As this Dance of the DragonsTargaryens not from the official line will clearly have a role to play. If the royal family favors incest, to keep its blood pure, almost always opting for a marriage between brother and sister or between cousins, these “Dragonseed” (dragon seed) are half-bloods from relations outside the family.

Rhaenyra needs riders to ride the last dragons of Dragonstone, the dragons need Targaryens, and these “dragonseeds” are technically Targaryens too, even if they are bastards… The solution to winning the war?

Season 2 of House of the Dragon will continue next Monday on Max.