'House of the Dragon' Confirms Identity of Dragon in Season Finale

By Allison Schonter

The Dance of the Dragons has officially begun as the civil war over the Iron Throne kicks off on HBO's House of the Dragon. Taking place nearly 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon is set during a period of time during which dragons ruled the sky, and during House of the Dragon's Season 1 finale on Sunday, fans were introduced to a mysterious new dragon, and now they have a name for the beast.

The episode, "The Black Queen," continued to document the moments following King Viserys' death and the aftermath of the Greens usurping the Iron Throne by crowning Aegon II as king. As word of the betrayal finally reached Dragonstone and plans for a possible war began, Daemon Targaryen entered the caverns of the Dragonmount alone with nothing but a single torch and a mysterious song he sang in High Valyrian. In the scene, Daemon was approached by a massive dragon – one of the rider-less dragons dwelling on Dragonstone that, if tamed, could help the Blacks have a bigger advantage against the Greens – that had bronze scales and scars on its face. Although the dragon's identity was initially unclear and left to fan speculation, House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal confirmed the mysterious dragon was in fact Vermithor.

"That is one of the unclaimed dragons that lives in the Dragonmon," Condal confirmed to Variety. "Vermithor, the bronze fury. King Jaehaerys' dragon, the king that we saw in the opening of the first episode, the king that passes on his succession to Viserys."

Dubbed the Bronze Fury, Vermithor is one of the oldest and largest dragons left in the Seven Kingdoms. He was hatched in the traditional way of House Targaryen, his egg placed in the cradle alongside Prince Jaehaerys Targaryen after he was born in the year 34 AC, according to George R.R. Martin's book Fire & Blood. This makes Vermithor almost 100 years old. He is also among the largest dragons still in existence, with Martin's book noting that Vermithor grew quickly, with only the older dragons Balerion and Vhagar, the dragon now ridden by Aegon's brother Aemond Targaryen, being larger. When Jaehaerys, the king seated on the Iron Throne at the very beginning of House of the Dragon, died, Vermithor went without a rider.

Whether the Blacks manage to tame Vermithor, a move that would help turn the tides of war to their side, remains to be seen. House of the Dragon has already been renewed for a second season, though it will likely be some time before Season 2 premieres. The complete first season is available to stream on HBO Max.

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