Dragon Concept Art from House of the Dragon

[Westeros]

HBO’s official Game of Thrones social media channels have awoken to unleash the first concept art from House of the Dragon, featuring designs for two un-named dragons. We have some thoughts on just who they may be below…

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[The Dragon Demands]

As you said, it must be Sunfyre and Caraxes.

Meleys was scarlet red with bright cooper horns; this red one is solid, dark blood red....Caraxes.

Sunfyre the Golden.....there's an off-chance it's Vermithor, who is "Bronze and Tan"...but as you said it looks too slender and "young" to be Vermithor, largest of the second generation dragons.  

As you said, HBO posts that production will begin "in a few months"....so...probably not January, as had been rumored.  But hey, pandemic problems, that's no surprise.  Three years ago "delays" would be real news, now it's happening all over.

I just worked this out on paper: what living dragons might me see in Season 1, if it covers the start of the Rogue Prince era? Given that they mention the Great Council of Harrenhal by name.

I break the dragons down into "size classes" because we don't know their exact lineages:  Super-Large (1 - Vhagar), 8 Large, 8 Medium to Light, and 3 Hatchlings by the time of the Dance.  

We can rule out the Hatchlings and most of the Medium-to-Light ones except for Seasmoke, Sunfyre, and....POSSIBLY Tessarion (RP is unclear on exactly when Tessarion hatched).

As for the older ones....Vhagar...Vermithor, Silverwing, Caraxes, Syrax, Meleys...plus Sheepstealer and the Cannibal.

Of course, not all of these have RIDERS early in Rogue Prince, they only got riders during the Dance:  Vermithor and Silverwing were unridden since the death of Jaehaerys and Alysanne (we MIGHT see Vermithor mourning Jaehaerys)....Sheapstealer and the Cannibal wouldn't need focus as they're truly wild.  

But "dragons actively being ridden" early on would be:

• Caraxes (Daemon Targaryen)
• Syrax (Rhaenyra Targaryen)
• Meleys (Rhaenys Targaryen)
• Seasmoke (Laenor Targaryen)
• Vhagar (Laena Targaryen)
• Sunfyre (Aegon II Targaryen)
• Dreamfyre (Helaena Targaryen)
• Tessarion (....POSSIBLY, by Aegon II's younger brother, depending on how early we're getting)

[Eltharion21]

I concur that most likely it is concept art of Sunfyre/Caraxes

Interesting concept art, it seems to me they had went with elegance using long limbs and toning down golden scales to depict Sunfyre as most beautiful dragon that existed.

Both concept's remind me of dragon- dinosaur variations, with blood red Caraxes having features of a Velociraptor/Indoraptor which goes great with ferociousness of Blood Wyrm.

Though profile of Sunfyre to me is more reminiscent of some non-predatory dinosaurs like  Dracorex or Parasaurolophus, which would make grisly effect of watching  something that has features of herbivore eat a person or other dragon.

I was using this video as an reference, with time stamp of named dinosaurs:

 

[zionius]

Now that we know S1 will likely cover only first half of Viserys's reign, the young dragon can't be Sunfyre.

Deadline reports the 5 leads are Daemon, Viserys, Rhaenyra, Alicent and Sea Snake. The dragons could be Syrax and Caraxes.

 

[The Dragon Demands]

We don't know exactly when Aegon II got Sunfyre, and even then...we know that he could RIDE Sunfyre by the time Aegon II was 13 years old in 120 AC....but he could still have "bonded" with Sunfyre before that.  Much as his own children Jaehaerys and Jaehaera were later bonded to dragon hatchlings they couldn't ride yet.

[Lord Varys]

We also have no idea about Vhagar's coloring so far.

But, of course, they could also be smart enough to give Viserys I a dragon, unlike George. In fact, they could invent a dragon for that, or pass Dreamfyre, say, from Viserys I to Helaena, after her father's death. Or have him ride one of the riderless dragons later stuck on Dragonstone.

For a golden dragon the dragon people think might be Sunfyre should be a little more golden. However, it could very well be a concept for Sunfyre as a hatchling - if Aegon II is born later in the first season chances are pretty good that they will also introduce his dragon.

[The Grey Wolf]

Since Balerion is black and Meraxes is silver I think Vhagar should be red, which would further the parallel between Aemond and Daemon. Speaking of Aemond, I hope the show explains why the hell Alicent gave him that name given the animosity between Daemon and Otto. Honestly, you'd think a woman as smart as her would have given her three younger children names like Alysanne, Alyssa, Viserys, Baelon, Aenar, Aerion, Valaena, etc.

[Lord Varys]

There is no indication that Alicent picked the names for her children ... but Aemond would be a reference to Prince Aemon. Why they would want to honor him, I don't know, just as the name Daeron seems to be very arbitrary in this context. With Otto's nephew being named Ormund - and he later naming his youngest son Garmund - I guess one could speculate whether Aemond should also reflect names like that, but that's just pretty meaningless.

Helaena is rather unusual and could be a Valyrian version of a common name like Helen or Helena - which, for all we know, could have been the name of Alicent's mother or something like that. After all, it also seems that Alysanne is a more fancy version of the name Alyssa, which isn't a distinct Valyrian name.

But I don't think this series is going to greatly focus on name choices for children ... aside from why people are named Aegon and Viserys, basically.

[The Grey Wolf]

@Lord Varys

My issue is that Aemond is also a rearrangement of Daemon, which makes little sense in-story.

I like Helaena being a reference to Alicent's mother because it honestly disappoints me we never find out who she was.

Also, didn't Alicent name Aegon II according to F & B V1?

[zionius]

I suppose they'd release the dragons with most screen time first, Sunfyre and Dreamfyre likely won't fit.

Just as the news for actors. They announce Viserys first, then Daemon Rhaenyra and Alicent, then other minor characters. 

[Lord Varys]

12 hours ago, The Grey Wolf said:

@Lord Varys

My issue is that Aemond is also a rearrangement of Daemon, which makes little sense in-story.

I'd think that fact is a more meta clue, considering Aemond is just another version of Daemon. In-universe Aemond should be a version of Aemon.

12 hours ago, The Grey Wolf said:

Also, didn't Alicent name Aegon II according to F & B V1?

I think she may have picked the name, she was definitely pissed that Rhaenyra used it, too. But even if she did, it doesn't mean she didn't have to ask the king whether he was fine with the name, nor that she chose the other names.

11 hours ago, zionius said:

I suppose they'd release the dragons with most screen time first, Sunfyre and Dreamfyre likely won't fit.

Just as the news for actors. They announce Viserys first, then Daemon Rhaenyra and Alicent, then other minor characters. 

We can reasonably expect Caraxes, Meleys, and Syrax to feature in the first season. If Laenor and Laena show up, then we might also (eventually) see Seasmoke and Vhagar.

There is also a chance that we are going to see riderless dragons if they show the Dragonpit and Dragonstone as places, since there would be a lot of dragons there, but the dragons mentioned above would be the only ones associated with riders if season 1 only covers the time we think it does.

Unless they decide to give Viserys I a dragon, too, which I think wouldn't be a bad idea at all.

But to be sure, I'm not sure what point the dragons are going to serve in peace times. They can show them off to show they are there, but they cannot possibly do much ... unless they give us the Stepstones plot. And if they do, then I think we should see both Daemon/Caraxes and Rhaenys/Meleys fighting there, not just Daemon.

[The Grey Wolf]

Its honestly disappointing Rhaenys or Laena didn't take part in Daemon's war for the Stepstones. Seriously, how else do we explain Laena supposedly inheriting her father's "bold, adventurous spirit"?

 @Lord Varys

Even if Aemond is another version of Aemon that is a really weird name for Alicent to pick given the political overtones it would carry at that time. Also, I'm not sure Viserys I had to sign off on the names because elsewhere kings aren't mentioned as being consulted beforehand (e.g. Aegon I re Rhaena). I'm not saying that couldn't be the case but I also don't think we can rule out the opposite. 

Anyway, my money is on the yellow dragon being Syrax, if only because the color's too dull and 105 AC is too early for my favorite dragon to show up.

[Lord Varys]

56 minutes ago, The Grey Wolf said:

Its honestly disappointing Rhaenys or Laena didn't take part in Daemon's war for the Stepstones. Seriously, how else do we explain Laena supposedly inheriting her father's "bold, adventurous spirit"?

She liked flying very much. Isn't that enough ;-)? Laena would be too young for the Stepstones war, I think, at least for the first round. And later on the Velaryons didn't seem care much about this war, anyway.

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 @Lord Varys

Even if Aemond is another version of Aemon that is a really weird name for Alicent to pick given the political overtones it would carry at that time. Also, I'm not sure Viserys I had to sign off on the names because elsewhere kings aren't mentioned as being consulted beforehand (e.g. Aegon I re Rhaena). I'm not saying that couldn't be the case but I also don't think we can rule out the opposite. 

I didn't mean that Viserys as the king would have to sign off on that, but Viserys as Aemond's father. Alicent could suggest a name, but he would have to say whether he was okay with that or not.

I mean, we can also be sure that Cersei picked all the name of her children ... but not against Robert's will. He would have approved them.

[The Grey Wolf]

@Lord Varys

Flying doesn't strike me as being bold and adventurous in the context of having Corlys Velaryon for a father.

Good point re names.

[The Merling King]

On 12/13/2020 at 11:51 PM, Lord Varys said:

But, of course, they could also be smart enough to give Viserys I a dragon, unlike George. In fact, they could invent a dragon for that, or pass Dreamfyre, say, from Viserys I to Helaena, after her father's death. Or have him ride one of the riderless dragons later stuck on Dragonstone.

 

I never understood why Viserys never claimed another dragon, especially when he had two symbols of power, both Vhagar and Vermithor available when he became king.  I lean towards the opinion that riders can bond with more then one dragon, even if it’s only after their original dragon dies. Rhanyra and Aegon II seemed to both believe they could ride a second dragon after there’s died. I get get that Viserys was lazy and complacent and might not have liked riding a dragon but just because he claimed a second dragon, it does not mean he has to ride it all the time or at all. It would at least give him security during the early years of his reign when the Valeryon's were still considered a threat.

Alternatively I thought they should have kept Balerion alive longer and that would explain why Viserys never claimed another dragon. Instead of Balerion dying, he just becomes more lethargic and immobile and eventually dies a couple years before Viserys. Maybe Viserys just spends time siting and talking to him in the dragon pit about his crazy wife and daughter and annoying brother. This would explain why Daemon and the Velerions never challenged his rule and why the realm was at peace with no Iron born and Dornish testing the easy going king, because maybe just maybe Balerion could go nuclear one more time.

[Lord Varys]

5 hours ago, The Merling King said:

I never understood why Viserys never claimed another dragon, especially when he had two symbols of power, both Vhagar and Vermithor available when he became king.  I lean towards the opinion that riders can bond with more then one dragon, even if it’s only after their original dragon dies. Rhanyra and Aegon II seemed to both believe they could ride a second dragon after there’s died. I get get that Viserys was lazy and complacent and might not have liked riding a dragon but just because he claimed a second dragon, it does not mean he has to ride it all the time or at all. It would at least give him security during the early years of his reign when the Valeryon's were still considered a threat.

Yeah, I think that is big narrative mistake on George's part. In a lot of interviews he goes on how the Targaryens were all that powerful when they had dragons ... and then the most powerful Targaryen king, Viserys I, isn't a dragonrider when he becomes king. If dragons are power, if dragons are the foundation of Targaryen power, if they are what keeps their kings in power ... then it is very odd that a king whose ascension to the throne was not exactly smooth or without challenge would be immediately ensure he had a dragon to counter what the rival branch - who controlled two dragons in 101 AC, and perhaps three already in 103 AC (we have no idea when Laena claimed Vhagar) - might do in the future.

It is also hard to swallow that a dragonless claimant would even get serious consideration at the Great Council - yes, Laenor was a boy, but he had a dragon, and Viserys didn't, meaning he would grow up to be a dragonrider like all the Targaryen kings before him. And, more importantly, his mother had one of the largest dragons around.

Even worse is the fact that either Jaehaerys I or Viserys I later allowed Laena Velaryon access to Vhagar ... which could have devastating effects once she came of age and the Velaryons decided that they would no longer suffer 'King Viserys'. They could have allowed her a dragon in general, but the largest dragon alive? What were they thinking? Did they want to ensure that the Velaryons had the power to start a civil war if they felt like it?

The entire setting of Viserys I being the unquestioned master of his court, him keeping the factions in line, him controlling Daemon, etc. makes no sense in light of the fact that the guy wouldn't be able to personally do anything if any of the dragonriders of his extended family tried to oppose or end his reign. This is especially glaring in his only reign, when the Velaryons have 2-3 dragons, and the only dragonrider he has is his daughter (who would likely never be allowed to fly to war, anyway, but even if she was she could only start to do that around 110 AC, or so) and the brother he doesn't get along with all that well who might very well be the one he needs to protect himself against ... or who might end up siding with the Velaryons as he does when they go to War on the Stepstones. During that time, the only dragon Viserys I actually sort of controlled directly was Syrax, and he couldn't really think about using her as a weapon while Rhaenyra was still young.

Later, the fact that Alicent's and Rhaenyra's sons all became dragonriders definitely increased Viserys' pool of dragonriders but it still doesn't explain how he could keep them in line.

This entire thing completely undermines the 'dragons are power' narrative and replaces it with '(lawful) kingship is power' because the things Viserys I had that his dragonriding kin lacked are his crown and the Iron Throne.

5 hours ago, The Merling King said:

Alternatively I thought they should have kept Balerion alive longer and that would explain why Viserys never claimed another dragon. Instead of Balerion dying, he just becomes more lethargic and immobile and eventually dies a couple years before Viserys. Maybe Viserys just spends time siting and talking to him in the dragon pit about his crazy wife and daughter and annoying brother. This would explain why Daemon and the Velerions never challenged his rule and why the realm was at peace with no Iron born and Dornish testing the easy going king, because maybe just maybe Balerion could go nuclear one more time.

The problem with that idea for the books is that it was already revealed that Balerion died during the reign of the Old King in ASoS. George couldn't have him live into the reign of Viserys I. But then, he didn't have to give to make Viserys I a rider of Balerion. He could have given the dragon to one Jaehaerys I's children or other grandchildren, while giving a new dragon to Viserys I who would later fight in the Dance ... or have him claim Vermithor after the Old King's death, or Silverwing, or any of the others. My idea was that George should have given Viserys I another dragon in FaB, but one who also died shortly before the Dance. That could have been combined with giving more than just three children of Jaehaerys I - which was a pretty big letdown for me, especially since Dreamfyre is apparently riderless from the death of Rhaena in 73 AC to whenever Helaena claims her in the 110s. She would have been an ideal dragon for one of the younger children of Jaehaerys I or some of the grandchildren - Queen Aemma, for instance.

But to change the Balerion thing for HoD could actually be a great idea. Showing Viserys I with Balerion would be great imagery and his decline and eventual death would also sort of symbolize that the golden days of the Targaryen reign were over, etc. It could help explain why he got the throne and how he kept Daemon and the Velaryons in line before the Rhaenyra-Laena marriage. That could be around the time when Balerion could die in such a scenario because with the Velaryons back in the fold Daemon could never hope to really challenge the king.

[The Dragon Demands]

HBO Max's "Coming Soon" end-of-year trailer put out the first on-air Teaser for House of the Dragon

https://winteriscoming.net/2020/12/18/check-animated-house-of-the-dragon-logo-hbo-max/

It's nothing much, just a logo and "Coming in 2022" (the dragon breathing fire is just a short re-use of Game of Thrones footage)....

...but still, it's nice to see them finally reaching a state of development on ANY prequel where they're publicly promoting it in on-screen promos.

...and of course, WE have been following House of the Dragon news but....this may be the first time that MOST "casual viewers" have even HEARD of "House of the Dragon"....and it will spark renewed online searches/buzz.

[The Dragon Demands]

According to IMDB, House of the Dragon has hired the costume concept artist who worked on Maleficent, Benjamin Ip:

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9746392/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cr6

https://benjaminipart.com/costume

 

[zionius]

Caraxes is another design, and not red, according to a instagram claiming to be Matt Smith himself.

[Eltharion21]

6 hours ago, zionius said:

Caraxes is another design, and not red, according to a instagram claiming to be Matt Smith himself.

Faker than Rhaenyras children being trueborn.

https://www.artstation.com/artwork/RPmVD

It is a image from 2 years ago Dragon - Tippett Studio.