Vhagar from "House of the Dragon" is the oldest dragon still standing

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The first season of "House of the Dragon" is, as promised, filled with all manner of dragons, from Daemon's Red Caraxes to Rhaenyra's hovering Syrax. But in episode six, a dragon enters the scene: Vhagar. In the episode, which aired on September 26, Vhagar is seen with her date, Laena Velaryon, and she plays a pivotal role in Laena's death. In episode seven, which airs on October 2, a fight over the dragon further sows discord between the factions – the blacks and the greens – vying for the throne. We break down this legendary dragon's origins and where she'll likely go from here.

Vhagar is one of the oldest living dragons during "House of the Dragon". Vhagar was claimed by Visenya Targaryen, who piloted the dragon alongside her brother (and husband) Aegon the Conqueror when he conquered Westeros. Aegon rode Balerion the Black Dread, whose skull has a place of honor in King Viserys' Red Keep. Aegon's other sister-wife, Rhaenys, rode Meraxes, and both died during the First Dornish War.

Visenya died in 44 AC (so 44 years after the conquest), and Vhagar had no horseman for 29 years. It was then that Prince Baelon, Viserys' father, claimed the dragon. Baelon died in 101 AC, leaving Vhagar again without a rider.

In the second episode of "House of the Dragon", Laena tells Viserys about Vhagar and his disappearance. Laena has heard rumors that Vhagar is nesting somewhere in the strait, possibly near Spice Town.

"House of the Dragon" does not show how Laena finds Vhagar or how she becomes his date. Presumably, after Daemon and Laena get married and move to Essos, Laena finds the dragon she's been looking for since she was a child and becomes his dragon rider.

It's quite different from how things play out in the book "Fire & Blood". There's no shortage of Vhagar in the book, and Laena claimed the dragon as her mount when she was 12 (we know that doesn't happen in "House of...