‘House of the Dragon’: Everything We Know About Daemon Targaryen’s Dragon Caraxes
House of the Dragon is the upcoming Game of Thrones prequel that takes place three centuries before the original series. At this point in the timeline of George R. R. Martin’s fantasy world, there were a lot of dragons and dragonriders. Including Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) and his dragon Caraxes, the Blood Wyrm. Here’s what we know about Caraxes from Martin’s book Fire & Blood.
Warning: Major House of the Dragon spoilers ahead!
Caraxes was claimed by Aemon Targaryen before the events of ‘House of the Dragon’
Caraxes was a red dragon who was both massive and lean, while being quite the formidable and fearsome opponent in battle. He was first claimed by Aemon Targaryen, Prince of Dragonstone in 72 AC. Because the Dragonkeepers considered him to be the fiercest of all the young dragons in the dragonpit, Caraxes received the nickname “Blood Wyrm.”
Aemon used Caraxes against the Dornish fleet amid the Fourth Dornish War in 83 AC. He also flew on Caraxes’ back to help fight off invaders when rogue Myrmen invaded the island of Tarth in 92 AC, easily outdistancing the Velaryon fleet in the process.
When Prince Aemon was ultimately killed by a crossbow bolt in the throat, Caraxes was busy eating goats. By 105 AC, Aemon’s nephew Prince Daemon — aka the Rogue Prince — had claimed Caraxes as his mount.
Prince Daemon first rides Blood Wyrm during the War for the Stepstones
Dragons only bond with one rider at a time. And it was Daemon who claimed Caraxes when he retreated from King’s Landing after Aemon died. Daemon went to Dragonstone along with his paramour Mysaria, and then later used his dragon during the War for the Stepstones (106-115 AC).
During this decade, he divided up his time between the Stepstones and Dragonstone. It was in Dragonstone where Daemon and Caraxes started to fly with his niece Princess Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) and her dragon, Syrax.
When he remarries Lady Laena Velaryon, Daemon and his bride toured the Free Cities of Essos on their dragons, Caraxes and Vhagar.
Prince Daemon rides Caraxes throughout the family civil war in ‘House of the Dragon’
House of the Dragon will tell the story of the bloody Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons. And a major part of that conflict is Prince Daemon and Caraxes. At the start of the war — during the assault on Harrenhal — Daemon landed his dragon on top of the Kingspyre Tower.
It’s also at Harrenhal where Daemon and Caraxes get involved in their spectacular, final battle with Aemond Targaryen and Vhagar at the Battle Above the God’s Eye — and they all four end up dead.
At the end of that fight, Vhagar locked with Caraxes and they fell into the God’s Eye. While in freefall, the two dragons continued to fight it out. Vhagar uses her claws to open Caraxes’ belly and her teeth to tear off one of his wing-arms. While Caraxes locks his teeth on Vhagar’s throat and tears it out.
Vhagar doesn’t survive the force of the fall. But Caraxes manages to pull himself out of the water and get onto the shore, where he dies in front of the walls of Harrenhal.
House of the Dragon premieres Sunday, August 21 on HBO.
