Warning: The following article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon.
House of the Dragon introduced many different dragons in its first season. Game of Thrones had three different dragons and as HBO is adapting the infamous Dance of the Dragons — as written about in George R. R. Martin’s Fire and Blood — it will feature a total of 17 different dragons. We have only seen about half of those dragons in the first season, and we have not yet seen the three most wild dragons in Westerosi history.
Of course, while most of the dragons belong to either the Greens or the Blacks — the two warring Targaryen factions at the heart of the Dance of the Dragons — there are a few dragons with no riders who roam the lands. Let’s take a look at these dragons and why they’re not going to be claimed by any of the Targaryens.
Who are Cannibal, Sheepstealer, and Grey Ghost – the three wild dragons?
First, let’s talk about Sheepstealer, the dragon so named for his penchant for stealing sheep. Sheepstealer was born when King Jaehaerys Targaryen — who ruled before King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine) — was young. Unfortunately, nobody claimed Sheepstealer while the dragon was still in his youth so the dragon took to stealing sheep for his food, hunting in the lands around Dragonstone. Because he was not claimed, he grew accustomed to being by himself and he grew less patient with anyone who tried to claim him. It is very likely we will see the brown dragon in House of the Dragon’s second season.
Grey Ghost’s story differs slightly from Sheepstealer’s. Grey Ghost was supposedly younger than both Sheepstealer and Cannibal and was gray-white. He was known to fly across the sea, stealing fish out of the water, while blending in with the mists – hence his name. He was never ridden and lived on Dragonmont, the Volcano located in Dragonstone. There is a good chance we will see him in House of the Dragon, even if his appearance is brief.
Cannibal was the oldest of all the three wild dragons, and he was easily the most dangerous. Described as black with green eyes, Cannibal earned his name from the baby dragons, dragon eggs, and deceased dragons he opted to feed on. He was never ridden, and when disturbed by any would-be riders, they too would be devoured. Cannibal also made his lair upon Dragonmont. Again, he will most likely be appearing in House of the Dragon but we do not know whether it will be for a solo appearance or if he will feature in more than one episode.
Hopefully, the element of wild dragons will throw a wrench into the second or third seasons of House of the Dragon, and hopefully, Cannibal is just as ruthless as anyone who has read Fire and Blood hopes him to be. You can catch the entirety of the first season of House of the Dragon on HBO Max.
