House of the Dragon season 2 features Vhagar, a giant dragon with holes in her wings. As expected, House of the Dragon season 2, episode 1’s ending continued the show’s gruesome, political storyline via the infamous Blood and Cheese sequence from Fire and Blood. On the other side of the royal intrigue are the more fantastical elements of George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire universe, spearheaded by House of the Dragon‘s titular creatures.

The abundance of dragons in House of the Dragon is one of the main differences between the show and Game of Thrones, as evidenced in season 2, episode 1. From the appearance of dragons like Syrax and Meleys to mentions of Sunfyre and Caraxes, House of the Dragon continued flexing the reptilian creatures before the Dance of Dragons truly begins. One dragon that also appeared in the episode was Vhagar, with a specific shot raising the question of why she has holes in her wings.

Vhagar’s Wings Have So Many Holes Because She’s So Old & Has Fought So Many Battles

Vhagar’s Vast Experience Outweighs That Of Other Dragons In Westerors

The shot in question comes midway through the episode. The sequence shows Arryk Cargyll walking atop the walls of King’s Landing before his men spot a dragon. It is quickly realized that the dragon is Vhagar, belonging to Prince Aemond, as she is shown flying over the Red Keep. Vhagar’s design has notable differences from other dragons, with the most overt being the myriad holes in her wings.

Vhagar’s somewhat battle-worn nature stems entirely from her age. During the events of House of the Dragon, Vhagar is the oldest living dragon in Westeros at 180 years old. Vhagar was once the sibling of Balerion and Meraxes, and the three fought in Aegon’s Conquest of the Seven Kingdoms. Vhagar’s old age saw her fight in two other major conflicts, the Faith Militant Uprising and House of the Dragon‘s Dance of Dragons. As such, Vhagar’s battle experience as a lead combatant led to the holes in her wings, as did her longevity.

Is There Any Dragon Alive In HOTD More Powerful Than Vhagar?

Vhagar’s Strength Is Revered Throughout Westeros, But Does Any Other Dragon Usurp Her?

Given the knowledge of Vhagar’s battle experience, the question of whether any other dragons in House of the Dragon are more powerful than her has been raised. The simple answer is no, no other dragon in Westeros during the events of House of the Dragon can come close to Vhagar’s power, for one reason or another. Some that are strong and battle-tested include Caraxes and Meleys, ridden by Daemon and Rhaenys respectively, but they are dwarfed in size by Vhagar.

The only other dragons that closely rival Vhagar in size have not yet been seen in House of the Dragon: Vermithor and The Cannibal. The former was King Jaehaerys’ dragon, the king who preceded Paddy Considine’s Viserys. He is a huge dragon, but not as battle-tested or experienced as Vhagar. The same can be said for The Cannibal, a wild dragon during the show’s events. As evidenced, Vhagar remains the most powerful creature in House of the Dragon‘s story, giving a significant advantage to the Greens thanks to Aemond’s dominion over her.