House Of The Dragon: The Most Beautiful Dragon – Sunfyre’s Fate After Rooks Rest, Explained

House Of The Dragon: The Most Beautiful Dragon - Sunfyre's Fate After Rooks Rest, Explained

As a gamer with a deep love for the lore of House of the Dragon and its dragons, I can’t help but feel a sense of sorrow and admiration towards Prince Aegon II and Sunfyre. The story of their bond is one filled with triumphs and tragedies that echoes through the pages of Fire & Blood.


This article contains potential spoilers for House of the Dragon Episode 5 and Fire & Blood.

As a devoted fan, I’d describe it this way: In my beloved tale of House Targaryen, Prince Aegon the Second, with great pride, claimed Sunfyre as his own dragon steed during his youthful days and showcased his prowess in the epic conflict known as the Dance of the Dragons. Sunfyre, a magnificent creature hatched on Dragonstone island, was renowned by Archmaester Gyldayn to be the most breathtakingly beautiful dragon in our realm’s history. By the enchanting first season of “House of the Dragon,” in episode 6 titled “The Princess and the Queen,” we observe that Prince Aegon had already conquered the art of riding Sunfyre with grace and finesse. This newfound skill granted him a distinct advantage over his formidable opponents: his nephews, affectionately called the “Strong boys,” as well as his own brother, Aemond.

Prince Aegon has ascended the throne as King Aegon II, ruling from the capital. Though not the Greens’ greatest treasure, he holds the position of council head. Regrettably, Sunfyre, his golden dragon, is no longer the most radiant dragon in memory following the encounter with Vhagar at Rook’s Rest in “House of the Dragon.” With one wing severely injured during their clash and both crashing into a neighboring forest, it remains uncertain if Sunfyre will recover to engage in future battles.

What Went Down At Rook’s Rest In House of the Dragon Season 1, Episode 4 “The Red Dragon and the Gold”

House Of The Dragon: The Most Beautiful Dragon - Sunfyre's Fate After Rooks Rest, Explained

Princess Rhaenys and her dragon Meleys journeyed to Rook’s Rest on their own accord, aiming to restore order at the seaside keep under the command of Lord Staunton of the Blacks. Queen Rhaenyra and Jacaerys had expressed a wish to visit the fortress to counteract the Greens’ invasion, but Rhaenys preceded them. Unaware of the Greens’ strategic plan, which involved both land and air assaults, Rhaenys and Meleys’ arrival seemed pivotal in the early stages of the siege. As Lord Staunton and his forces braced for the initial attack, it seemed that their presence had shifted the balance in the battle. Meleys incinerated Cole’s soldiers while he rallied his archers to give the command: “‘give the signal!’

All is going to plan.

The plan was to lure whichever rider(s) and dragon(s) the Blacks would send from across the bay and have Aemond and Vhagar to ambush them. While it would have been wiser to send more than one dragon and Dragonrider, the fact remains that neither Rhaenyra and Syrax nor her heir, Jacaerys and Vermax, or their combined strength would have been able to defeat Aemond and Vhagar. And then, on top of everything, Rhaenyra didn’t have an army actively fighting for her, while Cole had levied soldiers from Darklyn, Rosby, and Stokeworth.

Princess Rhaenys, as anticipated, set ablaze Cole’s soldiers-at-arms while the remainder withdrew from the battlefield for safety. Yet, this development did not unsettle Cole excessively, as two of his men stationed close to a tree line released signal arrows, and one more sounded a trumpet in the rear. Aemond was positioned nearby in a forest, eager to join the fray sooner, but grew irked by Aegon II’s unexpected entrance. The King dared to put himself in harm’s way, disrupting Cole’s plans and compelling Aemond to pause his advance.

Sunfyre The Golden Burned And Crashed Into A Forest

House Of The Dragon: The Most Beautiful Dragon - Sunfyre's Fate After Rooks Rest, Explained

Nearly claiming Sunfyre for himself, Meleys was thwarted as Vhagar entered the fray. With a fierce charge, Aegon and Rhaenys’ attention drawn, Vhagar bellowed “Unleash the firestorm!” in response to Aegon’s grateful acknowledgment of his brother’s timely intervention. The ominous dragon, Vhagar, unleashed a torrent of flames toward Meleys and Sunfyre, causing horror for Aegon. Swiftly evading the attack, Meleys retreated, but Sunfyre’s wing was engulfed in flames, leading them both to plummet into the canopy of a nearby forest. The severely injured Sunfyre coiled protectively around Aegon, fulfilling Cole’s deepest fears and putting the King’s life at risk through Aemon’s petulant actions.

Are Sunfyre And Aegon II Dead?

Will Sunfyre Fly Again?

House Of The Dragon: The Most Beautiful Dragon - Sunfyre's Fate After Rooks Rest, Explained

Despite the fact that Sunfyre’s tale continues in the “Fire & Blood” legend, he will carry the marks of this fight with him until the end of his days. Following the grand battle at Rook’s Rest, Cole arranges for Sunfyre to recover nearby, giving him ample time to heal. Surrounded by guards and fed the remains of burned carcasses, Sunfyre spends his days leisurely at Rook’s Rest.

At Rook’s Rest, Sunfyre departs after Walys Mooton recaptures the seaside stronghold from the Greens. Mooton’s supporters make a futile attempt to slay the dragon, but Sunfyre manages to repel them. In the ensuing clash, Mooton and numerous attackers fall. Two weeks later, Sunfyre takes to the skies and abandons Rook’s Rest forever.

During the Dance of the Dragons, Aegon recuperates in King’s Landing until it is seized by Rhaenyra. With the help of Lord Larys Strong, they are clandestinely taken out of the city and Aegon eventually ends up at Dragonstone. Aegon II’s most notable accomplishment during this conflict is the conquest of Dragonstone. Pretending to be a commoner, Aegon arrives at Dragonstone via a fishing boat, and with the aid of Ser Alfred Broome, they successfully take control of the island. Sunfyre, Aegon’s dragon, departs from Crackclaw Point and makes its way to Dragonstone, where it reconnects with its rider. The moniker “a magnificent golden fire-breathing rooster” is given to him by Mushroom due to his injured wing. Despite the challenges in flying, Aegon triumphs in his last battle against Daemon’s daughter, Princess Baela Targaryen. However, Sunfyre becomes unable to fly and Aegon himself loses the ability to walk as a result of the intense conflict.

Sunfyre and Aegon are the last living members of House Targaryen. The conflict with Baela worsens Sunfyre’s condition, and he becomes infamous for consuming Queen Rhaenyra when she attempts to escape the chaos of King’s Landing and seek refuge at Dragonstone. However, unbeknownst to her, Dragonstone has already been taken by Aegon. In popular tales, it is recounted that Rhaenyra laughed at the sight of the injured Sunfyre.

With a mortal injury preventing him from taking flight, refusing food, and gasping for his final breaths, Sunfyre perishes tragically at Dragonstone. Aegon calls for the beheading of his captive, Baela, as a replacement mount, while grieving over Sunfyre’s demise.

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2024-07-14 19:05