Life has not been kind to Daenerys Targaryen's dragons. If we're being specific, life has not been kind to Rhaegal or Viserion. Drogon is the lucky one, the chosen child. He gets the most screen time in the show and the most pages in the book. He is also the only one currently still living. Drogon is clearly Dany's favorite too, since she rides him all the time. Mother of Dragons? More like Mother of Drogon.
Despite this very obvious display of favoritism toward Drogon, Dany's other dragons should not be neglected by fans of Game of Thrones. Most notably, Rhaegal is one interesting dragon that did not get enough attention during the show. Read on if you want to learn about this most underrated of Daenerys Targaryen's dragons.
Rhaegal's Teeth Are Supposed To Be Black
This little tidbit applies to all dragons. A dragon's teeth are supposed to be jet black. Imagine the way a dragonglass dagger (also known as obsidian) looks like. That is the same shade of black meant to be all over Rhaegal's toothy grin. If you look carefully at the depiction of Rhaegal in the show, his teeth are an ashy ivory. The books state otherwise. As a matter of fact, the books even go so far as to describe the very bones of dragons as black. Do you remember the skull of Balerion the Black Dread at the bottom of the Red Keep? Technically, that skull should be a deep, glistening black.
Rhaegal Was More Vicious Than Viserion
At some point in both the book and television series, Daenerys grows leery of her dragons. Their wild and violent natures distress her as she tries to rule the city of Meereen peacefully. In the show, Drogon is yet again the focal point of this issue. Rhaegal gets his time to shine in the books only. After Drogon and Dany take off from the fighting pits during their first flight together, Rhaegal and Viserion break out of the crypt Dany was keeping them in. They make their abodes on separate pyramids in the city. Rhaegal ends up terrorizing the people nearby more than Viserion. Ser Barristan Selmy (who is alive in the books) notes the fact that Rhaegal is clearly the more dangerous of the two.
He Was Named After Daenerys' Brother
Daenerys had two brothers. One, Viserys, is the creepy jerk we met in Season 1. You know which one we're talking about, right? The one who gets a "crown" of molten gold poured all over his head? Dany names one of her dragons after Viserys, but she named Rhaegal after her other brother, Rhaegar Targaryen.
Dany never met Rhaegar, but she grew up on stories of him. These stories must have meant a lot to her, because naming one of her dragons after Rhaegar is not the only time she has tried to pass along his name. When she was pregnant, Dany intended to name her child Rhaego.
Rhaegal Burned A Dornishman
A lot goes down in the books that does not happen in the show. For instance, Doran Martell, the ruler of Dorne, sends his son Quentyn Martell to Meereen to try to negotiate a marriage pact with Daenerys Targaryen. By the time Quentyn gets to Meereen, Dany is already married and she has flown the coop with Drogon. For some insane reason, Quentyn thinks it will be a good idea to seize Rhaegal and Viserion from the crypt all by himself when she's gone. He gets himself burned to a crisp courtesy of Rhaegal. Rhaegal probably wouldn't have roasted Quentyn if his intention to free them had been a mite more obvious.
His Fire Contains The Color Green
Dragonfire is more powerful than your average flame. There is a magical aspect to dragons that makes the fire they emit hotter and brighter than normal. It can even make their fire come out in different colors.
This is never emulated on the show, but in the book series, the vivid hues of a dragon's fire are described in detail. Rhaegal's flames have a bright tinge of green to them. The green color of his fire sets him apart from his brothers, Viserion and Drogon. Drogon's fire is black with bits of red. Viserion's flames are a light gold with orange streaks.
Rhaegal Attacked The Good Masters Of Astapor
This is a perfect example of Game of Thrones showing favor to Drogon alone instead of all three of Daenerys Targaryen's dragons. When Dany first acquired the Unsullied from the Good Masters of Astapor, she tricked them. Instead of following through on their bargain of one dragon for the entire Unsullied, Dany uses the Unsullied to attack the Good Masters. She also sets Drogon on them. In the books, Rhaegal was loosed on the Masters as well. We don't get to see this on the show, but you should know that Rhaegal did his part in the conquest of Astapor.
His Scales Are Green And Bronze
The dragons on the show are not given the distinct colors they possess in the books. Rhaegal is described as being a deep green with bronze highlights. However, in the show, Rhaegal does not display this color palette so obviously. Only a keen-eyed fan or one who has read A Song of Ice and Fire would know that Rhaegal has those colors. The colors of Rhaegal's dragon egg are more defined than the ones on his scales.
Rhaegal Tried To Save Viserion
It was heartbreaking for fans of Game of Thrones to watch when Viserion got speared by the Night King. It was equally, if not more, heartbreaking for the two remaining dragons to watch as their sibling fell with that gaping wound in his side. If you pay attention during that episode in Season 7, you can notice that Rhaegal flies closely behind Viserion as he plummets to the ice. It is almost as if he is trying to assist his fellow dragon in his hour of need. However, once Viserion hits the ground, there is nothing for Rhaegal to do but glide away.
Rhaegal Is Naturally Smaller Than Drogon
Many assumed that both Rhaegal and Viserion were smaller than Drogon thanks to their imprisonment in Meereen. After Drogon burned a child outside the city, Daenerys decides to pen her two at-home dragons for a crime they didn't commit. Anyways, many fans believe that Rhaegal and Viserion's time in those cramped quarters reduced their growth. Drogon, allowed to roam free, was able to develop into the large beast he is. However, if you observe the dragons carefully, even prior to their time in Meereen, Rhaegal and Viserion are still smaller than Drogon.
Rhaegal's Connection To The Targaryens Is Magic
Dragons and Targaryens share a bond that goes back centuries. Before the Targaryens ever arrived in Westeros, they lived in Valyria, home of the dragons and the dragonlords. It is thanks to this heritage that most Targaryens have a closeness with dragons. It is unclear where exactly dragons came from in the world of Game of Thrones. However, the Valyrians were the first to master the art of raising and riding dragons. Rhaegal, as a magical dragon, is more than just an animal. He can sense the Targaryen bloodline in Jon Snow and the emotions of his mother just as much as Drogon can.