Game of Thrones is well-known for its epic-scale battles, but House of the Dragon will certainly give it a run for its money. While Game of Thrones’ battles were fought on numerous sides during the War of the Five Kings, House of the Dragon’s Targaryen civil war, the Dance of the Dragons, will split the realm in half as the Westerosi houses fight for the “green” or “black” party. Much like Game of Thrones season 1, there won’t be many battles in House of the Dragon’s first season, but once the fighting begins, the prequel series is set to outdo the original’s iconic warfare.
While Game of Thrones’ most memorable battles often took place on foot, some of the biggest and bloodiest confrontations in House of the Dragon will take place high in the air. Daenerys Targaryen had three dragons at her side for the majority of Game of Thrones, giving her an edge over her enemies that her ancestors had shared centuries beforehand. However, at the height of House of the Dragon, the Targaryens (and Velaryons) will have 17 dragons at hand. But, at an even greater rate than Game of Thrones’ Battle of Winterfell, House of the Dragon’s creatures will be used against one another in the Dance of the Dragons’ biggest battles.
The key large-scale battles from Game of Thrones included the Battle of the Blackwater, the Battle of the Bastards, the Battle of Winterfell, the Frozen Lake Battle, the Loot Train Attack, and the Battle At Hardhome. While Game of Thrones season 8’s Battle for King’s Landing could also be included, this act of destruction was far more of a slaughter than a battle. From warfare against the undead to brutal attacks at sea, Game of Thrones always delivered when it came to epic battles (except for the Battle of Winterfell being too dark). Even so, as half-siblings Rhaenyra Targaryen and Aegon II Targaryen take up arms against one another to support their claims to the Iron Throne, several House of the Dragon battles will prove to be some of the grandest warfare in Game of Thrones’ franchise.
Battle By The Lakeshore/Fishfeed
If any of House of the Dragon’s battles will be considered even better than those from Game of Thrones, it will be the Battle by the Lakeshore, a.k.a Fishfeed. The Battle by the Lakeshore is notable for being the bloodiest land battle of the Dance of the Dragons. The fight took place along the shores of the Gods Eye in the riverlands, with House of the Dragon's Lannisters leading Aegon II Targaryen’s green party while Lord Roderick Dustin and two thousand Winter Wolves (Northmen who supported Rhaenyra’s claim) led Rhaenyra Targaryen’s black party. With further reinforcement from armies in the riverlands, the black party was undeniably triumphant in the bloody battle as they attacked the greens from three sides, forcing the Lannister armies into the Gods Eye.
In House of the Dragon’s epic foot battle, hundreds were killed in the reeds while hundreds of others drowned trying to escape, similar to Game of Thrones’ Battle of the Blackwater. Thousands of soldiers were killed in the Battle by the Lakeshore, with such a high number of casualties earning it the nickname “Fishfeed” by participants. While the blacks won the battle, Emma D'Arcy's Rhaenyra Targaryen still lost two-thirds of the Winter Wolves and Lord Forrest Frey. However, the greens took the biggest hit, as the main Lannister army was obliterated in the bloody warfare. With such a catastrophic battle on land and no dragons in the fighting, House of the Dragon’s Fishfeed will better compare to Game of Thrones’ warfare with the White Walkers.
The First Battle Of Tumbleton
As far as House of the Dragon’s memorable warfare with dragons goes, the First Battle of Tumbleton will be toward the top of the list. Fought between House of the Dragon’s greens and blacks, the battle took place at Tumbleton in the Reach, becoming particularly notable for the Treasons of Tumbleton. The Two Betrayers, Ulf White and Hugh Hammer, betrayed the blacks for the greens, burning Tumbleton with dragonfire. The battle was fought with Lord Ormund Hightower, the queen regent Alicent Hightower’s cousin, leading the greens toward King’s Landing, while Rhaenyra’s army sent dragonriders Ulf White and Hugh Hammer with their dragons to Tumbleton. Also defending Rhaenyra’s stronghold were House Grey, House Merryweather, House Dustin, and Lord Roderick Dustin and the Winter Wolves.
King Aegon II Targaryen’s greens significantly outnumbered the blacks, but Lord Roderick managed to kill both Ormund and Bryndon Hightower before dying from his own wounds. Even when King Aegon II Targaryen’s younger brother Daeron arrived on his dragon, the blacks thought they had the upper hand due to the two dragons of High Hammer and Ulf White being on their side. However, at a crucial moment, House of the Dragon's dragonriders Hugh and Ulf betrayed Rhaenyra’s blacks and turned their beasts upon Tumbleton, where they rained down fire on their own stronghold. Tumbleton was turned to ash and ruin, with thousands burning to death or drowning while trying to escape while the greens continued to raid the town.
Battle Of The Gullet
Taking place in 130 AC, a notable fight in House of the Dragon’s Targaryen civil war is the Battle of the Gullet. While the Fishfeed was the bloodiest land battle of the Dance of the Dragons, the Battle of the Gullet remains the bloodiest sea battle in Westerosi history. House Velaryon, loyal to Rhaenyra Targaryen, blockaded the Gullet, with Otto Hightower having made a deal with the Triarchy to move against their fleets. However, at the same time that the Triarchy was moving in on the Gullet, the Sea Snake sent several of his warships to escort Rhaenyra’s sons Aegon and Viserys, who were sent to be fostered by a Prince of Pentos.
The Triarchy thus encountered Aegon’s Pentoshi cog and Velaryon warships, with Rhaenyra’s elder son Jacaerys Velaryon flying on his dragon to attack the Lysene galleys. While young Aegon escaped on his dragon, Jacaerys was joined by four dragonriders of the green party, obliterating many of their enemies’ warships. However, Jacaerys’ dragon flew too low and sank with a burning galley, with Rhaenyra’s son being killed by Myrish crossbows. House of the Dragon’s bloody battle continued all throughout the day and night, with the greens eventually attacking House Velaryon’s home of Driftmark.
Battle Above The Gods Eye
Perhaps the most personal grand battle in House of the Dragon will be the Battle Above the Gods Eye, which sees the death of two major House Targaryen family members. Considering the battle becomes more of a personal family duel, the Battle Above the Gods Eye may become House of the Dragon’s smaller version of Game of Thrones’ Battle of the Bastards. Fought between only Rhaenyra’s husband Daemon Targaryen, Aegon II’s brother Aemond Targaryen, and their respective dragons, the Battle Above the Gods Eye is remembered as an incredible spectacle for those who saw the combatants in the sky.
In the duel between the Targaryen of the blacks and the Targaryen of the greens, dragonfire lit up the setting sky as their dragons Caraxes and Vhagar grappled high in the air. At one point, Daemon jumped from Caraxes to Vhagar, where he stabbed his blade through his nephew’s missing eye socket as all four were driven into the Gods Eye lake. Upon their collision with the water, both men and both dragons from House of the Dragon died.
Battle At Rook’s Rest
The Battle of Rook’s Rest will be one of the biggest early battles in House of the Dragon’s Targaryen civil war. Taking place in the crownlands, Rhaenyra’s cousin Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, a.k.a the Queen Who Never Was, arrived on her dragon to aid the blacks’ army as they battled Ser Criston Cole, Aegon II Targaryen, and Aemond Targaryen’s forces. Aegon II Targaryen and his brother Aemond took to the skies with their dragons as they attacked Rhaenys, which ended in the deaths of both Rhaenys and her dragon. However, House of the Dragon’s Princess Rhaenys still managed to severely burn Aegon the Elder and render his dragon flightless before the greens won the battle.
Butcher’s Ball
House of the Dragon’s warfare returns to the riverlands at the Butcher’s Ball, where Matt Smith's Prince Daemon Targaryen had trapped Aemond Targaryen and Criston Cole’s forces between two fronts. Marching his weakened army toward the Blackwater Rush, Criston was met by three prominent lords in Rhaenyra’s army with whom he tried to parley. The blacks refused his surrender, with Red Robb Rivers quickly shooting the new Hand of the King with arrows. Upon Criston’s death, the blacks charged the greens with the Winter Wolves and river knights, killing hundreds as they attempted to flee. House of the Dragon’s Butcher’s Ball is remembered as more of butchery than battle, but remained an important feat for Rhaenyra Targaryen’s fight for the Iron Throne.
Battle of the Kingsroad
The final battle in House of the Dragon will be the Battle of the Kingsroad in 131 AC, just shortly before the official end of the Dance of the Dragons. The greens and blacks fought on the kingsroad fairly close to King’s Landing, which saw the armies of the riverlands marching toward the capital after Rhaenyra Targaryen’s death. Lord Borros Baratheon took charge of defending the city for King Aegon II Targaryen, choosing to march against Rhaenyra’s remaining forces on the kingsroad. While the Baratheon forces were larger and less exhausted, they were far less experienced than the blacks marching toward the city. Known as the Muddy Mess, House of the Dragon’s final battle was a victory for the blacks, with Lord Kermit Tully (Catelyn Stark’s Game of Thrones ancestor) killing Lord Borros in the rainy and muddy combat.