House of the Dragon’s season 1 finale includes quick shots of Rhaenyra’s dragon Syrax during her traumatizing birth scene – here’s what they mean.
This post contains potentially distressing discussions of pregnancy loss.
WARNING! This article contains SPOILERS for House of the Dragon’s season 1 finale!House of the Dragon’s season 1 finale features the series’ most traumatizing and violent birth scene, which includes powerful cuts between Rhaenyra Targaryen and her dragon Syrax. After learning about the death of her father Viserys and Aegon’s usurpation of the Iron Throne, Rhaenyra goes into early labor with her stillborn daughter Visenya. The agonizing birth scene is one of the first times that Rhaenyra’s rage is truly seen in House of the Dragon, with such pain being emphasized by quick shots of Syrax, who also happens to be the mother of many dragons.
As Rhaenyra screams while having her miscarriage, House of the Dragon continues to briefly cut to a roaring Syrax. When Rhaenyra’s pain becomes more intense, Syrax is shown to be increasingly anxious and full of rage. House of the Dragon’s shots of Syrax during Visenya’s graphic stillbirth scene are meant to represent that Rhaenyra’s dragon can feel her pain, thus further exploring the deep bond between a dragon and its rider.
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What HOTD Cutting To Syrax During Rhaenyra’s Birth Scene Really Means
Syrax’s appearance while Rhaenyra is grieving, pained, and frustrated is meant to symbolize the emergence of the fiery blood of the dragon inside of the Queen. Rhaenyra becomes one with the blood of the dragon when her intense emotions are felt, and it compels the same responses from Syrax. House of the Dragon’s shots of Syrax also represent that Rhaenyra is not alone while fighting this battle on the birthing bed. While Rhaenyra refuses help from midwives and Daemon ignores her screams, Syrax shares Rhaenyra’s pain. Just as Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen will ride Syrax into battle in House of the Dragon, the dragon is with the Queen during her personal combat.
Dragons may not be able to be completely controlled or tamed, but the bonds they feel with their riders are intense and transcend the typical relationships between animals and humans. Similar to the Starks and their direwolves, the Targaryens and their dragons have powerful connections that go deeper than blood. This is why Vhagar resisted burning Laena in House of the Dragon episode 6 and why Meleys knew to simply roar at and intimidate the Greens without a command from Rhaenys. The Targaryens have always been said to be more than men due to their dragon bonds, which House of the Dragon episode 10’s shots of Syrax and Rhaenyra powerfully demonstrate.
What Happens To Syrax In House Of The Dragon
WARNING! Spoilers ahead for Fire & Blood and future House of the Dragon episodes!Like her rider, Syrax will not survive until the end of the Dance of the Dragons, nor will she see very much battle action before her death. Syrax hasn’t had much screen time in House of the Dragon, but she will be heavily involved in one of the most important moments of the Targaryen civil war. When Rhaenyra and Daemon finally take King’s Landing from Aegon, the Queen rides in on Syrax. She is then kept within the walls of the Red Keep throughout Rhaenyra’s short reign, with tragedy quickly striking.
When the Storming of the Dragonpit begins in King’s Landing in House of the Dragon’s future, Rhaenyra’s son Joffrey Velaryon attempts to mount Syrax, fly her to the Dragonpit, and rescue the dragons being attacked there. However, Syrax only accepts Rhaenyra as her rider, so the dragon shrugs Joffrey off her back and sends him falling to his death. Rhaenyra’s dragon continues heading to the chaos at the Dragonpit and attacks the smallfolk before they overpower her. It’s unconfirmed in George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood book exactly how Syrax meets her demise, but she’s confirmed to die while fighting the rioters.
