The Dance of the Dragons stands as the bloodiest civil war in Targaryen history, and House of the Dragon spends its entire final stretch building toward the moment this conflict finally burns itself out. What starts as a succession dispute between two rivals turns into a war that swallows nearly the whole royal family, along with most of their dragons, leaving almost nobody untouched by the end.
By the time the fighting stops, only a small handful of Targaryens are left standing, and their survival ends up deciding who actually controls the Iron Throne once the smoke clears. This Targaryen civil war from Fire & Blood splits the family into Blacks under Rhaenyra and Greens under Aegon II after King Viserys I dies.
The Dance of the Dragons war runs from 129 to 131 AC. Armies clash. Dragons fight and fall. The realm suffers heavy losses. House of the Dragon adapts the events for screen. The later seasons reach the close of the conflict.
Who wins the Dance of the Dragons?
Aegon II holds the Iron Throne when the fighting stops, but his win means little. Rhaenyra dies first, fed to Aegon’s dragon Sunfyre on Dragonstone after ruling King’s Landing for roughly six months. Before that, her own advisors convince her the capital is already lost and push her to flee, a decision that ultimately seals her fate.
Aegon II does not last much longer either. He dies from poisoned wine soon after, under circumstances the histories never fully explain, though many point to political rivals wanting him gone for good. With both rivals dead, the throne passes to Rhaenyra’s surviving son, who becomes King Aegon III. He marries Jaehaera, Aegon II’s only living child, joining both warring sides through one union arranged by the Small Council.
In a strange twist, Rhaenyra’s bloodline ends up ruling the Seven Kingdoms anyway, even though she never lived to see it happen. Neither side can claim a real victory here. The realm is left with a drained treasury, a decimated Targaryen family, and a fragile monarchy that barely holds together in the years right after the fighting finally stops.
Which Members of House Targaryen Actually Make It Out Alive?
Five Targaryens survive the war. Aegon III takes the throne despite watching his mother die in front of him, an event that leaves him terrified of dragons for the rest of his life. His half-brother Viserys II also survives, though he spends part of the war lost overseas, disguised as a common ship hand, before finally returning to King’s Landing years later.
Jaehaera, Aegon II’s daughter, lives through the conflict and becomes Aegon III’s wife shortly after, a marriage arranged to calm tensions between the two former factions. Baela and Rhaena, twin daughters of Daemon Targaryen and Laena Velaryon, also outlast the Dance. Baela later defies the regency council and marries into House Velaryon, becoming Lady of Driftmark, while Rhaena flees with unhatched dragon eggs and raises a young dragon she names Morning.
What Happens to the Targaryen Dragons Once the Fighting Stops?
Dragons take heavy losses during the Dance, arguably worse than the human death toll. Most die in direct battle, including Daemon’s dragon and Aemond’s Vhagar during the brutal fight above the Gods Eye. Others are lost during the Storming of the Dragonpit, when the smallfolk of King’s Landing, fearful and furious after months of war, turn on the remaining beasts and kill them where they sit.
Only four dragons survive the entire war: Sheepstealer, Silverwing, the Cannibal, and Morning. That number keeps shrinking even after the fighting ends. Roughly two decades later, the very last dragon in Westeros dies under Aegon III’s rule, closing out the era of dragons for good. This loss strips House Targaryen of the one advantage that always separated them from every other great house in the realm.
How Does This War Change House Targaryen Going Forward?
The Dance leaves House Targaryen weaker than it has ever been. Years of infighting kill off most of the direct line, and the dragons that once secured their rule are almost entirely gone by the time the war ends. Corlys Velaryon, one of the last respected figures tied to the family, joins the small council that governs during Aegon III’s early reign, helping steady the realm until he dies of old age not long after.
Aegon III himself grows up distrustful of his family’s legacy, shaped by watching his mother’s death and by ruling over a kingdom his own relatives nearly destroyed. Still, the dynasty holds on. It continues to rule Westeros for roughly another 150 years after the war, right up until Robert’s Rebellion finally ends Targaryen control of the Iron Throne for good.
Also read: House of the Dragon Season 3: What comes next in the Targaryen War
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Explained: How the series connects to Game of Thrones
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Arvind is a Senior Writer and Editor at Hilvaro, specializing in anime, entertainment, and pop culture. With a BSc in Transportation Technology, his passion for storytelling led him to a career in journalism. He has previously contributed to Sportskeeda and GameRant, covering anime and entertainment with a keen eye for detail.
Outside writing, Arvind loves gaming and is fond of anime, binge-watching movies and television series. He spends some of his free time listening to rock music and writing poetry. What Arvind appreciates most about pop culture is the theme that makes it more alive and engaging for this generation; thus the possibility of such content reaching readers across the globe.
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