This article contains spoilers from Fire & Blood and videos depicting violenceWhen plans were set into action for House of the Dragon, the creators promised that the show would be very different in comparison to Game of Thrones (via THR). While fans had been intrigued by what they meant, "Episode 1" soon illustrated that the show would be much darker and more violent. Although they might not have been actively involved in the first couple of episodes, it soon became clear why the civilians in Westeros ended up being frightened of the appearance of Daenerys' dragon (particularly since King's Landing had already experienced what could happen if they were turned against them).
Similar to Daenerys' trio, the dragons owned by the Targaryen Dynasty are seen to vary in size, shape and personality, with the creators trying their best to make sure they live up to their book counterparts. Although half of them have only appeared in season 1 so far, it does seem that they have captured their essence perfectly (with them only making a few changes).
Note: The information here will be based on the dragons seen so far in House of the Dragon and House of the Dragon trailers.
Syrax
Introduced in "Episode 1," the viewers met Syrax - a golden dragon that was bonded with Rhaenyra Targaryen. While Syrax is not the biggest or most vicious dragon now, it looks like this will change in the future as the books state that she will become "fast," "huge," and "formidable" (although she'll never grow to be as big as Vhagar or Vermithor).
As for her personality, the scaled creature is considered to be fierce (although she spends much of her time chained up and fed, rather than hunting for herself). Still, given that the TV writers have already begun to change certain things from the books, there's a possibility that Syrax could get a bit more screentime in the next few years.
Caraxes
Otherwise known as the Blood Wyrm, Caraxes is one of the more unique creatures to appear in House of the Dragon, described to be "a fearsome" and "savage" beast, who was also "cunning and battle-tested." While Caraxes was quite large, it wasn't the biggest as the books reported that this red dragon was two-times smaller than Vhagar.
Given their strong bond, it's safe to say that Caraxes seems to share a similar personality to his owner Daemon. While he may come off as distant to some, he should never be underestimated since he is capable of causing a lot of destruction and chaos. With war on the verge of breaking out, it's likely that viewers will be seeing Caraxes a lot more in the future.
Vhagar
"As large as the Black Dread of Old," Vhagar is considered to be one of the biggest dragons in Westeros. After being claimed by several riders, including Queen Viserya Targaryen, Laena Velaryon, and Aemond Targaryen, this beast has lived a long and extensive life, helping the family conquer numerous kingdoms over the centuries (as well as several personal victories too).
While the books don't explicitly state what Vhagar's colors are, visual artist Sam Hogg (who worked on the illustrations for 2021 A Song Of Ice and Fire Calendar) got confirmation from Martin's team that she is meant to be "bronze" with "greenish blue highlights" (via Twitter). From what the viewers have seen, the creators o the series have followed a similar design.
Sunfyre
In season 1 of House of the Dragon, viewers have only seen brief glimpses of Sunfyre. While this has severely disappointed book fans due to the fact that they wanted to get a better look at "the most beautiful dragon in the world" (since its "golden" scales and pink wings are meant to be mesmerizing), it's possible that they're just waiting for the right moment to introduce him to everyone.
Described also to be "huge and heavy" in the Dance of the Dragons, it seems that Sunfyre is about to undergo a huge transformation in the seasons to come. Luckily, it doesn't seem like fans will be missing out on this since he is King Aegon II Targaryen's dragon (so he will likely get more screen time in HOTD season 2).
Arrax
Bonded with Lucerys Velaryon, Arrax is another dragon that viewers haven't had much chance of seeing just yet (and one the books don't discuss in depth). Other than the fact that Arrax is a relatively small beast (with Vhagar described to be "five times the size" of him) and that he was quite "swift," fans don't really have an idea of what he would look like.
However, according to Sam Hogg's Twitter page, she did reveal she got confirmation from Martin, stating Arrax was a "pearlescent white" dragon "with yellow flame, golden eyes and a golden chest" (via Twitter). Whether the show follows suit is something only time will tell since he does appear to be making his debut in Episode 10 (based on the trailer).
Dreamfyre
Like Sunfyre, Dreamfyre is known to be a spectacle in its appearance. Unfortunately, she has not appeared as much in season 1 of House of the Dragon either, appearing briefly in "Episode 6" to scare Aemond as he was searching the Dragonpit.
While it's hard to tell if the show has followed the same design, the book states that Dreamfyre is meant to be "a pale blue dragon with silver markings." Owned by Haelaena Targaryen, she eventually becomes one of the oldest and largest dragons during the Dance (although would have been no "true threat to Balerion the Black Dread"). The other thing that sets her apart from all others is that she is "slender" in appearance too.
Meleys
Rhaenys and Meleys stole the show in "Episode 9," with many fans not realizing how important she will be in the story. While not as big as Vhagar, this scarlet dragon will eventually become one of Rhaenyra's greatest allies due to the fact that she brings so much to Team Black.
Not only is she a "swift" and "fearsome" beast, who could "outpace Caraxes" (as well as several others), but Meleys had also lived through several intense battles too. Given that "Episode 9" only gave viewers a brief glimpse of the destruction and chaos she is able to cause, fans are looking forward to seeing whether this fierce dragon will be able to take on the likes of Vhagar and Sunfyre.
Seasmoke
Seasmoke, the pale gray dragon, is a young, agile, and battle-experienced beast, who, sadly, hasn't been seen as much as the others. Claimed by Laenor Velaryon in season 1, Seasmoke has already proven to be the "fearsome" beast that book fans know, as he helped Daemon Targaryen take back the Stepstones and seal a victory against the Crabfeeder ("Episode 3").
Also keeping in line with the books is Seasmoke size. While the dragon was only small and fairly young at the beginning of the series, fans shouldn't expect a huge growth when they see him next since Seasmoke is meant to be three times smaller than Vhagar.
Vermax
Claimed by the likable Prince Jacaerys Velaryon, Vermax is another amazing dragon that has intrigued many. Viewed to be a "thriving" but "ill-tempered" dragon, Vermax is believed to be around the same size as Sunfyre and Arrax. However, despite its small stature, this won't stop him from being an asset in battle (which viewers will later see).
Given that the books don't seem to describe his coloring, it does look like the showrunners have taken creative control by depicting him as a greenish-red beast. It'll be interesting to see what else they've changed about him.
Balerion
While only Balerion's skull has been seen in the series, many viewers had been hoping to see this black scaled dragon in action (whether that had been in flashbacks or dragon dreams). Described as having a shadow that could engulf a town beneath him, Balerion was considered to be the biggest dragon ever, and was ridden by the likes of Viserys I and Aegon the Conqueror.
Sadly, the "willful" dragon ed away from old age during Viserys' reign, and Viserys never took on another. Had the Black Dread lived to see the Dance of the Dragons, the side who had him would've likely been the clear victor since the books stated that he shouldn't be "trifled with" given his battle experience.