We’re well acquainted with the winged stars of House of the Dragon, past and present: the colossal Vhagar, the fierce Caraxes, the mighty Vermithor, the misunderstood Sheepstealer. But there’s one dragon in Season 3 yet to receive a full sky-high introduction even after the finale.
In the military ranks of the late Lord Ormund Hightower (James Norton), there’s a small blue dragon, constantly grounded. Who is she, and will we get to see more of this little cobalt gem in Season 4?
She’s Tessarion, known as the Blue Queen, a dragon ridden by Daeron Targaryen (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) — though whether he’s alive after the Battle of Tumbleton in the Season 3 finale remains to be seen. He’s Ormund’s ward, Gwayne Hightower’s (Freddie Fox) nephew, and the youngest son of Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) and King Viserys (Paddy Considine) — all of which means, like it or not, he’s a direct threat to both Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) and Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney) sitting on the Iron Throne.
We first spy Tessarion in Season 3, episode 1, when we’re introduced to Ormund at his army camp. Tessarion’s not fully grown, standing only two humans high and wearing a small saddle. And she’s so cute. But she’s fenced in with spears, in a move that likely keeps the troops calm and horses uneaten more than anything (and keeps out thieves). At this point, we don’t know House of the Dragon is hiding Daeron in plain sight, ready for the Hightower lord to pull the switcheroo in episode 3.
In the latter episode, we get a better look at Tessarion when she’s in the front line of Ormund’s troops, during his confrontation with Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith). In this scene, Ormund is forced to surrender and hand over Daeron as a prisoner of war. Importantly, Ormund had the foresight to ready a decoy — not mounted on Tessarion (she would not allow this) but beside her. Just watch her little face when the decoy walks over to Daemon. Utter confusion that plays as concern.
Then, in episode 4, we see Tessarion get to do something, even if that thing is barbecuing and devouring Kat’s brother Leo (Abhin Galeya) on Ormund’s command.
Unfortunately for the Blue Queen, she has to sit tight in the Tumbleton stables until we see her again in the Season 3 finale, when Daeron’s peace plan fails and he decides that riding out into the bloody battle on his baby dragon is his only choice. “I must take wing against the enemy. All these men, these boys, are here for me. I cannot let them fight alone. What are my choices? I either fight or flee,” he says on the battlements. Thankfully, Gwayne stops the chirping Tessarion and Daeron leaving the stable, as Ulf the White (Tom Bennett) makes his move on Silverwing.
Alas, by the end of the finale, Daeron and Tessarion are nowhere to be seen, as Gwayne scrambles to find his nephew in the destroyed town.
Without spoiling anything from George R. R. Martin’s Fire and Blood, Tessarion’s plight is not to remain a grounded dragon. She’ll have a part to play in the Dance of the Dragons yet.
House of the Dragon Season 3 is now streaming on HBO Max.
Source: https://mashable.com/entertainment/house-of-the-dragon-tessarion
