Meleys vs. Caraxes: Who Is Bigger (And Stronger)?

After what Princess Rhaenys Targaryen pulled off in episode 9 of House of the Dragon, it is safe to say that she is siding with Princess Rhaenyra’s Black faction. That means that the Blacks now have two large, ferocious, and experienced dragons in Meleys and Caraxes, who are both known for their reddish colors. These are two dragons that have been alive for a while already and are also quite strong in their own ring. But who between Meleys and Caraxes is bigger and stronger?

Caraxes is likely longer than Meleys but was always a lean dragon due to the fact that he is wyrm-like in terms of his body. Meanwhile, Meleys is slightly shorter but is heftier than Caraxes. Meleys was said to be able to match Vhagar in battle due to her speed, but Caraxes actually stalemated the larger dragon.

The fact that Meleys and Caraxes are entirely different in terms of their appearance and body type makes it difficult to judge who between the two of them is bigger. Of course, both of them are also quite strong and are said to be two of the strongest dragons during the Dance of the Dragons. That said, let’s look at what we know about Meleys and Caraxes.

Meleys History And Size Explained

Meleys is a dragon that has been around for a while as she was born during the time of King Jaehaerys’s reign. It is unknown when Meleys was born, but it can be estimated that she may have hatched about a decade before 75 AC, which was the year that Princess Alyssa Targaryen claimed her. At that time, she was already an adult dragon that was known for being quite swift and for her reddish scales. As such, she became known as the Red Queen, although she didn’t have a dragonrider for a long time before she was claimed by Alyssa.

During her time as Meleys’s dragonrider, Alyssa often took her sons Viserys and Daemon with her when they were still babies. Yes, Alyssa is actually the mother of these two prominent characters in House of the Dragon. However, Alyssa died giving birth in 84 AC, as Meleys lost the only rider she had known for nine years.

Three years later, Princess Rhaenys Targaryen claimed Meleys and became her dragonrider for more than 40 years. She was said to have arrived on Meleys for her wedding with Lord Corlys Velaryon three years after she claimed the Red Queen.

During the Dance of the Dragons, Meleys had become large enough that her head was bigger and longer than an average-sized human being’s entire body. She was also strong enough to break through the floor of the Dragonpit located on the Hill of Rhaenys. As such, there is no doubt that Meleys was big and strong, as she could have actually swallowed both Alicent and King Aegon II in the scene wherein Rhaenys threatened the Greens and could have killed them.

Of course, during her younger years, what made Meleys quite prominent was her speed. She was said to be the fastest dragon during her time, as she was faster than larger and smaller dragons alike. She wasn’t the biggest dragon, but her size complemented her speed, as being too big would have slowed her down. Meleys was still the fastest dragon during the Dance of the Dragons. 

The proof of Meleys’s strength was during the time when the Greens besieged Rook’s Rest. Rhaenys flew on Meleys to lend the castle aid, but this was an elaborate trap that was set by Ser Criston Cole, as both King Aegon II and Prince Aemond were hiding and merely waiting for a chance to ambush Rhaenys. As such, a battle involving Meleys against both Vhagar and Sunfyre commenced.

Archmaester Gyldayn said that Meleys would have stood a chance against Vhagar because, although more than half the size of the largest dragon in the world, she was a lot faster. However, because Sunfyre was there as well, this made things more difficult for Rhaenys and Meleys. The Queen Who Never Was and the Red Queen fought valiantly after injuring King Aegon II and weakening Sunfyre. But they ended up dying in that battle.

Caraxes History And Size Explained

Caraxes was born several years before 72 AC, and that means that he has been around for a long time as well. Called the Blood Wyrm because of his reddish scales and wyrm-like body, Caraxes is a very unique dragon compared to all of the other dragons because of how lean his body is and how long his neck is. That is why he is often said to be more wyrm-like than any of the other dragons in Westeros.

It was in 72 AC when Aemon Targaryen, the heir to Jaehaerys Targaryen’s crown at that time, claimed Caraxes. Aemon loved riding together with his siblings, Baelon and Alyssa, on their dragons, Vhagar and Meleys. As such, three of the strongest dragons during the time of the Dance of the Dragons actually flew a lot together decades before the Targaryen civil war broke out.

Caraxes was a veteran of many different battles because Aemon often fought in minor wars, such as when he fought in the Fourth Dornish War. Aemon used the Blood Wyrm to burn the Dornish fleet in that war. However, Aemon died in a minor war with Myr in 92 AC when he was hit by a crossbow bolt while Caraxes was eating.

During the early part of King Viserys Targaryen’s reign, his brother Prince Daemon claimed Caraxes as his dragon mount. They have been together since then, as Daemon rode on Caraxes during the many different battles that they fought together. Caraxes was invaluable during the War on the Stepstones as there was nothing that the Triarchy could do against the power of this dragon.

When the Dance of the Dragons broke out, Daemon and Caraxes were two of the most valuable assets on the side of the Blacks. In fact, it was Daemon and Caraxes that was sent out to try to defeat Aemond and Vhagar. At that time, Caraxes was only half of Vhagar’s size but was swifter and had a more experienced dragonrider. 

In the Battle Above the Gods Eye, Caraxes was able to clutch Vhagar’s neck as they both crashed into the lake after Daemon jumped off of his saddle to pierce Dark Sister through Aemond’s eye. Vhagar and Aemond died instantly, but Caraxes was able to swim all the way to the shore with his entrails hanging, as he died shortly after getting to the shore.

Meleys vs. Caraxes: Who Is Bigger (And Stronger)?

It is tough to tell who between Meleys and Caraxes is bigger and stronger. Meleys has a larger head and frame but a shorter body as compared to Caraxes, who is known for being leaner yet longer than most of the other dragons in the Seven Kingdoms. In that regard, while Caraxes is longer than Meleys, we can say that Meleys is heftier than the Blood Wyrm.

Both Meleys and Caraxes were also quite strong, as Meleys was said to be able to take on Vhagar on her own because of her speed. In that regard, Meleys was faster than Caraxes, but it was the Blood Wyrm that took down Vhagar all on his own. Still, Meleys would have outpaced the slower and larger Vhagar in a one-on-one battle had Sunfyre not been there to provide support.

As such, because Caraxes actually has the feat, he is probably stronger than Meleys. Still, Meleys could hold her own against Caraxes, as a fight between the two red dragons could go either way at any given moment.