Daenerys can’t hog her three dragons forever, so which Game of Thrones characters will get to ride her second and third favorite children?
Top Candidates
Jon
The obvious candidate and frontrunner, Jon is so qualified for riding a dragon he’ll probably end up on Drogon, the favorite, when something inevitably happens to Dany.
For a start, he’s half Targaryen. It’s in his blood to ride a dragon, it’s his destiny, it’s his right. Riding a dragon is so much his life’s calling, one of them should probably have been named after him. Then again, one of them may already have his namesake.
We don’t actually know that Lyanna named her baby ‘Jon.’ In fact, she probably named him Rhaegar, after his father. Of course Ned couldn’t bring home a baby named after one of the men he helped usurp, so he gave him the most generic name in Westeros. Honestly, who would give a guy named ‘Jon Snow’ a second thought?
Lineage aside, in “Eastwatch” we see that not only do direwolves like Jon, but dragons too. Just call him Jon Snow the beast whisperer. Excuse me, children whisperer. Actually, maybe not.
Regardless of his whispering title, Drogon, the wildest of Dany’s three dragons, lets Jon touch him. These dragons are not easily won over, so the fact that Drogon doesn’t attack Jon instantly is a miracle. Moreover, he approached Jon himself, and allowed Jon to pet his face. Given that Jon is the only one to accomplish touching a dragon, it’s safe to assume Jon is at the top of Drogon’s list for riders.
Tyrion
Tyrion is one of the few others who has successfully gotten close to a dragon without being harmed. In season 6, Tyrion approached Viserion and Rhaegal, who were in quite the agitated state. Dany had shackled them, keeping them prisoner in a dragon sized dungeon. They were prickly and hot-tempered, to say the least.
Albeit with initial grumblings, both dragons let Tyrion approach, trusting him to set them free, despite their last human interaction having been less than trusting. We know Tyrion has a way with words, and apparently it’s not just with people.
Tyrion is also the only character who has a history of being interested in dragons. When he was a child, Tyrion always wanted a dragon. It was the one thing Lannister gold couldn’t buy. This story could be foreshadowing Tyrion’s dream becoming a reality.
Let’s not forget the ‘Tyrion is a secret Targaryen’ conspiracy theory. If this proves true, his bloodline also dictates that he gets a dragon. If Dany always rides Drogon, and Jon gets Rhaegal because they share a name (see above), then that leaves Viserion for Tyrion. A gold dragon to match the gold lion of Lannister.
Bran
No, a giant saddle would not be made to allow Bran to ride a dragon. It’s long been speculated that Bran would eventually warg into a dragon. He’s already warging into flocks of crows, he could eventually level up and take over the mind of a dragon.
Why Bran would need to warg into a dragon is unclear. Presumably, any of Dany’s dragons are fighting on the same side as Bran, so he wouldn’t need to control them. He’d probably want to. Bran has never shied away from a challenge (even though sometimes he should), but Three-Eyed Raven Bran seems less impulsive, more introspective, and more inclined to think first, act later.
If an antagonistic dragon is the only reason Bran dragon-wargs, what would cause one of Dany’s dragons to fight back? The Night King controlling a dragon would be a good reason for Bran to level up.
Night King
It’s unlikely all three of Dany’s dragons will survive the series. It’s quite remarkable they’ve all lasted this long. When you compare the Starks’ direwolves’ lifespan, it actually seems unfair. The point is, we’re due for a dragon death.
Jon has all but convinced Dany to fly north and help him defeat the White Walker army. When she inevitably does, that means dragons beyond the wall, in the vicinity of the Night King. What happens to those who die in the north? The Night King resurrects them into wights.
We’ve seen wight horses, so we know it’s possible for animals to be turned into wights. If one of the dragons dies in the White Walker war, he definitely could become a dragon-wight, a soldier of the Night King.
Long Shots
Arya: As someone who has a wild side, the dragons might recognize a kindred spirit. Not to mention, the girl’s wolf deserted her. She needs to fill the hole Nymeria left in her heart.
Theon: Poor Theon has had a tough ride for a long time. Everyone hates him, he was tortured, he’s broken inside and out. If he’s to die before the end of the series, let him die on a high note, whether that’s figuratively or literally.
The Hound: If Sandor Clegane were to ride a dragon, it would be the biggest character development on Game of Thrones. Who wouldn’t want to see the guy who’s terrified of fire ride a dragon?