An entertainment feature from Collider argues that House of the Dragon has surpassed its predecessor Game of Thrones in one specific respect: how it portrays dragons. While comparisons between the two shows are inevitable given their shared universe, the article contends that the prequel distinguishes itself not simply by having more or bigger dragons, but by giving each creature a distinct personality and a believable bond with its rider, something Game of Thrones rarely achieved.

The piece notes House of the Dragon features roughly five times as many dragons as the original series, yet manages to make each one individually recognisable, citing Vhagar's slow but violent temperament, Caraxes's defiance and Seasmoke's playful energy as examples. It draws on Season 3, Episode 4 ("Tumbleton"), in which Caraxes and Sheepstealer clash while Sheepstealer protectively defends its rider Rhaena, and Tessarion shows loyalty by shielding rider Daeron from a rival, as evidence of the show's stronger dragon-rider relationships.