Lessa of Pern is the primary protagonist of Dragonflight. A small yet physically fit woman with an “aureole” of dark unruly hair (71), Lessa is the heir of the noble family of Ruatha Hold, but she lost her birthright to the usurper Lord Fax, who killed Lessa’s family when she was a child. Lessa spent the next 10 years in disguise as a kitchen drudge in her own hall, using her uncanny smarts and psychic abilities to quietly subvert Fax’s will. Lessa’s life changes with the arrival of F’lar and his cohort, who come to Ruatha Hold in search of a new Weyrwoman. Ultimately, F’lar kills Fax and convinces Lessa to accompany him back to the Weyr. There, Lessa defeats her rivals and bonds to the new dragon queen, Ramoth, taking on the responsibilities of Weyrwoman. 

Lessa’s Blood—that is, her noble Ruathan heritage—makes her extraordinarily powerful. She can speak telepathically to all the dragons in the Weyr and can perform many feats of disguise and psychic manipulation. However, she is hotheaded and tends towards petty vindictiveness, especially towards people whom she perceives as getting in the way of her plans. She also tends to rush into things headlong, especially when emotionally compromised.