The Emmys are going to have a lot of top-tier contenders next year, and many of them may come from HBO’s House of the Dragon. The series brought back everything fans loved about Game of Thrones, but by far, the best part of the series is the diverse cast of characters. Season 1 took place over 20 years and followed the web of lies and conspiracy that followed Rhaenyra’s naming as heir to the Iron Throne. Every action has a consequence, and every consequence serves as a penny in the jar that eventually buys the war that begins the collapse of the Targaryen dynasty.
What makes the characters of House of the Dragon so interesting is that it’s not always clear who the heroes and villains are. Even the noblest players contributed to the escalation in some form or another. Very few characters are entirely innocent. For many of these characters, despite their best intentions, their hands still end up dirty. To have so many well-written morally gray characters makes this series unpredictable and utterly addicting to watch. Here are the top ten characters from House of the Dragon.
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10 Lyonel Strong
HBO
The Game of Thrones universe has seen quite a few Hands since fans first entered the Realm. Some were wise, others naive. Some exploited the position for power, while others sought to do good. Lyonel Strong is arguably the best Hand of the King to be seen in Westeros thus far. When all others close to Viserys sought to increase their standings by proposing marriage for Rhaenyra, Lyonel was the only one who had the King’s best interest at heart. While everyone else tried to coerce the king for power, Lyonel kept him on the righteous path. And above all else, he was a true friend to Viserys when all others clambered over him like rats. Lyonel’s the only man with the golden pin to uphold the Hand’s duties to the letter, but he has unfortunately killed in the series’ sixth episode after ten years of service. He’ll be remembered fondly as one of the better hands to a King of Westeros. However, Lyonel isn’t the only Strong who left their footprints in House of the Dragon.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
9 Rhaenys Targaryen
History was left to wonder how the Queen Who Never Was might have ruled over the Seven Kingdoms had she been selected. After seeing her in House of the Dragon season 1, it’s clear that she might have been the wiser choice. As great a character as Viserys is, Rhaenys possesses a resolve fit for a ruler. She was forced to sit back with no role for the most part, but in the second half of the season, she showed The Greens what it is to be a conqueror. She holds the respect of most of the primary characters because even they know that she should have been queen. She hasn’t gotten to do much so far, but her role in the second season is likely to expand greatly. She chose a side in the Dance of Dragons when she could have remained neutral. It could be that season two will show how a real queen handles business.
8 Aegon II Targaryen
From the moment we saw his face as a teenager, everyone knew this kid was going to be a serious problem. Living in the excesses afforded to royalty, bullying those beneath him, and holding no interest in the throne, Aegon II Targaryen is the typical son of a monarch. It wasn’t hard finding a reason to dislike him, and he only managed to get worse with age. However, there’s more to this spoiled prince than just being a philandering party boy. Having been overlooked by his father in favor of Rhaenyra, and weighed down by his mother’s constant pressure to ascend the throne, Aegon lives with immense inner turmoil. He may not exactly be the most sympathetic person, but viewers have to consider that every villain has their reasons for being who they are. Aegon will be one of the most important players moving forward, and he has the potential to be an incredibly complex character.
7 Ser Criston Cole
Anyone who has watched Game of Thrones from beginning to end knows the most important thing to a knight is his honor. Ser Criston came from nothing and made a name for himself with his bare hands. Honor, devotion, and battle prowess got him to The Red Keep, where he was made a knight of the King’s Guard. But at the end of the day, he’s still a man. While Criston’s behavior in the second half of season one is antagonistic, his route to villainy started with the heir to the Iron Throne. When Rhaenyra seduced Criston into breaking their chastities, she did not consider what it meant for him. Having broken the code of knighthood, the only thing that could have redeemed Ser Criston in his eyes was marriage, but the princess made him into an oath breaker for life when she refused his offer. His behavior in the years following is inexcusable, but no one starts out evil. House of the Dragon has several complicated characters. Ser Criston will definitely be one to watch in the coming years.
6 Larys Strong
Anyone who failed to notice the crippled son of Lyonel Strong in episode three need not feel bad because that’s how the Lord likes it. Larys Strong’s style is to remain unheard and unseen. He lies in wait, collecting knowledge until the moment arises that he can put his acquired weapons to use for personal gain. He saw a pawn in Alicent Hightower in episode five and was quick to use the information to turn her to his whim. It was clear from this one scene that he is to be a dangerous player, but no one anticipated the lengths he would be willing to go to until the following episode when he heartlessly had his brother and father killed for his benefit. Fans have seen before that the highest of royalty can be tricked and manipulated, but no conspirator has ever shown themselves willing to sacrifice their own family for power. Larys Strong’s cunning may be enough to have even Littlefinger shaking in his boots. What part will Larys play in the coming war, and how dangerous will his skillset be to Rhaenyra and The Blacks?
5 Viserys Targaryen
Fans can debate whether or not Viserys was a good king or not, but he certainly wasn’t the strongest. In moments where clear and even harsh choices need to be made, Viserys typically went with the option that satisfied everyone. He often struggled to make hard choices. He refused the advice of his councilmen for marriage, he failed to stand up to Corlys’ disrespect, and he refused to defend his kingdom against The Triarchy. Despite his choices, Viserys did his best to maintain the peace established by King Jaehaerys, but his mistakes often spoke loudly. In the end, his most important decisions were the ones no one ever heard. He named his daughter heir, believing she was the best choice to carry Aegon the Conqueror’s prophesy, even if it divided the Realm. And despite being on the verge of death, he held his family together amidst growing animosities, thus making his death the key holding back the war. He was a good man until the end, even if he was not the best king.
4 Daemon Targaryen
HBO
Daemon Targaryen is made of equal parts light and dark. To some, he was the noblest of heroes. To others, he was the blackest of villains. That is how George R.R. Martin described this morally gray character in his novel Fire & Blood, and Matt Smith plays this perfectly. For the most part, Daemon is a heartless wretch to anyone who he doesn’t like. But to his family, he is considerably warmer. His complicated relationship with his brother paints him in great contrast to Viserys, who shuns his brother’s conqueror attitude. Daemon only ever wanted Viserys approval, despite his schemes to get under his skin. His love for his family is perhaps Daemon’s only redeeming quality because it’s clear that he is a villain through and through, which is why producers can’t understand why fans love him. Daemon is by far the favorite out of all House of the Dragon’s morally gray characters, but fans should be careful about misinterpreting his character. As indicated by the way he treats Rhaenyra in the season finale, doing so will only lead to heartbreak.
3 Otto Hightower
If it can be said that Viserys unintentionally started the Dance of Dragons by naming Rhaenyra heir, then Otto Hightower definitely took the ball and ran with it. He plotted to usurp Rhaenyra. However, to a degree, he was not wrong in his claims that Viserys’ choice would divide the Realm. Otto also foretold an impending war. And it might have been avoided if Alicent had let him go through with his plan to kill Rhaenyra. While they may seem to be out of greed much of the time, Otto’s plans were meant to save the Realm from a potential war. It may have seemed ludicrous, but it is why Viserys was chosen over Rhaenys, after all. Otto’s position in the show plays out as if the villain was playing the hero’s role. No one is innocent in The Red Keep, and sometimes, when it comes to ruling a country, the best of intentions create the most sinister of villains. How will Otto’s plans play out in the second season?
2 Rhaenyra Targaryen
As happy as she was to be named heir, Rhaenyra wasn’t the most responsible. She fought back against the expectations of her station, indulged in illicit dalliances, and lied and manipulated those closest to her, playing a part in their betrayal. It’s not hard to appreciate a free-spirited woman in a rigid society. As immature as she started, Rhaenyra gradually grew to accept the responsibilities of being the heir. It did not, however, stop her from exploring other means of happiness, leading to scandals surrounding her household. Rhaenyra got to explore a sense of freedom that her former best friend Alicent was deprived of, making her a lovable rebel. But doing so only caused trouble and strained relationships and only fed any resistance to her claim. She may prove to be a good leader to Westeros, but as proven by the rest of the characters on this list, no one is innocent. Even the saintliest of characters are flawed and contributed to the Dance.
1 Alicent Hightower
The most complex character in the series thus far is arguably Alicent Hightower. She was completely innocent in the series’ start, but she was forced into the game by her father. Fans can debate whether or not she wanted to be queen, but she never seemed to like the role. She only decided to own her position when envy and conspiracy took hold. Otto convinced her that Rhaenyra would eventually turn on her and put her kids to the sword, and this seemed in some ways confirmed by Rhaenyra’s dishonesty. But Alicent is not without fault either. Her increased resentment of her former friend was also due in part to envy, wanting to explore the freedoms that being Queen would not allow her. As despicable as Alicent may be at times, she does what she does for the safety of her children. Unfortunately, she let years of resentment and paranoia sink into her kids, creating monsters. Alicent is a complicated person who is both a legit competitor and a victim of royal plotting. Even as she conspires and hates from afar, one can’t help but wonder who she would be if she were not unwillingly pulled into the great game of power and lies.
