Which character will reign supreme?
The House of the Dragon Season 2 finale aired Sunday night, and quite frankly it has been met with a fairly negative reception from fans. The actual contents of Episode 8 were fantastic, as the pacing and conversations felt on par with prime Game of Thrones at times. That said, the action we’ve been craving since the Battle at Rook’s Rest never came to fruition. Instead, for the second straight season finale, viewers were left with a cliffhanger.
Not cool.
Now, the setup for Season 3 is admittedly tremendous, with clashes such as the Battle of the Gullet and Battle at the Red Fork likely taking place. We even got a bit of foreshadowing from Helaena about the infamous Battle Above the Gods Eye. There’s a lot to look forward to in the next series, we’re unfortunately just going to have to wait two years to see it play out.
In the meantime, now that we have two full seasons to work with, it’s time to rank the 10 best House of the Dragon characters so far.
What do I mean by “best” characters?
This list has absolutely nothing to do with the moral complexity of these characters. I am simply ranking them off of how compelling they are as a viewer.
Without further ado, let’s get into it.
Top 10 House of the Dragon Characters
#10: Rhaenys Targaryen
The Queen Who Never Was only lasted until the end of Episode 4 in Season 2, but her impact was felt every time she graced the screen.
The first we saw of Rhaenys was a flashback to the moment she was robbed of her birthright when Viserys was named the successor to King Jaehaerys. A victim of her time and the assembly lords’ reluctance to let a woman sit on the Iron Throne, in hindsight Rhaenys likely would have been the most competent ruler of any character we’ve seen throughout House of the Dragon.
She was calculated, wise, an experienced dragonrider, ruthless to her foes but also fair. Many would have loved to see her cut off Team Green’s ascension at its roots at the end of Season 1 when she had the opportunity to eliminate Alicent, Aegon II, Aemond and Otto. However, she chose peace in that moment. That decision ultimately cost Rhaenys her life, but her valiant effort against Aemond and Vhagar at the Battle at Rook’s Rest will never be forgotten.
#9: Otto Hightower
Rhys Ifans puts on an absolute masterclass in every scene.
Unfortunately for viewers, his scene count was relatively slim in Season 2 following his dismissal as Hand of the King by Aegon II in favor of Criston Cole.
That said, Otto’s presence in Season 1 is among the most compelling, and he had to earn a place on this list. Often compared to Tywin Lannister, the similarities between the two characters are clear. Both men are incredibly cunning and focused on ensuring the legacy of their house. Above all else, they understand how the game is played, which can only be said for a few characters within the ASOIAF universe.
From the moment Aemma dies in Season 1, Otto’s plans are set in motion. He tactfully positions Alicent to become the next queen, priming her son — and his grandson — to claim the Iron Throne instead of Rhaenrya. Otto’s downfall actually has nothing to do with a mistake on his end, rather the incompetence of those in power around him.
#8: Larys Strong
The dollar store version of Littlefinger put together an impressive season.
When we first met Larys in Season 1, he was initially presented as an incredibly intelligent being who understood the ins and outs of the game. In reality, he’s not quite there compared to the likes of Baelish and Varys in Game of Thrones. However, he’s still an effective Master of Whisperers and Lord Confessor, specifically because of his deeply disturbed mind.
Larys keeps viewers on the edge of their seats because in every conversation there are a variety of potential motives at play. At the end of Season 2, his true allegiance — for now, at least — is unveiled as he hitches his wagon to Aegon II, sneaking him out of King’s Landing before his inevitable demise at the hands of either Aemond or Rhaenyra. Strong gets bonus points for his phenomenal conversation with Aegon II about being disabled in their world, which was one of the best scenes from the entire season.
#7: Aemond Targaryen
From victim to bully, Aemond’s arc from the end of Season 1 throughout Season 2 was somewhat predictable, but nevertheless captivating thanks to consistently fantastic performances by Ewan Mitchell.
Aemond lost an eye as a child in a fight with Jace and Luke, and it was all downhill from there. Every time the Prince Regent graced the screen, his presence was accompanied by an undeniable tension driven from pure rage in his heart. Characters who speak with him are uncertain of how far he’s willing to go to enforce his will, as demonstrated by the constant internal battle he faces to restrain himself when met with, well, any minor inconvenience. Combine that temperamental instability with control over the largest and most deadly dragon in Westeros, and quite literally everyone is in danger at all times.
That said, Aemond understands how to rule more than Aegon II, but his ego and incessant craving of violence clouds his judgement. As time goes on, he will likely only become more unhinged, which will make him even more enjoyable to watch.
#6: Criston Cole
Choosing who should be ranked higher between Aemond and Criston Cole was arguably the hardest decision on this list. Ultimately, I opted for the latter because I feel that he offers more depth. In reality, Criston is just a normal human being thrust into extremely difficult circumstances, and his character is written as such.
We see the highs and lows of Cole over the course of both seasons. His story begins as an unlikely knight who rose from humble beginnings, striving for honor will simultaneously falling in love with a young Rhaenrya. Following her rejection he flips a switch, becoming cruel and cold, taking his anger out on innocent bystanders. In Season 2, we take a much deeper dive into Cole’s mind.
Initially, we see the constant internal struggle between serving his duty and giving into his personal desires. However, as time passes Criston loses that battle to the latter, still operating within his position while giving into the fact that he’s a dishonorable man. That acceptance comes to a head in the Season 2 finale when he admits his shame for engaging a relationship with Alicent. He then delivers arguably the greatest quote from the show thus far:
“The dragons dance and men are like dust under their feet.”
#5: Alicent Hightower
Speaking of Alicent, it was only a matter of time before she appeared on this list.
Over the course of two seasons, she has transformed from a close confidant of Rhaenyra’s, to a pawn in her father’s plan, to quietly running the show for Aegon II, to ultimately removing herself from the game out of pure disgust.
Season 2 features a lot of moping around for the Queen Consort. While many fans have been vocal about her lack of action stemming from the showrunners not being sure what to do with her character, I vehemently disagree. Much like the other well-written characters in this show, Alicent fights an internal battle at every moment, but hers may be the strongest.
For the majority of her life, she was making decisions on behalf of her house without any inkling of actual direction or ambition from a personal standpoint. However, as time progresses the cruelty of her sons is constantly thrown in her face, along with the realization that her conversation with Viserys about Aegon’s succession was completely misunderstood. Eventually she accepts that she’s not cut out for this life, offering Rhaenyra a clear path to the throne in return for safe passage to a new, humble beginning with her daughter.
For the first time in her life, Alicent has a personal motive. It will be fascinating to see it play out in Season 3.
#4: Viserys Targaryen
Despite only appearing briefly in Season 2 as one of Daemon’s hallucinations, Viserys still earns a spot in the top four thanks to a legendary performance by Paddy Considine.
It’s hard to rank him any lower — although I did consider Alicent in this spot — when literally everything that happens in this show is a consequence of his actions.
Viserys tried his best to serve the realm dutifully, but he was never cut out to be King. As mentioned above, Rhaenys was clearly the better choice between the two of them. However, it was Baelon’s son who ultimately sat the Iron Throne, and his foolishness undid the realm. Viserys was too blinded by his grief following Aemma’s death to notice that his close friend and Hand of the King was positioning his descendants to claim to the throne.
To defend Viserys, he was stedfast in his support of Rhaenyra as successor up until his death and a great father. Unfortunately, he will ultimately be remembered for Alicent failing to understand his final words.
#3: Aegon II Targaryen
We’ve got quite the upset at No. 3 in these rankings!
When Tom Glynne-Carney’s iteration of Aegon II was introduced at the end of Season 1, many fans expected him to be a one-dimensional petulant child, or potentially a dollar store version of Joffrey.
No one could’ve seen his transformation into the single most interesting character in Season 2 coming. That’s right, he is without a doubt the most compelling person in the latest installment of the franchise.
Aegon II remains the ignorant, spoiled brat that he was presented as initially, but Glynne-Carney demonstrates stunning depth that actually makes you feel bad for him. Aegon is outmatched by his younger brother in virtually every way when it comes to ruling. He doesn’t speak High Valyrian, he doesn’t understand how the economy operates, or really how anything works for that matter. However, instead of remaining in blissful ignorance, Aegon actually seems self-aware of his incompetence, trying multiple times to redeem himself as King.
We also got to see legitimate fury and anguish from Aegon following the death of his only son, which was honestly an unexpected reaction considering his immaturity. Following the betrayal by Aemond that leaves him burned and disabled, the lack of his presence is firmly felt in the subsequent episodes. However, when he does regain consciousness and the ability to hold a conversation in the season finale, we see a new, vulnerable side to him. It will be fascinating to witness this evolution play out in Season 3 following his escape from King’s Landing.
#2: Rhaenyra Targaryen
The protagonist of Season 1 took a step back from the spotlight in the last eight episodes, but Rhaenyra still firmly commands the No. 2 spot on this list.
After the combined masterclass by Milly Alcock and Emma D’Arcy in the initial series, she was relegated to the confines of Dragonstone for much of Season 2, as her small council was terrified of the prospects of her death. It’s also worth noting that we’re still lacking the fire in D’Arcy’s interpretation that we saw consistently in the younger version of her character. It’s understandable that Rhaenyra would become more level-headed as time passes, and her demeanor makes her well-suited for the Iron Throne, but there’s still something missing.
That said, there’s potential for that fire to be re-ignited following the last few episodes in Season 2, as she embraces the notion that she must crush her enemies to claim the throne. I think it’s safe to say we’ll see a more ruthless version of Rhaenyra when HotD returns in a few years.
#1: Daemon Targaryen
Despite being trapped in Harrenhal for virtually the entire season left to deal with his personal demons, Daemon is still without a doubt the most intriguing character in House of the Dragon thus far.
It’s easy to see why the Rogue Prince is one of George R.R. Martin’s favorite creations. Daemon is extremely volatile in his actions and mindset, constantly waffling back and forth between supporting his niece/wife’s claim and chasing after his own glory and desires. For the majority of both seasons he’s impossible to tie down, which makes his final decision to bend the knee to Rhaenyra following his vision of the future all the more effective.
In the first season, we got to see Daemon operating to the fullest extent of his physical character, doling out punishment in the battlefield with Dark Sister and on the back of Caraxes. This time around, we dove into the depths of his mind. Now with a firm sense of purpose for the first time in his life, the best is yet to come in the next installment of this franchise.
Those are my top 10 characters throughout the first two seasons of House of the Dragon! Agree or disagree with my list? Drop your thoughts in the comments and let’s have a discussion.
