One of the most notable families in the Game of Thrones universe, House Targaryen has a rich history spanning thousands of years. We first learn about the Targaryens when their line is nearly ended, with just two known living Targaryens left in the world. A Song of Ice and Fire and the HBO adaptation focus on Daenerys Targaryen’s quest to take back her birthright and sit on the Iron Throne as her father once did, and her many ancestors before that. At the time of the series, the Targaryens are not a powerful family, but they once very much were.
In a wise choice from HBO, the first Game of Thrones spinoff series, House of the Dragon, is based on Fire & Blood, George R.R. Martin’s Targaryen history book. Thanks to that book and the new show, we’ve learned so much about the Targaryen family when they were actually in power. And yes, Westeros was just as chaotic hundreds of years before the start of Game of Thrones.
Targaryens are best known for qualities like their silver-white hair and ability to ride dragons, as well as major events in history like Aegon’s Conquest and the Dance of the Dragons. I’ll just get this out there and let our readers know that House Targaryen is my personal favorite, so yes, I’m very biased towards the family. They’re just badass!
But that being said, it doesn’t mean I love every Targaryen I’ve read on the page or seen on the screen. Continue reading on as I break down the nine most prominent Targaryens and rank them from worst to best.
Note: We’re only focusing on the Targaryen family members who have had the most screen time in Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon.