Ranking the Targaryens in Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon from worst to best
![Kit Harington as Jon Snow and Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen – Photo: Helen Sloan/HBO Kit Harington as Jon Snow and Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen – Photo: Helen Sloan/HBO](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/2db995eea2f039aca95294a96b47970d3528ba77942dbc7b055356b1df9a4989.jpg)
9. Viserys Targaryen
Probably the most arrogant character on this list is Viserys Targaryen, Daenerys’ brother who we meet briefly at the start of Game of Thrones. Motivated by greed, Viserys is adamant about taking the Iron Throne and putting the Targaryens back in power in Westeros. We certainly cannot blame him for that, but his ways of gaining power over others are extremely cruel. He has no regard for other people’s feelings, not even his sister’s. He’s particularly abusive to her, in fact, and treats her like she’s just a chess piece he can use in his pursuit of control.
On top of Viserys being a total villain, he’s also one-dimensional. He doesn’t ever try to see things from another point of view and believes he’s entitled to anything he wants. While I understand his wanting to put a Targaryen back on the Iron Throne, I don’t empathize with him at all because his actions are too extreme. Plus, he’s really not an interesting character at all. He’s quite pathetic, actually. Viserys possesses every bad Targaryen quality and none of the good, which is why he’s last on the list. Could anyone disagree?
8. Aegon II Targaryen
House of the Dragon‘s Aegon II Targaryen is not nearly as bad as Viserys, but there’s still not much to like about him. He plays a significant role in the Dance of the Dragons, though it’s really not even his choice. The first son of King Viserys I Targaryen and his wife Queen Alicent Hightower, there’s a lot of pressure on Aegon from the moment he’s born. He’s destined for greatness, according to his family, but he doesn’t live up to that potential. His father had a dream he would have a son, and when he finally does, he expects a lot out of him. But Aegon is just a boring, stale character who admittedly doesn’t want the Throne.
Sure, you could argue that Aegon doesn’t want the Throne because he feels like he’s not worthy amid all the pressure he’s been under his whole life, but he’s also just a lazy, annoying brat. Additionally, he sexually assaults one of the family servants, which is unforgivable. We have no evidence of him being intelligent, clever, or even competent. As a big fan of Rhaenyra’s, I see Aegon as an usurper, and once he becomes the king, he begins to show his ruthless ways.
All in all, Aegon is a spoiled kid who’s given entirely too much power.