Ranking the Targaryens in Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon from worst to best

7. Rhaenys Targaryen

Known as the Queen Who Never Was, we meet Rhaenys Targaryen in House of the Dragon as the cousin to Viserys. When Rhaenys’ uncle Baelon died, King Jaehaerys I Targaryen was tasked again with choosing his heir to the Iron Throne. While Rhaenys certainly had a convincing claim, she was ultimately passed over, most likely because she is a woman. This bitterness stayed with her for years to come, and that experience made her both stronger and harder.

Rhaenys has a long list of good qualities. She’s a great mom and wife, and her dialogue in House of the Dragon is some of the best. She’s very intelligent and skilled at playing the game, but at the end of the day, she’s just not as interesting to me as some of the other Targaryens. Plus, I still don’t understand her decision to fly into Aegon II’s coronation riding Meleys. That was… questionable to say the least.

I have nothing particularly against Rhaenys, but there are just more compelling characters in the Targaryen family to keep her from the higher spots on this list.

6. Viserys I Targaryen

When Rhaenys was passed over as the heir to the Iron Throne, her cousin Viserys I Targaryen was chosen. But unlike Rhaenys, Viserys doesn’t necessarily have the qualities fit for a king. As explored more in House of the Dragon, Viserys doesn’t crave power and he’s not great at playing the game. He’s smart, sure, but he’s not calculating. He avoids conflict and would rather sweep things under the rug than start a problem. Viserys is incredibly relatable in that regard, but this is his downfall as a ruler. He’s very kind but as a king, he’s weak.

Though Viserys’ reign is very peaceful, that peace ends when he dies and his family members officially turn on each other. His intentions are good, but his actions set up the Dance of the Dragons, which cannot be ignored.

All of that said, I do have a soft spot for Viserys. He’s very complex and I’m very empathetic towards him. I can totally understand his actions and I truly feel bad for him at the end. He has some of the best scenes in House of the Dragon, and it’s not surprising George R.R. Martin believes actor Paddy Considine improved on the character he wrote.