It would be incorrect to sum up House of the Dragon, HBO’s upcoming Game of Thrones prequel series, as a story about a sister and a brother fighting over a birthright. What it really is, at its core, is a story about women. It’s about two women who could have been family and were instead pit against each other, and who bled the Seven Kingdoms dry. It’s the story of the brave women who fought, informed, negotiated, died, survived. It is a story of women who won and women who lost.
House of the Dragon is based on A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. Martin’s book Fire & Blood, all about the history of the Targaryen dynasty. It zeroes in on the Dance of the Dragons, a brutal civil war that tore Westeros apart some 200 years before the story we know, after there’s disagreement over whether the Iron Throne should go to Rhaenyra Targaryen, the eldest child of King Viserys Targaryen; or his son Aegon Targaryen, born of his second wife Alicent Hightower.
Fire & Blood, which is presented as the work of a maester writing about events years afterward, winks at the prominence of the female characters when we learn that one Archmaester Abelon wrote a mammoth volume titled “When Women Ruled: Ladies of the Aftermath” which chronicles the deeds of all the women who ran Westeros after the Dance.
Without further ado, let’s celebrate the women of House of the Dragon!
Rhaenyra Targaryen (played by Emma D’Arcy and Milly Alcock)
This list could only begin with Rhaenyra Targaryen. The closest thing the story has to a protagonist, Rhaenyra is groomed to be queen from a young age. The only surviving child of King Viserys I and Queen Aemma Arryn (who was also a Targaryen on her mother’s side), the princess is beloved by Westeros. She’s bright, beautiful and shows infinite promise, so the highborn and commoners alike call her “the Realm’s Delight.”
At 7 years old, Rhaenyra becomes a dragonrider and names her yellow-scaled dragon Syrax, after a Valyrian goddess. Her father the king dotes on Rhaenyra immensely and is rarely seen without her, even taking her to the council chamber with him so she can observe the ruling of the realm.
As a teenager, the princess proves to be strong-willed and rebellious, inspiring several scandalous rumors at court. When she officially takes possession of Dragonstone at 16, she shows political prowess by choosing savvy allies, although she is known to be unforgiving with her enemies. She marries Laenor Velaryon, a man she wouldn’t have chosen for herself, but it helps tie her to the powerful Velaryon family, who are indispensable to her once the civil war breaks out. The only person she may rely on more is her uncle Prince Daemon Targaryen.
Rhaenyra can be very proud and easily driven by wroth, especially when in mourning. She answers every offense, insult and loss with a counterattack. She is determined and brave and will stop at nothing to fight for her rights. Every inch a queen.
Rhaenys Targaryen (played by Eve Best)
Princess Rhaenys Targaryen is known to Westeros as “The Queen Who Never Was.” She is the daughter of Prince Aemon Targaryen and his cousin Lady Jocelyn Baratheon. Despite the law of primogeniture, Rhaenys’ claim to the throne was deemed weaker than her cousin Viserys’ because she is a woman; this sets a precedent often invoked by the Greens when supporting Aegon II over Rhaenyra during the Dance of the Dragons.
Since childhood, Rhaenys showed all the abilities needed to rule; Good Queen Alysanne dies hoping that Rhaenys will one day become queen, while her husband King Jaehaerys dotes on his niece and even takes her on a royal progress with him. But ultimately he is not strong enough to name her his successor, leaving the choice to a council of lords which assembles at Harrenhal in 101 AC.
Rhaenys is fearless, clever and headstrong, and the richest woman in the Seven Kingdoms after the queen and crown princess. She is a great beauty and a fierce warrior, especially when riding her dragon Meleys the Red Queen. At 16, she marries Lord Corlys Velaryon, also known as the Sea Snake…and shows up to her wedding on dragonback. The two marry for love; Corlys claims only Rhaenys could have taken him away from his beloved sea.
Rhaenys is the mistress of Driftmark; throughout her life, she is the most powerful and rich woman in Westeros after only Rhaenyra Targaryen. Despite her claim to the throne being overlooked in favor of Viserys, Rhaenys is loyal to her family and to Rhaenyra, supporting her during the Targaryen civil war. On House of the Dragon, we’ll meet both her and Corlys when they’re in their middle years.
Alicent Hightower (played by Olivia Cooke and Emily Carey)
Lady Alicent Hightower is the daughter of Ser Otto Hightower. Given her father’s most prominent position as Hand of the King, she lives at court in King’s Landing, where she catches the eye of King Viserys. In 106 AC, the two marry and she becomes Queen.
Comely, cunning and ambitious, Queen Alicent is never particularly beloved by people at court or the smallfolk, but she is clever and always plays her cards well. Her family’s wealth and position give her an enormous advantage, and she always surrounds herself with the right supporters.
Her initially petty rivalry with Princess Rhaenyra starts out of her own jealousy; she wants to be first in the eye of the king. Still, the two get along well until the succession crisis. Alicent backs her son by the king, Aegon, leading to a civil war that will eventually lead to the death of the dragons in Westeros.
Queen Alicent often wears green garments as a reminder of her Hightower heritage. One particular green dress is what gives her faction the name of “the greens.” Alicent is exceptionally determined and proud; she is not above playing dirty to achieve her goals.
Lady Laena Velaryon (played by Savannah Steyn)
Lady Laena Velaryon is a member of a powerful seafaring family. Daughter of Princess Rhaenys and Lord Corlys Velaryon, she is raised at Driftmark with her brother Laenor. Her heritage runs true: from her mother she inherits the ethereal beauty of the Targaryens as well as the ability to ride dragons. From her father, she gets strength of will. Laena is determined, free-spirited and fiery, as can be seen by her choice of mount; Laena claims the oldest and largest dragon alive, Vhagar, as her own, who had once belonged to Queen Visenya herself. Her maester wrote that as a teenager Laena showed far more interest in flying than boys.
Laena’s weaker claim to the Iron Throne is discarded by the Council at Harrenhal in 101 AC. Still, many lords of Westeros consider her a worthy bride for King Viserys, but that option too is discarded. Ultimately, Laena chooses to marry Prince Daemon Targaryen… after he kills her betrothed, the son of the Sealord of Braavos. Laena proves wise in her choice, for she is the perfect match for her rebellious husband. The two of them fly their dragons across the Narrow Sea to Essos and return to Driftmark after the birth of their twin daughters; there they become even closer to Princess Rhaenyra. According to some sources, Laena and her cousin the princess are lovers; according to others, the three of them are in a loving polyamorous relationship.
Whatever its exact nature, their genuine friendship cannot be denied. We’ll see which version of their relationship House of the Dragon chooses to represent.
Baela and Rhaena Targaryen (rumored to be played by Bethany Antonia, Shani Smethurst and Eva Ossei-Gerning)
Twins Baela and Rhaena are the daughters of Prince Daemon Targaryen and Lady Laena Velaryon. The two are identical and inseparable as children.
As a teen, Baela — the more adventurous of the two — cuts her hair so it won’t fall in her face when she rides her dragon Moondancer. A bit of a mischievous tomboy and every inch her father’s daughter, Baela can often be found training, playing with squires or getting herself in trouble. She grows up at Driftmark, her grandfather’s seat. During the Dance, she splits her time between there, Dragonstone and King’s Landing. She loves her family dearly and is loyal to her stepmother Rhaenyra, her sister and her cousins, particularly Rhaenyra’s son Prince Jacaerys, to whom she is betrothed.
Rhaena is the more ladylike of the two. She prefers dancing to dragon-riding, although she adores her dragon. Her first hatchling dies and Rhaena prays for another one for years. She sleeps with her dragon egg every night until Morning is born.
Rhaena resembles her mother, although she is more placid. Like her sister, she dotes on her brothers and cousins, but she is sent away from them during the civil war for her protection, staying in the Vale. Despite their different nature, both girls love spending time at court and are considered the darlings of the realm.
Mysaria (played by Sonoya Mizuno)
Mysaria is a dancer from Lys who gains the favor of Prince Daemon Targaryen while working in King’s Landing. After the two become lovers, Daemon presents their unborn child with a dragon egg, like a Targaryen would to their legitimate children. This angers King Viserys, who orders Mysaria to be sent back to Essos; on the journey there, she loses the child.
When the civil war begins, Mysaria comes into her own. She sets up a network of spies and informants and becomes Rhaenyra’s mistress of whisperers in all but name. She also keeps up her relationship with Daemon, even though by this point he is married to Rhaenyra. But there is no jealousy between them, only trust. Mysaria is called Lady Misery and the White Worm, due to her pale skin and hair.
Helaena Targaryen (rumored to be played by Phia Saban and Evie Allen)
Princess Helaena Targaryen is the daughter of King Viserys and Queen Alicent. She has a happy childhood in King’s Landing and is sweet, empathic, and good-natured. Her half-sister Rhaenyra thinks of her fondly.
Helaena may not have the full Targaryen look, but she rides her dragon Dreamfyre by 12 and marries her brother Prince Aegon the Elder by 13. She gives him three children whom she loves immensely. This means she joins Aegon and his greens when the war breaks out, although that’s mostly because she finds herself on that side. She isn’t very combative by nature.
After the death of her father, Helaena is crowned Queen of Westeros by her mother, the Queen Dowager. The civil war gravely impacts Helaena’s mental health and she sinks into depression.
There are a lot more women who were important in the Dance of the Dragons. And there are many amazing women who work behind the scenes of House of the Dragon, including directors Clare Kilner and Geeta V. Patel, writers Charmaine De Grate, Sara Hess, Eileen Shim, producers Hannah Godwin, Alexis Raben, Megan Ott, Karen Wacker, and more. We salute them all!
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