Top 13 couples on House of the Dragon, from most screwed up to least

2. Viserys Targaryen and Aemma Arryn

The first episode of the show introduces us to Viserys Targaryen and Aemma Arryn, the king and queen of Westeros. She dies in the same episode, and her memory hangs over the rest of the season, driving the king’s every action.

Aemma was clearly the love of Viserys’ life, and what little we see of their relationship looks very positive. They’re intimate with each other, respectful of each other, and they both love their daughter Rhaenrya. They look like a happy family.

But the pressures of royal life took their toll. As happy as the family was together, tradition demanded that Viserys produce a son to succeed him on the Iron Throne. He pushed Aemma to keep having children despite several miscarriages, right up until she died horribly in childbirth. As she lay on the birthing bed, Viserys gave the order for the maester to give her a caesarian section in hope of saving the life of the son inside her, even though he knew it would kill the mother.

This choice torments Viserys for the rest of his life, but he still made it. These two may have had a good life together, but their relationship ended in a tragedy of the king’s own making.

1. Corlys Velaryon and Rhaenys Targaryen

Corlys Velaryon and Rhaenys Targaryen have their issues. He’s a bit too focused on legacy, to the point where he can treat his children more as pieces on a chess board than human beings. She is the Queen Who Never Was, and seems a bit defeated about losing out on her chance to sit the Iron Throne. Like any couple, they have problems.

But at the end of the day, these two are here for each other. He supports her ambitions and she respects his, although they’re both able to talk frankly to the other when one of them goes a bit too far. What’s more, they listen to each other. In Episode 10, when Corlys is finally ready to throw in the towel and give up on sitting his own blood on the throne (something he’s wanted for the entire series), Rhaenys talks him back into it, having been inspired by Rhaenyra’s queenly demeanor. Whatever journey they take, they take it together.

Corlys and Rhaenys have a strong bond. We’ll see more of it when House of the Dragon returns for season 2 in 2024.

Agree with our list? Disagree down to your bones? Let us know!

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