All 15 Targaryens from Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, ranked worst to best
10. Rhaenys Targaryen
Sitting at number 10 we’ve got Rhaenys Targaryen, known as “The Queen Who Never Was.” This dramatic title does have a certain ring to it, like something right out of a Shakespearean tragedy. But don’t let her nickname fool you into thinking she’s just a footnote in Targaryen history. She might not have gotten the crown, but Rhaenys still burns her mark onto the stage.
On the show, the most dramatic thing Rhaenys has done so far is emerge from the ground on her dragon Meleys during King Aegon’s coronation in King’s Landing. This never happens in the book. Still, this scene does showcase what a badass she is and where her loyalties lie. She refuses to start a war that isn’t her’s to start. She understands that her chance had passed and that the crown should pass to her cousin Rhaenyra. Rhaenys shows an incredible amount of self-control here. She could easily started and ended the war right there, but chose to let everyone off with a warning.
If the Targaryens were a rock band, Rhaenys would be the influential bassist who doesn’t get many solos but who holds the groove together. Also, she has some battle scenes coming that will mark her as a true Targaryen warrior.
9. Viserys I Targaryen
When it comes to King Viserys I Targaryen, there are a lot of peaks and valleys. He sat on the Iron Throne during a time of peace in Westeros. But he did a lot of flip-flopping on the issue of succession, which opened the door for the Dance of the Dragons civil war. His indecisiveness set fire to the Seven Kingdoms.
But we’re not here just to roast Viserys. The man had his moments. He enjoyed a lengthy reign largely free of widespread conflict, which deserves some kudos. And he was a decent-hearted person who loved his family. So Viserys, while your indecisiveness did cause a lot of problems that wouldn’t have existed had you just put your foot down about Rhaenyra being your heir after your death, you weren’t all that bad.
8. Rhaenyra Targaryen
Rhaenyra is perfect was born during the height of the Targaryen dynasty, when dragons weren’t just stories but real being who flew through the skies. Rhaenyra was smack in the middle of it all, navigating a difficult, sexist political landscape like a seasoned sailor in a storm. It’s during the infamous Dance of the Dragons, a civil war that pitted Targaryen against Targaryen, that she truly came into her own, showing not just bravery but a fierce determination that resonated down through history. Never piss off a mom who happens to have dragons.
Rhaenyra does eventually rule, albeit very briefly, as we’ll see later on House of the Dragon. Through her many trials and tribulations, she never backs down. She holds onto her convictions with an iron grip, facing obstacles head-on with a grit that’s nothing short of inspirational. She has the heart of a true dragon.