Sign in to your ScreenRant account
Custom image by Ana Nieves
The Game of Thrones franchise introduces audiences to several iconic members of House Targaryen, but there are still some phenomenal characters yet to be shown on television. The original HBO show is based on George R.R. Martin's prolific A Song of Ice & Fire novels, while House of the Dragon draws primarily from the companion book Fire & Blood. From those texts, Martin's novellas, and other works written for his fantasy universe, the history of House Targaryen has been laid out, spanning from Old Valyria to the events of Game of Thrones.
In the two current shows, the standout Targaryen characters like Daenerys, Rhaenyra, and Daemon all represent a specific brand of Targaryen ferocity. They're a powerful family who united an entire continent on dragonback during Aegon's Conquest, setting high expectations for what makes a great Targaryen. The best ones who haven't appeared in the shows are distinguished for their compelling stories, immense power, or their badass personas.
10 Baelor Breakspear
Baelor Breakspear Sacrificed Himself To Defend Ser Duncan The Tall
Prince Baelor Targaryen, not to be confused with King Baelor the Blessed, was the eldest son and heir of Daeron II Targaryen. He's being played by actor Bertie Carvel in the upcoming A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and is a prominent supporting protagonist in The Hedge Knight novella. Baelor Breakspear represents the best of Targaryen nobility, and his sacrificial actions are crucial to the lineage of his house.
At the tourney at Ashford Meadow, the main subject of The Hedge Knight novella, Prince Baelor, offered to defend the lowborn Ser Duncan the Tall purely out of principle. Duncan found Prince Aerion Targaryen assaulting a puppeteer girl named Tanselle, and he came to her defense, knowing it might mean death. Rather than mindlessly supporting his nephew, Prince Aerion, Baelor Breakspear agreed to fight for Duncan in a trial of seven, winning Duncan's freedom at the cost of his own life.
9 Rhaena Targaryen (Daughter Of Aenys I)
Rhaena Was One Of The Most Complex Targaryen Queens
Fan art by @paparinka Maegor forced Prince Aegon's wife, Princess Rhaena Targaryen, to be one of his three Black Brides.
The reign of Maegor the Cruel was one of the most violent periods in Westerosi history, and it wasn't ideal for the Targaryens either. At the Battle Beneath the Gods Eye, Maegor killed his nephew, Prince Aegon (son of Aenys I Targaryen), to win his right to rule the Seven Kingdoms. Afterward, Maegor forced Prince Aegon's wife, Princess Rhaena Targaryen, to be one of his three Black Brides.
Rhaena, more than nearly any other Targaryen, was a victim of the horrors of Westerosi society. Not only was she forced into marriage, but she spent the decades of her life constantly subjected to betrayals and horrible tragedies. In turn, Rhaena became increasingly vindictive throughout her life and committed some cruel acts of her own. What makes her so brilliant is her complexity, as she's not entirely villainous but isn't a heroine like how Daenerys is portrayed in Game of Thrones.
8 Daenys The Dreamer
Daenys Foresaw The Doom Of Valyria
Prophecy is fairly commonplace in House of the Dragon, with Helaena Targaryen shown to have visions of the future and Aegon envisioning the Long Night. While this gift is known throughout the Targaryen dynasty, none had as pivotal a vision as Daenys the Dreamer, who foresaw the Doom of Valyria and advised her father to abandon the Valyrian Freehold. This was what led House Targaryen to Dragonstone over 100 years before Aegon's Conquest.
Related
8 Game Of Thrones Stories That Would Be Perfect For Its Upcoming Movie
With a Game of Thrones movie in development, here are some stories from George R.R. Martin's world that would perfectly fit the big screen.
The Targaryen dragonlords who existed in the Valyrian Freehold aren't as detailed in Martin's books as those that proceeded Aegon the Conqueror. So, while not much is known about her, she's still one of the most important Targaryen ancestors, with her line tracing all the way down to Daenerys in Game of Thrones. Given the original show's tendency to omit elements of prophecy and mysticism, Daenys would be an interesting character for a TV series to explore further.
7 Aegon V Targaryen
Egg Is One Of The Most Beloved GOT Universe Characters
Aegon V Targaryen will be the subject of the upcoming A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms spinoff series, at least in his early years. Aegon V, also known as "Egg," is one of Martin's most beloved characters and is one of the primary protagonists in the more light-hearted Dunk & Egg novellas. Known as "Aegon the Unlikely," Egg's ascendance to Lord of the Seven Kingdoms is a bit of a miracle, given that he was the fourth son of King Maekar I.
Egg may not be in Game of Thrones, but he's mentioned in a pivotal moment in the original series: when Maester Aemon passes away. Egg's older brother was Maester Aemon of the Night's Watch, who chose not to rule, given his choice to become a Maester, and recommended that Egg ascend the throne in his place. But what's most beloved about Aegon V wasn't his time as king; it's the stories of his youth, traveling with Ser Duncan the Tall.
6 Daemon Blackfyre
Daemon Blackfyre Rebelled Against The Crown
While not a full Targaryen, Daemon Blackfyre is the bastard son of Aegon IV, and he's crucial enough to the story to merit a mention. Not to be confused with the Rogue Prince from House of the Dragon, this Daemon lived several decades later and was known for being legitimized and then branching out to form his own noble house, House Blackfyre. Subsequently, several famous events known as the Blackfyre Rebellions ensued.
Aside from just having an extraordinarily cool name (even for a Targaryen), Daemon Blackfyre's story is one of the most sought-after for a Game of Thrones spinoff show by book readers. In almost all ways except for the name, he's the quintessential Targaryen male, with esteemed beauty and immense talent as a warrior, even wielding the Valyrian Steel blade of Aegon the Conqueror. His story is one of action, tragedy, and rebellion.
5 Daeron II Targaryen
Daeron The Good Was One Of The Greatest Targaryen Kings
Fan art by Amok Daemon Blackfyre's opposition was Daeron II, also known as Daeron the Good, who fought to defend his rule in the First Blackfyre Rebellion. While not as emblematic of Targaryen masculinity as his bastard half-brother, which caused his terrible father, Aegon IV, to favor Daemon, Daeron II is regarded as one of the greatest Targaryen monarchs for his nobility, kindness, and grace. He's not the idealistic embodiment of strength, but in many ways, he's the quality of king Westeros needs.
Daeron II wasn't known for being a warrior like Daemon Blackfyre, but he defeated his brother and won the civil war. Not to mention, he was responsible for the grandest expansion of Westeros since Aegon the Conqueror, due to his diplomatic abilities finally bringing Dorne into the Seven Kingdoms. Daeron II was a great man and a great king.
4 Aerea Targaryen
Princess Aerea Stole Balerion The Black Dread
Aerea Targaryen may not be the most prominent member of the Targaryen dynasty, but she has one of the most alluring and mysterious stories. She's the daughter of the previously mentioned Rhaena Targaryen, and was one of the dragonriders of Balerion the Black Dread, following Aegon the Conqueror and Maegor the Cruel. Unlike those Targaryen monarchs, who used Balerion to establish the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, Aerea was suspected of stealing the dragon, and she disappeared with it for over a year.
King Jaehaerys I founded the Dragonkeepers following Aerea's theft of Balerion.
Aerea and Balerion were missing from late 54 AC to early 56 AC, suspected of flying away to Essos. However, when the enormous dragon returned to King's Landing with its rider, Aerea was found to be terribly ill and nearly unrecognizable. The Grand Maester who treated her described finding moving creatures inside her body, and it was suspected that Balerion had flown her back to the ruins of Old Valyria, where she was infected by terrible creatures.
3 Visenya Targaryen
Vhagar's First Rider Helped Conquer Westeros
Artwork by Bella Bergolts. It's impossible to tell the story of Aegon the Conqueror without mentioning his sisters. Visenya Targaryen was the first rider of Vhagar, the monstrous dragon that audiences should know well from House of the Dragon, whom she rode to help her brother conquer the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. Aegon married both his sisters, though it's commonly believed that he married Rhaenys for love and Visenya out of responsibility, creating an inherently interesting dynamic for her character.
Related
House Of The Dragon Is Trying To Fix One Of Game Of Thrones' Biggest Mistakes, But It Totally Misunderstands GRRM's Books
House of the Dragon is making up for something that Game of Thrones lacked, but it's missing the point of why it's in GRRM's books in the first place.
Aside from riding one of the most massive dragons in Game of Thrones history, part of what makes Visenya so captivating is that she outlived both of her siblings, continuing to affect matters of the realm regarding her husband's succession. Importantly, Aenys I Targaryen was Aegon's first son but was born to Rhaenys. Maegor the Cruel, on the other hand, was born to Visenya. So, after both of her siblings were dead, Visenya helped instate her son on the Iron Throne in Aenys's place.
2 Aemon The Dragonknight
One Of The Greatest Kingsguard Knights Ever
Fan art by Chillyravenart Aemon the Dragonknight is one of the first Targaryen characters mentioned in A Song of Ice & Fire, regarded as a hero by Bran Stark, who idolizes the noble knights of Westeros. Aside from just having one of the coolest names in Martin's universe, Aemon the Dragonknight is considered one of the finest examples of a knight in the history of the Seven Kingdoms, serving on the Kingsguard for five Targaryen monarchs and eventually dying in duty.
In a fictional universe where knights of the Kingsguard like Criston Cole and Jaime Lannister bring dishonor to the title, Aemon the Dragonknight is the opposite. The final king he served was his brother, Aegon IV, who had a deep distaste for him. Despite this, Aemon died defending him in an assassination attempt, after which the king still tried to disparage his fallen brother and protector's reputation. The effort backfired, as Aemon the Dragonknight is considered one of the great heroes of Westeros, while Aegon IV is known as "The Unworthy."
1 Aegon The Conqueror
Aegon Unified The Seven Kingdoms Of Westeros
No one can really compete with Aegon the Conqueror. He's one of the most alluring subjects in Game of Thrones history, which is why HBO is developing an Aegon's Conquest spinoff show to examine his narrative in more detail. He rode Balerion the Black Dread, the largest dragon known to Westeros, along with his two sister wives, a set of Valyrian Steel armor and sword, and conquered the Seven Kingdoms over the span of two years.
He unified a continent that had spent thousands of years divided and at war, and with the addition of the Aegon's Dream twist from House of the Dragon, it's apparent that he did so out of a prophetic vision of the Long Night. In terms of epic high-fantasy archetypes, Aegon the Conqueror is about as cool as a warrior king can get, and it'll be exciting to see his story play out in an upcoming Game of Thrones prequel show.
Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones is a multimedia franchise created by George R.R. Martin. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire is the basis for the award-winning HBO series Game of Thrones, which lasted for eight seasons. After the incredibly divisive final season of Game of Thrones, the series was followed up by the prequel series House of the Dragon, which also received critical acclaim.
English (US) ·