Madness and greatness are just two sides of the same coin for House Targaryen.
Game of Thrones introduced so many compelling characters over the course of its eight-season run, and while they represented various houses and families, there were a select few who stood out above the rest. Although the Starks and Lannisters filled the immediate conflicts and disputes that consumed Westeros, the remaining Targaryens – Daenerys and Viserys – were picking up the pieces of a dead dynasty and trying to rebuild across the Narrow Sea.
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While barely any Targaryens besides Daenerys and Jon Snow were explored in Game of Thrones, 2022 saw the release of a prequel series called House of the Dragon, focusing on the history of House Targaryen less than 200 years before the events of the Game of Thrones. This deep-dive into Targaryen lore has introduced numerous new Targaryens, highlighting several traits and characteristics that stayed consistent between shows.
10/10Hopes & Dreams Drive Targaryens Forward With Serious Force
The Game of Thrones universe is a brutal and dangerous place, where dreams are generally snuffed out before they can even seem attainable. Any semblance of hope through both Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon is normally seen in a negative light as naivety.
Daenerys’ hopes of abolishing slavery and instantly being loved for it never quite worked out as she hoped, with her instead having to resort to Unsullied and Dothraki to fill out her army. However, that hope is still a generally respectable trait to have. In House of the Dragon, King Viserys clung to his hopes that his family could reconcile and settle their differences, even if that hope did eventually prove futile.
9/10Daenerys & Rhaenyra Are Examples Of Headstrong Targaryens
Daenerys Targaryen went through a serious transformation throughout Game of Thrones. The young Targaryen went from the scared girl being sold off to a khalasar at the behest of her older brother, to a dominant khaleesi with three dragons, and returning to Westeros with a serious wrath. Her rise to power was unprecedented, but Dany quickly built up some serious strength.
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Daenerys is remembered for being incredibly headstrong, quickly figuring out what she wanted and going for it, often rejecting counsel from others in the process. Young Rhaenyra showed many similarities to Daenerys in the first half of House of the Dragon‘s first season, as she was also immensely stubborn and headstrong.
8/10Targaryens Are Naturally Passionate
House Targaryens’ strong personalities would not come across as well if most of them weren’t passionate. Daenerys and Rhaenyra learned how to play the game and navigate people’s hearts and minds, but they still had moments when their emotions would come out in fits of passion, rage, or desperation. Expressing strong feelings and desires can be a dangerous thing for those in proximity to dragons.
Some of the saddest moments in House of the Dragon‘s first season came from King Viserys’ deteriorating condition. As he neared his end, he expressed his final desires to see his whole family reconcile and become one unit once again. Passionate rants and exclamations have made for some memorable scenes across both shows, and Targaryens have certainly played their part.
7/10Targaryens Represent The Dragon With Their Aggression
That passion has been seen accentuating various Targaryens’ aggression. While the likes of Rhaenys and Viserys don’t go for all-out aggression – as it is not their style – Daemon and Rhaenyra use theirs as a vital weapon, as they ready themselves for the Dance of the Dragons civil war in House of the Dragon’s second season.
Game of Thrones‘ Daenerys also tapped into this aggression on multiple occasions. While passion fueled most of her outbursts, her descent into madness in the final season was a release of her various frustrations and aggressive manifestations. Her aggression was necessary in gaining victory over Cersei’s forces at the Battle of the Goldroad, but her sacking of King’s Landing and countless innocents, was too far.
6/10Targaryens Endure Tragedies With Their Strength & Resilience
Resilience is a necessary trait for any character in Game of Thrones or House of the Dragon, especially if they want to ensure their survival. The ability to endure hardships completely or defy the odds in surviving longer than expected is a sure-fire way to build character in Westeros and beyond. Resilience helped Daenerys on her remarkable journey, as she had to endure loss and devastation before achieving her true potential.
A different form of resilience was even shown by King Viserys in House of the Dragon, as he defied expectations by living through his troublesome illness for much longer than expected. Rhaenys had to bounce back from disappointment and loss, while Rhaenyra has already had to live through various heartbreaking setbacks, with more likely to follow in the coming seasons.
5/10Targaryens Are Brave, Daring, & Ambitious
People will generally do whatever it takes to achieve their dreams if they’re ambitious enough, and the Targaryens are prime examples of that. Bravery, daringness, and ambition are shown by characters across both Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, from Daenerys and Rhaenyra’s strong wills and independence to Daemon and Aemond’s combative prowess.
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Ambition generally drives everyone to some degree in the Game of Thrones universe, none moreso than Targaryens. Daenerys Targaryen was driven by a desire to restore her family’s name and standing, while Daemon and Rhaenyra have their own reasons to strike back against the Hightower branch of the family.
4/10Targaryens Have Pride In Their Family’s Storied Legacy
Legacy is incredibly important to Targaryens across both shows, both in continuing and restoring it. Since the age of Aegon the Conqueror, Targaryens have been seen as being close to gods, and their relationships with dragons certainly help that image.
Targaryens generally show pride in who they are and an obsession with their family’s legacy. This is shown through the likes of King Viserys educating Rhaenyra on Aegon’s dragon dreams, as well as Daenerys actively using that legacy as her driving force throughout Game of Thrones.
3/10Targaryens Show Their Intelligence & Cunning In Different Ways
Targaryens are generally known for their impulsive and impatient ways, as opposed to showing restraint or conventional intelligence. As with most royals in Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, Daenerys, Rhaenyra and Viserys have relied on the counsel of their advisors, but this doesn’t mean they are completely without intelligence and awareness of their own.
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Daemon Targaryen has been showing off his military expertise and knowhow in House of the Dragon, while Viserys and even Rhaenyra have trusted their guts in making bold decisions. Daenerys also showcased that situational awareness and intelligence from time to time, especially when her counsel could not offer her the advice she truly needed. Maester Aemon was the main example of a Targaryen who had become genuinely wise through years of experience and endurance.
2/10Targaryens Are Leaders Whether Through Duty Or Talent
The Targaryens are natural leaders, that much is shown through both House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones. Whether it is through arrogance or sheer charisma, the Targaryens are descendants of Aegon the Conqueror and embrace that fact.
Other than Daenerys’ brother Viserys in Game of Thrones and Rhaenys in House of the Dragon, the other Targaryens across both shows either fell into roles of leadership at some point or have shown signs of doing so in the future. From Daemon, Rhaenyra, Viserys, and even Aegon II – albeit initially reluctantly – to Daenerys, Targaryens generally step up as leaders to inspire others to help them get what they want.
1/10Targaryens Are Symbols Of Power
This then plays into the sheer overwhelming power that Targaryens wield. In House of the Dragon, dragons are a constant presence within the family, and a clear symbol of their dominance and threat. Having dragons and the power of the Iron Throne adds up to a family and house that feels untouchable.
The dragons were supposedly dead by Game of Thrones‘ beginning, but Daenerys continued that legacy by making a statement in hatching her three dragon eggs. In doing so, Daenerys quickly established herself as a powerful player in the titular Game of Thrones, and it signaled the true turning point in her journey to take back her family’s seat in King’s Landing.
