House of the Dragon: 10 characters ranked by how lethal their power really is

In the scorching realm of House of the Dragon, power isn’t measured by velvet cushions on the Iron Throne but by who can hold onto it when dragons shriek overhead, alliances shatter in a heartbeat, and a half-smile hides a dagger’s promise. Set nearly two centuries before Daenerys stormed Westeros, this Targaryen prequel thrusts us into a palace of betrayals and soaring beasts, where a single toast can unleash civil war and every shadowed corridor conceals a plot.

But what truly makes someone dangerous in this dance of scales and steel? Is it the size of your dragon’s wingspan? The keen edge of your sword? The hush of whispered secrets twisting through court gossip? Here, influence is a many-headed beast: raw muscle, political finesse, and clandestine intelligence all vie for supremacy.

So who stands tallest—and deadliest—among these ten titans? Let’s rank the characters whose combination of firepower and cunning makes them the most lethal forces in House of the Dragon.

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The top 10 most lethal characters in House of the Dragon

1. Daemon Targaryen

Daemon Targaryen doesn’t so much ride his dragon Caraxes as meld with its fury. A rogue knight and exiled prince, he thrives on chaos—whether he's dueling in moonlit courtyards, staging surprise raids on rogue sellswords, or sending cryptic letters that unravel entire alliances.

His swagger disguises a tactical mind: he knows exactly when to charge into battle and when to let rumors do the heavy lifting. In the whisper network of King’s Landing, even the mention of “the Red Viper of the North”—Daemon’s old moniker—can empty taverns and seed panic in noble hearts.

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2. Rhaenyra Targaryen

Rhaenyra’s throne fight is as much an uphill political brawl as it is a dragon-backed spectacle. Born into privilege, she’s learned that speeches, promises, and a calm glare can be sharper than a dragon’s flame.

With Syrax at her side, Rhaenyra stages aerial parades to rally loyalists, yet she wins true allegiance through empathy—a rare trait in Westeros. When smallfolk see her share bread and promise protection, they swear oaths that outlast fleeting gold—and in war, those pledges translate into swords and shields that pack a serious punch.

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3. Aemond Targaryen

Once the sidelined child with a blind eye, Aemond now commands Vhagar—the oldest, largest dragon in the sky. His transformation is almost mythic: from a prince underestimated at council tables to a blazing avenger who vaults atop Vhagar at a single call. On the battlefield, his roar atop that leviathan shifts morale: armies falter when Aemond’s silhouette eclipses the sun.

Equally at ease sending shock troops or plotting a backroom ambush, he blends brute force with icy calculation, proving that ruthlessness often outlasts raw passion in the annals of conquest.

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4. Alicent Hightower

Behind every powerful king is a stronger queen—or, in Alicent’s case, a queen mother whose smile conceals a steel trap. As Aegon II’s mother, she orchestrates court machinations over porcelain tea and embroidered cushions, persuading lords with honeyed compliments and then striking when their defenses are down.

She brokers marriages and trade pacts, knowing that land deeds often shift allegiance faster than the swing of a sword. Alicent’s greatest coup isn’t a battlefield victory but the slow erosion of her enemies’ trust—by the time they realize it, she’s already planted a dagger between their ribs.

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5. Otto Hightower

Otto wears the Hand’s gold ring, but the realm bows to his strategist’s mind. He influences every scroll that reaches the throne, every rumor that drifts through corridors. His suits and solemn expression mask a spider’s web of informants: maesters, merchants, and even disgruntled footmen feed him secrets.

Otto doesn’t need to raise armies; his power is the unseen pivot in every decision, the whispered suggestion twisting kings’ wills. When he decides a rival must fall, that noble’s name quietly vanishes from dispatches—proof that in Westeros, silence can be more lethal than any roar of dragonfire.

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6. Criston Cole

Criston Cole’s path from street-tough squire to Lord Commander reads like a ballad of ambition. He earned every scar through single-combat tournaments and clandestine duels. His loyalty to Alicent’s faction drives him to patrol battlements and conduct show trials with unwavering zeal.

When Christian metes out justice, it’s swift, public, and memorable enough to keep restless banners firmly under control. Beneath the polished armor lies a man whose sense of honor is entwined with personal vendettas, making him not just a soldier but a human weapon aimed squarely at his enemies’ hearts.

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7. Rhaenys Targaryen

Crowned “The Queen Who Never Was,” Rhaenys moves through court with graceful dignity—and a tongue honed for precise critique. She chooses her battles carefully, preferring to court favor in diplomatic salons rather than clash in open war.

But underestimate her kindness at your peril: when Meleys and Rhaenys take to the skies, they sweep through enemy lines like a red storm, leaving devastation in their wake. Back on solid ground, her counsel sways wavering houses; she knows a well-placed compliment—or threat—can accomplish more than ten thousand swords.

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8. Corlys Velaryon

Corlys “Sea Snake” Velaryon built his fortune braving unknown waters and returning with riches that fund whole armies. His command of the Narrow Sea grants him a monopoly over trade routes—and the loyalty of coastal lords grateful for protection against pirates.

When he throws his lot in with Rhaenyra, he doesn’t merely send ships; he brings credit, seasoned captains, and hardened seamen accustomed to life-and-death stakes. Corlys’s true weapon is his economic chokehold: disrupt his shipping lanes, and nations starve; side with him, and you become part of the most formidable naval power in Westeros.

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9. Jacaerys Velaryon

Still young, Jacaerys shows a diplomat’s patience that belies his age. Tasked with forging alliances, he treads foreign courts with tact, offering marriage treaties one day and battlefield support the next. Perched on Vermax, he scouts enemy positions and relays intelligence faster than any raven.

His combination of dragonborne mobility and soft power—listening ear, earnest smile—earns him favors that veteran lords crave. In the Targaryen conflict, his youthful perspective becomes a strategic advantage: he sees compromises older heads dismiss, turning potential foes into uneasy friends.

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10. Mysaria

Once dismissed as a mere courtesan, Mysaria now orchestrates the capital’s underworld with silk-gloved precision. Under the moniker “White Worm,” she monitors tavern whispers, bribes street urchins for news, and sells secrets to the highest bidder, while always tipping the scales toward her chosen side.

She meets spies in shadowed alleyways, trades favors for truths, and manipulates confidences like a mistress playing her lute. In a city where words can kill, Mysaria’s archive of whispers is the deadliest blade: ask the wrong question, and you might find your own reputation shredded beyond repair.

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When the smoke of battle clears and dragons bank toward distant horizons, it won’t just be the roar of fire that decides who rules Westeros—it’ll be the minds behind the hooves, the hearts that never wavered, and the whispers that turned friends into foes. From Daemon’s unapologetic bloodlust to Mysaria’s hushed intrigues, each of these House of the Dragon's ten characters wields a unique form of lethal force: some brandish swords, others manipulate scrolls, but all embody the deadly elegance of Targaryen ambition.

In House of the Dragon, power is a living, breathing thing—one that demands cunning as much as courage and strategy as much as strength. Whether you soar on dragonback or slip through candlelit halls with a secret missive, the game’s ultimate victor will be the one who masters all its facets. And as another chapter of this saga awaits, we know one truth above all: in the fight for the Iron Throne, the deadliest weapon is the will to wield power without mercy.