The secret Game of Thrones powers that toppled the Targaryens (and fans missed)

From the time that Game of Thrones was introduced to the world, fans have always mourned the Targaryens, as they relentlessly fought with one another for the throne. In their eyes, the period of the War of the Dragons served only to seal their fate and led to their demise during Robert’s Rebellion.

However, during the bloodshed of numerous wars, there were quieter yet powerful groups that lay in wait, gradually exerting complete control over the family. The Maesters of the Citadel and the Iron Bank of Braavos were slowly tightening their grip long before the dragons ceased to exist. What is astounding is that the majority of fans were completely oblivious.

Instead of battling each other to the death or hexing each other, these two groups relied on ledgers, illegal books, and knowledge to gain the upper hand. At the end of the day, the most powerful weapons one can have are power and information regarding the enemy’s plans.

While the Targaryans were still thriving, the Iron Bank, along with the Maesters, sided together to bring the family down, and managed to outlast the rest of the so-called ‘heroes’.

The Maesters’ quiet war on magic and prophecy

Widely considered the neutral scholars and healers of the realm, the Maesters had long nursed a certain quiet contempt for eldritch magic and its practitioners. In their eyes, dragons represented chaos – instruments of war bound to prophecies and bloodlines beyond their control. While claiming allegiance to the realm, they worked to stifle magical knowledge.

They glossed over the histories of magic, threw dragon lore to the side, and pushed for a greater dependence on reason than ritual diplomacy among leaders. This went beyond skepticism; rather, a campaign to turn Westeros into a place where magic, and consequently, Targaryen power, was rendered obsolete.

Some of their most impactful changes stemmed from ideas that, on the surface, appeared to be trivial matters. As an example, the death of Prince Baelon Targaryen, who supposedly died of a burst belly, or was attended to by Maesters, and who at the time seemed politically motivated for his death.

Deep within the court of Viserys I, Maester Mellos was known to give counsel which often pertained to dragons or prophecy, and most certainly advise otherwise. Further, the rise of Queen Alicent Hightower came under the watchful eye of her father, Otto, a Hightower from the family holding the Citadel. The power that was cast from dragonlords was not forceful, but rather calm and calculated.

The Iron Bank’s unseen hand in dynastic change

The Iron Bank of Braavos did not need to ride into battle or make claims to the Iron Throne. It influenced power by funding it. Throughout Targaryen history in Game of Thrones, the Bank acted as a financial kingmaker, perpetually funding rebellions, backing those who could repay their debts, and ensuring that dragons never rose to contest their grip on global order. While the Targaryens wielded absolute power through the threat of dragons, the Iron Bank’s enduring strength countered this: compound interest.

By the time of the Dance of the Dragons, members of the Green Council had virtually encircled the entire royal treasury with the Iron Bank. This strengthened the Bank’s position in the impending civil war and aligned its interests with those who wished to see the dragons subjugated.

In later generations, when Daenerys Targaryen made attempts to reclaim the throne with dragons yet again, the Iron Bank chose to sponsor Cersei Lannister: a more predictable, indebted ruler who represented stability. Funding the Golden Company was no blunder; it was a final stamp of disapproval against the return of fire and prophecy.

Together, they rewrote Westeros' future in Game of Thrones

What made the Maesters and the Iron Bank truly dangerous was not the power of each organization on its own, but the exact intersection of their strengths. Both institutions in the Game of Thrones desired a world free from fire-breathing tyrants, without enchanting bloodlines, and devoid of erratic visions of fate.

While one authored histories and dominated royal affairs, the other financed the forces and controlled commerce. There was no need for direct meetings or conspiratorial gatherings as they worked towards a collective agenda.

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While Targaryens mastered the art of sky-bound dragon riding, their enemies ruled the domains of wealth, knowledge, and history. This is why, by the time Daenerys came to Westeros, the region had been toxically shaped over the years to loathe her magic, her dreams, and even her dragons.

Ultimately, in Game of Thrones, the Targaryens met their demise not at the hands of triumph-wielding heroes and villainous evildoers, but the slow and stealthy self-destruction of their roots. This is a twist most viewers did not expect, and indeed, few fans would have predicted this.

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