'House of the Dragon' Season 2: All the characters ranked, and why Daemon Targaryen isn't #1
Contains spoilers for 'House of the Dragon' Season 2
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 aired its final episode on August 4, on HBO. The epic action-adventure show featured some of the most iconic character arcs seen in the history of television.
The season showed the beginning of the Dance of the Dragons as House Targaryen found itself torn into a Civil War between two factions. The Blacks supported the claim of Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) and the Greens supported Aegon II Targaryen's (Tom Glynn-Carney) rule as the King of the Seven Kingdoms.
The show features some interesting characters who draw extreme reactions from the viewers. Here, we rank the characters who shaped the iconic show—from worst to best.
14. Criston Cole
Well, at this point, he may well be one of the most hated men in the 'Game of Thrones' universe, competing with Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson). He is a scorned lover who has taken his hate way too far.
He is not able to prevent Blood and Cheese and soon after he is appointed the Hand of the King, the King is incapacitated, so clearly he is not doing his job very well either.
13. Aemond Targaryen
Aemond Targaryen, played by Ewan Mitchell, is responsible for the death of many characters and uncountable soldiers in the show and his unabashed nature has caused devastation everywhere.
As he controls the largest dragon Vhagar, he is capable of being ruthless and severely damaging to the lives of those who are innocent and have to pay for the war crimes.
12. Daemon Targaryen
Daemon Targaryen, played by Matt Smith, had an unusual season where he spent most of his time fighting his mental demons at Harrenhall. His irresponsible actions caused the death of Helaena's child.
Daemon's sufferings are in order as he has committed some of the most dastardly crimes ever known in the show.
11. Aegon II Targaryen
King Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney) continued to be his brash, and arrogant self as he insulted people and wasted money on his pleasure while the smallfolk died of hunger.
Aegon, however, did receive some sympathy after being brutally injured at the hands of his brother Aemond Targaryen.
10. Ser Otto Hightower
Ser Otto Hightower, played by Rhys Ifans, had a realization of what he had done to the realm with his ambition of making Aegon, the King who sits the Iron Throne.
Otto cannot be forgiven for the death of thousands who found themselves in the midst of the ongoing Civil War.
9. Alicent Hightower
Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) had a character arc where she began to realize the consequences of her actions in the first season. She is responsible for the war and certainly did not do enough to stop it even when Rhaenyra proposed to do so.
She has now become powerless and is left to ponder upon the war that she has inflicted upon the realm.
8. Rhaenyra Targaryen
Rhaenyra Targaryen, played by Emma D'Arcy, began the season trying to avoid war and worked hard to prove her worth to her supporters. However, once she gets into war mode, the lust for power seems to have taken over her goodness.
She sacrificed the lives of many as she tried to find riders for her dragons and that may be a precursor for the kind of Queen she would be.
7. Ulf/Hugh
The characters of Ulf played by Tom Bennett and Hugh played by Kieran Bew, were introduced in the second season. Initially, they were touched upon only briefly, but they went on to become important characters later in the show as they would claim dragons.
Both Ulf and Hugh are illegitimate children of the Targaryens who are now important Dragonriders for the Blacks.
6. Mysaria - The White Worm
Played by Sonoya Mizuno, the character grew into prominence in the latter part of the season as she became an advisor to Rhaenyra and even shared a romantic moment with her.
Mysaria was the brain behind many important decisions taken by Rhaenyra that gave her an edge in the Targaryen civil war.
5. Addam of Hull/Alyn of Hull
'House of the Dragon' Season 2 introduced two new characters, Addam of Hull, played by Clinton Liberty, and Alyn of Hull, played by Abubaker Salim. Both the characters gradually grew into the show.
Addam became a Dragonrider for Rhaenyra by riding the dragon Seasmoke while his brother Alyn continued to assist his rumored father, Corlys Velaryon in the naval activities for the Blacks.
4. Corlys Velaryon
Played by Steve Toussaint, Corlys Velaryon suffers a personal loss as his wife dies in the Battle at Rook's Rest but he overcomes the loss and finds a way to fight again.
The veteran fighter comes up with a genius move to put up a blockade in Gullet to cut off the supplies and weaken King's Landing financially.
3. Jacaerys Velaryon
Jacaerys Velaryon is played by Harry Collett, and the character is one of the real heroes for the Blacks in this season. He gains the alliance with the Freys and Starks.
He is also the brain behind looking for people to claim the unclaimed dragons although he never gets the respect he deserves from his mother Rhaenyra.
2. Rhaenys Targaryen
Played by Eve Best, Rhaenys is often called the Queen that Never Was, and for good reason. She exhibited the valor and bravery befitting of a Queen even in the face of death.
She fought bravely at Rook's Rest against a much larger opponent in Vhagar and when Rhaenys and her dragon Meleys died, it sent shockwaves into the 'House of the Dragon' fandom.
1. Helaena Targaryen
Played by Phia Saban, Queen Helaena Targaryen is perhaps the only faultless character in the show and she becomes our favorite character for that reason.
While the Targaryen house has been shredding itself into pieces, Helaena has maintained her grace and despite losing her child most brutally in the early goings of the season, she still never vowed revenge.
How to watch 'House of the Dragon' Season 2?
'House of the Dragon' Season 2 has been streaming on HBO since June 16, 2024, with new episodes dropping every Sunday till August 4, 2024.
The streaming platform typically offers three packages you can choose from depending on your budget.
The low-cost plan that supports advertising costs $9.99 per month or $99.99 annually. The second package, which does not support advertising, costs $15.99 per month or $149.99 annually. Meanwhile, the third package, titled Ultimate Ad-Free, costs $19.99 per month or $199.99 annually.
'House of the Dragon' Season 2 trailer