Game of Thrones Characters Compared to House of the Dragon Characters: Who Are They Similar To?
Game of Thrones was a cultural phenomenon for the better part of the 2010s, even though fans may not have loved the ending of the series. Nevertheless, it was still incredibly popular that it eventually earned itself billions of dollars in profit. On top of that, its popularity allowed it to have its own franchise, which includes a lot of spin-off series. The first spin-off is House of the Dragon, which is a story that tells the tale of the fabled Dance of the Dragons and the events that led to it.
Of course, while House of the Dragon takes place nearly two centuries before the events of Game of Thrones, there are a lot of similarities between the two different storylines. Their characters are different from one another in terms of their personalities and identities, but we can’t help but see some parallels between the characters of these two shows. In that regard, we are here to compare the characters of Game of Thrones with the characters of House of the Dragon to see who they are similar to.
Daenerys Targaryen And Rhaenyra Targaryen
Game of Thrones: Daenerys Targaryen was one of the main characters of Game of Thrones, together with the likes of Jon Snow, the Stark family, and Tyrion Lannister. Ever since the first episode, Daenerys wasn’t supposed to inherit the Iron Throne but eventually became the only one destined to rule the Seven Kingdoms after her brother died and when she hatched three dragon eggs to bring dragons back into the world. She proved to be a strong woman that had to endure a lot of trials and tribulations early in her life as she eventually became a capable queen that had to make the toughest decisions.
House of the Dragon: Rhaenyra Targaryen is the only daughter of King Viserys to Queen Aemma. As such, the king named her the heir to the Iron Throne shortly after he lost his wife and infant son due to childbirth. When she was born, Rhaenyra understood that the Seven Kingdoms would never acknowledge her as the ruling Queen of the continent, but she still developed a stern personality that made her fit as a ruler that knew when to show force whenever necessary. Nevertheless, she still carries the weight of being a woman in the sense that she has to prove herself worthy of ruling in a world dominated by men.
Why Are They Similar: Daenerys and Rhaenyra each have different personalities and upbringings, but the fact of the matter is that they both had to claw their way up the ladder to become recognized as rulers. Dany needed to work her way through the east by ruling Slaver’s Bay and eventually leading her dragons to the Seven Kingdoms. Meanwhile, Rhaenyra had to endure years of getting sidelined by her father and getting frowned upon by the lords of the Seven Kingdoms as she ascended the ladder to the throne.
King Robert Baratheon And King Viserys Targaryen
Game of Thrones: King Robert Baratheon was the king that ended the Targaryen dynasty when he successfully rebelled against the Mad King, Aerys Targaryen. The success of his rebellion allowed him to become the new king by right of conquest, and that was how he came to rule the Seven Kingdoms. Nevertheless, he was never fit for the crown as he mostly allowed his Hand and the Small Council to rule in his stead while he spent nights drinking and whoring, all while lamenting at the thought of what could have been had Lyanna Stark, the love of his life, been his queen. It was his death that led to the War of the Five Kings.
House of the Dragon: King Viserys Targaryen was named the king of the Seven Kingdoms by the lords of Westeros when Jaehaerys, the Old King, had trouble deciding the succession when his sons died. Viserys had the temperament of a true king because he was quite wise in terms of what needed to be done, but he wasn’t the best king because he didn’t know how to take charge of a situation. It was also his death that eventually led to the Targaryen Civil War, known as the Dance of the Dragons.
Why Are They Similar: Personality-wise, both Robert and Viserys are quite different from one another. Robert was a brash and vulgar brute that was a better fighter than a leader, while Viserys was not a good warrior but had the temperament of a king. However, both Robert and Viserys spent almost their entire lives mourning the loss of their beloved. And it was their deaths that eventually led their different heirs to fight for the Iron Throne.
Lord Tywin Lannister And Lord Corlys Velaryon
Game of Thrones: Lord Tywin Lannister was the wealthiest man in the Seven Kingdoms during the reigns of both King Aerys and King Robert. Aside from the king, he was also the most powerful man in the Seven Kingdoms, as he commanded a great army and had the power of gold on his side. Tywin was always a calculating leader that knew what needed to be done and was quite stern about his decisions. As Hand of the King during the reigns of both Joffrey and Tommen Baratheon, he managed the Seven Kingdoms so well that he was able to fix almost all of the realm’s problems, which only resurfaced after he was killed.
House of the Dragon: Lord Corlys Velaryon was the wealthiest man in the Seven Kingdoms during the reign of King Viserys Targaryen. On top of that, as Master of Ships, he also ruled the seas with the mightiest fleet in the known world. Corlys’s influence also extended beyond his ships because he was married to Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, who had dragons in her possession. As such, House Velaryon was at the height of its prominence during Lord Corlys’s leadership.
Why Are They Similar: The first thing that made Tywin and Corlys so similar is their wealth. They were both the richest and most influential men of their respective eras, and that’s why the king respected them so much. Both Tywin and Corlys also made decisions that they thought would ensure the survival and influence of their respective families for generations to come.
Queen Cersei Lannister And Lady/Queen Alicent Hightower
Game of Thrones: Queen Cersei Lannister was married off to King Robert Baratheon so that the bonds between the Lannisters and the crown would be strengthened during the Baratheon reign. In that regard, she was basically a chess piece that her father used to further his influence on the Seven Kingdoms. However, upon the deaths of her husband and her sons, Queen Cersei became the ruling queen of the Seven Kingdoms and was able to rule with a stern hand and a creative mind that allowed her to hold on to her position of power.
House of the Dragon: Lady Alicent Hightower started off as Princess Rhaenyra’s best friend but was eventually ordered by her father to keep King Viserys company during his time of grief. As such, Viserys became quite fond of Alicent’s company that he actually chose her to become his new queen. As such, Alicent became a chess piece in a game played by men who wanted power. But those who read the book would know that Alicent outlived her father, husband, and sons.
Why Are They Similar: Even though both Cersei and Alicent were portrayed to have personalities that are entirely different from one another, they were both chess pieces that were used to further the influence of their respective fathers. They were ordered to marry the kings of their respective eras but ended up gaining more power and influence over the realm than their fathers ever did.
Lord Stannis Baratheon and Prince Daemon Targaryen
Game of Thrones: Stannis Baratheon is the younger brother of Robert Baratheon and was the one who was named the Prince of Dragonstone after Robert’s rebellion had succeeded. He is a stern and just man that has a deep-rooted sense of honor and justice. By rights, he should have been the King of the Seven Kingdoms after Robert’s demise because none of Cersei’s children were of Baratheon descent. As such, he had to start a war for the throne and the crown that he never got to wear.
House of the Dragon: Prince Daemon Targaryen is the younger brother of King Viserys Targaryen. Unlike his brother, he is an excellent fighter that wants to seek glory on the battlefield, even though he was never fit for the Iron Throne. Nevertheless, according to customs and traditions, he should have been the heir to the Iron Throne because Viserys couldn’t produce any male heirs to his first wife. While Daemon never waged war against his brother, he still became a pain in the ass for Viserys to handle, as the king simply allowed him to play war in the Stepstones.
Why Are They Similar: Both Stannis and Daemon were supposed to be the rightful heirs of the Iron Throne, but the chance to become king was taken away from them. On top of that, both of them are great fighters and capable military leaders. Still, we are not quite sure whether or not they would have made good kings as they were never able to sit on the Iron Throne.
Lord Petyr Baelish And Ser Otto Hightower
Game of Thrones: Lord Petyr Baelish was from a smaller house but was able to work his way up the ladder through his good business sense. He owned the largest brothels in King’s Landing and was able to make enough wealth for himself that he became Master of Coin during Robert Baratheon’s reign. However, Baelish has always been a schemer in the shadows because he knew how to make chess pieces move without taking part in the game. It was his scheming that allowed him to gain more power, but it was also what led to his eventual death.
House of the Dragon: Ser Otto Hightower served as Hand of the King during the reigns of both Jaehaerys and Viserys. He knew how to manage an entire kingdom due to his experience as Hand and was able to make a name for himself during his tenure as the most powerful man behind the king. Nevertheless, Otto was a schemer that liked pulling the strings from the shadows. It was his intelligent idea of ordering his daughter to keep the king company that eventually led to Viserys choosing Alicent Hightower as his new queen.
Why Are They Similar: Both Petyr Baelish and Otto Hightower serve the Small Council and are very influential people. However, the one thing that makes them so similar to one another is the fact that they are schemers that know how to move within the shadows. They are capable of understanding how to manipulate and influence people to achieve their goals, although Ser Hightower may not be as shrewd as Lord Baelish.
King Joffrey Baratheon And Prince/King Aegon II Targaryen
Game of Thrones: King Joffrey Baratheon was the first son of Robert Baratheon and Cersei Lannister. But his true father was Jaime Lannister, who was the one who fathered all of Cersei’s children. Joffrey was a spoiled and rotten boy that believed that he was entitled to do anything he wanted to do as king. He was just as cruel and as mad as the Mad King himself. And while he was the one sitting on the Iron Throne, he was never supposed to be king at all because he wasn’t Robert’s son.
House of the Dragon: Prince Aegon II is the son of Viserys Targaryen and Alicent Hightower. We are yet to see him in House of the Dragon, but we are sure that he will be appearing because he is the second-most important piece that sparked the Targaryen civil war. In the book, he was proclaimed king by Otto Hightower, as this was the event that began the Dance of the Dragons. As a leader, Aegon had a bad temper and was quick to get angry at everyone. He was never fit to rule the kingdom due to his temperament, as it was clear that Aegon II wasn’t even the rightful heir.
Why Are They Similar: Both Joffrey and Aegon II were never supposed to rule the Seven Kingdoms because they were never the rightful heirs. But they still do so anyway. Another thing similar is that both of them had very short reigns as kings because they died in a similar way—through poisoning. Canon sources say that both Joffrey and Aegon II ruled for only two years.
Lord Renly Baratheon And Ser Laenor Velaryon
Game of Thrones: Lord Renly Baratheon was the youngest brother of King Robert Baratheon. Unlike his brothers, who were portrayed to be mighty men and capable leaders in combat, Renly preferred to socialize at balls and parties. He was not as aggressive as either of his brothers, but that made him an ideal leader because he was beloved by the people and didn’t have the temper that any of the Baratheons had. Of course, Renly also preferred the company of men over women.
House of the Dragon: Ser Laenor Velaryon was the eldest son of Lord Corlys Velaryon and Princess Rhaenys Targaryen. He was a capable dragonrider and a pretty good fighter as well. While he was eventually married off to Princess Rhaenyra in the books, he preferred the company of men, particularly young squires. As such, it was rumored that none of the children born to Rhaenyra were ever sired by Laenor.
Why Are They Similar: There are a lot of differences between Renly and Laenor, especially when it comes to the fact that the youngest Baratheon brother was never a good brother or a talented military commander, whereas the heir to the Velaryon seat was a good knight. However, they are very similar to one another in the sense that they are two of the few noblemen in Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon to prefer men over women.