Warning! Spoilers ahead for House of the Dragon season 1.
HBO has another medieval fantasy hit on its hands with House of the Dragon. In its first season, the Game of Thrones spin-off has achieved the same success as its predecessor in both the ratings and the reviews. Much like the flagship series, House of the Dragon doesn’t have traditionally defined heroes and villains.
Every character exists in a moral gray area between the standard definition of a hero and the standard definition of a villain. But some characters err more on the side of a hero, like King Viserys, and others err more on the side of a villain, like Ser Otto Hightower.
The Crabfeeder
In a few disturbing cutaway sequences of crabs gnawing away at rotting human flesh, Craghas Drahar – better known as “The Crabfeeder” – was seemingly teased as the big bad of House of the Dragon.
But, within a couple of episodes, the villainous Crabfeeder had been unceremoniously killed off-screen in the heat of battle by a bloodthirsty Prince Daemon.
Ser Otto Hightower
When the series began, Ser Otto Hightower was introduced as the “Hand of the King,” Viserys’ most trusted advisor who seemed to have his best interests at heart. However, it quickly transpired that Ser Otto was just trying to manipulate the king’s decision-making for his own personal gain.
Ser Otto is nowhere near as cunning as Game of Thrones manipulators like Littlefinger, but he would certainly like to be.
Prince Daemon Targaryen
Prince Daemon Targaryen walks a fine line between duplicitous villain and lovable antihero. Fans can’t decide if they love to hate him or hate to love him. He’s effortlessly charming, but he also murdered his own wife so he could claim her inheritance.
He’s a badass on the battlefield, but a self-serving snake in the privacy of his brother’s throne room. Daemon is determined to tear the family apart so he can have a little more power.
Lady Alicent Hightower
At the beginning of the series, Lady Alicent Hightower was introduced as a sweet, friendly, humble chambermaid. However, her arc has taken a sinister turn since she married Viserys and became the new queen. In her new royal role, she’s been secretly doing the bidding of her father, Ser Otto.
Still, she’s not all bad; she showed some compassion and sensitivity when she stopped Ser Criston from taking his own life.
Mysaria
Daemon’s favorite sex worker, Mysaria, was a big part of his original plot to topple House Targaryen. He planned to marry her and impregnate her with an heir in a bid to consolidate power. Mysaria doesn’t look out for anybody but herself, but that’s only because, in the ruthless world of Westeros, nobody else is looking out for her.
Mysaria stands up for herself, especially when Daemon makes big plans for her life without consulting her about it first.
Ser Criston Cole
Charismatic knight Ser Criston Cole was initially introduced as a standard action hero who was always looking out for others. But he’s since revealed a surprising dark side. Ser Criston had his first ethical falter in the shocking blood-soaked climax of the show’s fifth episode.
When Ser Joffrey Lonmouth threatened to reveal his secret, Ser Criston angrily bludgeoned him to death in front of everyone. Just when he was about to solemnly take his own life to repent for the killing, the queen stopped him.
Lord Corlys Velaryon
Lord Corlys Velaryon is a curious case, because he’s too laidback to be a hero or a villain. He’s one of the most chilled-out characters in this medieval fantasy universe. Lord Corlys’ clan, House Velaryon, is the most powerful and affluent in the Seven Kingdoms.
He doesn’t need to prove anything to anybody or consolidate the power that he already has, so he sits back and lets other people work on impressing him. At this point, he’s neither a good guy nor a bad guy.
Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen
As the first female heir to House Targaryen and the center of all the show’s most important storylines, Princess Rhaenyra is the closest thing that House of the Dragon has to a lead protagonist.
She’s not perfect, of course. Rhaenyra does the occasional immoral thing. When Daemon led her out of the castle, she stole food from a poor villager for fun, which probably led to that villager and his family starving to death while she returned to the luxuries of her kingdom. But in spite of the odd flaw, Rhaenyra is a mostly likable character.
Ser Harrold Westerling
Standing among the longest-serving knights in the employ of House Targaryen, Ser Harrold Westerling is one of the most likable characters in the cast of the Game of Thrones spin-off. He’s so trusted by the king that he was formerly assigned as the personal protector of his daughter Rhaenyra. In this position, he nobly guarded the princess with his life.
Following the death of Ser Ryam Redwyne, Ser Harrold was promoted to “Lord Commander of the Kingsguard.” Ser Harrold is arguably the Targaryen family’s most loyal servant.
King Viserys I Targaryen
Known as one of the kindest, warmest monarchs in the history of the Seven Kingdoms, King Viserys is sometimes too nice for his own good. He’s easily manipulated, a quality with which his conniving counsels have had a field day.
The king is prone to the occasional rageful outburst when he can tell his advisors are taking advantage of his good nature. But Viserys couldn’t harm a fly; he needed a couple of tries to harm a stag that his huntsmen caught for him.