House of the Dragon is back, and the Dance of the Dragons is underway. The Targaryen war of succession will come down to control—who can control their impulses, their sycophants, and, yes, their dragons. With each passing episode, The Ringer will examine how Westeros’s key players are aligning their pieces on the board. As the saying goes, chaos can be a ladder. Welcome to the House of the Dragon power rankings.
1. Ser Criston Cole
The most hated man in Westeros just keeps winning. As hesitant as I am to bestow this honor on him, Ser Criston Cole is going back-to-back with the top spot in our weekly power rankings.
In Episode 3, Criston has a new haircut and a new swagger about him, as the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard adds a fancy necklace to his suit of armor to signify his added responsibility as the hand of the king. And Criston wastes little time putting his newfound power to the test.
In his first Small Council meeting as hand, Criston cooks up an aggressive plan to take Harrenhal, and we can see him slowly slipping out of Alicent Hightower’s control as he leverages the king’s favor to his advantage. Criston’s strategy may be flawed, but his brash, shortsighted view of the war perfectly aligns with King Aegon II’s bloodlust and desire for quick revenge. Criston even manages to win over Alicent’s brother, Gwayne, who goes from openly insulting the new hand in front of the Dowager Queen when they first meet in the episode to cowering before Criston and being in his debt by the end of it. Having Criston and Aegon run the Red Keep is a surefire recipe for disaster, but the Lord Commander and hand of the king continues to fail upward at a dizzying pace.
2. Mysaria
Perhaps the only character whose rapid ascension matches Criston’s, Mysaria has flipped her status as Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen’s prisoner into a spot at the queen’s court—and it took her about an episode and a half. By spotting and reporting the attempted assassination at the end of last week’s installment, Mysaria may have saved Rhaenyra’s life. As her reward, she chooses to be in a position of power, in service to a claimant to the Iron Throne.
Just as Larys Strong has gained a foothold in the Red Keep through his knowledge of secrets in King’s Landing, so too has Mysaria turned her network of spies and whispers into an invaluable resource for the rightful queen. Her plan to secure Rhaenyra a face-to-face meeting with Alicent succeeds with rather remarkable ease, further demonstrating her worth and trustworthiness.
3. Larys Strong
Speaking of Larys and that foothold of his (no pun intended), the king’s creepiest adviser continues to make moves in the shadows, tightening his grip on Aegon—all while Alicent seems to remain unaware of his political maneuvering. He has even been granted an official title by the king: the master of whisperers. Larys is able to dissuade the brazen Targaryen ruler from joining Criston in the march on Harrenhal, a task that Aegon’s Small Council and brother weren’t up to. He plays with Aegon’s insecurities with masterful precision, leading the king to believe that he’s actually making decisions of his own. Larys successfully planted the seed in Aegon’s mind to dismiss Otto Hightower as his hand in last week’s episode, and now he’s embedded the idea that Alicent seeks to rule with Prince Aemond in Aegon’s place. It feels like the new master of whisperers is just getting started.
4. Rhaenys Targaryen
Between the Small Councils in King’s Landing and Dragonstone, there are a lot of shortsighted men in positions of power who are eager to torch their enemies with dragonfire, regardless of the consequences. Alicent has her work cut out for her with the fools she’s surrounded by in King’s Landing, but Rhaenyra at least has a voice of reason to help guide her down a path that might not end in needless blood and fire: Rhaenys.
Rhaenys and Rhaenyra have had their differences, which is bound to happen when someone suspects someone else of playing a part in the (supposed) death of their child, but they’ve nonetheless developed a mutual respect for each other. And now Rhaenyra takes Rhaenys’s counsel to heart, even sneaking in quick glances at her during Small Council meetings when she has a big decision to make or when her other advisers won’t stop asking her to unleash the dragons already.
Rhaenys advised the queen to find a peaceful solution with Alicent, and to Rhaenyra’s credit, she makes a valiant, if wildly risky, effort to do so. Once this war begins in earnest, Rhaenys might be Rhaenyra’s most valuable and trusted adviser—and it doesn’t hurt that she has a dragon, too.
5. King Aegon Targaryen II
Aegon may be a pretty bad king, but he’s quickly learned that he can do whatever he wants now that he’s in charge, in spite of what his mother or uncle tells him. Aegon has found his own hand and a master of whisperers, and he’s installed his entourage in the Kingsguard. Again, are these the decisions of a wise king? Definitely not. But, hey, Aegon is here to make a name for himself, exact revenge on those responsible for the death of his son, and have a good time with the boys. Nothing else really matters.
The king’s haphazard plans and poor judgment in the company he keeps will surely backfire at some point, but for now, he has the upper hand on Rhaenyra, and he’s making moves to solidify his autonomy.
6. Rhaena Targaryen
Things have been pretty rough for Rhaena. First, her mother dies a tragic, violent death. Then her father remarries so fast that it seems like he’s happy to have been widowed, if not complicit in the outcome. And then her betrothed also dies a tragic, violent death. She has no dragon, nor any familial connection to the seas, and no real sense of purpose.
But that last bit changes in Episode 3, whether Rhaena likes the latest developments or not. Following the assassination attempt on the queen, Rhaenyra decides to send her surviving younger children away from Dragonstone and the potential danger they may face in her presence, and she designates Rhaena to be their caretaker.
While the ever-ambitious Corlys Velaryon sees this duty as something of an exile, Rhaenyra has entrusted the entire future of her house to Rhaena. As Rhaena heads to the Vale (and, eventually, Pentos), she brings with her a pair of young dragons, three of Rhaenyra’s children, and four dragon eggs. The queen herself tells her, “Should all come to ruin here, you will bear our hope for the future.”
That’s a lot of responsibility—and a lot of dragons—for one person to take on, so it constitutes a promotion even if it means that she’ll be relegated to the sidelines of the action in the episodes to come.
7. Baela Targaryen
Baela deserves a high ranking this week for her impeccable eyesight alone. While flying through the skies on her dragon, she spots a group of enemy knights and, upon closer inspection, identifies Criston among them. Baela shows some initiative, too, engaging with them without exactly engaging with them, as she later tells Rhaenyra.
Baela hasn’t done all that much to this point, and she fell short of catching up with the enemy knights before they reached the cover of the trees, but she’s demonstrated that she’s not messing around. And that’s more than you can say for a lot of the characters on this list.
8. Aemond Targaryen
It’s been a quiet season for Aemond, but it seems like he’s getting ready to make some moves of his own. Even his mother seems to notice his newfound knack for diplomacy, as he tactfully advises his brother to stay away from the forthcoming conflict at Harrenhal.
However, Episode 3 also sees Aemond get humiliated at a brothel when his royal brother pulls back the curtain on him as he’s curled in the fetal position beside the madam with whom he has a maternal yet sexual bond. (Aemond is taking mommy issues to new levels, but this wouldn’t be a Game of Thrones show without some strange sex stuff.) Aegon roasts his naked younger brother in front of all of his Kingsguard bros and every other patron and sex worker, much to Aemond’s embarrassment. If anything, this display could light a fire under Aemond and fuel a desire to exact revenge on Aegon. But for now, all he can do is take this L in stride and try to find a more private place to cuddle next time.
9. The Bars and Brothels of King’s Landing
Aemond might not have had a great time at the local brothel on this occasion, but it looks like business is booming right now for the pleasure houses and watering holes of King’s Landing. You have the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms buying shots for the smallfolk and waltzing around with his crew of “celibate” knights, as well as a prince getting exposed (literally) as a steady customer of the brothel on the same night. Sure, now you have to deal with the headaches that come with entitled, white-haired tyrants and a rowdy royal entourage on a nightly basis, but at least that chaos comes with a rich revenue source.
10. Corlys Velaryon
Corlys doesn’t appear for long in Episode 3, but his value to Rhaenyra remains high, especially compared to the men on her Small Council who are itching to let the dragons loose. Corlys is all but recovered from his injuries, and he’s as hungry for glory as ever. The Sea Snake is gearing up for war, and Rhaenyra stands little chance without him and his experience at sea.
11. Alicent Hightower
Alicent might still be the most powerful woman in Westeros, but things haven’t been working out so well for the Hightowers lately. Her control over her sons, Criston, and Larys is slipping away, and her father has just been banished from the Small Council and removed from the heart of the action.
Alicent’s protests about Criston’s plan to march on Harrenhal made little difference. Her words no longer hold any weight in the Small Council’s meetings. The one move she makes in response to Criston’s schemes is having her brother, Gwayne, tag along for the ride, and he nearly becomes Moondancer’s lunch. Not only does Lil Gwayne prove to be useless, but he allows Criston to exert his influence over him, too.
At the end of the episode, Alicent refuses Rhaenyra’s call for peace, despite the revelation that Alicent had misunderstood what Viserys meant on his deathbed when he alluded to Aegon the Conqueror and the Song of Ice and Fire. She maintains that no mistake has been made: She’s already put her fool of a son on the Iron Throne, so it’s too late to turn back now, and she knows it. Just as Rhaenys told Rhaenyra, people will soon forget what started this war. All Alicent can do is see it through and try to ensure that her voice doesn’t get lost in the process.
12. Rhaenyra Targaryen
Things might not be going so well for Alicent, but matters have been even worse for the rightful queen. Her reputation as a baby killer continues to spread, her own Small Council has lost respect for her and is trying to plot the war without her, and her husband is still nowhere to be seen. The queen makes a desperate, and rather reckless, attempt to broker a peaceful solution with Alicent that fails miserably. Rhaenyra is taking after her father and making admirable choices to try to reclaim the throne without destroying the Seven Kingdoms in the process, but taking the moral high road has yet to work out for either side in this conflict—and it’s only delaying the inevitable.
After discovering the truth about what Viserys said to Alicent on the night that he died, all Rhaenyra returns to Dragonstone with is another reason to go to war with the usurpers. The third episode ends as her demeanor becomes more serious and resolute, as if she’s finally ready to take the gloves off and show no mercy in the battles to come. But we’ve certainly seen that apparent resolution before. Maybe this time she’ll mean it.
13. Daemon Targaryen
Daemon is going through it right now. On the one hand, he’s claimed Harrenhal and all the strategic importance it holds. On the other hand, it didn’t seem like the former caretaker of Harrenhal even wanted it. My guy has just taken over the leakiest castle in the Seven Kingdoms, which is still charred from when the Lord of the Feet burned his family alive (as well as from a past dragon attack).
Daemon may have had the foresight to grab Harrenhal before Aegon did, but his plans—much like those of his young, testosterone-filled enemies—are half-baked. He wants to raise an army in the Riverlands, despite knowing little of the region or its houses’ histories, and then march on the Iron Throne.
The prince—sorry, His Grace—is sleeping with swords blocking his doors, is too afraid to touch his peas at dinner, and is likely inhaling all sorts of nasty mold that must be running rampant in this decrepit, cursed establishment. To make matters worse, some ominous young woman tells him that he will die there. The vibes certainly feel off enough for such a thing to transpire—and Daemon feels it, too.
14. Helaena Targaryen
Poor Queen Helaena is left to her own devices to quietly grieve the loss of her son. She has limited screen time in Episode 3, yet she makes quite an impression on Alicent when she tells her mother that she forgives her. Alicent is left both confused and shaken by the statement. Helaena might not be plotting anything, but the queen is still privy to enough sensitive secrets to wield power of her own.
15. Otto Hightower
Otto’s fall from grace has been so steep that the man didn’t even appear in this week’s episode. He went from running the show to literally not being a part of it. As amusing as his rant was, maybe calling the king an idiot (and feckless, and self-indulgent, and trifling) wasn’t such a good idea?
16. Simon Strong
I don’t think I’ve ever seen anybody fold as quickly as Ser Simon Strong does when Daemon arrives to claim Harrenhal. He was practically on his knees pledging his fealty to Rhaenyra and offering Daemon supper before the invader even opened his mouth. I get that he’s just the castellan around these parts, but couldn’t he at least spruce up the place and make it look a little less depressing?
17. Gwayne Hightower
It’s been a long time since we last saw Gwayne Hightower, when the knight was busy getting knocked off of his horse by Daemon during a jousting match in the series premiere. And while he doesn’t suffer such a loss this time around, Gwayne’s performance in the latest episode isn’t much better.
All bark and no bite, Gwayne talks a big game in front of his sister as he insults Criston. The next time we see him, a single tear is falling down his cheek as he trembles beneath the shadow of Baela’s dragon. He’s managed to do little more than lose face during his small windows of screen time in the series thus far, which makes one wonder: How will Gwayne fail the next time he appears?