Before we dive into the specifics of the characters, a quick refresher on what House of Dragons is all about and when it takes place in the Westeros universe. Based on George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, the series is set 300 years before Game of Thrones begins and will primarily focus on “the beginning of the end for House Targaryen.”
Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen & Prince Daemon Targaryen
As you may have guessed by their last name and their platinum blonde hair, Princess Rhaenyra and Prince Daemon are ancestors of Dany’s. Prince Daemon (Matt Smith) is the younger brother of King Viserys I, who rules Westeros, while Princess Rahenerya (Emma D’Arcy) is King Visery’s daughter. Daemon has the claim as heir to the throne due to Rahenerya being a woman but if eight seasons of Game of Thrones taught us anything, it’s that a “rightful” claim to the throne is no match for power-hungry usurpers. The two look like they’re just enjoying a leisurely beach stroll but given the complicated history of Targaryens, there’s likely much more to this chat than meets the eye. Also, both are Dragon Riders, which is easily the coolest thing you can be in Westeros.
Lord Corlys Velaryon
Easily the most badass of the newly introduced characters (at least in terms of looks), Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) is basically the most feared sailor in all of Westeros. He’s even named the Sea Snake, which sure as hell beats Reek. Along with being the Lord of House Velaryon (probably could have guessed that one based on the name), Corlys is also married to Rhaenys Targaryen, Daemon’s sister and Rahenerya’s aunt. Are you racking your brain trying to remember House Velaryon from Game of Thrones? Don’t worry, you haven’t forgotten. House Velaryon isn’t in the original show. So what happened to them? Did they leave Westeros forever or did they go the way of House Tyrell? For now, it’s unclear but we’re guessing that’ll be a major part of House of Dragons.
Alicent & Otto Hightower
We don’t know too much about these two so far. Otto (Rhys Ifan) is the Hand of the King and Alicent (Olivia Cooke) is his daughter. Seems simple enough, right? But in Westeros, nothing is that simple, and based on the slightly troubled looks on their faces, we’re sure this father-daughter duo will find themselves in plenty of trouble in no time at all. As for House Hightower, they remain a powerful house in Game of Thrones and are most commonly known as bannermen for House Tyrell. In fact, the two families are even joined by marriage in the series, as Mace Tyrell’s wife Alerie is a daughter of House Hightower. House of Dragons is set to debut on HBO on January 1, 2022.
