This article about Rhaenyra Targaryen avoids major House of the Dragon spoilers that have been revealed in previous works.
After a painfully long wait, House of the Dragon is finally here! It has everything Game of Thrones fans could want and is packed full of interesting characters. But many fans are curious about one of its main characters. They are asking “who is Rhaenyra Targaryen?” and “what happened to Rhaenyra Targaryen?”
Before we get into that, it’s important to explain the context of House of the Dragon within the wider Game of Thrones universe.
House of the Dragon takes place almost 200 years before its predecessor. The new prequel series follows the heyday of the House Targaryen, back when they were the rulers of Westeros and sat on the Iron Throne at King’s Landing.
The House Targaryen is led by patriarch King Viserys I. The series begins with his ascension to the throne before skipping forward nine years into his reign. As the show explains, this is 172 years before the birth of Daenerys Targaryen.
In House of the Dragon, Viserys is desperate for a male heir. He already has a daughter, Rhaenyra, but he hopes for a son to succeed him to the Iron Throne.
In the first episode, ‘The Heirs of the Dragon’, Viserys I’s wife, Queen Aemma, tragically dies in child birth. Their new son, Baelon, passed shortly after, too. This led to Verserys declaring Rhaenyra as his heir and Princess of Dragonstone (a seat that would one day be held by Daenerys Targaryen).
With Rhaenyra set up to be the future of House Targaryen, fans are eager to find out what happened to her prior to the events shown in Game of Thrones. So, who is Rhaenyra Targaryen? Let’s take a look…
Rhaenyra Targaryen – Who Is She and What Happened To Her
The world of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon has a rich history that can be difficult to fully understand. That is mainly thanks to its complex family lineages.
Luckily for us, Rhaenyra Targaryen was the only one of her name. Even still, her personal history is both fascinating and complex.
Who is Rhaenyra Targaryen?
In House of the Dragon, Rhaenyra Targaryen is the daughter of King Viserys I Targaryen and his wife Queen Aemma. When the show begins, she is only a young teenager. It is in these formative years that she is forced to endure the death of both her mother and brother, Baelon.
After Baelon’s death, Viserys names Rhaenyra as Princess of Dragonstone and heir to the Iron Throne.
House of the Dragon is set to take place over a number of decades, so viewers will get to see Rhaenyra as she becomes an adult. As you’ve probably guessed, Rhaenyra ends up wielding a tremendous amount of influence and power in the House of Targaryen – and things eventually turn ugly.
Without going into major spoilers, Rhaenyra Targaryen grows up to have a spouse and children of her own (with someone you will not expect!). Unfortunately for Rhaenyra, death is a constant theme throughout her life.
In her later years, Rhaenyra became a central figure in a war of succession. This war was known as the Dance of the Dragons and will be depicted in the show.
What did you think to House of the Dragon? Are you excited to see what happens to Rhaenyra Targaryen? Let us know in the comment section below and don’t forget to check out our other Film & TV articles…
