House of the Dragon deals in bloodshed and violence every bit as much as Game of Thrones. Its first season focuses on intrigue and politics more than war, but it's by no means a peaceful show. Several characters get the chance to show their prowess in House of the Dragon's earliest episodes.
House of the Dragon's cast includes warmongering princes, generals and admirals, and the finest knights in the realm. Some characters are utterly lethal, and others are more than capable of defending themselves. Still, some fighters are clearly stronger than others, carrying most of their engagements in the series.
10 Lucerys Velaryon Has Warrior Instincts, But They're Not Enough
Lucerys Velaryon ends up in a surprising number of fights in House of the Dragon's first season. Despite his young age and high level of protection, he often finds himself in violent situations. Throughout these fights, he does account well for himself. However, he rarely comes out on top.
Lucerys shows his warrior instincts when he and his cousins fight Aemond. As soon as Aemond brandishes a rock to kill Jacaerys, Luke goes after him with a knife. Similarly, he can evade Aemond's attacks at Storm's End for a time. In both circumstances, however, Aemond proves himself the better fighter. The second encounter ends with Luke's death as soon as Vhagar decides to go on the attack.
9 The Crabfeeder Is A Better General Than A Warrior
Craghas Drahar, the Crabfeeder, is one of the most significant villains of House of the Dragon's first episodes. His occupation of the Stepstones becomes an active threat to House Velaryon, which leads to a war for the island. Craghas has the upper hand for much of the war, wearing the Velaryon forces down through attrition.
In particular, the Crabfeeder is a good enough general to avoid fighting Targaryen dragons head-on. Craghas also displays some lethality in ridding the Stepstones of pirates. However, he seems worse as a warrior, losing quickly as soon as Daemon closes to melee with him.
8 Rhaenys Targaryen Is A Capable Dragon Rider
Dragons are a crucial part of House Targaryen's power. Flying mounts who can vaporize men with fire breath tip any battle in House Targaryen's favor. Dragon riding is also rare in Westeros' martial pursuits in that almost as many women do it as men. Rhaenys Targaryen has never been shown in actual combat with Meleys, but she still shows her skills with the dragon.
Rhaenys can urge Meleys to burst through the floor at Aegon II Targaryen's coronation. From there, she holds the entire Greens faction hostage. Even when she decides to spare them, she shows herself to be an agile and skilled dragonrider when she navigates Meleys through the cramped Dragonpit. When battle comes, Rhaenys and Meleys will be valuable allies for the Blacks.
7 Laenor Velaryon Makes A Surprisingly Fine Warrior
Many of Laenor Velaryon's generations of royals and lords are inexperienced in real combat. They only know tourneys and small skirmishes, so Laenor is rare for a lordling in House of the Dragon. He's seen extensive combat in the Stepstones, but more than that, he's instrumental to the initial Velaryon victory.
Laenor is suggested to be a good warrior in his own right. However, he's bolstered by his riding of Seasmoke. In Daemon's final battle with the Crabfeeder, Laenor is at the front of the counterattack that wipes out the Triarchy forces. He doesn't just wield Seasmoke as a blunt instrument - he outflanks the Triarchy forces and burns their archers in a well-executed pincer attack.
6 Ser Harwin Strong Accounts Well For Himself
Ser Harwin Strong lives up to his name in several scenes throughout House of the Dragon's first season. His first major showing involves him wading into chaos at Rhaenyra's wedding and emerging with the princess. Harwin's martial ability is also enough to get him named Commander of the City Watch in later years.
Harwin is never seen in a proper fight in House of the Dragon, however. His intervention at Rhaenyra's wedding involves him beating a crowd out of his way. His brawl with Ser Criston is one-sided, as Cole refuses to fight back. When he dies, it's due to fire rather than another person's attack. Still, his accomplishments suggest he would be very capable.
5 Corlys Velaryon Is Westeros' Most Experienced Soldier
Corlys Velaryon wields a huge amount of Westeros' military might. He is the Lord of the Tides and commands the largest fleet in the world. However, he is more than just an admiral. After years of warfare in the Stepstones, he also has the single most military experience in Westeros.
Corlys spends years fighting the Triarchy, even wielding an axe against enemy soldiers on the front line. He isn't a perfect warrior, as "Lord of the Tides" deals with the fallout of him sustaining a near-moral wound in battle. However, he survives years of violence, which suggests he is a very accomplished fighter.
4 Ser Arryk Cargyll Is An Accomplished Kingsguard Knight
House of the Dragon's Kingsguard isn't the corrupt institution from Game of Thrones. The Kingsguard in House of the Dragon is near the organization's peak when it still consists of seven of Westeros' finest knights. Arryk Cargyll is likely to be one of Westeros' finest warriors just because of his place among its ranks.
However, the audience gets to see Arryk's skill firsthand. He duels Ser Criston Cole in "The Green Council" when both of them try to claim King Aegon. Criston is one of Westeros' best knights, but Arryk can hold his own. He even gains the upper hand occasionally. He loses, but it's far from a one-sided affair.
3 Ser Criston Cole Is One Of The Kingsguard's Finest
Ser Criston Cole is introduced with an impressive combat achievement: defeating Daemon Targaryen in a tourney. He outdoes Daemon in the joust by throwing him off his horse. When Daemon demands a duel on foot, Criston obliges. He wins that too, albeit after a long period of Daemon dominating him.
Rhaenyra Targaryen names Criston Cole to the Kingsguard based on his martial abilities. Unlike most knights, he has seen war in the Stormlands and Dorne, rather than just in tournaments. He becomes known as an accomplished knight, even tutoring the royal princes at arms.
2 Aemond Targaryen Is A Prodigious Warrior
Aemond Targaryen is one of House of the Dragon's most violent characters. Many of his scenes involve a fight of some sort. Luckily, he's very accomplished at it. Aemond even manages to outdo his tutor, Criston Cole, in combat. The latter half of the first season is littered with his combat accomplishments.
Aemond can hold his own against four of his cousins after he claims Vhagar, only losing the fight when Lucerys takes his eye. He's also able to dominate later brawls with Jacaerys and Aegon. He rides Vhagar, the largest dragon in Westeros, who proves her lethality when she kills Lucerys and Arrax.
1 Daemon Targaryen Is The Most Dangerous Man In Westeros
Daemon Targaryen proves his mettle repeatedly in House of the Dragon's first season. He's a capable general and officer and an excellent fighter. He's the only royal with genuine combat experience, having been instrumental to the Crabfeeder's defeat.
Daemon best shows his lethality against the Triarchy forces. He cuts through many men after he feigns surrender and then defeats the Crabfeeder in a duel. However, he's also an excellent tourney knight and a skilled dragon rider. Although he's skilled, Daemon is ruthless and happy to play dirty. All of this makes him Westeros' strongest warrior in the time of House of the Dragon.