Violence is an extremely common occurrence in House of the Dragon. People are executed, assassinated, murdered, and experience various forms of abuse in nearly every episode. The rivers of Westeros run with blood and the Seven Kingdoms are torn apart on a regular basis.
Much like during the European medieval era, the aristocratic elite doesn't really care about the innocent people inhabiting the continent. That said, not every person in House of the Dragon has a violent temperament; on the contrary, the show contains several genuinely endearing characters. Unfortunately, the delicate balance between peace and war skews heavily in favor of the latter.
This article contains discussions of graphic violence and torture.
10 Jerrel Bracken Mocks, Goads, And Instigates Willem Blackwood For No Reason
Jerrel Bracken would have been a nameless extra if not for his shameless actions during Rhaenyra's betrothal tour. As the heir to Stone Hedge, Jerrel glibly goads the young Willem Blackwood, mocking his House and his admittedly feeble attempt to woo the Princess.
Unwilling to tolerate Jerrel's below-the-belt insults, Willem unsheathes his sword and challenges him to a duel. Jerrel's bark was clearly bigger than his bite, because Willem quickly stabbed him through the stomach, killing him. Willem may have escalated the situation, but Jerrel is unquestionably the instigator.
9 Otto Hightower Is More Than Happy To Murder Rhaenyra's Family To Secure Aegon's Claim
Otto Hightower is a prodigiously intelligent man, but his desire for power can be a bit too transparent. King Viserys is probably the only person in King's Landing who doesn't instantly recognize the Hand's treasonous chicanery. Otto portrays himself as a dignified man, but he doesn't possess a shred of decency.
He's more than happy to murder Rhaenyra, Luke, Jace, Joffrey, and Daemon in order to secure Aegon's claim to the Iron Throne. Fortunately, Otto doesn't go through with this malicious plan because Alicent refuses to harm her innocent step-grandkids. Fans can't wait to see what harebrained schemes he cooks up in Season 2.
8 Aegon II Targaryen Might Be A Coward, But He Exhibits Overtly Violent Tendencies
Aegon is an abject craven. The prospect of sitting on the Iron Throne terrifies him so much that he begs Aemond to let him flee Westeros. However, cowardice and violent tendencies aren't mutually exclusive, as exemplified by Joffrey Baratheon and Ramsay Bolton in Game of Thrones.
Aegon brazenly harasses and assaults his servants, a pattern of behavior that only grows mainly because Alicent doesn't discipline her son. Aegon savagely attacks Jace on two separate occasions, illustrating his inclination toward brutality. The version of Aegon portrayed in the book, Blood & Fire, is significantly more merciless than his television counterpart.
7 Larys Strong's Barbaric Nature Becomes Evident When He Murders His Own Kin
Larys Strong doesn't enjoy getting his hands dirty. Instead, he pays, bribes, threatens, or blackmails people into fulfilling his macabre vision. Larys gradually strengthens his position in the royal court after endearing himself to Alicent Hightower, who initially deems him a trustworthy ally.
Although Alicent quickly recognizes his barbaric nature, the Queen allows him to continue serving her. Even his brother and father aren't immune to Larys' callousness. That said, Larys isn't an entirely unique character. In fact, he seems like a cross between Game of Thrones' Petyr Baelish and the overly ambitious Walder Frey.
6 Daemon Targaryen Ruthlessly Carries Out His Own Vision Without The King's Permission
Viserys and Daemon Targaryen may be brothers, but their temperaments are drastically different. While the King is largely benevolent and kindhearted, Daemon often lets his rage do the talking. He ruthlessly maims and mutilates the criminals of King's Landing in a public setting and inexplicably attacks a hapless messenger for delivering auspicious tidings.
Daemon shares several traits with Oberyn Martell and Euron Grejoy, two of Game of Thrones' most notoriously aggressive characters. Daemon becomes considerably more compliant following his marriage to Laena Velaryon, but Viserys' death rekindles the flames of hatred lying dormant within him.
5 Craghas Drahar Stakes His Prisoners And Feeds Them To Crabs
Craghas Drahar, the self-titled Prince-Admiral of the Triarchy, is called "the Crabfeeder due to his inventive methods of punishing his enemies." He doesn't follow any system of laws, rules, and regulations. He makes his own laws and subjects any transgressors to horrific torture.
Craghas drives a stake through his captives' hands before feeding them to the crabs. He commands a massive army of sellswords and criminals from around the world, none of whom are known for their gentle dispositions. Thankfully, Daemon manages to defeat the Triarchy and kill Craghas, thereby ending his reign of terror over the Stepstones.
4 Vaemond Velaryon Displays His Combative Nature While Accusing Rhaenyra Of Infidelity
Vaemond takes both his title and his job extremely seriously, explaining why he blatantly accuses Princess Rhaenyra of infidelity. Although it gets him killed, the fact that he even dares to make his accusations before the King highlights his combative nature.
Vaemond isn't above making grandiosely violent declarations either, like when he glibly threatens to "cut [his] veins and show" Rhaenyra his Velaryon blood. He further asserts that his "brother cares only for the history books," whereas he's more concerned about House Velaryon's lineage. Vaemond's reckless criticism naturally enrages Viserys, who openly threatens to cut his tongue out.
3 Aemond Targaryen Transforms Into A Belligerent Provocateur After Claiming Vhagar
Aemond Targaryen wasn't always a hot-headed, one-eyed troublemaker. In fact, he used to be extremely timid and withdrawn before claiming Vhagar for himself. Obtaining the largest dragon in the world completely alters Aemond's unassertive personality and transforms him into a belligerent provocateur.
He despised Lucerys and Jacaerys Velaryon for years, blaming them for his lost left eye. Aemond arrogantly demands Luke's eye in the season finale, but Lord Baratheon orders them to take their fight outside. When Luke leaves Storm's End, Aemond foolishly attempts to terrorize his nephew. Aemond never intended to kill Luke but violently assaulting a child on dragonback is unforgivable, the equivalent of pointing a loaded gun at a teenager.
2 Criston Cole Commits A Number Of Unforgivable Atrocities Throughout The First Season
Criston Cole is one of the most hateful characters in House of the Dragon. Rhaenyra's rejection triggers his metamorphosis from dashing knight to monstrous sleazeball, and he only gets worse with each successive episode. Cole's egregious behavior is a complex product of his upbringing and the hetero-patriarchal norms of Westeros.
In simple terms, he overreacts to Rhaenyra's sensible decision simply because he cannot tolerate the idea of being second in any woman's heart. Despite his various atrocities, Criston Cole continuously escapes the punishment he deserves. Fans are eagerly waiting for Cole's inevitable death.
1 Vhagar & Arrax Override Their Riders And Attack Each Other In The Sky
Dragons are wild animals, not domesticated pets. Even Daenerys is occasionally unable to control Drogon, who abandons her in the Dothraki Sea and flies off. The Targaryens are somehow capable of riding these majestic creatures, although many of them were also eaten by dragons at different points in the timelines.
In Game of Thrones, Joffrey describes how Aegon II Targaryen fed his half-sister Rhaenyra to Sunfyre, an event that is yet to take place in House of the Dragon. As such, fans weren't exactly surprised when Arrax overrode Luke's authority and attacked Vhagar. Aemond desperately tried to calm his dragon, but Vhagar vengefully killed both Arrax and Luke.