We All Forgot How Awful This ‘Game of Thrones’ Character Was

The Big Picture

• Viserys Targaryen is entitled, cruel, and abusive towards his sister Daenerys in
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• Despite his early and well-deserved death, Viserys ranks among the worst villains in
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• Viserys’ mistreatment of Daenerys, including threats and physical violence, showcases his cruel nature.

The complex world presented in Game of Thrones includes many characters it is easy to hate, with examples like Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance), who mistreats his own son, and Walder Frey (David Bradley), who shows no admirable qualities. However, among the show’s worst villains are Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson) and Ramsay Bolton (Iwan Rheon). Though they have unique methods of evil, these two are selfish, power-hungry individuals who take pleasure in violence, giving them both well-earned positions as some of Game of Thrones‘ most-hated characters. But they are not alone in their category of evil. Long before Ramsay’s introduction and even before Joffrey had the power to be effective in his torment, Game of Thrones featured Viserys Targaryen (Harry Lloyd). The name might be better remembered now for the king in House of the Dragon, who couldn’t control the bitter rivalry between his children, but Game of Thrones’ Viserys is much different.

As the son of kings, Viserys believes himself the rightful ruler of Westeros and will stop at nothing to claim what he feels owed. This is not uncommon in the series, but Viserys displays more arrogance than most. Rather than being recognized for his claim to the Iron Throne, Viserys is known as the Beggar King for his lack of status or wealth. He is the first to display the Targaryen madness. But even more significantly, his position as Daenerys’ (Emilia Clarke) only surviving family member gives him power over her that he uses to terrify and abuse her. Viserys is cruel, controlling, and entitled, but as much hate as he inspires, he is often forgotten because of his early and well-deserved death. Because he is only on screen for so long, Viserys doesn’t have the same lasting effect as other Game of Thrones villains, but he is every bit as awful.

Viserys Is Entitled in ‘Game of Thrones’

As the second son of the Mad King, Viserys grew up with anything he could desire, leading to feelings of entitlement later in life. However, his circumstances changed by Game of Thrones, and he could not cope. Unlike Daenerys, who is content living as a guest of Illyrio (Roger Allam) in the Free City of Pentos, Viserys has his eyes set on returning to Westeros and killing all who allowed “the Usurper” Robert Baratheon (Mark Addy) to rule. Viserys lost everything in Robert’s Rebellion: his position, his parents, his brother, and his home. Forced to flee for their lives, five-year-old Viserys and baby Daenerys lived in poverty, begging for a place to stay and an army to retake their home. Viserys’ past gave him delusions of grandeur, causing him to believe he was as great as his revered brother, Rhaegar (Wilf Scolding), despite never showing the same abilities. Viserys behaves like a ruler when he has no power and even has tantrums when he is not obeyed. But his entitlement is far from the worst thing about him.

Yes, Viserys, like Daenerys, has a sad backstory, but that is no excuse for his actions. Viserys shows his selfishness and utter lack of morality in every interaction. From his treatment of Doreah (Roxanne McKee), Daenerys’ handmaiden whom he bought for her, to his conversations with Jorah Mormont (Iain Glen), Viserys does little to hide who he is. When learning that Jorah was banished from Westeros for participating in the slave trade, Viserys announces that it would not be a crime under his rule. His immorality shows a lot about the character, but how he treats Daenerys makes it all the more clear.

‘Game of Thrones’ Shows Viserys Mistreating Daenerys

As siblings, most would expect there to be a bond between Viserys and Daenerys, especially as they are the last members of the Targaryen family, and they endured so much together in their childhood, but that is not the case. Because of his lack of power over everything else, Viserys ruthlessly asserts his power over Daenerys. With only his sister left, he intends to get an army by selling her to the Dothraki Khal Drogo (Jason Momoa). Though marriage alliances are not uncommon, the way Viserys talks about it goes beyond that. He claims that Daenerys’ marriage will be the beginning of his reign and admits that he would allow worse things to happen to her if it benefits him. But that is only the beginning of his mistreatment of Daenerys.

As the oldest of the surviving Targaryen siblings and the only male, Viserys has power over his sister, which he abuses. Arranging a marriage she doesn’t want is the least of his crimes. In his introduction, it is immediately clear that he does not have a healthy relationship with his sister. Though incest is common in their family, Daenerys is clearly uncomfortable with his actions, proving that there is some level of sexual abuse. Later in the series, he hits Daenerys for giving him an order. Though at that point, Daenerys has gained confidence in her position as Khaleesi and stands up for herself, it suggests physical violence in the past. Viserys also threatens Daenerys on several occasions. He is so prone to outbursts of anger that he has a name for it, “the dragon.” Whenever Daenerys does something he doesn’t like, he warns her against unleashing the dragon. Personifying his anger is a hint of the madness that is so common among Targaryens, but Daenerys’ fear of the threat shows his mistreatment. Viserys has no love for his own sister except his enjoyment of being more powerful than her.

Viserys’ Early Death in ‘Game of Thrones’ Makes Him Easy to Overlook

Certainly, Viserys earned a spot among the most cruel villains in Game of Thrones, but he is easy to forget. Unlike most, Viserys is around less than a season, dying in only Episode 6. This doesn’t allow him much time to make a lasting impact on the audience, especially with everything else going on at that point. Yet he also has one of the more memorable deaths. When he grows impatient for his crown, Khal Drogo responds by pouring molten gold on his head and calling it a crown. This is one of the first deaths in the brutal series before even Ned Stark (Sean Bean) is killed. Because his death happens so early on and, let’s face it, he accomplishes nothing, Viserys does not have the same effect. Though the audience hates him, he dies so early that it is easy to forget his cruelty when compared to everything else in the series. However, Viserys is as bad as the most hated characters in Game of Thrones.

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