Game Of Thrones: 5 Most Power-Hungry Characters, Ranked

Game of Thrones

By Joe Grantham

Published May 7, 2024

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Game of Thrones

Highlights

Some Game of Thrones characters go to extreme lengths for power, leading to betrayals and endless wars.
Rejected marriage proposals and empty vaults don't stop characters like Xaro from chasing greater power.
Characters like Cersei constantly strive for more control, risking everything for her goals.

Power is a key theme of Game of Thrones, with many debates in the first season alone about what power really is. While not everyone has their eyes set on the Iron Throne, there are more than enough power-hungry characters to end up with five kings, endless wars, and countless betrayals, which is exactly what ended up happening.

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While some of the most power-hungry Game of Thrones characters came from humble beginnings and slowly made their way to the top, others were born into prominent families and yet were still not satisfied with their lot. What these characters have in common though, is the willingness to do anything to achieve their goals, making them terrifying enemies, but arguably even worse allies.

5 Viserys Targaryen

Daenerys' Brother Wanted Only One Thing & Died For It

Played by Harry Lloyd
Appeared in 5 episodes

While many power-hungry characters have the skills and temperament to see their dreams come to fruition, this isn't always the case. In the very first episode of Game of Thrones, viewers are introduced to the disinherited Targaryen heir, Viserys, who is the son of King Aerys II, and the elder brother of Daenerys.

Viserys believes himself to be the last dragon, and his only desire in life is to reclaim the kingdom that was taken from him by the usurper. As Viserys puts it most eloquently when explaining to his sister how he would give her to an entire khalasar, he would do anything to acquire an army to take him home. Unfortunately, Viserys' hunger for power clouded his judgment, and this, along with his impatience and general incompetency, eventually got him killed.

4 Xaro Xhoan Daxos

The Merchant Feigns Great Wealth & Power To Try And Gain More

Played by Nonso Anozie
Appeared in 2 episodes

Xaro Xhoan Daxos is a merchant from the city of Qarth who tells Daenerys of his rise to power and the less-than-righteous deeds he did to achieve such wealth. However, it is later revealed that Xaro's great wealth was somewhat feigned, with his vault turning out to be empty.

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Nevertheless, this did not stop him from setting his eyes on Daenerys and her dragons and seeing them as stepping stones towards even greater power than he currently held as an esteemed member of the Thirteen. After his marriage proposal to the young Targaryen is turned down, Xaro steals her dragons and stages a coup to rid himself of the most powerful Qartheen and declares himself King of Qarth. Unfortunately for him, his reign would not last long.

3 Cersei Lannister

Cersei Constantly Finds Herself In Power Struggles & Does Anything To Come Out On Top

Played by Lena Headey
Appeared in 62 episodes

Cersei Lannister is one of the characters who find themselves already in power at the start of the show, and yet she still craves much more. As the wife of a drunk king who hates her and her family, Cersei has some power, but sees the path to greater control through the death of Robert, so that she can rule as the Queen Regent for her son. Although, admittedly, Robert's death was also about protecting her secret.

Nevertheless, Cersei always found herself competing with others for power and would cling to it and fight dirty to see her opponents brought down. In the second season, it was her brother Tyrion as Hand of the King whom Cersei had to compete with, and later Margaery Tyrell became her rival. Margaery in particular, would live to regret her veiled battles with Cersei.

2 Daenerys Targaryen

Daenerys Finds Herself Addicted To Power & Yearns For More

Played by Emilia Clarke
Appeared in 62 episodes

Daenerys' brother Viserys always warned her about waking his dragon, but it was her inner dragon that was awoken, and from that moment forth, the young Targaryen princess had her eyes set on power. In many ways, Daenerys became addicted to power and lamented any loss of it, as was the case when Khal Drogo's khalasar abandoned her.

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Consistently she swore vengeance and destruction on any who defied her, and despite gaining vast power over the seasons, she was never satisfied, with her mind always set on reclaiming her birthright. Daenerys' thirst for power and control eventually led her down a path toward ruin.

1 Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish

Littlefinger Creates Chaos To Climb Towards Greater Power

Played by Aidan Gillen
Appeared in 41 episodes

While there are plenty of power-hungry characters in Game of Thrones, none can be said to be as ambitious as Petyr Baelish, often known as Littlefinger. The young Petyr acquired this name thanks in part to his small stature, but also to the fact that he came from a thin spit of land known as the smallest of the fingers. Despite such humble beginnings, by the time Game of Thrones started, he had already found his way onto the Small Council, and was a vastly wealthy man with a network of informants.

However, as viewers quickly discover, Littlefinger's ambition knows no limits, and Varys even catches him imagining the Iron Throne as his own. Over the following seasons, Petyr shows how he is willing to betray and use anyone to climb up the ladder of chaos he helps create. This also makes him one of the most evil Game of Thrones characters.