History ContrastingSequelMainCharacter / HouseOfTheDragon

** These positive attributes also invite comparison with the DecoyProtagonist of ''Game of Thrones'' Season 1, Lord Eddard "Ned" Stark. Throughout his stint in the Small Council, Corlys has demonstrated an interest in good governance, smallfolk and border security (the issues that preoccupied Ned as Hand). Furthermore, despite his children still serving as actors and pawns in his political ploys, Laenor and Laena seem to have been raised in a positive environment, ensuring they grow to become very eligible and good noblefolk. (The fact that he doesn't worry a lot about Laenor being badass and gay and Laena being a TomboyPrincess also harkens to Ned's acceptance and support of Arya's more warrior-like pursuits). Finally, Ned's PapaWolf tendencies (especially for his bastard--actually nephew--Jon Snow) is also reflected in Corlys' sheer willingness to protect Laenor's "sons", even if they are plainly not biologically related to him. As opposed to Ned however, who often had HonorBeforeReason, which got him killed in the end, Corlys is more pragmatic and sometimes prone to more selfish ambitions.

** These positive attributes also invite comparison with the DecoyProtagonist of ''Game of Thrones'' Season 1, Lord Eddard "Ned" Stark. Throughout his stint in the Small Council, Corlys has demonstrated an interest in good governance, smallfolk and border security (the issues that preoccupied Ned as Hand). Furthermore, despite his children still serving as actors and pawns in his political ploys, Laenor and Laena seem to have been raised in a positive environment, ensuring they grow to become very eligible and good noblefolk. (The fact that he doesn't worry a lot about Laenor being badass and gay and Laena being a TomboyPrincess also harkens to Ned's acceptance and support of Arya's more warrior-like pursuits). Finally, Ned's PapaWolf tendencies (especially for his bastard--actually nephew--Jon Snow) is also reflected in Corlys' sheer willingness to protect Laenor's "sons", even if they are plainly not biologically related to him.

* With King Robert Baratheon, the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms over a century and a half later. Outside of having the same job and being once way more formidable before becoming kings (Robert was a warrior and Viserys used to [[DragonRider ride the dragon]] Balerion the Dread himself), the two couldn't be any different. Unlike Robert, Viserys didn't start an uprising that ended in kingslaying and instead succeeded his grandfather. Viserys also loves his first wife whereas Robert doesn't care and [[ReallyGetsAround spends time whoring and impregnating mistresses]]. Viserys actively attends his Small Council meetings and takes his duties seriously, while Robert openly disdained the duties of a king and only attended three Small Council meetings. Viserys is lean where Robert is [[AdiposeRex fat]] from spending time feasting and drinking. And Viserys survives TheGrandHunt without a scratch while Robert dies from wounds sustained in one.

* With King Robert Baratheon, the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms over a century and a half later. Outside of having the same job and being once way more formidable (Robert was a warrior and Viserys used to [[DragonRider ride the dragon]] Balerion the Dread himself), the two couldn't be any different. Unlike Robert, Viserys didn't start an uprising that ended in kingslaying and instead succeeded his grandfather. Viserys also loves his first wife whereas Robert doesn't care and [[ReallyGetsAround spends time whoring and impregnating mistresses]]. Viserys actively attends his Small Council meetings and takes his duties seriously, while Robert openly disdained the duties of a king and only attended three Small Council meetings. Viserys is lean where Robert is [[AdiposeRex fat]] from spending time feasting and drinking. And Viserys survives TheGrandHunt without a scratch while Robert dies from wounds sustained in one.

* With King Robert Baratheon, the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms over a century and a half later. Outside of having the same job, the two couldn't be any different. Unlike Robert, Viserys didn't start an uprising that ended in kingslaying and instead succeeded his grandfather. Viserys also loves his first wife whereas Robert doesn't care and [[ReallyGetsAround spends time whoring and impregnating mistresses]]. Robert was a former warrior while Viserys is a NonActionGuy. Viserys actively attends his Small Council meetings and takes his duties seriously, while Robert openly disdained the duties of a king and only attended three Small Council meetings. Viserys is lean where Robert is [[AdiposeRex fat]] from spending time feasting and drinking. And Viserys survives TheGrandHunt without a scratch while Robert dies from wounds sustained in one.

Creator/{{HBO}}'s ''Series/HouseOfTheDragon'' has several prominent characters who both [[ContrastingSequelMainCharacter mirror and contrast]] those from the parent show it is a {{prequel}} of, ''Series/GameOfThrones''.

Creator/{{HBO}}'s ''Series/HouseOfTheDragon'' has several main characters who both [[ContrastingSequelMainCharacter mirror and contrast]] those from the parent show it is a {{prequel}} of, ''Series/GameOfThrones''.

* Criston highlights a contrast to the foremost Kingsguard character, [[Characters/GameOfThronesJaimeLannister Jaime Lannister]].

* To her descendant [[Characters/GameOfThronesDaenerysTargaryen Daenerys Targaryen]].

* To her descendant [[Characters/GameOfThronesDaenerysTargaryen Daenerys Targaryen]]. She and Daemon parallel another duo of Targaryen heirs from early ''Game of Thrones'' down the family line, Daenerys and her brother Viserys.

* A dash of Eddard "Ned" Stark too. Both want to do right by the realm they serve in their top position (Viserys as a king, Ned as a Hand of the King), but are ultimately powerless to stop the events that spiral towards a war that will engulf the whole realm and their children. Both have a Valyrian steel sword (Blackfyre for Viserys, [[{{BFG}} Ice]] for Ned) and a distant younger brother (Daemon for Viserys, Benjen for Ned[[note]]albeit the little we see of them does suggest they had a far better relationship, even as Ned's position as Lord and Benjen's duty as First Ranger have separated them for years[[/note]]). Neither of them survives the first season (Viserys dies from a leprosy-like illness, Ned is executed by beheading). Viserys became king after a peaceful event to choose a successor to Jaehaerys I (who was a textbook example of TheGoodKing) while Ned was one of the leader of a violent rebellion that put an end to the ReignOfTerror of the [[TheCaligula Mad King]] Aerys II.

* As a young noblewoman who struggles against the social constraints on her in a feudal society due to her gender, and who often clashes with the rules, she has shades of Arya Stark. The placeholder dialogue Creator/MillyAlcock used in auditions for young Rhaenyra was lifted straight from Arya lines in the original TV series. Noticeably, Rhaenyra's position and general personality are likely what Arya would have become had she been able to remain merely a lady of Winterfell yet still pursue her more outgoing pursuits.
* She also has elements of Stannis Baratheon: both are bluntly honest regardless of the consequences, and both are the lawful heir to the throne who is continually frustrated that their rivals simply choose to ignore this. Both of them also have their main base on Dragonstone island, the ancestral Targaryen castle traditionally held by the heir to the throne. Both Rhaenyra and Stannis get upended by a younger brother who decides they should wear the crown instead.

Creator/{{HBO}}'s ''Series/HouseOfTheDragon'' has several main characters who both mirror and contrast those from the parent show it is a {{prequel}} of, ''Series/GameOfThrones''.

** To Prince Viserys Targaryen (the brother of Daenerys). Where Viserys would be an abusive ass through and through to his sister (and lusts after her) and a DirtyCoward, Daemon loves his niece (in affectionate then incestuous ways, and backs down from killing her even when she's his obstacle as heir to the throne early on), has likable and even honorable traits to him, and knows how to fight. Viserys would have to beg (and pimp out his sister) for an army of Dothraki that won't even obey him in the end, Daemon has a [[UndyingLoyalty loyal]] army of [[CityGuards Gold Cloaks]] who would turn against the Hand of the King in a heartbeat if he orders them to do so and ends up leading the Armies of the Blacks. And where dragons would be extinct and Viserys would have none to ride, Daemon has one and is overall quite the expert on the beasts and Targaryen legacy in general.

* It's interesting the way Cersei Lannister's characteristics get split between Alicent and Rhaenyra. Alicent gets most of the miserable parts of being Cersei, while Rhaenyra gets the fiery ones. Cersei and Rhaenyra are the ones who voice sentiments along the lines of, "If I were a man I wouldn't have to put up with this bullshit," whereas Alicent tries to work within the framework. Rhaenyra gets Cersei's inborn spitfire and impetuousness, while Alicent is a ShrinkingViolet who takes a ''long'' time to [[GrewASpine Grow a Spine]]. Rhaenyra gets the incest and the three children fathered outside her marriage (though split into two separate relationships in Rhaenyra's case) which are both symbols of sexual freedom and refusal to be controlled or bend to the will of society. The sad parts of being Cersei that Rhaenyra gets is losing her mother to her brother's birth as well as having to deal with the loss of a child. Meanwhile, it's Cersei and Alicent who are both the daughters of controlling and ambitious fathers who treat them as political pawns from a young age and maneuver them into unhappy marriages with kings, and likewise, it's Alicent who slowly gains Cersei's vindictiveness and paranoia as a result of the drudgery of that life.

** He and Rhaenyra parallel another duo of Targaryen heirs from early ''Series/GameOfThrones'' down the family line, Daenerys and her brother Viserys. Where Viserys would be an abusive ass through and through to his sister (and lusts after her) and a DirtyCoward, Daemon loves his niece (in affectionate then incestuous ways, and backs down from killing her even when she's his obstacle as heir to the throne), has likable and even honorable traits to him, and knows how to fight. Viserys would have to beg (and pimp out his sister) for an army of Dothraki that won't even obey him in the end, Daemon has a [[UndyingLoyalty loyal]] army of [[CityGuards Gold Cloaks]] who will take on the Kingsguard in a heartbeat if he orders them to do so and ends up leading the Armies of the Blacks. And where dragons would be extinct and Viserys would have none to ride, Daemon has one and is overall quite the expert on the beasts.
** He's also this to Jaime Lannister. He's likewise a loyal and action-oriented brother to a more sociable brother as part of a RedOniBlueOni pairing, while still being a {{Troll}} to his enemies, with a soft spot for his incestuous would-be-queen love interest. Where they diverge is that Daemon's the younger brother to Jaime's older brother, and a politically ambitious warrior CombatPragmatist compared to Jaime's earlier portrayal as a politically apathetic LetsFightLikeGentlemen portrayal. Jaime also has his father expressing ParentalFavoritism to such an extent that he's willing to blackmail him and break a centuries-old custom to get him back as an (unwilling) heir… while Daemon ends up disinherited in spite of his loyalty. This is best expressed with a similar flippant scene in both men's biographies where they each sat on the Iron Throne in a SlouchOfVillainy--Jaime didn't actually want the throne and was simply experiencing his transition to BrokenAce in a disrespectful way… while Daemon genuinely enjoys being the heir of Viserys and the respect and honor it implies his brother views him with. And both are in an incestuous relationship -- Jaime with his sister Cersei (and they never married), and Daemon with his niece Rhaenyra (he eventually took her as spouse).