Aerion Targaryen To Surpass Joffrey’s Infamy

Warning: Includes MINOR SPOILERS for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, based on the books.

There’s no character in the Game of Thrones world more hated than Joffrey, but A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms may give him a run for his money. AKOTSK is an upcoming 2026 Game of Thrones prequel that will be set roughly halfway between the events of House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones.

Joffrey Baratheon left big shoes to fill. He’s almost unanimously agreed upon as the most-hated TV character of all time, and though Game of Thrones has had its fair share of bastards (pun intended), he’s never truly been rivaled. Ramsay Bolton is the closest contender, but when all was said and done, Joffrey still reigned supreme.

Aegon I Targaryen has been dubbed as House of the Dragon’s Joffrey replacement, but with the character showing flashes of depth and the actor winning over audiences, he’s shifting further away from that persona. Right now, the Dance of the Dragons spinoff doesn’t have a clear contender.

A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms’ Aerion Targaryen Will Be Worse Than Joffrey

The world of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice & Fire novels is filled with despicable characters, often those in positions of authority. Few are as sadistic and cruel as Prince Aerion Targaryen, the son of King Maekar I and the older brother of Aegon “Egg” Targaryen, who will be one of the new show’s main characters.

Without giving away many plot details, Aerion will be a primary antagonist in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. He’s a man who considers himself to be a dragon, boasting the self-proclaimed title Aerion Brightflame. In the novel, Egg claims that Aerion is charismatic and amiable in front of their father, but a monster around others.

Part of what makes Joffrey so appalling is that he’s a child with immense power, but there are moments when he’s put in check by Tywin, Cersei, and even Tyrion. Aerion is an adult. This makes him considerably more dangerous than Joffrey, but with many of the entitled traits that make Cersei’s son so insufferable.

Aerion Is A Targaryen Prince Known As ‘The Monstrous’

Aerion Targaryen is regarded in history as ‘the Monstrous,’ and that’s not a title that one can achieve lightly in George R.R. Martin’s world. One of the most gruesome anecdotes about his character comes from Egg, who claims that Aerion snuck into his bedroom and threatened to castrate him, joking that it would make him his sister, and that they could wed.

If that’s not bad enough, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will surely offer a demonstration of what type of man Prince Aerion is. He’s being played by Finn Bennett, an actor I personally enjoyed on True Detective: Night Country, and I can’t wait to see what he brings to the table.