WARNING! This post contains major SPOILERS for House of the Dragon season 1 and George R.R. Martin’s book, Fire & Blood!Daemon and Rhaenyra’s romance becomes even rockier in House of the Dragon’s season 1 finale, with the pair continuing to grow apart throughout the Dance of the Dragons. While the Targaryen uncle and niece began their marriage after a decade-long infatuation, marriages with others, and the births of several children, Rhaenyra and Daemon appeared to be one of the few House of the Dragon couples united both out of love and politics. However, House of the Dragon season 1, episode 10 sees Daemon choke Rhaenyra in his anger and grief, which shows a completely different side of their romance.
Despite seeming like the best-matched couple in House of the Dragon, Rhaenyra and Daemon’s marriage continues to worsen in the Targaryen civil war. If the accounts of the narrators in George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood book are accurate, then Daemon will cheat on Rhaenyra with two significant characters in House of the Dragon. Additionally, while the two remain married and rule together, Daemon and Rhaenyra will spend much of the war apart, with Fire & Blood suggesting that Rhaenyra doesn’t much mind his absence or dalliances. Daemon and Rhaenyra remain the most prominent couple in House of the Dragon’s future, but their romance reflects the increasingly gray nature of the characters’ moralities.
Why Daemon Cheats On Rhaenyra In HOTD’s Future
The unpredictable Daemon has always been someone who seeks excitement, with the character quickly becoming bored in what he may perceive as monotony. As such, it shouldn’t be too surprising that Daemon would stray outside his marriage to find pleasures with women like Mysaria, A.K.A. the White Worm. Mysaria was Daemon’s first romantic interest in House of the Dragon season 1, and now that she runs the most prominent spy network in King’s Landing, she’ll be important to the political strategy of Rhaenyra and Daemon’s Black party. While Daemon works with Mysaria to take revenge on the Greens and discover their secrets, they’ll also fall back into their old ways as lovers.
Fire & Blood also suggests that Daemon has an affair with House of the Dragon’s future character Nettles, a 17-year-old bastard girl who claims the dragon Sheepstealer for the Blacks. Rhaenyra sends Daemon and Nettles to the Trident together to find Aemond and Vhagar, with the pair rumored to have begun an affair while at Maidenpool. Mysaria even tells Rhaenyra that Daemon has taken Nettles as a lover, with the Queen angrily responding that he wouldn’t take a low-birthed girl without dragon’s blood into his bed. While another source debunks their affair and states Daemon simply treated Nettles as a daughter, the dragonrider was likely impressed with her courage – similar to why he fell for Rhaenyra.
Why Daemon Is Barely With Rhaenyra During The Dance Of The Dragons
As Rhaenyra rules on her throne – whether that be on Dragonstone or in King’s Landing – Daemon will primarily be flying Caraxes in battle, in search of enemies, or to take castles for the Blacks. While Rhaenyra will remain on Dragonstone, Daemon will soon head to Harrenhal in House of the Dragon season 2, where he will remain for some time in order to keep control of the Riverlands. According to Fire & Blood, Daemon stays at the castle until hearing that Aemond Targaryen and Criston Cole left the capital to march toward Harrenhal, giving himself, Rhaenyra, and the Blacks’ dragonriders the opportunity to seize King’s Landing.
It’s after Rhaenyra takes the Iron Throne that she sends Daemon and Nettles to the Trident in order to find Aemond and Vhagar, with Daemon spending much of his time at Maidenpool with the young dragonrider. After Rhaenyra orders the death of Nettles due to her affair with Daemon and the treachery of the other dragonseeds, Daemon flees Maidenpool for Harrenhal, where he intends to duel his nephew Aemond Targaryen. Understanding his chances of survival are low, Daemon still battles Aemond as both Targaryens and their dragons perish in the conflict. Aside from their reunion at King’s Landing, Daemon and Rhaenyra will hardly be together before his death in House of the Dragon’s future.
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