House of the Dragon fans have spent the days following the Season 2 finale flooding the internet with claims of an uneventful, slow-paced season filled with too much character work and not enough action. In particular, many people have expressed their disinterest in the storyline that Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith), who was once known for his incredible sword skills and lust for battle, embarks on at Harrenhal this season. It is certainly fair for fans to crave a badass war scene akin to the ones found in Season 1, but those styles of scenes ultimately do not allow his character to develop any further.
Whilst it may be hard to recognize at first, Daemon’s journey through the haunted halls of Harrenhal acts as a way to push his character forward, to offer him a way to break free of the jealousy and grief that have plagued him throughout his life, and to ultimately play a much more important role in the war to come. His supernatural experiences and visions may seem monotonous and repetitive, but they allow the audience to gain a deeper understanding of what will motivate him in the future and how he fits into the larger picture of Targaryen and Westerosi history. With Daemon’s season 2 arc now fully fledged out, his character becomes way more nuanced and complex than the one-note, ruthless “Rogue Prince” characterization from Season 1.
After ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 1, Daemon Needed Closure with Viserys
It is no secret that Daemon Targaryen holds a plethora of mixed emotions towards his late brother King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine). For most of Season 1, the pair were shown constantly arguing over Daemon’s rather reckless acts around the realm, and most notably over his behavior following the death of Queen Aemma Arryn (Siân Brooke). Instead of consoling his brother through the horrible loss, Daemon is found mocking the death of both Viserys’ wife and his newborn son, which creates a divide in their relationship that remains until the time of Viserys’ passing many years later. This divide is arguably the reason for many of Daemon’s frustrations in his current life, as it is one of the reasons Viserys decides to keep allies like Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) as his hand while pushing Daemon further away from him.
Throughout his time at Harrenhal, Daemon is met with the opportunity to reunite with his brother, or rather a ghostly version of him, to try and gain closure from their broken relationship. In Season 2, Episode 6, Daemon is forced to repeat a heated conversation he once had with Viserys following the infamous “heir for a day” scene in a vision. The entire sequence is rooted in the fact that this moment marked Viserys losing all trust in Daemon, and that still haunts him to this day. Although this moment is very clearly still painful for Daemon, he reacts in a much more apologetic and vulnerable way than he initially did in real life. Later in the season, Daemon is offered the crown by a decaying vision of Viserys and ultimately denies it. While it is unclear whether Daemon ever truly wanted the throne for himself, it is obvious that he always valued and sought approval from his brother. Despite Viserys doing the talking, the vision is born out of Daemon’s mind, so his refusal of the crown marks a huge moment of growth for Daemon’s character and ultimately allows him to put his feelings of guilt around their relationship behind him.
Daemon’s Visions Reminded Him of What’s Truly Important
Daemon does not just harbor guilt for his treatment of Viserys, though. In one vision that Daemon experiences at Harrenhal, he is confronted by his second wife Laena Velaryon (Nanna Blondell) after drinking a potion given to him by Alys Rivers (Gayle Rankin). In this brief moment, Laena asks Daemon if he has been looking after their two children, Baela (Bethany Antonia) and Rhaena Targaryen (Phoebe Campbell). While many would argue that parents should not have to be reminded to care for their children, Daemon has clearly not been keeping his promise to Laena and is quite disturbed by this interaction. While no one can guarantee Daemon will do right by his late wife and their two girls, this moment serves as a reminder to Daemon that his family is more important to him than any crown or glory he may gain in battle.
Young Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock) also makes a number of appearances in Daemon’s nightmares throughout his time at Harrenhal, as much of his guilt is tied to how he has treated her since being named heir. In one particularly harrowing moment, Daemon envisions himself beheading the young princess as she proclaims, “You created me, Daemon. Yet now you are set on destroying me, all because your brother loved me more than he did you.” While this moment is certainly reflective of Daemon’s complex feelings towards Viserys, it also shows how guilty he feels about hurting Rhaenyra’s claim to the throne through his selfish and reckless actions. With these visions in particular, Daemon finally realizes how much his actions affect the people he loves the most.
After Season 2, Daemon Can Finally Move Forward Supporting Rhaenyra
Following many episodes of solitude for Daemon, he is finally reunited with Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) in the final episode. While it may have appeared that Daemon was preparing to make his own grab at the Iron Throne throughout the season, his final Harrenhal vision brings about the culmination of all the transformations his character has been moving through when he bends the knee to her publicly. In this vision, Daemon sees the A Song of Ice and Fire prophecy, and how Rhaenyra’s ascension to power plays a key role in that. This moment is extremely important for the future of Daemon’s character, as he finally is able to understand what role he will play in the war and all of Targaryen history.
With his allegiances more clear than ever, Daemon is now able to make up for all the shortcomings that have haunted him for so long. Through fully supporting Rhaenyra, he knows that he is doing exactly what his brother always needed from him and what he believes will be the best for the future of the realm..
Although audiences may have felt his healing journey was too drawn out, it is clear that Daemon’s time at Harrenhal was necessary for him to become a character that symbolizes so much more than chaos and destruction. With Daemon’s character now fully realized and free of all the traumas that once plagued his mind, fans can expect to see a much more focused and battle-ready version of himself return in Season 3.