House of the Dragonis about to unleash its second season finis — capping a run of episode in which Alicent ’s new muscular family began to shatter , and Rhaenyra larn to drew military strength fromunexpected , occasionally fieryplaces . But one major character has been off in his own storyline almost the intact time : Matt Smith‘s Daemon Targaryen .
argue with guiltiness - provoking ghosts ? Making a enchantress frenemy ? Manipulating minions into unimaginable cruelty ? Plotting to betray his wife and pouf by taking his own shot at the Iron Throne ? Being the worst guest despite having maybe the most accommodating server ever in Ser Simon Strong , played by British performing legend and internet insta - fave Sir Simon Russell Beale ? Daemon has experienced a lot and he ’s barely localise foot outside of Harrenhal , his home plate basesince he flounced away from Dragonstone in sequence two .
This is a big switch for Daemon , who in time of year one wasa danger - prone risky boywith all the allure that implies . He defeated an entire armyJohn Wick - flair ; he casually murdered his inconvenient first wife ; he pout about being cut out of the line of succession . But he in the end married Rhaenyra , his niece and the Iron Throne heir apparent , once she was long time - appropriate and their previous better half were out of the picture .
Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen.© Theo Whiteman/HBO
In season two , the passionate Targaryen great power couple is in serious trouble . Westeros ’ commitment to patriarchate has been well - established already inHouse of the Dragon , and that — intermingle with Daemon ’s own suppuration ambitions — has mean that he ’s been ineffective to to the full embrace Rhaenyra ’s claim to the throne . He thinksheshould be give orders , and when Rhaenyra calls him out for overstepping and question his loyalty , he does what he ’s always done : flees the situation rather than face it head - on .
His destination is Harrenhal , the hulking chaff of the big castle in Westeros , where his intended mission is to verify all the business firm in the Riverlands are on Team Black . And while he ’s finally make around to pulling those strings in recent episodes — using some horrifying tactics that’ve made him the most hat homo in the realm — the main thrusting of his time of year - two narration has been far more cosmic and surreal .
Game of Thronesfans and George R.R. Martin record book readers jazz Harrenhal is a place well intimate with tragedy , and where the veil can be very tenuous . Daemon ’s mind is already ail when he arrives , which pretend him even more centripetal to its intrusive spirits . That intensifies when he see the witchy Alys Rivers , Harrenhal ’s therapist in mansion . It ’s implied that she ’s a big reason he jump have distressing dreams and visions ; during his wake hour , she ’s certainly unafraid to thump into the scale he ’s manufacture around his complicated feelings about Rhaenyra , his belated blood brother King Viserys , and the Iron Throne .
© Ollie Upton/HBO
She ’s also been something of a voice of ground — though whether Daemon is absorbing Alys ’ monition that his military action pretend everyone around him , including the most vulnerable smallfolk , is cloudy at best .
Far more effective in getting through Daemon ’s loom ego : the “ ghosts ” he interact with , including the teenage Rhaenyra — not coincidentally , the age she was when Viserys chose her as his heir instead of Daemon — and , most touchingly , Viserys himself . The brother did n’t always see heart to middle , and their family relationship get greatly when Daemon was disinherited for being utterly hardhearted after the tragic deaths of Viserys ’ married woman and baby son .
When Viserys seem to Daemon at Harrenhal , forcing him to confront afflictive feelings he ’s repressed for decades , it does n’t quite give him law of closure . But it perhaps have him re - opine his seeking to capture the diadem for himself , particularly after Viserys , see as he did when he was in the worst throe of his wasting sickness , remind his buddy of how much pain it can cause : “ It crushes whoever bust it . You always want it , Daemon . Do you want it , still ? ”
© Ollie Upton/HBO
It remains to be see ( very soon ! ) if Daemon will take his Harrenhal deterrent example to heart ; in installment seven , he had to very unpleasantly atone for his Riverlands tactics by beheading an ally who followed his instructions a snatch too closely . That had to confidence trick , but his existential crisis feels even more towering , particularly as the battlefield beckons . Will the finale see Rhaenyra ’s hubby finally become a true plus to Team Black , or will his leaning to act like a self - serving jackass incinerate him in the end ?
We ’ll find out , presumptively , whenHouse of the Dragon‘s season two finish arrives Sunday night on HBO and Max .
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Game of ThronesGeorge RR MartinHBOHouse of the Dragon
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