The article contains spoilers from House of the Dragon.House of the Dragon's season 1 concluded with a bang - Rhaenyra is now queen but already suffers several misfortunes, including Lucerys' death. With no path forward for the Blacks but one that is steeped in bloody vengeance, it looks like one member of Rhaenyra's retinue will finally get what he was always looking for.
A cruel and impulsive renegade, Daemon Targaryen tends to do whatever he likes with no regard for the consequences. Yet his actions often have long-term effects that can ripple into something worse than he truly expected. After all, many of Daemon's biggest mistakes have led to an outright civil war.
Refusing To Deny Insulting Viserys' Son
After the death of Queen Aemma and her stillborn son, Baelon, Daemon elected to host a celebration for his Gold Cloaks. It was already a sign of deep disrespect to celebrate so soon after the death of half of Viserys' family, but Otto reported that he stood up and insulted Baelon as "Heir for a day."
While there is no way of knowing if Daemon actually said the phrase, given that he has a proven willingness to lie to further his own goals, he still refused to deny it. It absolutely enraged Viserys and led to Daemon losing his title as heir. For Daemon, it was a completely self-inflicted wound that easily could have been avoided.
Refusing Viserys' Help In The Stepstones
Daemon has always been a prideful man, and the thought of his brother coming to save the day made him beat a messenger halfway to death in his fury. The fight in the Stepstones was one of the most important battles in Targaryen history, and Daemon was utterly ridiculous for not seeing that.
Viserys was not there to insult his brother. Instead, he offered a hand to help him, as it was a show of love and solidarity, not mockery. Yet Daemon refused to accept it and instead went on a mission that could have easily led to his death. It signaled his lack of faith in Viserys and his outright disrespect for the king.
Flirting With Rhaenyra
As the Crown Prince of Westeros, Daemon should not have been flirting with the king's unwed daughter. Yet he consistently brought her gifts, invited her out with him, and made comments that were clearly not intended for a regular niece.
While Daemon is one of Rhaenyra's greatest allies leading up to war, that didn't give him the right to disrespect her the way he did when she was young. It was also a mistake that caused Viserys to exile him — again — which only took away Daemon's chance to maintain a foothold in King's Landing.
Taking Rhaenyra To A Brothel
Daemon never stopped at just flirting with Rhaenyra. He soon took her to a brothel, despite knowing the consequences that could come for maidens in brothels in Westeros. It could have led to Rhaenyra being disinherited, or even killed or exiled.
The fact that he later pretended to have slept with Rhaenyra caused her to make one of her most ridiculous lies, as she pretended he never even touched her. It could easily have ended with both of their deaths, and Daemon was incredibly lucky that Viserys was a merciful brother and a loving father.
Not Telling Rhaenys About Laenor
In a move that easily could have led to the Blacks losing the support of one of the most important houses in House of the Dragon, Daemon faked the death of Laenor Velaryon. Poor Rhaenys and Corlys Velaryon were left to mourn over the death of their son, shortly after the death of their daughter.
It was clear that Rhaenys harbored deep-seated resentment against the Blacks after discovering her son's supposed remains. Had Daemon simply told her the truth, the Blacks would not have had to rely on Rhaenys' empathy to get her on their side. She might have even killed the Greens in the Dragonpit, avoiding a war entirely.
Marrying Rhaenyra Immediately After Laenor's "Death"
Rhaenys might have refused to ally with them, given how they acted in the wake of Laenor's assumed death. Instead of simply waiting to marry, they outright insulted Rhaenys' dead child by marrying shortly after the body was discovered. It was an insult to Laenor's memory in Rhaenys' eyes, which made it even worse.
Given that there was no actual time crunch, Daemon and Rhaenyra easily could have waited a few weeks — at least until their children were no longer in mourning clothes. It was extremely offensive, and it is absolutely no wonder that Rhaenys detested Daemon and Rhaenyra for so long.
Not Guarding Vhagar
At Laena's funeral, Aemond approached the mighty dragon Vhagar and claimed her for himself. While only book readers knew what Aemond would do to Luke, it was still easy to assume that someone might try to claim the largest dragon in the realm.
Daemon should have set up a guard to protect Vhagar, but she was left completely alone for any dragonrider to come and claim. With so many Targaryens and Velaryons in one place, it was ridiculous to assume that no one would want a fierce dragon like her. At the very least, dragons without a Targaryen rider should have been guarded.
Making An Enemy Of Otto Hightower
While a second son with no lands or inheritance of his own, Otto Hightower managed to make himself one of the most powerful people in the realm. Though often misunderstood, Otto served under the reigns of King Jaehaerys and King Viserys, before eventually serving King Aegon II.
The fact that Otto was so powerful was exactly why it was such a mistake for Daemon to make the man his enemy. Had they simply worked together, Daemon could have kept his position as heir. Instead, he had the Hand of the King rallying against him, which was always a risky move that backfired horribly.
Not Spending Enough Time With Viserys
While Daemon certainly loved his brother, he was never particularly good at showing it. Whether that meant insulting him, risking his daughter's life, or spending decades away from the man, he was always keeping Viserys' at arm's length. It certainly affected their relationship.
Viserys deserved to have a loyal brother by his side who was with him for more than pride and ambition. Given how much it hurt Daemon to hear of his brother's death, he should have been there for Viserys in the end. Sadly, he was never the support that Viserys needed, and they — and the kingdom — suffered for it.
Letting Luke Go To Storm's End
Daemon's biggest mistake by far was not stepping in to stop Rhaenyra from sending his step-sons as envoys. Daemon had already seen how much Aemond despised his nephews, and he should have realized that the Greens would be sending envoys of their own.
A boy like Luke should never have been sent on his own without the Blacks knowing exactly where Aemond was. Given that he had already been ready to murder Jace with a rock, it was to be expected that he would try to kill Luke. It was a serious mistake, and it would eventually be the reason for civil war.