With House of the Dragon now on HBO, the series depicting the catastrophic civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons will showcase the formidable members of House Targaryen. One of the most notable power players is Daemon, who is the younger brother of the king, Viserys I.

Played by Matt Smith, he is poised to play a remarkable role in the war that comes to engulf all the Seven Kingdoms in one form or another. Thus, many book readers understand how fascinating and very volatile the character is, whether his ambitions as the future king or the details of his personal life.

He Saw Himself As The Rightful Heir

Daemon sitting on the Iron Throne

In Westeros, a familial line can determine one’s path in life. As the younger brother of Viserys (one of the least evil kings the realm had seen), Daemon believed he had the right to occupy the position of Prince of Dragonstone. In fact, he wasn’t at all shy about letting everyone know that he believed this, and it was all that his elder brother could do to keep him under control.

His belief in his own status meant that Daemon treated almost everyone in his path with at least some measure of contempt. In particular, this would bring him into some measure of conflict with Rhaenyra, who also regarded herself as the rightful heir to the throne. It was only her marriage to him that managed to keep him from being even more of a thorn in her side.

He Led A War Against The Stepstones

House of the dragon daemon princess Rhaenyra alicent hightower

There have been many great fighters on Game of Thrones, and it seems as if Daemon will be one of these in House of the Dragon. After all, as book readers know, he was a formidable leader of men, so much so that he was even willing and able to lead an attack against the Stepstones.

Given that he was a dragonrider, he was able to inspire fear in others. Though the war was itself an expression of his own vanity and ambition, he still deserves credit for being willing to take the initiative. However, as the show will unfold, this will bring him into increasing conflict not only with his brother Viserys, but also with Otto Hightower, who sees Daemon as a grievous threat to both the realm and the Iron Throne.

He Had Himself Declared King Of The Stepstones

Daemon superimposed over Caraxes
Caraxes Daemon House of the Dragon

As part of his war against the Stepstones, Daemon ultimately had himself crowned. It was, to be sure, a moment of titanic achievement on his part, but it was also an expression of his desire to be a king, something which had been denied to him so long as he kept his desires confined to the Seven Kingdoms.

Unfortunately, as was so often the case with Daemon, he was not really committed to the task of ruling, and he ultimately left this realm behind and returned to his brother’s court. It's easy to see how this will have a bearing on his representation in the series, as it will present him as alternative power, opposite to his brother Viserys.

He Wielded A Valyrian Steel Blade

Two Swords Valyrian Steel Game of Thrones

Many important swords have emerged in Game of Thrones, and the most valuable of these were forged from Valyrian steel. Given that he is a member of House Targaryen, it’s not surprising that Daemon would wield a Valyrian steel sword.

In this case, it was given the name Dark Sister, one of the most famous blades in the history of the kingdom. It was a blade with a rich history, as it had been wielded by none other than Visenya, one of the sister-wives of Aegon the Conqueror. Given the very important role that swords played in Game of Thrones, this will also no doubt be an important element of House of the Dragon, in that it will symbolize Daemon's authority and his desire to have more power than he currently possesses.

He Wasn’t A Faithful Husband

Rhaenyra and Damon Targaryen in House of the Dragon

One of the most notable aspects of Daemon’s life was his marital connections. Like some other members of his royal house, he had to look outside his immediate family - at first - in order to find a bride. In fact, he married several times, and he was never faithful to any of his wives.

This even extended to his third wife, his niece Rhaenyra. In fact, he would take a young woman named Nettles as a lover, with consequences that would be catastrophic both for him and for the realm. If the series follows the story laid out in Fire and Blood, this illicit romance will be one which manages to bring about emotional devastation for both Daemon and for his niece/wife Rhaenyra.

He Was Knighted At A Young Age

Rhaenyra and Daemon Targaryen in House of the Dragon

Many notable knights appear in Game of Thrones, and it appears that Daemon Targaryen will be one of those to join such august company. Even from a young age, it was clear that he had a great deal of skill on the tourney field and with the art of weaponry.

For this reason, he was actually knighted at a very young age of sixteen, which is when he was given the blade Dark Sister by King Jahaerys I. The fact that he was such a good fighter would go on to shape both his destiny and that of the Seven Kingdoms. By the time the series begins, he will have already become quite convinced of his own extraordinary talents, which will repeatedly bring him into conflict with the other powers in the Seven Kingdoms.

He Hated Otto Hightower

Alicent and Otto Hightower in House of the Dragon on a beach

Few conflicts in the history of the Seven Kingdoms have been as important as that between Otto Hightower and Daemon, which is directly lifted from Fire and Blood. The two men hated one another with a deep and abiding passion. Each, clearly, saw the other as a threat, and book readers know that Otto in particular did everything he could to undermine Daemon’s reputation in the eyes of his elder brother.

When the Dance of the Dragons broke out, both would have reason to take out their personal vendetta, no matter who happened to get caught in the crossfire of their fury. From the information released through the trailers, it seems very likely that the ego contest between these two men will be one of the major narratives explored in House of the Dragon.

He Could Be Cruel

Viserys leaning back in a chair

Throughout his career, Matt Smith has shown that he is tremendously talented, with many great roles to his name. He is going to bring his powerful charisma to the character of Daemon, who has a similar sort of casual cruelty as Philip in The Crown.

In one notable example, he sneeringly dismissed Viserys’ young son, who died very shortly after his mother. Daemon, as book readers know, wasn’t one of those people who would ever let propriety (or good taste in general) dictate or change any of his behaviors. It's easy to see how this will have a large part to play in House of the Dragon, not only because it will be a key element of Daemon's personality, but it will engender the conflicts which will help keep the series' narrative fascinating to watch.

He Commanded The City Watch

The Great hall of Harrenhal

Though he could be harsh and unfeeling, Daemon was nevertheless very good at gathering the loyalty of the men who were under his command. This was certainly true of the City Watch, over whom he had command for several years.

However, it’s easy to see why they would be so loyal to him, given that he was committed to their well-being. What’s more, he is also the one who gave them their gold cloaks, which gave them the name they would be known as afterward in Game of Thrones. In House of the Dragon, this will no doubt take the form of him creating his own base of power, which will create tension with those who want to see his abilities curbed rather than enabled.

He Was An Able Battle Commander

Daemon and Caraxes in the Dragonpit on House of the Dragon

Both during the Dance of the Dragons and before, Daemon Targaryen showed that he was a skilled battle commander. In fact, it was precisely this which endeared him to his last wife, Rhaenyra. He was brave, and he was never willing to take a back seat during a conflict.

Part of this, of course, stemmed from the fact that he was in command of a powerful dragon, Caraxes. Unlike others, who would sometimes let caution determine their course of action, he was the type of man who would strike first and ask questions after. Given how important battles are sure to be in House of the Dragon — as they were in Game of Thrones — this ability to command on the battlefield will play a key role in his character's development arc.

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