I have spent a lifetime defending you…but your heart is even blacker than I thought.

EMMA D’ARCY & MILLY ALCOCK with the award for Best Drama Series at the 80th Annual Golden Globes (2023)

And look at what my life became without you? Droll tragedy.

Daemyra + silently judging people together

MATT SMITH as DAEMON TARGARYEN

HOUSE OF THE DRAGON 1.04 “THE KING OF THE NARROW SEA”

This fits more with Daemon's character than many ideas from the showrunners.

MATT SMITH as DAEMON TARGARYEN

HOUSE OF THE DRAGON 1.10 “THE BLACK QUEEN”

(insp.)

So hear me out, when Daemon is accused of saying “Heir for a day,” after the death of Balon, there is a very smart reason we (the viewers) never actually hear or see it.

This line is delivered to us and to Viserys by Otto Hightower, who we all know has a strong distaste for (and a clear agenda against) Daemon. In Fire and Blood, the story reads as a history book with nearly no characterization. All of the events and characterizations that we do receive are second or third hand recollections/interpretations of events and people. This often leads to muddy or unclear accounts that we as readers know to take with a grain of salt.

Of course Daemon could have very well said what he is being accused of, I’m fairly certain he said it. But I find the writing here was very interesting and strategic (not to mention brilliant). Because Daemon replies to Viserys by saying “We must all mourn in our own way.” Which makes us (and Viserys) all pause, and evaluate the ‘Heir for a Day’ comment through a sympathetic lens for the first time.

In the show, having Otto Hightower be the person to deliver this quote to Viserys is a clever way to depict the very concept of misinterpretation and warped information. History is a glorified game of Telephone. We do not know how Daemon delivered these words; with regret, with sorrow, with spite, sarcasm etc. Regardless of how he spoke them, they are weaponized by Otto to start a disagreement between Daemon and Viserys. By doing this, Otto seamlessly uses Viserys to remove Daemon from the equation once again. But this scene gives us an opportunity to consider that Daemon isn’t pure evil, and adds complexity to him.

Daemon can truly, truly suck, that is true, but he does love his family. Their blood runs thick, as he says. Moments before he gives the speech in the pleasure house, we see Daemon very much alone and sad. This man does have a heart, and having seen him sad and mourning before he supposedly delivered this line humanizes him. This entire scene says so much without saying it directly, and is the first example we have so far of how easily the truth of a situation gets warped the more people it passes through. I’m very exited to see other examples of this at work throughout this series.

Matt Smith kneeling to his Queens as Prince Daemon Targaryen in House of the Dragon and as Prince Philip Mountbatten in The Crown

#girlboss and malewife

“But fundamentally, when Rhaenyra realises Daemon was never taught the prophecy, she suddenly gains legitimacy. Because she understands that it was her, she was chosen for this.” — Emma D’arcy 

HOUSE OF THE DRAGON | 1.10 “The Black Queen”

Emma and Matt are co-captains of Team Daemyra

Emma’s read on Rhaenyra is interesting. 

Re: Stillbirth

“The advice Rhaenyra is receiving is to have patience, in the hope of preventing the child being stillborn or preventing harm to the child. And she ignores the advice, seeking instead to get this body out of her. And I think it’s really fundamental, and it will be possibly divisive, but ultimately I think she chooses her own bodily autonomy. She prioritises her own bodily autonomy. She literally says in the scene, like ‘get it out’.”

The succession challenge is entirely due to her being female. Her father has passed, this is her ascension moment but her body reminds her of her uterus so whilst Daemon, her male counterpart and former heir unburdened by his lack of womb, is able to take action, she is relegated to the birthing suite aka her battlefield. I know a lot of people have been upset that Daemon didn’t go to Rhaenyra when she cried out his name but I now think she was yelling out his name because she just wanted him to pause and wait for her delivery before anything were to go ahead. Rhaenyra delivered Joffrey alone and didn’t appear to begrudge Laenor/Harwin and Viserys wasn’t with Aemma during delivery until he had to decide whether or not to murder her. 

Everything is happening without her, this moment she’s been anticipating for 15 years is finally here and she’s been sidelined by a baby that DAEMON put into her while HE takes on the leadership rule in her absence. When she sends Jace, she doesn’t tell him to bring Daemon to her but she wants him to remind Daemon (and everyone else) that SHE is the fucking heir and Queen. So then she just decides, fuck it, I need this OUT because it’s impeding her birthright. 

“I think Rhaenyra really seeks to claim surrogate fathers, and I think she is drawn to [Corlys] somewhat. It even happens in this episode with Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) on the bridge.”

This was interesting because I hadn’t considered this in her interaction with Otto because I had thought her consideration for peace only related to Alicent and an avoidance of war. Emma talked about possibly wanting to appease Otto as a surrogate father figure. I mean, there is already the massive daddy issue that is her relationship with Daemon. But I hadn’t really seen that play out with Otto, particularly given that in childhood, she is the one who convinces Viserys to send him away. I don’t feel like many other Otto/Rhaenyra scenes give off this vibe to me so it was interesting to hear Emma’s take.

“I don’t actually think he’s been violent to her before, although I think there’s been a lot of conflict. But fundamentally, when Rhaenyra realises Daemon was never taught the prophecy, she suddenly gains legitimacy. Because she understands that it was her, she was chosen for this…She begged [Viserys] to show her what to do because she can’t do it alone, and I think in this scene, she gets a message from beyond the grave the moment that she understands that Damon wasn’t chosen. ‘Wow, it was never you.’”

So no, Daemon has never been violent towards Rhaenyra. Emma mentioned that they were both grieving in the instance and Daemon was managing it far worse than Rhaenyra. And this is the moment Rhaenyra mentally acknowledges all that Viserys trusted her with aka the well-being and safety of the entire Realm. SHE is the one who needs to lead.

Emma also mentioned that Matt Smith was the one who came up with the idea that Daemon should tell her about Lucerys and for them to walk away from camera towards the fireplace etc. Matt is single-handedly trying to inject as much humanity and nuance into Daemon while the writers keep trying to maintain a villain status. Because it was Matt’s idea for the moment Daemon helps Viserys to his Throne and crowns him. That was such an important moment for these two estranged brothers who still loved each other and it was improvised by the actor. Sigh.

“There’s that idea that you would die for your lover, but kill for your children. She understands that now.”

Ugh can I just skip ahead to 2024??

Daemon placing the same crown on the heads of King Viserys I Targaryen and Queen Rhaenyra I Targaryen

HOUSE OF THE DRAGON 1.02 | The Rogue Prince 1.10 | The Black Queen

At every turn Matt Smith has impressed me with how he interprets Daemon and I feel like we were robbed of him flexing those muscles a handful of times this season

I think Matt Smith should be the only one saying what Daemon will do. And why were we robbed of that walk?

(x)