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lanaisdoe · 1 year

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Viserys' fear... and his relationship with and attitude to DAEMON and RHAENYRA...

From the beginning of the show it was clear Viserys disliked ruling. He disliked power and making decisions that came with it. He was indecisive and easily persuaded by those he regarded powerful, dangerous or smart. He was constantly being fed bullshit by Otto and the council, and refused to see it or even entertain the thought. Being weak, he often relied on their opinions and solutions. He always seemed unsure and incredibly unwilling to make any serious decisions, he just wanted to stay away from everything and just play his lego :D and let things work themselves out...

.... and that was why UNFORTUNATELY he often neglected and ignored and didn't consider neither Daemon, nor Rhaenyra, their opinions, feelings or needs. He only dared to make Rhaenyra the heir cuz the council (Otto) pushed it (having his own secret agenda ofc but nvm) and convinced him it was for the best and Viserys just accepted it and went with it. Even this was not Viserys' idea, (even though he really embraced it later). He was generally always inclined to believe the men in power, in authority, those he believed held power over him. He stated it himself in one of his arguments with Rhaenyra that he believed it was unavoidable - which both Rhaenyra and Daemon always firmly disagreed with. Viserys generally preferred staying away from arguments or conflicts and rather subdued to the others' will for what he thought was peace or the lesser evil. He cared for the reputation and feared attacks/rebellions/conflicts, he feared Westerosi people's ire that could bring their family down... and he was NOT ready to fight.

He exiled Daemon not only cuz he got angry with him over the comment he'd allegedly said about Viserys' son - the thing is, council had already been demonizing Daemon in Viserys' eyes for quite some time at that point and Viserys was unable to stand firmly and defend his kin any longer, despite having tried to defend Daemon times before - he always let himself be swayed in the end. And this was the weakness Daemon hated in him, Daemon wanted to stand by him, PROTECT him from the leeches, keep their family powerful and great /which he also mentioned over and over/. But Viserys was scared of that, he didn't want Westeros go against their family and believed Daemon's presence or actions would eventually lead to that. He was scared of Daemon's fire. And a part of him maybe even believed that Daemon COULD eventually harm him in pursuit of power (which was the story Otto had been feeding him for years. While Daemon only ever hoped for Viserys' approval and acceptance, love...)

So imagine Viserys' shock and surprise when his sweet good baby girl Rhaenyra started expressing her FIRE more as she grew and started reminding Viserys of none other than Daemon, the brother whose fire Viserys had always been wary of. We see LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of parallels between Daemon and Rhaenyra and their relationship with Viserys - Daemon being pushed away by Viserys, choosing council over him, Rhaenyra being sent away (after Otto's suggestion)- Viserys choosing council over her. Viserys pushing his views on Daemon as he did on Rhaenyra. Viserys believing he was doing so much for Daemon's good, he thought he was doing even much more for Rhaenyra's good. But ultimately he NEVER listened to either of them, never cared to understand what they actually wanted or needed. And both Rhaneyra and Daemon were frustrated with him for that. They both felt like they were NOT ENOUGH for Viserys. They both felt they were constantly being replaced or sent away, disregarded and disrespected... That only ignited both of them more and actually connected them ultimately when Daemon returned from the Stepstones. They were the MISFITS. They were the rebels. They were Viserys' "PLAGUE" and "HEADACHE". They were forced into marriages they did not want. They felt trapped in what Viserys had prepared for them. And that ultimately united them - the fire, the rage, the frustration, the yearning for freedom and justice, their passion, their desire to run away, to tear off their chains...

In relationship with Viserys, Rhaenyra was always more persistent and so she got what she wanted from Viserys more often than Daemon, - Daemon's coping mechanism was spite, self-pity, running away, and childish, annoying attempts to get Viserys's attention, whereas Rahenyra's were more direct, direct protest, shouting, demanding, anger and fire. She could afford it though. She was Viserys' beloved daughter and his heir. And since Viserys hated conflict so much, he preferred giving her what she wanted as he did with the council, and when he could not, he pretended he was blind and deaf, closing himself off away from her...

Viserys had always known Daemon and Rhaenyra shared the blood of the dragon and were peas in a pod. And while there was nothing he could do about Daemon, he kept refusing to see Rhaenyra that way, he wanted to see her more like Aemma, calmer, good, and kind and fair queen. And yet inside he ALWAYS KNEW. It was also interesting how it was not hard for him to believe Daemon and Rhaenyra had got involved romantically/sexually. For a second he doubted that, he was set on continuing to live in his Rhaenyra good girlie - Daemon bad bad rebel brother kinda reality BUT the very next scene we see is him explaning to Alicent that it was NOT Daemon corrupting Rhaenyra, and rather that it was just the two of them being dragons. Viserys KNEW something had gone down with those two at that point.

Anyway, as always, Viserys decided to just switch to his "I don't see it" mode and pretended Rhaenyra was the same sweet little girl he wanted her to be and Daemon did not exist - 'cause Viserys was set on seeing him as the corrupting element, it was easy to blame him, everyone else was always blaming Daemon anyway, so. And yet, Viserys made it clear in convo with Alicent he knew it was as much Rhaenyra as it was Daemon this time around. But Viserys liked his alternate reality where all was well.. peaceful and stable and proper.

Funny how reality kept kicking Viserys though, first with Otto informing him about Daemon+Rhaenyra having been seen in the brothel "coupling", then he got another kick of reality with Daemon pleading him for Rhaenyra's hand, telling him directly that he wanted HER, if he could have anything then he wanted Rhaenyra. (in Viserys's eyes though, Daemon was painted as a plague, as a corruption, as a deceitful menace...and Viserys chose not to believe Daemon's sincere intentions, rather believing the picture Otto had painted for him)

...so when Viserys refused him mindlessly giving "you're already wed" as a reason for refusal. But then he learnt about Daemon off-ing his wife just to get a chance to marry Rhaenyra,

coming to her wedding uninvited then in hope to win her somehow... And then... during the wedding when Viserys saw them together on that dancefloor.

^ This was his 'OH NO' moment. At that point I think Viserys could no longer pretend, he could no longer live in his illusion 'cause the reality had just kicked him hard, the reality was RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIS EYES >>>

...and as much as Viserys hated it, he ultimately came to accept that Rhaenyra was Daemon and Daemon was Rhaneyra. In character. In deeds. In opinions. In wants and desires.

Everything fell into place and Viserys knew there was no denying it and it had also gone WAY TOO FAR with those TWO. And they were burning for each other. Viserys' worst nightmare turned into reality right in front of his salad!

The brother, whose fire Viserys had always been wary of, was the mirror reflection of his daughter, whose fire was burning just as bright next to Daemon. And Viserys knew he had to stop it somehow. Ensure peaceful, safe reign for Rhaenyra if he could wed her to someone calm and stable and keep Daemon far away. I think he was worried the fire of the two of them united would burn their House down, i think he feared the two of them united would be a Targaryen HELL unleashed on Westeros. Viserys wanted to subdue Rhaenyra's fire just as he had always subdued his own. He had given up on Daemon, but not on Rhaenyra (Viserys could not control Daemon, he was his brother, but he could control his daughter from the position of authority as a parent + she was his heir). And so Viserys went on with his plan and forced the wedding to Laenor right there and then, he would not wait for 7 more days, he thought he did not have 7 days. If THAT^^ happened on the 1st day of the festivities, what else would follow....?

BUT ...by doing that Viserys destroyed more than he could imagine... along with Rhaenyra's fire, he subdued Daemon's fire as well.... for 10 YEARS !!! Viserys' action with good intentions ultimately BROKE both Rhaenyra AND Daemon. And Viserys was getting worse as well. It eventually led to Rhaenyra running away from the misery of King's Landing, to Dragonstone... as Daemon had done once before. Dragonstone was their safe haven. She exiled herself willingly. He lost his brother AND his daughter and was left at the mercy of the leeches Daemon had once pleaded to let him protect Viserys from, the ones Rhaenyra was fighting off over the course of those 10 years but without her fire she had no chance. Her rebellious fiery nature could not be completely subdued though, and that ended up in her giving birth to illegitimate children which further destroyed her reputation and claim, she was at her weakest, she was seen cry several times during the ep, abandoned-stripped off all her defenses and helpless, while Daemon was drinking himself into oblivion, dreaming of old Valyria, of some sort of HOME he'd never had and always searched for.

...When Viserys then saw them together first time after 10 YEARS, when he saw Daemon just staring at Rhaenyra like no one else existed, it seemed like something had finally CLICKED in Viserys...

^ perhaps that was the first time he allowed himself to think there might have actually been something much DEEPER between Daemon and Rhaenyra that went beyond fire, chaos and passion of their younger years...

We then see Viserys desperately wanting to talk to Daemon, but he also doesn't know how... many years have passed... he looks at a lot of things differently now... he misses Daemon, he feels guilty about everything he's done to him. He'd also like to have him near him. Viserys is lonely... he's lost Daemon, he's lost Rhaenyra ... he wishes to just fix everything...but it's too late...

And Daemon's staring at him daringly. He's still sour over everything Viserys has done to him, to him and Rhaenyra, ...sour over how everything could have been different but was not, sour over how Viserys had never trusted him or accepted him... Daemon is sour. He has resigned and is no longer trying to win Viserys' acceptance, respect or approval BUT Daemon still loves his brother despite everything and still low key wishes for his brother's love...

but when Viserys finally finds the courage to talk to him and makes an attempt at mending the rship with Daemon awkwardly, just calling him to come back home, Daemon is instantly super BITTER, as if all memories have just hit him, and he is being a big proud stubborn child, as if Viserys calling him home, telling him he wants him by his side, wasn't what Daemon has been dreaming of his whole life.

BUT it's a different moment that makes him snap. The moment Viserys tells him to come home because there 'must be something Daemon should need' Daemon instantly snaps telling him "I NEED "R"......"NOTHING!" (srsly seems like he was about to say some "r" word ...i have no idea what, but i'm gonna assume Rhaenyra.)-> due to the fact that Daemon had told Viserys all those years ago "you said I could have anything, I WANT RHAENYRA" - he'd made it clear to Viserys exactly WHAT he needed more than anything else, and yet Viserys chose not to believe him, not to trust him, love him, and never considered giving him Rhaenyra. Not like it mattered now. Now nothing mattered. Daemon needed NOTHING anymore. All was said and done. Lost. Daemon had spent 10 years drinking and sitting on a roof looking at the night sky because of Viserys (i think Daemon blames Viserys at least partly, if not entirely, for his misery) Daemon seems completely defeated, bitter and hopeless...

^ like back when he understood Viserys was willing to believe the WORST when it came to Daemon's true intentions... when Daemon told him sincerely he wanted Rhaenyra more than anything and together with her wanted to make House of the Dragon great again. He wanted that for THEIR family, for Viserys too. But Viserys saw him as a threat, a plague...

AND THEN when after EVERYTHING Daemon and Rhaenyra managed to get married they arrive to King's landing as a MARRIED COUPLE, Rhaenyra says 'I'm here with Daemon' ...

and Viserys seems to be so happy, he's weak, he's almost dying, but he still calls for Daemon, calls his name, brother... it is a super touching scene. It is clear he loves Daemon and regrets everything, and now Viserys seems to be genuinely happy his daughter Rhaenyra has his brother Daemon by her side. And that might be the greatest approval Daemon has ever got from Viserys. The first time Viserys was clearly looking at him with love, respect, and gratefulness, he took him seriously, he treated him with utmost appreciation...

Daemon never stopped loving Viserys and now he seemed to be even more set on protecting him, like some old spark was back, Daemon had finally felt Viserys' love, acceptance and approval, he saw Viserys loved their babies and obviously blessed their marriage - and Daemon is back to fiercely protecting, defending and living and dying for his brother Viserys with renewed vigor, now as a father himself, and as husband to Viserys' beloved daughter as he'd always wanted...

Daemon has found his home with Rhaenyra - the home, the acceptance, the love, the approval he had always searched for, Rhaenyra gave him all that and more. So now he didn't need it from Viserys anymore...

And yet, now he had Viserys' acceptance as well. Viserys understood, too late, but he did. Everything he hated in Daemon earlier he now seemed to be grateful for, because now as he was weak and defenseless with little time left, there was Daemon with his strength, courage, fire and indomitability, and he was going to stand by Viserys' daughter, his niece and wife, and Viserys KNEW Daemon would NOT let anything happen to Rhaenyra, that he was going to stand by her side till the end. He was looking at them and he was so contented because he saw they were happy, fulfilled and so strong together. What Viserys had wanted to avoid so much ultimately became his relief, his blessing, his gratefulness...

And much to Viserys' and probably many others' surprise, the union of Daemon and Rhaenyra did not cause any explosion of their fires, no horrors. It did not unleash hell on Westeros, as many feared, in fact, joining of their fire and blood only made both of them CALM DOWN and SETTLE like never before... Daemon did not even go to fight war on Stepstones later despite Corlys going. Daemon stayed with his family, with his wife, on Dragonstone, making babies and fetching dragon eggs for the newborns... War? what war? what blood, what politics? Restless and chaotic? Nope. They had each other, babies, legacy, and they had their HOME. They were living the time of their lives...

.....it took something threatening their unity and their family, actually, to ignite their DRAGONFIRE that would be unleashed on Westeros...but that's a different story...

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