While Daemon might hold complicated feelings for his brother, he loved him in a way that few second sons love their older brothers.
He was loyal to his brother, Viserys Targaryen. Daemon had always aspired to become the Hand of the King. He was blamed for being treacherous, but not even once did the thought cross his mind to usurp his brother's position.
Another surprising aspect about Daemon is his love for his family. Despite his perceived merit, he loved his brother and his family. This was one of the reasons he was so angry when his brother sent help during the battle of the Stepstones—because it came too late.
Soon after being widowed, Daemon and Rhaenyra marry each other in secret when he is 39 years old, and she is 23. Their marriage causes a huge scandal at court and another rift between Daemon and Viserys, but it is eventually accepted. The couple has two sons together, Aegon and Viserys.
Daemon Targaryen reveals that Viserys never told him about Aegon's dream in House of the Dragon, confirming Daemon was never going to be his heir.
He's ambitious, cruel, and violent, a deadly combination when you're as close to power as Daemon is. This toxic triad of personality traits means Daemon has a tendency to betray people. So far, he's betrayed his brother King Viserys Targaryen, his paramour Mysaria, aka The White Worm, and not one but two wives.
Daemon Targaryen: Born in 81 AC, Daemon is supposed to be four years younger than his brother, Viserys, according to the chronology in Fire & Blood.
2 episode of House of the Dragon, Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) and Daemon (Matt Smith) stopped fighting their feelings for one another and finally got together. However, this was more than just an illicit liaison, as Rhaenyra and Daemon got married at the end of the episode.
Viserys Targaryen was born in 77 AC while Criston Cole in 82 AC. One apparent reason why Viserys looks so much older is because of the disease slowly taking over him. Another point to consider is the show aged up the King's character quite a bit with makeup.
Daemon strangled Rhaenyra because he felt betrayed by Viserys. “It's a moment that I think is surprising and shocking for Daemon as a character, but I also think it's one of those things that's been set up over the course of the entire season.
In House of the Dragon episode 4's ending, Viserys deduces that Daemon's real motivation in seducing Rhaenyra was to get himself closer to the Iron Throne.
Daemon Targaryen seduced his niece Rhaenyra and then walked away before going through with it. Rhaenrya slept with her bodyguard, King Viserys finally fired Otto Hightower…it was an intense one! The producers break it all down in another Inside The Episode feature.
His legendary ancestor, King Aegon the Conqueror, had a vision that the world of men would fall, and understood that only his family of Aryan inbreds could save it. Viserys tells his daughter, Princess Rhaenyra, that Aegon “foresaw the end of the world of men.
In the trailer for episode 9, which confirms Viserys' death, Alicent says it out loud: "He told me he wished for Aegon to be king."
It sounds like Viserys is telling Alicent she is "the one" to ensure this will happen; that the "Prince That Was Promised" comes from her line. This isn't the case, though: Viserys thought he was talking to Rhaenyra.
In the show, there isn't any romantic love between them. Daemon uses Rhaenyra for her position, and by being the first man to be intimate with her, he ensures that no other man would want to marry her. In the books, however, Rhaenyra was in love with Daemon and had always been besotted with him.
Although she has married another and had other lovers, she clearly has a crush on her uncle, whom she secretly marries (after becoming a widow and mistress). Initially married to Rhea Royce, whom he kills to be free, he marries Laena Velaryon, with whom he has two daughters and lives well.
He was unfaithful to his third wife, Rhaenyra Targaryen, taking Mysaria and possibly Nettles as his lovers. Daemon made many friends in King's Landing, especially in Flea Bottom, and among the gold cloaks, as well as in Pentos. However, he was intensely disliked by Ser Otto Hightower.
Daemon Targaryen, who once went on a suicidal mission against Craghas Drahar and the entire Triarchy, calmed himself down and became a loyal husband and father. He tried to be worthy of Laena and their children. It could only be because he loved her and them. Him loving another does not change that.
Ser Criston Cole, we have to understand, was never a good guy. He wasn't an honorable knight who went over to the dark side. He merely wore a chivalrous façade. He didn't want Rhaenyra to run away with him because he loved her despite his claims to marry “for love.” Nor was he heartbroken over her refusal.
Daemon, Rhaenyra and Alicent have 11 kids among them by the eighth episode, which is set about six years after the "Driftmark" episode.
The brothers love each other very much, but fail to show that due to the veil of toxic masculinity obscuring their true feelings. They also know there's no one else who understands the other as much as they do, they respect each other in their own way.
The show has got the speed of the disease correct. King Viserys has lived with leprosy for many decades and the disease has grown very slowly.
Previously, Paddy Considine, who played Viserys, spoke to EW on the nature of Viserys' condition, which he said is "...a form of leprosy." He continued, saying that his illness "... becomes a metaphor for being king, and the stress and strain that it puts on you."