Rhaenyra will have two marriages (and two lovers) in
In "Fire & Blood," Rhaenyra's longest-lasting relationship is with her uncle, Prince Daemon Targaryen. In addition to the age gap and the incest, their relationship starts off on an especially controversial foot, with rumors that he either seduced her or taught her to seduce Ser Criston Cole, resulting in his exile.
Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) and Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) finally had sex on House of the Dragon. After teasing their deep connection for weeks, making out in a brothel, and flirting their way through King's Landing, uncle and niece at long last did the dirty.
After her lustful time with Criston Cole ended, and her marriage to Laenor Velaryon began, the new couple, future Queen and King consort of Westeros agreed to sleep with whomever they want, for it best suited them to be happy. Rhaenyra chose to sleep with Harwin Strong, and the affair brought them 3 children.
8 Rhaenyra Loves Her Uncle
In Fire & Blood, however, Rhaenyra is in love with Daemon from a young age. Things change after she meets Criston Cole. Nevertheless, George R. R. Martin's books show that Rhaenyra's first love was Daemon, whereas House of the Dragon has a slower build-up between the two.
Corr continued: "For an audience to believe us, we have to show all shades of the character. So we spoke about that in great detail and Miguel and Ryan also made it paramount that Harwin very much loves Rhaenyra. He lives his life in service of this love and of his family."
Back in her chambers, Rhaenyra's gaze lands on the handsome Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel). After some initial reluctance by Criston, who has much more on the line as a lowborn member of the Kingsguard, Rhaenyra playfully seduces her long-standing crush and they have sex.
But, while time may heal all wounds, 10 years certainly wasn't enough time for Alicent's wounds to heal over being lied to by Rhaenyra. We last saw her find out the truth in "We Light the Way" that Rhaenyra lost her virginity to Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel).
According to the accounts of Septon Eustace, prior to her turning sixteen, Rhaenyra lost her virginity to her uncle, Prince Daemon, after he seduced her.
Princess Visenya Targaryen
Ultimately, Rhaenyra has two husbands (not at the same time) and gives birth to six children. Meanwhile, it is disputed in the book as to whether Rhaenyra ever consummated a romance with Ser Criston Cole, but either way, the two go from a close relationship to enemies.
Also, he may have realized the gravity of the situation (he was about to become very intimate with his niece in a brothel) and felt some sort of guilt and shame. These things mixed together, making Daemon physically and emotionally unable to complete what he set out to do.
While Rhaenyra did go on to sleep with Criston Cole — the big problem of the episode — Viserys (Paddy Considine) was made more cautious of Daemon. In confronting him, instead of denying that he had sex with Rhaenyra and telling the truth, he instead asks Rhaenyra's hand in marriage.
Yes they did actually love each other. He definitely loved Rhaenyra that much is clear and I honestly believe he loved her until the end (his death). He wasn't faithful but he did love her more than any other woman he has ever been with.
Cooke said that she and D'Arcy” have “definitely” talked about Alicent and Rhaenyra being “each other's first love,” although by this point “too much has happened and too much time has passed to probably even recognize those fledgling feelings.”
By the time we reach episode six — which occurs more than 10 years later in the show's timeline — Harwin was revealed to be Rhaenyra's primary lover and the father to her three children.
By House of the Dragon's fourth episode, Rhaenyra is around 18 years old and Daemon is 34. "The idea that a teenage girl is in any way able to consent to that sexual interaction is a mess.
He ended up getting carried away but eventually stopped himself from going too far. So Viserys' only problem is that he thinks Daemon took Rhaenyra's virginity. But he didn't. So in Daemon's mind, he probably doesn't see much of what he did as being that wrong to begin with.
Just like young Alicent, Rhaenyra is 14 at the start of the show and ages up to almost 18 years old over the course of the first four episodes. Milly Alcock was 21 years old when "House of the Dragon" season one was filming.
In "King of the Narrow Sea", Rhaenyra seduced Ser Criston after she herself was denied by her uncle Daemon (Matt Smith). She and her paramour spent the night together, and she was warm towards Ser Criston afterward.
Aegon III, aka Aegon the Younger: Rhaenyra and Daemon's first child together. Aegon Targaryen, aka Jon Snow: Yes, he comes much later, when a song of ice and fire plays out. But he could be the prince that was promised, though that's still up for debate.
Some dragon-like babies are born after incredibly complicated and anger-induced births, so it's possible that the fire of the dragon being released within both Rhaenyra and Syrax during the birth somehow impacted her daughter's physical characteristics.
Ser Criston Cole: According to Martin's The World of Ice and Fire, Ser Criston was born in 81 AC, making him 16 years Rhaenyra's senior. But Dragon's Ser Criston is likely much younger: Fabien Frankel, who portrays the knight onscreen, is 28 years old, only 8 years older than Alcock's young Rhaenyra.
So yeah, he will always love Rhaenyra. Cole certainly did not take Rhaenyra's rejection well; in fact, he beat a man to death because he was so salty about it.
The moment that causes the break in Rhaenyra and Criston's relationship is when Criston offers to elope with Rhaenyra, and she turns him down to pursue her ambitions. They break up after this and their love turns into bitterness and hatred. Most accounts in George R. R. Martin's books agree that this is what happened.