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This story contains spoilers for “House of the Dragon,” Episode 7 “Driftmark.” The romance that has long been teased in “House of the Dragon” is finally official. The seventh episode of HBO's “Game of Thrones” prequel starts with a funeral and ends with the wedding of Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen and her uncle Daemon.
Daemon and Rhaenyra had two sons together, Prince Aegon the Younger, born in 120 AC, and Prince Viserys, born in 122 AC. In 126 AC, Rhaenyra urged the ill Lord Corlys Velaryon to name as his heir her second son, Lucerys Velaryon.
More than three years after Viserys rejects her, Laena reunites with the King's younger brother Daemon. Daemon, childless, had just murdered his wife. He immediately takes a shine to Laena in episode 5. Ten years later, the pair are married with two daughters.
In Fire & Blood, Daemon does wed Laena next. Despite his plan to take over Runestone now that Rhea is gone, he's sent away and then sets his sights on Laena. Daemon and Laena go on to have two children, Baela and Rhaena, who they later arrange to marry two of Rhaenyra and Laenor's sons.
Later, in episode seven, Daemon tells Rhaenyra that he and Laena were "happy enough" in their marriage. In that regard, there was far more love between Daemon and Laena than there ever was between him and Rhea, even if it wasn't entirely romantic.
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.
Aemond's bones won't be pulled out of the water until years after the Dance of the Dragons, but it's said that Dark Sister is still plunged through his eye socket. Following its rediscovery, Dark Sister eventually passes to Prince Aemon Targaryen, a.k.a. the Dragonknight.
Rhaenyra was Viserys's eldest child and Viserys heir. However many in Westeros felt that his oldest son Aegon should rule Westeros instead. This led to war and Daemon fought for Rhaenyra seeing as she was his wife and all. Daemon would eventually die after battling with his nephew Aemond above the God's Eye.
Daemon is said to love his family by both the showrunners and fans but we're only shown his love for Viserys and Rhaenyra. Even Matt Smith has said that they're the only people Daemon cares about. Going by the actor's words and what we've seen on the show, Daemon doesn't seem to care about his daughters.
What Does Daemon Targaryen Really Want? 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.
We know that while the two came close, they never actually did the deed. Daemon, thrown off by his lack of ability to shock Rhaenyra, left her to get drunk and pass out. 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.
Daemon married Rhaenyra to restore the glory he once held. Daemon was after Rhaenyra from a very long time, he named her 'Realm's delight'.
Laena and Daemon marry soon after. Laena and Daemon were a power couple, and their marriage was celebrated by nearly all of Westeros and Essos — except for King Viserys and his court, who considered it another sign of Daemon's disrespect.
In George R.R. Martin's fictitious history of the Targaryen family, we learn that Rhaenyra does eventually have children with her uncle Daemon: two boys named Viserys II and Aegon III, both of whom eventually become king.
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).
Later on in the episode, Corlys and Rhaenys deliver the news to Viserys that Rhea is dead, explaining that her neck and skull were crushed after she fell off of her horse. So yes, unfortunately, Rhea dies in this episode. And though we don't see it on screen, we can assume that Daemon did kill her.
Daemon was 49 when he died. Unlike Aemond's body, however, Daemon's was never found. Singers say that Daemon lived to spend the rest of his days in secret with Nettles, but most historians disagree.
Lady Rhaena Targaryen, also known as Rhaena of Pentos and Rhaena Corbray, was one of the twin daughters of Prince Daemon Targaryen and Lady Laena Velaryon; Baela Targaryen was her older twin.
So, let's agree that he is (give or take) 16 years older than Rhaenyra. This places him in his early 30s when we first see him meet his niece. Yes, his niece. His teenage niece who we immediately realise he has a bit of a thing for.
Rhaenyra and Daemon's Marriage
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.
Marriage. When King Viserys I Targaryen and his small council sought a husband for Viserys's heir, Rhaenyra Targaryen, they eventually agreed on Laenor, as such a marriage would unite House Targaryen and House Velaryon once again.
in the books, the affair with Nettles is disputed. Some sources say he had an affair, other sources say Nettles was like a daughter to him.
According to co-showrunner Miguel Sapochnik, in a featurette that aired after the episode: “Ultimately, his impotence in the scene is a reflection of the fact that he knows, deep down, that what he's doing isn't right.”
In Fire & Blood, the book House of the Dragon is based on, Daemon and Rhaenyra go on to have two boys: Aegon and Viserys. Yup, another Aegon and another Viserys. They also have a daughter, Visenya, but she is sadly a stillborn baby.