Daemon's Unexpected Choice and the Significant Transformations House of the Dragon Experiences
Daemon Targaryen shockingly says in the most recent House Of The Dragon episode: he wants to be king, not King Consort. This choice throws a wrench in the future of the show and utterly flips the script from Fire & Blood.
Daemon in the book fervently supports Rhaenyra's claim to the Iron Throne. He assists her in arriving at King's Landing even. But Daemon has been growing more annoyed with Rhaenyra in the show; after visiting Harrenhal and seeing visions of his mother, he thinks the throne should rightly be his.
This departure from the source material in Daemon's character begs some major issues regarding how the show will handle this change. For instance, Daemon is essential for arriving at King's Landing and leaves the city following its fall in the book. How will the show explain his absence, particularly given he is now vying for the throne himself?
Now what will happen to Daemon and Rhaenyra?
Daemon is now actively contesting Rhaenyra's claim, thus it is difficult to see how their relationship might be rebuilt. Will the show feature two engaged in a royal struggle? Alternatively Daemon will finally accept loss and give up his claim. Fans will definitely be kept on the tip of their seats by these questions.
In House of the Dragon is Daemon the Villain?
The show has unequivocally shown us Daemon is not a decent man. He has a long record of dubious behavior, is ambitious and merciless. But given Rhaenyra at the center of the narrative and Daemon now opposing her aspirations, one could question whether he has become the villain of her story.
Why did House of the Dragon alter the book narrative of Daemon?
The show might have decided to change Daemon's narrative for several reasons. First, the book spends little time on his stay at Harrenhal, thus the show had to craft a more dramatic story to keep him intriguing. Second, the show lives on conflict, especially in the relationship dynamics between Rhaenyra and Alicent, its central female characters. Through building this hostility between Daemon and Rhaenyra, the show can investigate that conflict even farther.
In the end, the modifications done to Daemon's narrative in House Of The Dragon most certainly have major effects on the direction of the show. Though it's still to be seen how the show will manage these developments, one thing is certain: things are going to get far more fascinating.
