Whether you’re enjoying Daemon Targaryen’s descent into madness, or think that House of the Dragon just needs to move on from Harrenhal already, the series’ latest episode definitely has something for everyone.
Daemon’s been stuck in the haunted Strong castle for the past three episodes of House of the Dragon, slowly but surely laying claim to the Riverlands and (reluctantly) facing his inner demons. It’s not the most effective way to utilize the series’ most active, interesting character — but its latest episode does finally get the ball rolling in earnest... after a few incredibly strange dream sequences.
Spoilers for House of the Dragon ahead!
Daemon was essentially hexed by Harrenhal’s resident witch, Alys Rivers. Since setting foot in the castle he’s been plagued by visions of those he’s wronged in the past, including his second wife, Laena Velaryon, and his niece/current wife Rhaenyra. Episode 5 doubles down on that trend by giving Daemon a trippy erotic dream. This mysterious Targaryen woman appears to assuage his feelings of inadequacy, especially regarding his right to the Iron Throne. “You were always the strong one,” she says, comparing him to his brother, the late King Viserys. “If only you’d been born first... my favorite son.”
Yeah. Daemon was having an... intimate dream about his mom. But who exactly was Alyssa Targaryen, and what makes this particular vision so significant?
Alyssa Targaryen, explained
Before Episode 5, Alyssa Targaryen has only been mentioned once in House of the Dragon. Her depiction in this episode contradicts what we know about Alyssa from George R. R. Martin’s Fire & Blood. In the source text, Alyssa doesn’t have the trademark silver hair that denotes Targaryn ancestry. Instead her hair was dirty blonde, and she was described “as bawdy a wench as any barmaid in King’s Landing.” As for her legacy, she married her brother Baelon and had three children: Viserys, Daemon, and another son Aegon. She passed after complications from her last birth, and Aegon followed six months later.
It makes sense that Daemon would dream about Alyssa at Harrenhal, as the bulk of his visions have focused on his resentment toward Viserys for choosing Rhaenyra as his heir. Daemon has been struggling with the idea of coming second to Rhaenyra ever since, and his visions of a younger Rhaenyra have only demonstrated that. (He beheaded her in last week’s dream, thus “claiming” her crown as his own.) Alyssa seems to be the only one that actually chose Daemon: Back in Season 1, even Viserys agreed that their mom favored him. Seeing as he’s on the outs with Rhaenyra — and incest is obviously not an issue here — an Oedipus complex isn’t all that surprising. It’s gross, of course, but not surprising.
With Rhaenyra hoping to reconcile with Daemon at the end of Episode 5, House of the Dragon may finally take Daemon away from Harrenhal. That should sound good for those who are getting tired of the season’s trippy visions, but it’s important to note that these were pretty important for Daemon’s arc. House of the Dragon finally brings the character face-to-face with the consequences of his actions, and forces him to reconcile with his failures and fears. Whether he’ll actually accept those lessons, or carry on as usual, remains to be seen. But if there’s one thing this arc has revealed, it’s that Daemon can’t keep running from his past.
