The Season 2 finale ofHouse of the Dragonhad its ups and downs, but one sequence left fans excited about the events yet to unfold. While this season showed the political scheming and the behind-the-scenes of what it means to prepare for battle, audiences got a glimpse of the events that would becomeGame of Thronesand a much-beloved character.Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), the Mother of Dragons herself, made an appearanceas Aly Rivers (Gayle Rankin) guided Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) to the godswood at Harrenhal, where a vision of the future of House Targaryen and Westeros was revealed to him.
Throughout the season, Daemon is plagued with visions expressing his guilt and sadness over his behavior towards his brother Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine), coming to terms with himself and accepting Viserys' choice of naming Rhaenrya his heir. The last vision at Harrenhal solidifies Daemon’s loyalty to Rhaenrya as queen and his acknowledgment of Aegon the Conqueror’s dream.
The Last Vision in House of the Dragon, Explained
House of the Dragon
Fans of the television series either remained loyal to Daemon or hated him this season. Hisstoryline remained unclearthe entire season leading up to the final episode, and viewers saw his story arc in Season 1 as far superior. Each vision that saw Daemon wandering around Harrenhal represented his insecurities, and he slowly began to overcome them, giving audience members a sense of where the character would be by the end of the season.
There were disturbing elements in the visions, from the incestuous relationship with his mother, Alyssa Targaryen, to fantasizing about cutting Rhaenyra’s head off, but every vision had an underlying theme that connected all of them:his brother Viserys and his obsession with the prophecyrevealed to him by Rhaenrya at the end of Season 1.
In this final vision, Daemon seeshow the Dance of the Dragons ends, the death of the dragons, and the Song of Ice and Fire, Aegon’s prophecy. He sees Brynden Rivers, also known as Bloodraven and the Three-Eyed Raven, a bastard Targaryen who becomes a key player in the future of House Targaryen. However, the jaw-dropping moment belongs to the part of Daemon’s vision where he sees three dragon eggs and a woman holding three baby dragons. Fans immediately recognized Daenerys as this sequence refers to the funeral pyre scene in the Season 1 finale ofGame of Thrones.
Does Daemon’s Vision Confirm Daenerys to Be the Prince Who Was Promised?
The instant the Mother of Dragons made a brief appearance,fans began to speculate if this confirmed Daenerys being the promised prince from Aegon’s dream. While there’s no official answer from the author himself, there’s been a debate about which of theoriginal characters inGame of Thronesis the being that was said would unite the realm. Fans have speculated that it’s Jon Snow, since he was the union between fire, Rhaegar Targaryen, and ice, Lyanna Stark and others say Daenerys because she represents fire and the White Walkers represent ice.
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Much to everyone’s disappointment, showrunnerRyan Condal debunked this theory. During a press conference following the Season 2 finale, Condal clarified his intention behind including Daenerys in the vision sequence, perThe Hollywood Reporter.
“We are not trying to make any kind of interpretation of a prophecy that has yet to be revealed by its author. That is George’s space to tell that story.”
He then mentioned the decision to exclude Jon Snow from the finale came down to the Targaryen family being at the center of Aegon’s dream.
“The connectivity for us is specifically in and around the dragons… The connectedness between this family and the family to come.”
Condal added that Daemon isn’t aware of who this woman is but that she’s the future of the Targaryen dynasty.
“We know who Daenerys is watching that image, but Daemon has no idea - that could be his future daughter with Rhaenrya - so for that reason, I think it was important that it was Daenerys in the image.”
Daemon Reaffirms His Loyalty to Rhaenrya in House of the Dragon
Daemon isn’t one to believe in superstitions and prophecies, which is why he’s frustrated withRhaenrya’s inaction against the Greens. He sees Viserys' weaknesses in her because he’s unable to understand the depth of the prophecy. It takes force for Daemon to come to a place where he’s open to accepting this dream that’s been passed from king to heir as real and that he and Rhaenrya play a crucial role in it. When Rhaenrya arrives at Harrenhal, he tells her of this vision and recognizes the weight she’s carrying and the true intentions behind her pursuit of the throne.
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He bends the knee, resolute about fighting for her and seeing her ascend the Iron Throne. Despite knowing how his story ends, Daemon is determined to confront the Greens head-on and secure Rhaenrya’s place within the prophecy. While it wasdifficult to defend Daemon’s journeythis season, the showrunners have set up his arc to reflect the Rogue Prince inFire & Bloodand give the character an epic storyline in Season 3.House of the Dragonis streaming onMax.
