Characters / House of the Dragon - Daemon Targaryen

House of the Dragon Main Character Index
The Seven Kingdoms of Westeros | Blacks (Rhaenyra Targaryen | Daemon Targaryen) | Greens (Alicent Hightower) | Houses of Westeros (House Targaryen [Viserys Targaryen] | House Velaryon) | Others | Dragons

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Prince-Consort Daemon Targaryen

"You cannot live your life in fear, or you will forsake the best parts of it."

Played By: Matt Smith

Dubbed By: ^note Anatole de Bodinat (European French), Nanni Baldini (Italian), Kenjiro Tsuda (Japanese), Raúl Anaya (Latin American Spanish)

"King and council have long rued my position as next in line for the throne. But dream and pray as they all might, it seems I'm not so easily replaced. The gods give, just as the gods take away."

Viserys's volatile and mercurial younger brother. A formidable warrior and dragon rider who follows his own rules and instincts, he is nonetheless very loyal to his niece Rhaenyra, whom he seduced and ended up marrying. He fathered children with Rhaenyra and became the leader of her armies during the civil war engulfing Westeros known as Dance of the Dragons.

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A-L

• Action Dad: He "settles down" — comparatively — on Dragonstone with his wife Rhaenyra and their brood of kids. But still keeps his edge by free-climbing into the caverns of the Dragonmont, an active volcano with riderless and even some utterly untamed dragons nesting within.
• Adaptational Heroism:
  • He wins Laena's hand in marriage because she wants a bad boy, rather than by provoking her betrothed into a duel and then killing him to make her single again.
  • Daemon's taste of deflowering virgin girls is downplayed. Mysaria briefly offers to bring him a maiden, but he doesn't take her up on her. He plans to deflower Rhaenyra, but then backs out. He marries Laena (who's even younger than Rhaenyra) but Dawson Casting is used to obfuscate her youth.
• Adaptational Relationship Overhaul:
  • The show makes it pretty damn clear that Daemon's feelings for Rhaenyra go much further than her being Viserys' heir. She is portrayed as his one true love that he was denied for many years.^{From the books...}This portrayal is more akin to Daemon Blackfyre, a bastard descendant born around 40 years after Daemon's death, who was prevented from marrying his beloved half-sister Daenerys when their brother Daeron II had her married to the Prince of Dorne. In the book, there are very few hints that he actually loves Rhaenyra and almost all signs point towards him grooming her and then marrying her for power.
  • The Daemon of the books never forgave Viserys for making him send Mysaria away (as it resulted in her miscarrying his child, whereas in the show he was lying about her being pregnant). He only spoke of him with disdain from that point on, and their reconciliations were implied to be done only because Daemon wanted to maintain his favorable position at court and seduce/marry Rhaenyra. The Daemon of the show seems to genuinely love his brother, wants his approval and love even more than he ever wanted to be king, and is sincere in his desire to support and protect him.
• Adaptational Villainy: Downplayed considering that his book counterpart isn't exactly a saint either, but the show adds some moments of cruelty, usually to make Rhaenyra a more sympathetic character in comparison.
  • While there were suspicions that Rhea Royce was murdered by Daemon in the books so he could make himself available for marriage again, it's never outright confirmed that he was behind it. It's made explicitly clear in the show that Daemon was responsible for Rhea's death.
  • He kills Vaemond Velaryon on Rhaenyra's orders in the books, whereas he did it of his own volition in the show.
  • In a similar vein to Otto Hightower, Daemon is presented as a more proactive figure in the looming conflict between the Blacks and the Greens, actively pushing for war in contrast to Rhaenyra's efforts at diplomacy, whereas Rhaenyra in the books was just as eager to go to war as Daemon was. This culminates in him choking Rhaenyra in a fit of rage and grief after losing both his brother and daughter, something that he was never mentioned to have done in the books.
• Affably Evil: He's a Troll of the highest order to friends and foes alike. It's (initially) impossible to tell where his true allegiance lies or how far he's willing to go to get what he desires, and how downright bloodthirsty and ruthless he is. Yet the Rogue Prince is also surprisingly charming and charismatic, is always honest and cordial with his family, genuinely cares for others, has a sincere connection with the smallfolk and (unlike other lords) always has their welfare in mind (which earned him their Undying Loyalty). Daemon also has his own (unique) moral code and does his best to adhere to it.
• Annoying Younger Sibling: As a grown man he still makes a deliberate effort to piss off his elder brother, Viserys. Resentful of being passed over as his Hand and not being closer in his counsel, which feeds into a downward spiral of eventually trying to use the clout he's gained through his victory at war to seduce, despoil then strongarm marry his niece, who's his brother's heir, all for his own lust and ambition. He's ultimately unable to go through with taking Rhaenyra's maidenhead, though he's not above letting Viserys believe he has in hopes his brother will let them marry.
• Anti-Hero: Constantly fluxuates between this and Anti-Villain, depending on his mood. At his most heroic, he's still a bloodthirsty Wild Card whose instincts often overtake him and cause him to do terrible things. Yet, even at his most villainous, he still retains positive qualities. The Rogue Prince is his moniker for a damn good reason.
• Arch-Enemy: To Otto Hightower. The two have hated each other since long before the start of the series, as they vied for the attention of Viserys, Daemon's brother, to whom Otto served as Hand of the King, with Daemon seeing Otto as a slimy, backstabbing sycophant out to leech off Viserys to gain power for himself, while Otto sees Daemon as an Ax-Crazy psychopath who has no business being heir to the throne and schemes to have him disinherited, causing much of the ensuing conflict of the series.
• Ax-Crazy: A part of the council (Otto and Mellos) sees him as unworthy of the Iron Throne for his more assertive tendancies. But considering they want to weaken his influence at court... Daemon is certainly this on the battlefield though, burning, crushing and cleaving through Essosi corsairs for three years of conflict for the rush and glory of it, as well as to protect his brother's realm.
  Otto: Daemon would be a second Maegor, or worse! He is impulsive and violent!
• The Beastmaster:
  • He's the most experienced Dragon Rider in either show when it comes to warfare and has seemingly unmatched knowledge of the beasts, studying them in libraries abroad and taking a serious interest in their breeding when he resettles at Dragonstone with Rhaenyra.
  • Uniquely, he and Caraxes seem to be at perfect wavelength with the dragon often moving and following his designs without need of any kind of outward signal, usually to provide maximum intimidation.
  • When war seems imminent he immediately goes to tame the riderless Vermithor with a song in High Valyrian to start evening the odds against the Greens' Vhagar.
• Berserk Button: Anything that dares make him feel inferior dares to wake the dragon. Examples include:
  • He would rather embark on an all-or-nothing Suicide Mission than accept pitying aid from his kingly brother.
  • He seems to only decide to finish off Rhea Royce when she mocks his inability to... finish.
  • Anything that reminds him of his brother not wanting him be his heir enrages him. Rhaenyra telling him about Aegon's Dream (and that Viserys specifically told her when she was named heir) pisses him off so much that he snatches her by the throat. Viserys never told him this, despite him being his first named heir, essentially confirming his fear that Viserys never wanted him to have any real power.
• Black Knight: Daemon is both a prince and knight of questionable morals, who wears an intimidating black suit of armour styled after a dragon.
• Black Sheep: A Blood Knight in times of peace while his brother and niece are anything but.
• Bling of War: His armor for The Tourney is quite fancy and elaborate, which is fitting for someone from the royal family. Contrast the simpler armor without fancy ornaments of his final adversary, Ser Criston Cole, who's of modest origins.
• Blood Knight: He's likened to his great-granduncle Maegor the Cruel for a reason. If his "purge" of King's Landing or the battle at the Tourney of the Heirs is any indication, Daemon lives for the thrill of battle and bloodshed. The fact that he possesses Dark Sister, the Valyrian steel sword wielded by Queen Visenya Targaryen (herself a Blood Knight) is also a heavy indication of this. He also likens his men to wild wolves being unleashed and is all too happy to see the chaos unfold. A big part of his affinity for dragons seems rooted in his own hedonistic 'might makes right' nature mirroring theirs as bullies and apex predators.
• Blood-Splattered Warrior: Chop down over a half score of men out in the open in the final battle for the first campaign in the Stepstones? Fresh as a daisy. But when Daemon leaves Drahar's final redoubt while dragging the warlord's corpse behind him, the dragonlord prince is drenched head to toe in blood from what looks to be another whole squadron of the crab feeder's bodyguards, butchered in close confines.
• Boisterous Bruiser: In the sports sense, at least, when at The Tourney, he shows enjoyment of the combat and cheers of the crowd, and his Sore Loser behavior against Criston Cole is mitigated a tiny bit by a Grin of Audacity and chuckle when defeated before yielding—he enjoyed the fight, he simply doesn't respect Cole's victory.
• Brass Balls: He's undeniably brave, and even borderline Not Afraid to Die in some situations where he pulls daring moves that would have high chances of getting him killed.
• Byronic Hero: A brooding, passionate, selfish, mercurial, authority-flaunting and ruthless rogue outcast looking to make a place for himself in the world. And much like Lord Byron himself joining the Greek War of Independence just for the hell of it, Daemon likewise joins the war for the Stepstones completely electively.
• Casting Gag: Matt Smith and much of the coverage of his portrayal notes the character of Daemon draws many parallels with his other high-profile royal role, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh from The Crown. Both are prince consort to a reigning queen. Despite their shared Rebel Prince characteristics and fierce protectiveness of their Morality Pets, Smith describes Daemon as far more morally grey and unpredictable, especially as George R. R. Martin wrote him. Word of God is that there was no audition for the role: they hand-picked Matt Smith as their first choice to play Daemon, specifically because they saw the similarities with his role as Prince Philiip.
• Chick Magnet: Downplayed, but Daemon has his fair share of admirers. There's Mysaria (although she's mostly attracted to his power rather than him). His niece Rhaenyra clearly has a crush on him as far back as their first interaction. Lady Laena Velaryon was instantly attracted to him. It's likely a case of All Girls Want Bad Boys; it's hard to get badder than the Rogue Prince.
• Combat Pragmatist: Daemon is perfectly willing to fight dirty:
  • He displays this even in The Tourney—which at its uglier moments means aiming for an enemy's horse, and in its more practical sense means throwing punches, kicks, and his own busted shield at Criston Cole.
  • Opens up a Triarchy pirate's femoral artery with his dirk when offering up a false surrender. After slaying over ten men with Dark Sister, his next fresher opponent is able to cold clock him to the sands and would have proved his end if Daemon hadn't swept his legs, found his back and wrestled the head of an arrow (that had just been shot next to their struggle) into the man's carotid.
• Contrasting Sequel Main Character: Contrasting "Prequel" Main Character, that is.
  • He and Rhaenyra parallel another duo of Targaryen heirs from early Game of Thrones down the family line, Daenerys and her brother Viserys. Where Viserys would be an abusive ass through and through to his sister (and lusts after her) and a Dirty Coward, Daemon loves his niece (in affectionate then incestuous ways, and backs down from killing her even when she's his obstacle as heir to the throne), has likable and even honorable traits to him, and knows how to fight. Viserys would have to beg (and pimp out his sister) for an army of Dothraki that won't even obey him in the end, Daemon has a loyal army of Gold Cloaks who will take on the Kingsguard in a heartbeat if he orders them to do so and ends up leading the Armies of the Blacks. And where dragons would be extinct and Viserys would have none to ride, Daemon has one and is overall quite the expert on the beasts.
  • He's also this to Jaime Lannister. He's likewise a loyal and action-oriented brother to a more sociable brother as part of a Red Oni, Blue Oni pairing, while still being a Troll to his enemies, with a soft spot for his incestuous would-be-queen love interest. Where they diverge is that Daemon is a politically ambitious warrior Combat Pragmatist compared to Jaime's earlier portrayal as a politically apathetic Let's Fight Like Gentlemen portrayal. Jaime also has his father expressing Parental Favoritism to such an extent that he's willing to blackmail him and break a centuries-old custom to get him back as an (unwilling) heir… while Daemon ends up disinherited in spite of his loyalty. This is best expressed with a similar flippant scene in both men's biographies where they each sat on the Iron Throne in a Slouch of Villainy—Jaime didn't actually want the throne and was simply experiencing his transition to Broken Ace in a disrespectful way… while Daemon genuinely enjoys being the heir of Viserys and the respect and honor it implies his brother views him with. And both are in an incestuous relationship — Jaime with his sister Cersei (and they never married), and Daemon with his niece Rhaenyra (he eventually took her as spouse).
  • If Oberyn were a Targaryen rather than a Martell, then you have Daemon. They're both the rebellious younger brothers of well-meaning yet ultimately ineffectual rulers (since the show version of Doran Martell lacks his book counterpart's scheming nature), disdain courtly etiquette and Andal social norms, and would rather spend their time galavanting across the world doing as they pleased. They're both associated with snakes in some way; Oberyn earned his nickname "The Red Viper" for his penchant for poisons, while Daemon's dragon Caraxes is also red and very serpentine in appearance. What sets them apart is that Daemon is far more ambitious, wanting to be king or at least king-consort and can never bring himself to abandon his life at King's Landing. And while they both have a reputation for promiscuity, Oberyn is shown to be a far more confident lover, in contrast to Daemon's...performance issues that occur depending on his mood.
• Cool Helmet: Has a sweet dragon-winged helmet with a red horsehair crest as part of his City Watch armor, and another one with bigger wings for The Tourney. According to notes, the helmet is Valyrian steel—making it the first appearance of such armor in television.^{From the books...}The first appearance of Valyrian steel armor in the books comes in The Winds of Winter, courtesy of Euron III Greyjoy. Aeron Greyjoy remarks that such an artifact would be worth a kingdom even before the Doom of Valyria.
• Cool Scars: A very noticeable set of mottled burn tissue scars on his right clavicle and the same side of his neck from the flaming arrow that struck him during a night-attack on Bloodstone Island. Targaryens are resistant to fire, not immune. During 'Driftmark' we can see the scar ropes down his shoulder and back.
• Cool Sword: Wields his family’s secondary hereditary Valyrian Steel sword, Dark Sister—and unlike his brother, frequently uses it in battle. With it in hand, Daemon is comparable to the Warrior Himself. Nothing holds an edge and can perform a Clean Cut like Valyrian steel weaponry, to the point it might as well be Sharpened to a Single Atom. Even when forged into a thin estoc as compared to the Starks' ridiculously large greatsword, Ice, the blade does grievous damage. He chops straight through the fibula and tibula of a Triarchy sellsword with a glancing blow, slices Cragas Drahar from collar to sternum, the ribcage opposing the blade as much as suet and cleaves through Vaemond's jawbone at an angle without any discernable resistance.
• Cool Uncle: To Rhaenyra in her youth. They often chat to each other in Valyrian, he gives her nice gifts such as a Valyrian steel necklace and she's excited to watch him competing in The Tourney. He also comforts her during her mother and baby brother's funeral. Unlike just about everyone else at court, Rhaenyra isn't afraid of or repulsed by Daemon. Episode 4 confirms their feelings for each other extend beyond the familial.
• The Corrupter:
  • Downplayed, but in "King of the Narrow Sea", he is the one to expose Rhaenyra to the more deviant side of the social world in King's Landing. He also awakens her sexuality by taking her to a brothel and they even engage in it themselves, to the point he almost takes her maidenhead. However, his love and respect for her stops him from doing so completely, even though they both wanted it. Of course, not only does word reach the king of this little liaison, but her virginity is no longer intact due to her night with Ser Criston, which is very heavily reviled in this era's society.
  • His Brutal Honesty and open disregard for authority played a large role in moulding Rhaenyra's own rebelliousness and sense of entitlement, instilling in her the belief that Targaryens have the right to do as they please.
• Cowboy Cop: His command of the City Watch is ruthless and brutal with him making a big show of dismembering law breakers. The Small Council chew him out for the chaos he caused but he defends it as necessary to root out corruption.
• Cultural Posturing: A mild example, but Daemon very much so believes in the supremacy of the Valyrian race and culture above all others. He reminds his brother that all other peoples should be subservient to the Targaryens and he shows little respect for any noble family other than the Velaryons (another High Valyrian family). Daemon also experiences impotence with his first wife, Rhea Royce (an Andal), and his mistress, Mysaria (from Yi Ti). However, he has no performance issues with either Laena Velaryon or Rhaenyra, both of whom were High Valyrians and with whom he had three children each.
• Deadpan Snarker: The man's wit is as sharp as Dark Sister and as dry as the sands of Dorne. It's part of his charm, though.
  Alicent: I do not rule, as you well know. My father and I are mere stewards of the king's will and wisdom.
  Daemon: And how exactly is that wisdom expressed? Hm? In blinks and wheezes? I'd be surprised if he could remember his own name. Or if you could.
  Alicent: King Viserys's condition has worsened since you saw him last.
  Daemon: (bone-dry, mirthless) Hah. [...] (with withering sarcasm) Oh, Alicent, I have no doubt it was an act of... the purest mercy. But tell me, for the king's suffering, did the maesters also prescribe the removal of Targaryen heraldry and the installation in its stead of various statues and stars?
• Determinator He's a non-stop schemer, never doing anything without an ulterior purpose and always having some game in motion. Almost all of his plays end up foiled, but he keeps trying new ones. In battle on Bloodstone Isle he won't even allow multiple arrows sinking into his flesh from further fighting against impossible odds.
• Didn't Think This Through:
  • Daemon and Corlys follow up their victory at the Stepstones over the Triarchy by declaring victory and going home, leaving the Stepstones in the hands of, as Daemon puts it, "the tides, the crabs, and two thousand dead Triarchy corsairs, staked to the sand to warn those who might follow." As impressive as Daemon's victory and boast are, it means that no one is left to actually secure the Stepstones from further Triarchy attacks. Fast forward sixteen years and the Seven Kingdoms face another Triarchy attack on the Stepstones, forcing Corlys to go back to the Stepstones and retake them. This effort nearly costs Corlys his life and Rhaenyra's camp possession of High Tide and Driftmark.
  • His scheme to seduce Rhaenyra by taking her to Fleabottom also counts. If word got out that the heir to the Iron Throne is caught cavorting in a brothel, and with her own uncle, no less, chances are that she may get disinherited, which may in turn quash Daemon's own ambitions of becoming Prince Consort through her. It was only thanks to Viserys's love for his daughter and Rhaenyra's quick thinking that Daemon got what he wanted, which was Otto Hightower's dismissal from court. Even then, Rhaenyra had to agree to wed Laenor Velaryon in exchange for Otto's dismissal, and Daemon's relationship with his brother ends up becoming even more estranged and he ends up getting banished from King's Landing just as he was about to get back into Viserys's good graces.
• Digging Yourself Deeper:
  • When Viserys brings him to task for insensitively referring to his recently deceased son as The Heir for a Day while at a brothel, rather than apologize he goes on a tangent of how he deserved far more than just captain of the City Watch and calls Viserys a weak king to his face in front of his Kingsguard. Unsurprisingly, this only incensed Viserys further who orders him banished from King's Landing.
  • When a severely hungover Daemon is dragged before Viserys for supposedly deflowering Rhaenyra, he doesn't deny it (even though it never happened), going so far as to ask for her hand in marriage in the traditional Targaryen manner (i.e. polygamy). The enraged Viserys then kicks him and orders him banished from the city once again.
• Domestic Abuse: When Rhaenyra reveals the prophecy of the Song of Ice and Fire, something Viserys never told Daemon, a distraught and furious Daemon briefly chokes Rhaenyra.
• Dragon Rider: He rides Caraxes, the Blood Wyrm. When he's disconsolate, Mysaria reminds him of this to comfort him, suggesting it's a fundamental part of his personal identity.
  Mysaria: You are Daemon Targaryen. Rider of Caraxes. Wielder of Dark Sister. The king cannot replace you.
• Dragon Tamer: He has perhaps the most expertise of dragons out of all dragon riders. He knows their lifecycle, how many there are in Westeros and what their status is and, more crucially, how to claim Vermithor in order to counterbalance the use of Vhagar by the Greens. He approaches the beast singing a song in High Valyrian.
• Dragon Knight: Daemon owns impressive armor with dragon-like features. Possibly like in the books, he and the rest of the Targaryens might be genetically connected to dragons.
• The Dreaded: He's feared and disliked by Otto Hightower and the King's council. No doubt the people of King's Landing as a whole have learnt to fear him after his "purge" of the criminals. In "We Light the Way", his arrival causes the entire engagement party, from lords and ladies to seasoned knights and even the king himself to fall completely silent. Hardly anyone dares challenge his position at the party either, despite his past deeds. Even Prince Aemond, despite growing into a very dangerous individual, backs down when Daemon gets between him and Jace.
• Easily Forgiven: His repeated transgressions and affronts would normally end up being punished permanently if Viserys wasn't so keen on Targaryen blood being Thicker Than Water and letting them become bygones.
• Establishing Character Moment: His very first scene. He lounges on his brother's throne, gloating to his niece about how it shall be his one day and that he only returned upon the news of a tourney as politics bore him. His speech alone would make him pass off as an uncaring Prince, unbothered by everything, but his fondness for Rhaenyra is evident and only further pressed when he softly tells her he brought her a gift that holds significance to their heritage.
• Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Daemon may be an unpredictable Wild Card who follows his own instincts only, but if there's one thing that can reign him in, it's his sincere love for his family, which to him means Viserys and Rhaenyra.
  • Rhaenyra: He shows love for his niece, gifting her with a necklace made of Valyrian steel and comforting her during her mother's funeral. Episode 2 confirms it when even as she defies him, he cannot bring himself to harm her and concedes defeat, seemingly not even angry at her for thwarting him. "King of the Narrow Sea" confirms his feelings are more than familial, though she clearly reciprocates. As of "Driftmark", they are married and have two sons together.
  • Viserys: He shows love and concern for his brother, smiling appreciatively when he hears him defend him against the council and encourages Rhaenyra to support him during such difficult times. In fact, even the council find it hard to believe that Daemon would try to kill Viserys for the throne. That said, he doesn't respect his brother much, naming his dead son "heir for a day". This lands him in very hot water once the king catches wind of this. Even after being estranged from his brother and openly making petty power plays in order to provoke him, he makes it very clear to Corlys that while he will say what he wants about Viserys, he will not tolerate anyone else insulting his brother. Later on, when Viserys is dying, and can barely make it up the steps of the Iron Throne, Daemon comes over to help him up, and personally sets the crown on Viserys' head. In fact, he's visibly distraught at seeing the sorry state his brother has been made to suffer in since the six years he last saw him and treats him far more delicately. The news of his death drives Daemon mad with grief.
  • Subtle, but when he believes no one can see, he shows great anguish at Queen Aemma's funeral. A later conversation between him and Rhaenyra has Daemon solemnly stating her death was a tragedy. Considering they were first cousins and likely grew up together, it's understandable even with their relative lack of screen time.
  • Daemon states tragically that his second marriage to Laena amounted to them being "happy enough," but small actions in their fleeting screentime showed that he did love Laena as his wife. For example, when she takes a seat, he arranges the cushion for her. When she's faced with a certain death via childbirth, while the doctors talk about what they can do for the child, he only cares about Laena's safety and whether she'll survive it, referring to her as "his brave girl". He's also notably distraught when she commits suicide via Vhagar's dragon fire and in a scene that was cut from the episode, he consoles their children after he tells them about their mother's death.
  • He's not the best at showing it, but he does sincerely love his daughters, even teaching them how to speak High Valyrian in his spare time. He also deeply loves his sons with Rhaenyra and they renew his commitment to fatherhood. He becomes far colder after the Tragic Stillbirth of Visenya.
• Even Evil Has Standards: Daemon may be impulsive and unpredictable, but he does have a code of honour.
  • Zigzagged in regards to Kinslaying (or even harming his family). While it's a line Daemon is reluctant to cross and he does display guilt afterwards, his power-hungry and ruthless nature means he will invariably harm the ones he loves as he did with Rhaenyra in a bout of rage even if indirectly. However, even given how bloodthirsty and mercurial he is, the Small Council (including his rival Otto Hightower) is quick to dismiss the idea that Daemon would kill his own brother to claim the Iron Throne. That said, he has no qualm with harming the Greens side of the family, as in his eyes, they are traitors and usurpers who have done nothing but scheme and manipulate his loved ones. That they are the blood of Otto Hightower no doubt adds to this.
  • Understated, but Mysaria's speech about her troubled life as a Sex Slave fills him with sincere regret. Considering Daemon is a firm believer that sex is a pleasure for all to enjoy, but also firmly believes it should be consensual, this makes sense.
  • Even Daemon found the Crabfeeder disgusting and teamed up with Lord Corlys to stop him. No doubt he took great satisfaction in cutting the bastard in half.
  • Daemon is appalled by how much the Red Keep has been refurbished to the benefit of House Hightower, right down to incorporating the Faith of the Seven into its halls and all but doing away with much of the traditional Targaryen aesthetic; especially since none of this was on the command of the gravely ill Viserys, just their own selfish and opportunistic desires. He calls out Alicent for both this and using his brother's declining condition to further their own goals.
• The Evil Prince: Subverted Trope. While it's clear in his Establishing Character Moment that he covets the throne that his older brother Viserys sits on, deep down he does desire his brother's approval in spite of their Sibling Rivalry and balks at the idea of harming a member of his own family. Rather than being an Evil Uncle to Rhaenyra, who Viserys names his successor over Daemon, he marries Rhaenyra and is very sad when Viserys dies.
• Evil Uncle: Daemon has all the hallmarks of being evil: brooding, calculating, envious of his brother's power, revels in fighting and killing, and generally powerhungry, believing he would make if not a better king than Viserys, then at least the more appropriate heir to the throne in comparison to his niece Rhaenyra as a man. He steals a dragon egg and sequesters himself to Dragonstone as a challenge to Rhaenyra being named heir. Even when he seemingly accepts Rhaenyra as the named heir, he never stops maneuvering for power, killing his own wife to free up space for him to potentially marry Rhaenyra, seducing the young girl, and eventually marrying the young Laena Velaryon, when Rhaenyra has to marry Laenor Velaryon for political reasons. That said, his attraction to Rhaenyra is reciprocated, the two do end up marrying once both of their spouses "die", and he supports her claim to the Iron Throne when the Greens stage their coup, being the first one to kneel to her once she's crowned. Yet, his powerhungry and controlling ways never really go away, shown by him trying to commandeer Rhaenyra's response to the Greens' coup while Rhaenyra is in labor, chomping at the bit to start a war, and choking Rhaenyra when she tries to put him in check.
• Expository Hairstyle Change: After defeating the Triarchy and getting named "King of the Narrow Sea" for it, Daemon trades his long hair for a shorter hairstyle. He grows them long again afterwards.
• Fatal Flaw: He has two major ones, all tied to poor impulse control.
  • Pride: Daemon has a deep need to prove himself, and he doesn't like to admit that he needs help. He even beats a messenger sent by Viserys when Viserys sends a pity reinforcements. This tendency often leads to him alienating the people he loves.
  • The guy can't help but be an asshole, even when he's right he expresses his opinions in a blunt, tactless manner and his tendency to antagonize people tends to cause them to ignore him, even when he is right, and it often bites him in the ass, especially when it comes to his brother.
• A Father to His Men:
  • One of Daemon’s virtues is his investment in and ability to inspire loyalty from his men... though given he’s Daemon, this results in a small army of gold cloaks willing to follow him in copious amounts of Police Brutality when he’s out in charge of the City Watch. When war threatens to break out between the Blacks and the Greens, Daemon has enough confidence that his gold cloaks will side with him.
    Daemon: When I took command of the Watch, you were stray mongrels, starving and undisciplined. Now, you're a pack of hounds. You're sated and honed for the hunt. My brother's city has fallen into squalor. Crime of every breed has been allowed to thrive. No longer. Beginning tonight, King's Landing will learn to fear the color gold!
  • Unlike most of the royal court, he's very involved with the welfare of the smallfolk (akin to a more positive take on Prince Hal's tavern-going in Henry IV). In fact, his main motivation for his crackdown of King's Landing (aside from reveling in the carnage) was to ensure all the people—noble or common—would be safe from muggers, rapists and killers. He's quick to argue that he's the only one who seems concerned with such matters, as no one else in the court (except possibly Corlys or King Viserys) seems to give a damn about them.
    Daemon: You mightn't know this unless you left the safety of the Red Keep, but much of King's Landing is seen by the smallfolk as lawless and terrifying. Our city should be safe for all its people.
• Foil:
  • Each faction's queen is part of a Lady and Knight dyad, and Criston and Daemon are the respective knights. They're violent knights at that, eager to shed blood on their ladies' behalves. They are also father figures to their ladies' children. In the an-eye-for-an-eye scene specifically, the camera's juxtaposes them. Where they diverge is that Criston is completely Alicent's man. He's not the perfect Knight in Shining Armor, but he wants to be, be wants to please and obey his lady. He is impulsive and has been known to act out of turn (such as drawing his sword on Westerling), but Alicent need only say a word and he'll get back in line. Daemon, conversely, is a Wild Card Byronic Hero who will willfully defy his queen (such as planning a war) and even hurt her.
  • Aemond and Daemon are alike — really, really alike, to a Mirror Character degree — but they're also foils. Aemond became who he is because he knew Viserys had no regard for him and wouldn't protect him. When something awful happens to Aemond, like losing an eye, Viserys does absolutely nothing. He grew up knowing he had to be strong enough to protect himself. Daemon became who he is because Viserys's favoritism sheltered him and gave him the freedom to do whatever he wanted with minimal consequences. Lastly, Aemond shows devotion to the Faith (a product of his Hightower heritage) whereas Daemon regards it with disdain, best seen with their differing reactions to Alicent's prayer at the family dinner.
• Foolish Sibling, Responsible Sibling: The foolish to the responsible Viserys, due to his violent ways and debauchery. Though at the same time, he's able to see that the noble houses are preying on Viserys' weakness and that Otto Hightower is deliberately trying to drive a wedge between Daemon and his brother.
• The Gadfly: He likes trolling people, namely his brother and Otto.
  Viserys: [to Otto] You know how my brother makes sport of provoking you. Must you indulge him?
• Happily Married: While his first marriage to Lady Rhea Royce was anything but, Daemon's second and third marriages both dabble with this trope.
  • Daemon's marriage to Laena Velaryon, seen in episode 1.06, is outwardly pretty successful — two beautiful daughters, racing dragons together, and she was even able to reign in his impulsive streak quite a bit and soften his him a little. But subverted as the episode unfolds, we come to see the fault lines in their relationship. Laena desires to return to Driftmark and Daemon refuses. He is clearly haunted by a sense of restlessness and melancholy.

    Rhaenyra: Did you love her?
    Daemon: We were happy enough.

  • Daemon is very happily married to Rhaenyra in 1.08. They have a very close, openly affectionate relationship with each other, and have each other's backs. By episode 1.10, though, the fault lines in their relationship are starting to appear. He not above choking her when she (unknowingly) pushes his Berserk Button, demonstrating that he's not truly capable of leaving behind his Ax-Crazy nature.
• Heroic BSoD: Goes through one when he sees Laena's mercy-kill by Vhagar.
• Hiding Behind the Language Barrier: Rhaenyra and Daemon speak to each other in Valyrian. Downplayed Trope, in that they're not trying to exclude a specific third party from the conversation, but it does create an insular, private air to their conversations.
• Honest Advisor: He isn't afraid to speak his mind in front of Viserys, correctly pointing out that his character flaws make him susceptible to the manipulations of the Small Council, who gleefully take advantage of his indecisiveness and eagerness to please everybody. Unfortunately, Viserys considers him such a threat that he distances himself from Daemon and ignores his advice.
• Hypocritical Heartwarming: He has no issue complaining about Viserys' perceived failings as king but when Corlys also starts criticizing him, Daemon objects.
  Corlys: I will not have Driftmark beggared while our king idles himself with feasts and balls and tourneys.
  Daemon: I will speak of my brother as I wish. You will not.
• I Coulda Been a Contender!: Politically, at least from his view. Despite his bloodlust, Daemon does show brilliance and charisma, a keen sense of organization and leadership, and an Excellent Judge of Character regarding the self-interest of the Small Council. Obviously, this means the Small Council (especially the Hand Otto Hightower) are likely to go out of their way to keep him off the levers of rule—whether or not the King is happy about it. The formation of the Black Council—even prior to little Visenya's funeral turned Rhaenyra's coronation—is arguably both him being Properly Paranoid and protecting his brood in all ways possible, and (as Rhaenyra rues) him being gripped by the madness of the upcoming war and finally grasping the unquestioned command of his household.
• Inadequate Inheritor: Otto Hightower believes that he would be this to a much greater degree than his brother. He even compares him to Maegor the Cruel, which is the deepest insult you could apply in this period of Targaryen history.
• Inferiority Superiority Complex: Daemon has a very high opinion of himself… but has an even higher opinion of how he should be, and sometimes shows signs of huge insecurity issues. Sometimes this increases his rashness to downright stupid levels, and when facing the Crabfeeder, he’s so insecure about his brother’s offer of aid he lashes out at everyone — including himself. When he's feeling bad about himself, this shows up in the bedroom.
• Jerkass Has a Point:
  • The high lords of the small council are scandalized by Daemon's brutality toward the accused criminals of King's Landing during his "purge" before Viserys' tourney, but he isn't wrong when he points out that thousands of people from all over the realm are already arriving in the city for the event and he's reduced the chances of them being mugged, raped or murdered. It's easy for the nobility to criticize his harsh measures against crime when they rarely leave the Red Keep and don't have to suffer the city's lawlessness, and Daemon believes all residents of King's Landing deserve to be safe.
  • He's also proven right about Otto by the end of the second episode of the entire series, and also, sadly about his brother’s gullibility. Too bad his actions Not Helping Your Case make him effectively The Cassandra as far as Viserys is concerned on those points.
• Judge, Jury, and Executioner: When he goes purging the streets of Flea Bottom with the City Watch he commands, the criminals they catch are either beaten or mutilated or killed without any form of trial. He himself beheads one.
• Jumping Off the Slippery Slope: For five episodes, he hovers above a dark grey moral zone, concordant with the setting, until the callous murder of his wife.
• Karma Houdini:
  • Not only does he get away with the murder of his first wife Rhea Royce despite her cousin threatening to bring him to justice, fast forward 10 years and he's happily married to Laena Velaryon with two daughters.
  • After Laena's funeral, to get married to Rhaenyra literally the next day he hatches a plan to get rid of Leanor (Rhaenyra's husband and Laena's brother); which involves the killing of an innocent servant who looks similar enough to his brother-in-law, in order to then burn his corpse on the fireplace of the relaxation room of House Velaryon, so as to have him found by his in-laws and make them relive again (no less than 24h than the first) the pain of losing another child.
• Kick the Dog: Frequently, but many times Played With.
  • Regularly insults his wife Rhea, calling her the "Bronze Bitch," whom he frequently cheats on and avoids while also showing more respect and affection to Mysaria. And later on kills her outright so he can try and court Rhaenyra.
  • When Otto Hightower takes him to task for his and the City Watch's Police Brutality, he makes a joke at his recently deceased wife then later on goes out of his way to pick Otto's son as his opponent for the joust then proceeds to blatantly cheat by attacking his horse, which greatly injures him, before making Alicent offer him her favour, knowing she can't publicly refuse.
  • Shortly after the death of Viserys' wife and newborn son, he and his went to a brothel with his men and toasted the deceased infant as the "Heir for a Day". Viserys was rightfully furious about this and had him banished from King's Landing as a result. This being said, the context of how he said it is not taken into account. It's entirely possible that he said it in a saddened tone as a final tribute to his nephew, but this is never revealed to the audience.
  • Stole the dragon's egg that was meant for his deceased nephew to get a rise out of Viserys, who was on the verge of going there on dragonback himself to kill him if Rhaenyra hadn't gotten to him first.
  • Upon receiving a message of Viserys planning to send troops to fight the Triarchy, and thus potentially rob him of the glory of killing the Crabfeeder himself, he proceeds to viciously assault the messenger in question until the Velaryons pull him off the poor sod. The counterargument here is that Viserys took 3 years to finally send help, after Daemon and Corlys' forces took heavy losses and suffered greatly, though that was in no way the messengers fault.
  • Takes his niece to a brothel and comes within a hairsbreadth of deflowering her, despite knowing that with how much flack she's gotten for being declared the heir while still a woman, a single rumor of her going to one would irreparably tarnish her reputation. Which happens as Otto uses it to try and discredit her in favor of having his grandson made heir and ends up permanently driving a wedge between Rhaenyra and Alicent who were slowly beginning to reconnect. The flipside to this argument, is off course that he really did have feelings for her and if they were to wed, in Targaryen tradition, none of the whispers in regards to Rhaenyra's reputation would have mattered.
  • The season one finale has Daemon choke Rhaenyra when she brings up the Song of Ice and Fire and shows a side of him even she has never seen. He also threatens to kill any of the Kingsguard who still have loyalty for the Greens or who are thinking of changing sides. On the one hand, his actions in the episode are rather abhorrent and paint him in a darker light, but on the other hand, he has just lost his brother (which he believes is part of the Greens' usurpation) and his daughter was stillborn. He also knows that the Greens will be coming for them any minute with Aegon on the throne, so it's highly possible he's just venting his own grief and trying in his own way to ensure the security of his family .
• Kicked Upstairs: Viserys needed him by his side out of nepotism, but at the same time he couldn't keep him as Hand of the King or Master of Coin due to how unfit to govern he is (or was perceived as such by Otto Hightower), so a compromise was reached by making him Commander of the City Watch.
• Kissing Cousins: He later marries Laena Velaryon, his first cousin once removed. Laena's mother, Princess Rhaenys, is one of Daemon's cousins, and the Targaryens and Velaryons already have a history of intermarrying. It proves to be a successful union, producing two daughters, although Laena suspects that Daemon always considered her a second choice.
• Know When to Fold 'Em: Daemon and Otto's mutual hostility nearly leads to bloodshed, and even when Caraxes intimidates Otto's men to sheathe their swords, Daemon does not back down until Rhaenyra arrives on Syrax. Daemon is unwilling to risk Caraxes in a fight with Syrax, loves his family and does not want to hurt his niece, and does not want to be branded as a kinslayer. He immediately realizes that Rhaenyra has backed him into a corner and so concedes returning the dragon egg.
• Laughably Evil: Downplayed as he's mostly a serious character, but he's also prone to some very comical moments and does have quite a wry sense of humor. He especially loves to Troll the likes of Otto Hightower and doesn't shy away from how much he enjoys getting under their skin. In fact, Daemon is often the one to provide levity during more intense moments.
  Daemon: I see Lord Hightower for what he is.
  Viserys: An unwavering and loyal Hand?
  Daemon: A cunt.
• Lightning Bruiser: Dispatches five war-hardened Triarchy pirates in as many seconds with dirk, sword and foot. His finest moment in battle is sadly off-screen where he's cut through so many men in Bloodstone's caves to get to Cragas Drahar that he's made of his foes a slurry of gore that drenches him head to toe.
• The Loins Sleep Tonight: Played with. Daemon's sexuality is deeply rooted to his emotions, and if he's feeling bad or worrying about something else, he can't do it. At first, he's implied he struggles with Anorgasmia (or delayed ejaculation), being shown or called out as unable to finish in bed when the situation is not ideal for him. He then goes on to sire several children under more favorable circumstances. Truth in Television, as most people with anorgasmia are not incapable of orgasming, but simply have difficulty in reaching orgasm depending on the context (for example, many men with anorgasmia can climax from certain sex acts like masturbation, but not sexual intercourse itself).

M-W

• Master Swordsman: "Second of His Name" shows Daemon possesses great skill when wielding Dark Sister and he has a reputation as a fearsome and powerful knight. Years later, as The Big Guy of Rhaenyra's side, he's pretty clearly set up to confront his nephew Aemond, who's also a skilled swordsman and the best at that on Alicent's side.
• Might Makes Right: As far as he's concerned, the Targaryen's dragons and the power derived thereof gives them the right to do as they wish and places them above laws, social mores and the Faith of the Seven. He also attempts to bestow this same way of thinking onto the members of his family.
  Daemon: My brother was a slave to his omens and portents. Anything to make his feckless reign have purpose... Dreams didn't make us kings... Dragons did.
• Momma's Boy: Viserys says Daemon was their mother Alyssa's favorite. Both Alyssa and Daemon are wild at heart and loved riding dragons.
  Viserys: You were always mother's favorite. No, it's no great mystery. You were. Our mother, she had no regard for custom or tradition, rules. And I, sadly, was no great warrior.
• Morality Pet: Rhaenyra is just about the only person who can get Daemon to behave. In 1.02, the moment she arrives on Dragonstone, his attitude changes from arrogant to almost petulant when she calls him out on his illegal occupation of Dragonstone and stealing Baelon's egg. This doesn't prevent him from chocking her when she hesitates to fight the Greens.
• My God, What Have I Done?: "Lord of the Tides" is a big one for him. He comes face to face with a terminally ill Viserys. He never says it, but you can just tell from his facial expressions and body language that he heavily regrets how he treated his brother. Come the season one finale he lays his hand on the mother of his children and the woman he loves most in the world, out of grief, rage and fear. After he regains control he looks haunted at what he's capable of and immediately gives Rhaenyra space.
• Mystical White Hair: A definitive feature of his family's ancestry and one of his most notable physical features.
• Names to Run Away from Really Fast: Daemon is an old-fashioned term for "demon."
• No Brows: Courtesy of Matt Smith, his small, near translucent eyebrows give Daemon an intimidating air.
• No Historical Figures Were Harmed: Daemon's originality as a character is underpinned by a few historical references:
  • As the older husband to Rhaenyra's Empress Matilda Expy, Daemon's portrayal in the show (at least) is more akin to Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor. Matilda's adoration of him (insisting to be called Empress even after Henry V's death) is akin to Rhaenyra's continued pining for Daemon for a decade—subsequently leading to marriage. Henry V also has a reputation for authoritarian rule and a willingness to cross even religious and aristocratic authority in his realm—consistent with Daemon's "Rogue Prince" reputation. The major difference, of course, is the incest—and of course the fact that he survived longer than Henry V.
  • As the consort to Rhaenyra during the Anarchy and essentially the commander-in-chief of her forces, he also takes on aspects of Geoffrey of Anjou (Matilda's second husband during the Anarchy, which he shares with Laenor Velaryon), as well as Robert of Gloucester, Matilda's half-brother and chief commander.
  • Relationship-wise, Daemon's influence over Rhaenyra (which has been ethically-iffy from the beginning) and has culminated in both psychological and physical Domestic Abuse is comparable to more recent assessments of Prince Albert, the spouse of Queen Victoria. His role as Prince Consort essentially made him de facto monarch due to his complete psychological and emotional domination of his wife—the very thing the Greens fear he would be as Rhaenyra's consort (and his actions in "The Black Queen" would end up proving). Amusingly, Albert was technically a few months younger than Victoria—yet her lifelong adoration of him puts Rhaenyra's pining for her uncle to shame.
• Not Helping Your Case: As much as Daemon is correct in saying that Otto has ambitions and that he will take advantage of Viserys' weakness as ruler, the fact is that although Daemon loves his brother he doesn't respect him and he is a loose cannon at court with his behavior. As a result, this makes Otto seem honorable and reasonable to Viserys when compared to him.
• Not So Stoic: Daemon has a great poker face and is very good at keeping his true feelings hidden, but there are certainly moments where the mask slips.
  • His quiet anguish at his cousin Queen Aemma's funeral is the first example of this.
  • Whenever Rhaenyra turns his own social tactics against by meeting his brazenness with brazenness, his usual façade of glib calm and control slips at her provocations. In fact, Rhaenyra is the only one he's openly vulnerable with.
  • His full-on One-Man Army assault on the Crabfeeder and his men (and the poor messenger he beat up) could be considered a Berserker Rage moment for him.
  • He was visibly distraught and even horrified at Laena's suicide by dragon fire.
  • He's visibly overjoyed at his discovery of the cluster of dragon eggs in the Dragonmont, confident he can get the eggs to hatch with the tools at their disposal.
  • Seeing his brother in such a frail and suffering state before his death is too much for him to bare and he spends much of "Lord of the Tides" openly humble and regretful.
  • The deaths of his brother and unborn daughter cause him to spiral out of control, lash out in rage and even put his hands on Rhaenyra, something anyone who knows him would tell you is very out of place.
• Number Two: Rhaenyra commands the faction of the Blacks, and Daemon is her most trusted warlord and battle commander. However, he's willing to act behind her back if it would benefit them, best seen when he prepares for war while Rhaenyra was recovering from miscarrying their daughter.
• Older Than They Look: A bit downplayed, as he does show signs of aging (i.e. changing hairstyles, a rising hairline and furrowed brows◊), but there's little difference in how he looks from "The Heirs of the Dragon" up to "The Black Queen". Daemon is also shown to have kept an active lifestyle that kept him physically strong—especially in stark contrast to King Viserys I's bodily decay up to his death.
• One-Man Army: Downplayed, in that he isn't an Invincible Hero and he almost always does it with Caraxes. However, Laenor has such faith in his combat ability that he intends to weaponize his elder cousin by sending him into a chokepoint solo to falsely surrender, and then fight and distract as many of the Crabfeeder's forces in the chaos. He goes on to face the forces of the Triarchy on his own and survive. Properly occupied, the rest of the Velaryon army and their other Dragon Rider (Laenor on Seasmoke) swoops in and routs them. To Daemon's credit, he pulls off all of these without needing Caraxes, and even manages to slice through the personal bodyguards of the prince admiral and slaughter the Crabfeeder himself.
• Papa Wolf: Towards Rhaenyra, his children and his stepsons. Case in point, when Vaemond openly decries Jace and Luke as bastards and calls his wife a whore, he decapitates him without hesitation.
  • When meeting with Otto and the Greens at the entrance to Dragonstone, Otto suggests his two young sons be sent to as squire and cupbearer for King Aegon II, which would make them hostages in all but name. Daemon furiously rebuffs the offer and is all too eager to draw his sword on his old rival.
  • A darker example occurs when he hears the Greens will be gunning for him and his family now that Aegon II is king. He fortifies the entire island, threatens to have all the loyal Kingsguard burnt alive if they betray Queen Rhaenyra and is ready to personally behead Otto Hightower the second he appears. All out of a desire to protect his family. His grief over losing his unborn child and his brother in only two days probably adds to this.
• Parental Favoritism:
  • If Viserys is to be believed, Daemon seemed to be apple of their mother Alyssa's eye. It's likely to do with the fact that they share the same rambunctious and troublemaking personality—in contrast to Viserys and Prince Baelon.
    Viserys: You were always mother's favorite. No, it's no great mystery. You were. Our mother, she had no regard for custom or tradition, rules. And I, sadly, was no great warrior.
  • He indulges in this with his own daughters. He dotes on Baela, privately teaching her High Valyrian, but Rhaena feels neglected for not being a dragonrider.
• Pet the Dog:
  • While visiting his bedridden brother with his family, one of his sons — Viserys the younger — becomes visibly distressed at his grandfather's emaciated condition. In a blink-and-you-miss-it moment, Daemon calms the boy down by affectionately stroking his head.
  • When an ill Viserys is struggling to get up on the Iron Throne, he lends his hand to help him up and get seated, making it one of his few genuine acts of kindness without any ulterior motives.
• Police Brutality: Before The Tourney for the birth of his nephew starts, he leads his newly minted Gold Cloaks (the closest thing this medieval fantasy universe has to a police force) in a crackdown on the slums of King's Landing, to punitively deter further crime, beating, arresting, maiming, gelding and even executing felons, before loading up the chopped off body parts in a cart as a "spectacle".
• Poor Communication Kills: Several times he fails to make himself understood and simply works with people’s perception.
• Pride: While he's in a dire spot along with the Velaryon army against the Crabfeeder, he doesn't take well at all that his brother sent reinforcements, even beating up the messenger.
• Princeling Rivalry: Otto Hightower implies Daemon is a danger to Viserys. Right off the bat this seems plausible, as Daemon makes no secret of the fact that he'd like to be king. But as the season unfolds, it's subverted. Daemon never shows any sign he's anything other than loyal to his brother. He would certainly like to be king, but he wouldn't kill his brother for the chance. Their relationship is often strained but even then the brothers still love each other despite everything.
• Psychopathic Manchild: Played With, as Daemon acts more like a sulky teenager attempting to earn the approval and attention of his more mature older brother, and often throws violent tantrums when he doesn't get his way, such as his little stealing-the-dragon-egg-and-almost-starting-a-war stunt. But he is capable of empathy and keeping his head cool when the situation calls for it.
• Rabid Cop: His Modus Operandi as head of the City Watch appears to largely consist of violently murdering, torturing and dismembering whoever he suspects to be criminal in a hundred miles radius.
• Red Oni, Blue Oni: Viserys and Daemon are almost totally different in temperament; where Viserys is calm, mild, peaceful but a bit of a pushover, Daemon is passionate, wild, violent but a bit too unyielding.
• Reformed Rake: Deconstructed Trope. From the beginning there's an implication that Daemon is different—softer—with Rhaenyra than he is with anyone else. He folds for her at the bridge in episode 2; he can't go through with the brothel plan in episode 4. Rhaenyra is his Morality Pet, and his passion for and commitment to her is unquestionable. He is different with her than he is with others… but only to an extent. His worst tendencies aren't absent from their marriage. With others, Daemon sometimes doesn't speak for entire scenes; in his marriage he won't share his own grief with his wife after a miscarriage, preferring taciturn solitude even if it hurts her. With others, Daemon is a loose canon who routinely acts without leave; in his marriage he's quick to take matters into his own hands as Rhaenyra's chief general, without always consulting his newly crowned queen. With others, Daemon is violent, impulsive, and quick to anger; in his marriage, a moment of rage culminates in Domestic Abuse.
• The Rival: In the early part of the first season, his political and personal rival is Otto Hightower, while he has a more martial rivalry with Criston Cole since the young knight beat him at The Tourney. He's far more openly contemptuous of Otto, and seems to actually enjoy some Snark-to-Snark Combat with Criston in comparison, since they’re both real warriors.
• Royal Inbreeding:
  • By episode 4, Daemon's intentions for Rhaenyra are clear as the day. He takes her to a pleasure house during the night and almost takes her maidenhood there, but he chooses to refrain himself, out of respect for her. Later, during the day, when Viserys confronts him about their nightly escapade, Daemon asks him to marry Rhaenyra to him.
    Daemon: Wed her to me. When I offered up my crown, you said I could have anything. I want Rhaenyra. I'll take her as she is, and wed her in the tradition of our house.
  • After Laena's death, he and Rhaenyra rekindle their relationship and have sex in a tent on the beach. Later, after Daemon arranges for Laenor's (faked) death, he marries her in a Valyrian-style ceremony with their respective children as witnesses. they later have two sons named Aegon III and Viserys II.
• Self-Deprecation: It's rare, but when with his brother or niece, Daemon reveals a softer, more self-aware side through humorous acknowledgements of his character — such as joking that his brother was "cursed" to keep Daemon as an heir until he had a son.
• Sibling Yin-Yang: Daemon is an accomplished warrior, dragonrider, and quick to anger. Viserys is more passive, doesn't ride a dragon (since Balerion died anyway), and prefers to stick to court politics.
• Sociopathic Hero: Played with. The Rogue Prince is undeniably egotistical, mercurial, impulsive, violent and one can never be certain where his true allegiances lie, or even what he's thinking of doing next. On the other hand, he's capable of empathy (even to underdogs of the world like the smallfolk of King's Landing), has a code of honor, sincerely loves and cares for others and has proven capable of genuine heroism.
• Sore Loser: After being unseated by Criston Cole, his first answer is to take a sword, and challenge him to a duel on foot, and when he loses (though to be fair, Cole attacked him In the Back and The Tourney didn't seem to have many enforced rules), he knocks aside Cole's hand when the latter offers to help him up.
• Spare to the Throne: Daemon gets away with a lot as King Viserys' younger brother, especially because Viserys doesn't have a male heir initially — meaning there's a real possibility that Daemon might become king initially. Their relationship sours once Viserys disinherits Daemon and names Princess Rhaenyra his successor, and Daemon starts lashing out at the Iron Throne.
• The Stoic: He usually keeps himself quite reserved and calm and dislikes others knowing what he's thinking, so he tends to keep his emotions to himself. The only exceptions are his niece and Mysaria (and possibly Viserys).
• Thicker Than Water:
  • Frequently invokes and hides behind his brother the king to cover for his actions and states it entitles him to more respect and authority. It worked for a time but soon both Viserys and at some points, Rhaenyra, make it clear they have limits for this trope.
    Daemon: And the Blood of the Dragon runs thick.
    Viserys: Then why do you cut me so deeply?
  • The longer the season goes on, the clearer it becomes that he takes this principle very seriously. He will mess with his brother, sure, but he will not let anybody else give him shit. He is more than willing to fuck half of King's Landing, but he will not despoil his niece. Finally, while they might not be his sons by blood, woe be to any man who insults his stepsons as Vaemond finds out the hard way.
  • That doesn't apply to the Targaryen-Hightower side, on the other hand. They are the result of the meddling of one man he particularly despises — Ser Otto Hightower — in his family, and he's always cared more about Rhaenyra, and won't let anyone usurp her right to the Iron Throne, especially Aegon.
    Daemon: I would rather feed my sons to the dragons than have them carry shields and cups for your drunken, usurper cunt of a king.
• Til Murder Do Us Part: He deals with his unwanted marriage to his first wife Rhea Royce by living apart and generally acting as if he's not married. This works well enough up until he wants to marry someone else. He tries twice to take a second wife while Rhea still lives, calling it Valyrian polygamy, but is told resoundingly that's not an option. Thus he resorts to Divorce Requires Death. He spooks Rhea's horse by standing in the middle of the road and then personally kills her with a rock when she taunts him for walking away from her mortally wounded body, ultimately so that he can court Rhaenyra and Laena as a free and single widower.
• Too Clever by Half: Daemon's a talented schemer, and is an Excellent Judge of Character when it comes to the people around him. But he's not as crafty as he thinks he is. His gambits often blow up in his face, and causes him to be alienated from the people he cares about.
• Took a Level in Kindness:
  • Being married to Laena appears to have softened him somewhat. He clearly wants to marry Rhaenyra, but rather than Murder the Hypotenuse, he instead arranges a Death Faked for You scenario so that Laenor and his current lover can leave Westeros behind with no-one realizing the truth. Contrast this with how he murdered Rhea so that he could have the opportunity to wed Rhaenyra. Its downplayed as he still arranges for an innocent man to be murdered in Laenor's place.
  • He begins the story as an antagonistic rogue practically vying for his brother's crown. Years later, with the king crippled and very ill, Daemon dutifully and humbly helps Viserys to seat on the Iron Throne one last time, not before picking up the crown that Viserys dropped on his way, allowing its return to his brother's head.
• Troll: If Daemon doesn't like you, he's going to provoke and mock you in the most petty way possible, and enjoy every second of it — especially if it's the otherwise strait-laced and calm Otto Hightower. Even his brother isn't safe from this, as Daemon masterminds a "prank" to challenge his brother's authority and get his attention.
• The Unfettered: Downplayed a bit. Daemon has little use for conventional morality or custom, and prefers justifications based on "the custom of Old Valyria" (i.e., "because I can"). However, he does have lines he will not cross, such as actively betraying or overthrowing his brother. He encourages the rest of his family to act similarly.
  Daemon: [to Viserys] Who gives a fuck what some lord thinks? You are the dragon! Your word is truth and law!
• Ungrateful Bastard: Viserys certainly sees him as this after "the heir for a day" accusation, pointing out that despite him going out of his way to support and excuse his brother's actions from his naysayers on the Small Council, Daemon has repaid it with continual disrespect. Daemon fires right back, claiming it's the other way around, and that although he's tried his damndest to aid his brother in whatever duty he assigned, he has not been appreciated or trusted enough to be made his Hand. Further decrying that he's allowed poisonous councillors to sully his opinion of his own blood. The Iron Throne even proves him right.
• Unwanted Spouse: Daemon is married to Lady Rhea Royce whom he derogatorily refers to as his "bronze bitch". They're as divorced as they can be while still being legally married. They live apart and haven't seen each other in years, which Daemon says is how they both prefer it. He complains about her at every turn and repeatedly tries to take new wives.
  Daemon: I think my bronze bitch is happier for my absence.
• Vicariously Ambitious: Downplayed Example. Like two other main players in the Game of Thrones, Otto Hightower and Corlys Velaryon, he tries to win the Iron Throne for his descendants rather than himself personally - his daughter Baela is betrothed to Rhaenyra's heir, his stepson Jacaerys. Unlike the other two, however, his machinations would benefit himself far more directly: as a very willful and ambitious Prince Consort of a Queen who adores him, he could actually exert his power on his own and wouldn't have to wait for his grandchildren to inherit the crown. ^{From the books...}Although ultimately it is his sons by Rhaenyra and their descendants who will wear the crown after the Dance of the Dragons, when Daemon himself is dead.
• Violently Protective Boyfriend: He's quite willing to bare steel to Otto, the Kingsguard and his twenty good men as soon as the Hand threatens Mysaria, his paramour. And after Ser Vaemond Velaryon dares to insult his niece-wife as well as his stepsons, Daemon executes the man without hesitation. Once news breaks of Viserys' death and Aegon's crowning, he immediately calls for the isle of Dragonstone to become a fortress so that no one may get to Rhaenyra or his family.
• Villainous Respect: While he voices the belief that Laenor will bore Rhaenyra, he otherwise seems to think well enough of the man and praised him in the same conversation much more than he usually does anyone. Being a fellow Dragon Rider veteran of the Stepstones also probably earned the younger man points—especially compared to the very foolhardy Commander Contrarian Vaemond.
• Warhawk: A mercurial warrior prince who's more likely to approach conflicts at swordpoint or with dragonfire than diplomatically. He joins the Stepstones war of his own accord and helps win the entire thing in the end, decapitates Vaemond Velaryon mid-rant when his stepsons' legitimacy is questioned, then encourages Rhaenyra to strike at the Greens when her throne is usurped while she is more reluctant.
• Warrior Prince: He is the younger brother of King Viserys and a warrior of many talents.
• Wild Card: What makes Daemon such a danger to both his enemies and the Small Council is that he's too unpredictable for them to get an advantage over.

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