The Relationship of Daemon and Rhaenyra: Love or Something Else?

Daemon and Rhaenyra are a widely loved shipped in the House of The Dragon fandom, but I can't help but wonder if this relationship is truly one of love at all like people claim.

[@tobeymalone3436]

You know what probably WAS an actually healthy relationship? Rhaenyra and Harwin Strong. The few scenes they had together and Rhaenyra's emotional reaction to Daemon mentioning him showed they actually cared about each other, why doesn't the fandom talk more about them and not the LITERAL INCEST GROOMER?

[@amorojaz27]

Harwin may have cared about her, but I doubt Rhaenyra returned the feeling, seeing how she quickly jumped into bed with Daemon after his death.

[@marette2845]

Because the fandom is drawn to what is more fictionnally stimulating, not what would be healthier were it real life.

[@femalegays]

rhaenyra seemed bored w/ him to me

[@MRJTD99]

Probably because he had about 5 seconds of screen time, and only 1 of those seconds was spent on him and Rhaenyra

[@Caraxes_RoguePrince]

Harwin is just as old as daemon and was with her when she was young

[@torontotsts8218]

People ship these two and pretend like Daemon didn’t murder his first wife and choke out his third 😂

[@_back2mars_]

In the books he didn’t nor he killed Vaemond in the books Rhaenyra is the psychotic one Daemon would have been a great king actually

[@khfan4life365]

The thing is, Martin didn’t write their relationship to be cutesy. He hinted in the book that Rhaenyra was groomed by Daemon. The show makes it even clearer that this relationship was not healthy. The “love” we see between them isn’t love at all. Real love isn’t manipulative, abusive, toxic, or harmful. Throughout the episodes, we see Daemon inflict all four on Rhaenyra and even his other wives. Matt Smith and Emma D’Arcy were amazing in their roles. They acted the hell out of their scenes. But let’s not pretend that this relationship is healthy or cute.

[@jjosifovic]

It’s a twisted unhealthy passion relationship like Harley n the joker. I also find that people see Oto as a manipulator that groomed his daughter but we shy away from Daemon n what he does with Rt? Great video n couldn’t agree more

[@elijah5182]

They just bias when it comes to they favorite characters that’s why I don’t rock with team black 💚🐉

[@jjosifovic]

@@elijah5182 couldn’t agree more

[@rosita3528]

​@@elijah5182if a person is bias because they support their favourite characters, then that goes for the greens too. Duh

[@jacksmythe2187]

House of the Dragon is what you get when no-one in the family has a healthy relationship. Incest, grooming, betrayal, neglect, no one in this family is happy or healthy. But because it looks cool and everyone in the show (characters I mean) say it's fine and normal, people will try to justify it and gloss over it even when the point of the story is to show exactly how fucked this kind of world actually is.

[@jakeraught4939]

They have to have incestual relations in order to maintain control of their dragons

[@amorojaz27]

I hear you. It's the same problem with gang movies.

[@heartlesslove9084]

Daemon always had certain control over rhaenyra since she was a child that explains why rhaenyra wants to go after him because daemon made her too gullible that he could do no wrong in her eyes. Therefore power dynamics are heavily involved in their relationship.

[@naikari]

the fact he has to explain that the incest and age gap/knowing her since she was literally born is wrong to people is actually astounding

[@alexman378]

Yeah, because context matters. For that family, incest is a must if they want to maintain their power and dominion. Their connection to the dragons would fade away otherwise. So for them, what’s actually wrong or even could be “taboo” is not marrying within the family.

[@Evil_Peter]

The fact that this kind of thing upsets people more than characters using violence/death as a solution to so many problems is also astounding. If we necessarily have to put entertainment in a realistic light that is.

[@stuffynosepatrol]

@@alexman378 imagine looking at an uncle grooming his niece and saying "context matters!"

[@stuffynosepatrol]

@@Evil_Peter "omg people get more upset at a child being groomed by her uncle than at grown adults dying in battle!? How hypocritical" - grow the fuck up man.

[@alexman378]

@@stuffynosepatrol Yes, because in this story, it really does. Just because you can’t fathom that the reality you live in doesn’t dictate everything, much less a fictional world based in a time period you clearly don’t know much about, and a setting you don’t really have much knowledge of, doesn’t mean it’s how it should be looked at. A random uncle and niece would definitely be perverse. An uncle and niece getting together in a situation where not marrying within the family eradicates their entire family’s dominion and power, makes sense. So yes, context matters.

[@xoxo7207]

I agree completely with you. Also grooming her he shaped her personality a lot and i think he will always have some power over her because of it and he's very aware of it.

[@TemariNaraannaschatz]

I want to point out one side thing: it is not Targaryen tradition to have multiple wives. Only two Kings had multiple wives: Aegon I and Maegor. Aegon I because by tradition he had to marry his older sister, but he wanted to marry his younger sister, so he used the "I ride the biggest known living dragon" card to get away with it and no one dared to say otherwise. The same couldn't be said when Maegor got himself a second wive, there were heavy protests and Visenya ended up threatening the faith with Vhargar to let him have his wives. Not a single Targaryen married before or after was with more than one person at a time.

[@alana6909]

Polygamy was practiced in Valyria, so there were multiple marriages before Aegon

[@TemariNaraannaschatz]

@@alana6909 Any information we have on polygamy in Valyria or Aenar are from The World of Ice and Fire, which is only a semi-canon source, meaning that GRRM has explicitly stated that he didn't write it. And the information is that some dragonlords and sorceres in Valria did practive polygamy, however there tradition we know is canon is sibling marriage to the oldest sister. There are also multiple inter-cultures in Valyria including different religions and practices and nothing in canon or semi-canon states what practices House Targaryen had in reards to marriage, especially because it is canon that they were one of the lowest houses. The only other Targaryen that is stated to have a polygamous marriage is Aenar the Exil and again that is only from TWOIAF.

[@RapaxGuardian]

The fandom is coping so hard that Daemon can't have an affair with Nettles because he has brown-skinned daughters, therefore he views Nettles as his daughter, completely ignoring Daemon is absolutely a pedophile! Daemon only wants Rhaenrya because she's the heir. He wants his own sons on the throne. That's his only reasoning.

[@Karasuno86]

Book fandom unlike you is not illiterate, Daemon literally said "a whore's work" about Mysaria's lie, maester of Maidenpool who was there refute this rumor too and all Daemon's lovers were valyrian looking women like Rhaenyra because he wanted to marry her right from the start

[@Karasuno86]

Also Daemon did everything to strengthen Jace's claim and then died for Rhaenyra who made all the decisions, he didn't give a fuck about the throne. GRRM even killed them at the same day five moons apart, this marriage was never political even maesters confirmed it lol

[@JohnDoe-vw4zf]

​@@Karasuno86He didn't die for Rhynera bruv wanted to kill Aegon and the sword jump was unnecessary Daemon shit also I wonder who is married to the future queen and who is the father to the future king and queen?

[@alana6909]

​@@Karasuno86Obviously he would have to support Jace's claim while Viserys was alive and the Dance was still going he. Daemon probably would have been involved in some plot against Harwin's sons to put Aegon III on the throne if all the other matters weren't a problem for him. Daemon was no fool, and part of his relationship with Rhaenyra stemmed from his desire for her, but also for power.

[@khfan4life365]

Well, the book was very vague about who Nettles was to Daemon. It was unknown if Nettles was his lover, his surrogate daughter, or his real illegitimate daughter. Mushroom was known to make up scandalous tales, so his veracity is questionable at best.

[@mollytaylor2122]

It seems to me that fandom consistently wants to flatten their relationship. One cohort thinks the romance is the core of their relationship and the abuse is an ill-placed creative mistake on the part of the writers. Another cohort thinks the abuse is the core and the romanticization is out of line. Very few are interested in holding the duality. I find this particularly interesting in light of the other recent show _Interview with the Vampire_ and how *that* fandom seems *very* comfortable with the duality of Lestat as an abusive toxic mess - who's also enigmatic and charming and the great love of Louis's life.

[@stuffynosepatrol]

The show does not romanticize grooming or abuse, the fandom does. My problem is the people who watch this uncle grooming his niece and abusing his wives and go "omg couple goals! Theyre so cute together!!!", not the show itself.

[@evinoge5834]

Small “uhm actually”, Viserys also knows Valyrian, he understands the dragon-keeper in episode 2. Excellent video

[@HK-gm8pe]

I sooo agree...I have been there..I didnt get attention from my father as a kid and then started replacing that father figure with an older men who ended up grooming me and using me ...tale as old as time

[@Caraxes_RoguePrince]

Not what that is tho lol

[@tebogommitsinyane6211]

You should make a video about daemon and viserys relationship… I think the complexities of that relationship are really interesting too

[@khfan4life365]

Daemon and Rhaenyra is what happens when fire meets gasoline. A huge and breathtaking explosion that’s harmful to themselves and others.

[@tribuneoftheplebs9948]

Its textbook grooming

[@ContactsNfilters]

Marriage was much more often a business type arrangement, than for love, especially for royalty. Grooming and incest were common. Thankfully we have had a huge shift in what we consider morally good within the last couple centuries.

[@amaracrow0501]

I like Daemon and love Matt Smith as Daemon but your right. I was thinking the same thing about him being present when she was born. He in all likelihood held her in her swaddling clothes🤢. I mean, look at Crispin, he was also way older then her. Girl has daddy issues. And unrelated, people saying a 17 year old drunk girl took advantage of a seasoned knight of the 7 kingdoms? Then ask that she give up bring a princess with a dragon to a sellswords house wife? Yeah... that's super tempting. And then he immediately turns into an incel? Me thinks something was already rotten in Denmark with sir cole

[@alexman378]

You do realize that for the majority of human existence, girls married young and men married older for a reason, right? It wasn’t up until recent years that this gap was bridged, and the majority of women still want older men. That’s because for a man to get to a position of status and stability, it takes time, while for women, their fertility drops over time. That’s not “daddy issues”, that’s evolutionary biology. It’s why 40% of men managed to have children with 80% of the women throughout our time on Earth. Crispin might have been older, stronger and more skilled, but he was way beneath Rhaenyra. She was a princess, he was her sworn knight, meaning he has to do as he’s told at all times. Meaning his strengths are tools for whoever is above him in the totem pole.

[@danika9411]

​​​​@@alexman378 You understand that marrying young is actually a wrong stereotype? Even 100s of years ago people mostly married in their 20s -30s. Royals were sometimes exceptions, because of alliances. For Europe ( I'm from Europe so these are the numbers I'm familiar with ) there is documentation from 1700 till now about age of marriage. ( Churchbooks, government registers ect ) And for western Europe between 1700 and 1899 age of marriage for women was between 28 and 31, for men between 28 and 34. Eastern Europe is seen as early with marriage age between 20-22. That are the real historical numbers of the normal everyday population. Looking at royals who married young for alliances and power has instilled a wrong perspective on this. It's just a stereotype. Of course some people did marry young, but that was the exception. Actually if you look at a graph the marriage age in the 1950-60 is much lower than in the 1700s 😅 It's interesting how things actually were historically outside of stereotypes, you should look it up. It's also frightning how easily things get twisted. How easy a lie becomes the truth the more people talk about it as if it was the truth.

[@Dell-ol6hb]

@@alexman378 that’s false, people used to marry in their early to mid 20s historically speaking, this is because they weren’t dumbasses and knew that childbirth could easily kill the mother, especially if she was too young. The only people who ever married in their early or mid teens were royals and nobles, but even then it was rare and when it did happen the marriage wasn’t consummated until they became older. Again this was because childbirth was dangerous in a time before medicine, the younger you were the higher the chance of you dying in childbirth.

[@alexman378]

@@Dell-ol6hb Balance was a thing, and in case you didn’t notice, we are talking about royals.

[@amaracrow0501]

@@alexman378 doesn't make it right. We also used to make toddlers go work in the coal mines, people could be owned and men were allowed to beat their wives. And to be clear? Those girls were SOLD too a man who could pay the most, married is a word that we still use to make it more comfortable. Your argument is not an argument, it's an excuse.

[@jamiereekie9342]

Age difference is irrelevant when you're LITERALLY related to each other!

[@stuffynosepatrol]

No it isnt, grooming is grooming whether its incestuous or not.

[@elijah5182]

Sick individual will sit up there and try to discredit this video thx you for speaking on this I said this from beginning

[@lenkaw.7243]

I think it can very well be love, just not a particulary good kind of one. There are so many different ways in which people can love each other and the fact that some of those ways are toxic, destructive, mildly evil and don't match your prefered definition of the feeling doesn't really change that.

[@Kay-kg6ny]

Nice video! Just FYI, there's a high, persistent whine noise in the audio

[@joaoferreira3007]

Yeah their relationship is not really love, and for sure isn't healthy. Daemon in the end sees rhaenyra as an extension of viserys, even more if you consider that rhaenya just lile viserys is the major link between Daemon and the throne. Besides that daemon clearly has an preference for younger valryian girls( creep ). Now with rhaenyra is easier, she was groomed into this relationship and she feels that daemon is the only one that always back her up. Anyway, i still blame viserys, if he wasn't such an passive selfcentered jerk he could have stoped daemon grooming of rhaenyra years before the begining of the series.

[@Caraxes_RoguePrince]

Writer of the show said it’s really love so cry 🥴

[@amorojaz27]

​@@Caraxes_RoguePrince writers also think being a rapist is worse than being a mass murderer.

[@Caraxes_RoguePrince]

@@amorojaz27 no they don’t lol and idk what you telling me this for anyway cus rather they think this or not it don’t change what I said…

[@amorojaz27]

@@Caraxes_RoguePrince I mean they don't seem to understand their own story seeing how they're convinced the Blacks are the heroes, even though they've killed more innocent people than the Greens.

[@stuffynosepatrol]

Grooming. That's literally it.

[@user-xj6be1ch1g]

Anyone who has a creepy uncle knows to agree with you

[@HeatherHolt]

Why is this uncle niece relationship bad but the her brother’s brother sister relationship is not bad or hardly ever mentioned? Marrying in the family was totally acceptable for Targs. He’s obvs not a good partner seeing as how Damon manhandled her by the throat. She’s always had a connection with Damon above all others tho and Damon is protective of her AND most of all wants power.

[@danika9411]

In the book it is more clear he groomed her from a very young age and likes them young generally 😬 The brothels in fleabottom kept the youngest maids for him specifically.... And there are more rumours, which I hope aren't true, but I don't want to spoil it. I'm not sure if the leak is true, but there seems to be a mention that he knewbher as a baby in season 2. Incest I can understand. It's a Targ thing for the dragonriding ability. But their relationship isn't really healthy. In the show especially Aegon and Halaenas relationship is screwed up. There is nothing good about it. Aegon never wanted it, only goes to her when drunk and has no idea about consent.... 😬 We have seen very little interaction between these two. I'm curious what they do with it in the show. Because in the book, they got along and Helaena is described as a happy, energetic young woman who is very popular with the smallfolk and a very good mother. She is not a dreamer and not neurodivergent in the book. Also her and Alicent habe a good relationship. Aegon an her share chambers and a bed. They just move into their own chambers after, I'm not going to spoil what it is, but it's called Blood and Cheese. They changed their dynamic completly to dysfunctional possibly abusive in the show. So show: Aegon and Helaena is more screwed up. Book: Daemon and Rhaenyra is more screwed up. We will see how everything develops in the next season.

[@stuffynosepatrol]

Because he groomed her.

[@Kay-kg6ny]

The video literally spends a whole section explaining that it's not just them being related, it's specifically the fact that he's so much older than her. And the fact that he's been in a position to directly shape her entire mentality and personality for her most formative years. Did you even watch it??

[@Dell-ol6hb]

It’s astounding that this needs to be explained at all, both are bad obviously, the difference is that Daemon, her uncle, is much older than her, this isn’t as much of an issue between siblings because typically they’re much closer in age and status. Daemon has clearly been grooming her throughout her childhood too

[@amorojaz27]

Aegon and Helaena didn't get a choice in marriage.

[@robind7352]

You made a lot of good points.

[@angryfirefly]

Targaryens often marry siblings and cousins to one another, but not aunts and uncles to nieces and nephews.

[@os44881616]

Forbidden love is more interestin and enthralling than a healthy relationship. People feel that and than try to justify it by vlaiming the relationship is healthy

[@sonofsanguinius4880]

Finaly someone who said it

[@Irina-sx5sf]

It’s hard to say. I believe Rhaenyra loved Daemon and Daemon loved her in his own way. Idea or not, but he cared for her. Daemon is a very complicated personality, but he is a family man. He lived peacefully with Laena for 10 years and then with Rhaenyra for 6 years and didn’t look for any trouble. He and Rhaenyra looked happy together. They were holding hands by every opportunity. He murdered his wife, yes, but look how she was talking to him(still that doesn’t justify him). And he was kind to his other women and his kids.

[@amorojaz27]

Then why does he choke Rhaenyra? Plus, if he really caresld about his family as much as he tells himself he does, he wouldn't screw around as much as he does.

[@angelscott7539]

people only like it bc they see daemon as a bad ass hottie and want him to be with the main character. They would never ship viserys/ alicent bc hes not conventionally attractive or strong, and bc alicent doesnt like him back

[@Gigipretty64]

Smith and Alcock have to shoulder some of the blame for the enthusiastic shipping, he’s very charismatic and sexy AF as Daemon and she is just the right level of beautiful innocence and curious rebelliousness. Less accomplished or attractive actors might have not had the same effect. Their chemistry is 🔥

[@burningboy14]

Can't wait to watch this one

[@leviandhisbae7375]

Ok, but hear me out... It's hot?... Get it, cuz fire? Nah really tho, it's fictional. There's no harm in shipping it and it's fun to debate about in depth.

[@DunaEider93]

People are very wrong in the head. Thinking this two are soulmates or have true love 😂😂😂 However that explains why so many stay in toxic relationships and then cry about their problems Karma. People are so naive and blind

[@explore8539]

Unhealthy and very selfish

[@nite8425]

Right or wrong, real love or not, I don't think she gave a shit if Daemon was a good person or not. The Greens were never going to let them live rather she bent the knee or not. I would put a Daemon Targaryen between me and the only other family with dragons if I could too 🤷‍♀️

[@amorojaz27]

People like this relationship because the show runners were dumb enough to make their scenes together look hot.

[@KingaKucyk]

Just looking at the way the amazing actors potray their roles, the undeniable lust in eyes of Rhaenyra to Daemon from the first momment they're introduced the characters, the way these two acted just screamed "I wanna f with u" 😂😂😂😂

[@carastone3473]

Daemon is NOT old enough to be her father…unless he was a teen dad… He IS her uncle and it’s GROSS that he was clearly grooming her from the start. However, this is a non-issue in the story so we shouldn’t obsess over it. I agree that he isn’t not in love with her and that the only person he ever truly cared for and loved was Viserys.

[@TemariNaraannaschatz]

In the books he's 15 years older, but I have no clue how big the show age difference is with how they changed all the ages around. And given that, bit early for Westeros, but not too strange for the royal family to be a father.

[@stuffynosepatrol]

"Grooming is a Non-issue" bruh, just because the characters dont care about that doesnt mean we as an audience shouldn't. This is like watching the boy in the striped pyjamas and not minding the holocaust happening because the characters don't care about it in universe.

[@carastone3473]

@@stuffynosepatrol - I said grooming is a non-issue IN THIS STORY. WE see it as that, yes, but Westeros is not the real world. The boy in the striped pajamas comparison doesn't apply here as the Holocaust was real and Westeros is NOT. The people absolutely DID care about the Holocaust. What Daemon was doing was very common in Westeros. You can't compare our world to the Realm. Otherwise, you're on your way down a really deep rabbit hole. If you can't understand the differences, maybe you're not mature enough to watch the show.

[@stuffynosepatrol]

@carastone3473 I understand the differences, they just don't matter. You as a person in the real world should look at what Daemon does and be utterly disgusted no matter if it is normalised in westeros or not. So why are you defending it?

[@seth_fitzgerald]

It is what it is, it’s not love and nobody cares if it’s love or not. Nobody in that family is happy. Internally Daemon and Rhaenyra are happy with each other because it’s their love. We see why and how they got together now we need to see what will tear them apart.

[@dommyd-kd1928]

SPOILERS Daemon ultimately dies for Rhaeneyra’s cause. Fire & Blood leaves a lot open to interpretation, especially with the addition of Nettles. However, I think he was ultimately devoted to Rhaeneyra and loved her at least in a familial way. As much as Daemon was capable at least.

[@vivienbandova5418]

it's just movies you don't have to overdo it and I really like the chemistry between the actors young rhaenyra and daemon

[@stuffynosepatrol]

That's really fucking weird because that means you're shipping real people

[@vivienbandova5418]

@@stuffynosepatrol but in the real world it is not her uncle

[@stuffynosepatrol]

@@vivienbandova5418 doesn't matter, in the real world you shouldn't be shipping real people.

[@vivienbandova5418]

@@stuffynosepatrol like they are not really people? I like the chemistry between the actors, nothing more and I actually does not like these movies or series I haven't even seen Game of Thrones, it is disgusting I also saw this one just because everyone said that it is better how Game of Thrones

[@stuffynosepatrol]

@@vivienbandova5418 so what you're saying is that you ship two actors, who are real people. Shipping real people is gross.

[@brattygamer8939]

I completely agree that they may not be IN LOVE with each other but their relationship is heavily built ON LOVE and respect. They do love each other, in multiple ways and I think both of them want what they believe is best for the other. I do think a lot of Daemon's relationship with Rhaenyra is based on his love and exaltation of his own family line. He believes that backing her and doing everything he can to strengthen her (and his own) blood line and family is him doing what is best for the blood line. And I mean it IS Rhaenyra's blood line that survives and reigns up until the GoT timeline so. . . he wasn't entirely wrong.

[@sounsure9108]

He isn’t old enough to be her father, and marriage with age gaps are also common, in royal houses, and and in the books they are only a few years apart like 12

[@TemariNaraannaschatz]

15 years apart. But the bigger issue there is that he did groom her when she was 7, instead of 14-17.

[@fightingmedialounge519]

12 isn't a few years.

[@christinahutchinson2884]

Personally I think their love is pure. Idk about the being there when nyra was born thing, but from what I’ve seen he meets his niece & he genuinely cares about her wether it’s to piss off viserys or have power over her to control the throne. Yes he has a lot of unredeeming qualities but his one is Rhaenyra. I think rhaenyra would’ve always been attracted to him even though she knows it’s wrong & i say that because the king of interest she shows is that of admiration & adoration & maybe even teenage curiosity. I feel like daemon groomed her but only in the sense of trying to use her for the power that comes with being an heir/future queen because I see he takes charge a lot when it’s a political/war matter & Rhaenyra allows it because she knows he’s experienced & daemon doesn’t really seem interested in hurting her out of pleasure it seems because besides killing his wife & choking Nyra he seems to show a lot of compassion when he could be much more cruel like I didn’t take him for the gentle loving type when he was making love to nyra on the beach his touches & advances weren’t hungry & rushed he was being loving same thing when he was holding her hand when alicunt came in i didn’t expect that & same with how he is so protective of her he doesn’t have to always step in but he does .its like Rhaenyra doesn’t change him but he definitely loved her & I personally think he tries to be more in control of his temper but he’s only human so he can do better

[@stuffynosepatrol]

He groomed her and will cheat on her, he only married her for political power. There is no love there

[@PackLeader-1990]

Daenon Targaryen is the best Targaryen

[@Karasuno86]

Ryan Condal and Sara Hess said multiple times Daemon is ready to die for Rhaenyra and she's one out of two people he really truly loves. She made him stay in KL in episode 7 and he spent 6 years in loving marriage with her on Dragonstone away from court. He did everything to protect her kids and strengthen their claim as heirs (Jace and Luke). Also Daemon was absent most of the time in her younger years, he couldn't "groom" anyone unlike Criston and Harwin who were always near Rhaenyra. And if you're so pressed about age gaps and incest ASOIAF content is not for you lmao

[@amorojaz27]

The fact is this is an unhealthy relationship, one the showrunners foolishly romanticized.

[@dranixrush3306]

You aren't being the most objective here.

[@Caraxes_RoguePrince]

At all

[@dranixrush3306]

@@Caraxes_RoguePrince Yep.

[@amorojaz27]

Daemon is a violent, unstable, and frankly despicable man. Anyone with common sense would avoid him like the plague.

[@mappingshaman5280]

Daemon and rhaenyra is certainly an unhealthy and questionable relationship, but less so than other even more shipped relationships like lyanna and rhaegar or drogo and dany. At least daemon waited until she was an adult to actually do anything

[@Caraxes_RoguePrince]

The literal writer of the show said daemon loves rhaenyra lol and he never tried to usurp the throne from her even with the choking lol that wasn’t for the throne the writer said it’s about viserys not trusting him. Ryan said rhaenyra and viserys are the two people daemon love the most lol he said they love each other I mean if you gone talk so much about the show maybe take what the writer say into account.

[@amorojaz27]

The writers also think the Blacks are the good guys even though they have much more innocent blood on their hands than the Greens.

[@mentvltrillness]

I think he loved her, i mean he does end up dying for her cause.

[@moonshade_xr8349]

He died because he thought he, Rhaenyra and their children (the true born ones) were the superior Targeryens. He died because he didn’t want that “dirty” Hightower blood on the throne. He died because he wanted power through Rhaenyra and because he held a grudge against the hightowers. He didn’t die for her or her cause.

[@mentvltrillness]

@@moonshade_xr8349 he literally dies helping to siege the throne away from the enemy. But go off, I guess.

[@LauraGS564]

​@@moonshade_xr8349lol superior Targaryens? He's literally the blood of the dragon. They aren't superior to him. What a clown

[@Caraxes_RoguePrince]

@@moonshade_xr8349he literally died for her cause dummy lmao you made no sense at all in all you said…daemon didn’t have to die he planned to die and it was for her lol if he didn’t want to he coulda just left with nettles because no way he would know if rhaenyra would live after he did what he did.

[@alexman378]

Yes, it is. That’s what love is, it’s messy, dark, inexplicable, transcends boundaries and logic, and it lasts a lifetime, getting to a point in which you’d drop anything and give up everything just to be with that person and make sure they’re OK. Good or bad, depends on the people, but this is exactly what love is. It’s why you can’t actually ever get over it if it’s real, and you’ll only find it maybe once or twice in your life, if you ever do.

[@tymondabrowski12]

You're describing obsession, not love. Love is not messy or dark. Love brings the best out of the person in the relationship. If you believe that true love is messy and dark, you might just end up stuck in a toxic/abusive relationship, which tends to feel like a rollercoaster of intense emotions, unlike healthy loving relationship which is usually way more stable and "boring". It's imho more likely that Rhyneara and Daemon love each other but are deeply flawed (especially him), than for love to be "messy and dark". I mean I disagree more with "love is [description of obsession]" than with "Deamon love her and she loves him in some way".

[@danika9411]

That is not what true love feels like. That is dopamine and obsessive. Now some people generally have a more obsessive love style that is ok. But your description doesn't match deep love. I was truly in love already and it's freedom. You feel so warm inside and that gives you such stability, you feel like even when the worst things happen it will be ok, because you have each other. You feel like you would move to a different country with them and that you will be fine. It's just so warm and it makes you feel connected. And that gives you a sense of freedom and warmth. It makes you want to take care of them, make them feel warm and loved as well. It also makes you wanting to be a better person for them. That is love. If we go by hormones and how we feel them in our body. Love with mostly dopamine we feel intensely, the feelings jump around in our body. With Serotonin we feel it along our spine and it gives you an etherial, "spiritual" feeling around your head and warmth in your middle body. Romantic love always has a bit of dopamine and intensity. If it is mostly that, then it's obsession and addiction. A traumabond does actually feel like what you described. That's why people who are abused, don't leave their partners until it is really bad. English isn't my first language 🙈

[@alexman378]

@@tymondabrowski12 Obsession doesn’t last that long, especially once you get what you’re after. It wanes eventually, and more often than not, pretty quickly so. Love most definitely is messy, because it trumps logic on every situation. It’s why even if you reach a point where you want to hate someone you’ve loved, you won’t, and if there’s a situation in which you most likely will get damaged or hurt in a way, no matter how severe, you’ll take it happily if it means your other half will be spared, and that goes for both the physical and the emotional. That’s the dark part, and it’s why it’s a very dangerous emotion, especially if it’s for the wrong person. The things one will do for the one they love, they’d never do for anyone else or in any other situation. There is an entire country that exists right now to this day because a man fell for a woman. The problem is, you don’t get to choose. That’s why I’m saying, it lasts forever if it’s actually real. I’m definitely not in a toxic situation, I loved my girl from the first time I saw her 10 years ago, and not an hour hasn’t been spent for the past 4 years that she’s gone, without thinking about her. She was my everything and it’s been very hard to maintain a sense of purpose, direction, balance and peace since I lost her. I have achieved most of the things I’ve wanted, but it’s because I promised her I would.

[@alexman378]

@@danika9411 As I said in the other comment, obsession doesn’t last that long, especially once you get what you want. It’s also selfish, you won’t risk everything for that person, and the only reason you’ll try to make them happy is either as a means of control or to indirectly make them return that. Love is freedom, it makes someone your home, and you’re willing to do anything for them. You’ll do whatever it takes for them to be happy, regardless of what you have to go through for that, or if you’re getting anything out of it. Hormones are linked to everything of course, but again, those hits don’t last. Dopamine rushes don’t last. Real love will last you a lifetime, no matter what the circumstances.

[@danika9411]

@@alexman378 That's not actually true. Traumabonding with for example a person with narcissistic personality disorder is also obsessive love in nature and it can last for decades. I'm just using this to illustrate that you understanding is of obsessive love and obsession is wrong. Both can last for decades. If the leaks are true we will see in season 2 that their love is unhealthy and it will be mentioned that he saw her as a baby. In the book it is even more creepy. Mild spoilers for the book. Rhaenyra is younger and he started grooming her at age 7-9 or even younger already. Also there is Nettles, the young girl who is going to ride Sheepstealer, who he potentially sleeps with. Plus him sleeping with the youngest maidens in the brothels of Kings Landing.... They toned that down in the show a lot. But he is a p3do in the book. In the TV show Rhaenyra is 16 years younger, Laena is 19 years younger and Nettles must be around 30-34 years younger.... depending how young they make her in the show. She is supposed to be a skinny teenager. Someone with a pattern like that isn't just magically becoming a good guy. Though Laena did calm him down and in the book he did love her. It was his healthiest relationship overall. Rhaenyra and him are quiet unhealthy in the book as well. But I don't want to spoil it too much.