Daemon Targaryen’s arc in the second season of House of the Dragon has been somewhat frustrating, but extremely insightful for his character. While his intentions and motivation were shrouded in mystery in the first season, his true self has been laid bare for the audience in the second, finally knowing what haunts him and what makes him tick.
While many have gotten quite frustrated with his arc at Harrenhal, they have been curious about where his story will take him and where he find his demise. Being an enigma of a character, many would expect that at least in his end he would bring some answers.
However, as George R.R. Martin would have it, he is just as mysterious when he is presumed dead, as he was when he was alive.
A Battle of Dragons and Second Sons
In the books, Matt Smith’s Daemon Targaryen got to participate in one of the most memorable battles in the entire series. After all that transpired between the Greens and the Blacks, he challenged Alicent Hightower’s second son, Aemond Targaryen, to a duel to the death. The fight was fair in every definition of the word.
Both had a ruthless reputation, always had an eye on the throne while their older brothers were sitting on it and while Vhagar was certainly the biggest dragon at the time, Caraxes was the most feared. The battle was epic in every way, the air filled with the flapping of leather wings and the battle cries of riders and dragons.
The readers held their breath as the pair flew closer to each other, not knowing whose brutality would surpass the other’s. In a fit of cries and flames, both riders and dragons went down.
Daemon Targaryen and the Mysterious Fall
When Daemon Targaryen and Aemond Targaryen met each other in the sky, Daemon ended up lunging forward and pushing his blade through the latter’s sapphire eye. As the dragons collided and went down, so did the Targaryen second sons. What added mystery to the fight was one fact; although the kingdom found Aemond’s remains and mourned his loss, the same was not the case for Daemon.
Knowing Daemon did not face any wounds, one would assume that he made it out alive. However, much like Rhaenys, he fell from a great height and was not seen again. While many fans would want to believe that he was still alive, he never appeared in the series again, even though his body was never found.
While there were rumors that Daemon ended up hiding away with his Dragonrider bastard, Nettles, that seems unlikely for one reason. With the personality and motivations that Daemon had, it would be unlikely for him to live a quiet and peaceful life, especially after Aemond was dead. Knowing this, it is safe to assume that he went down with his dragon and his nephew.
