House of the Dragon is moving pretty interestingly so far in Season 2. The intense episodes mark the beginning of the Dance of the Dragons or the Targaryen Civil War. Every fan-favorite character is having a really grueling time on the show. In particular, Daemon Targaryen’s arc is turning out to be very different from the book, Fire & Blood.
In the book, the Targaryen is seemingly unbothered by the events that kick off the Dance of the Dragons. However, the series shows a more vulnerable side of the character. This side of Daemon is brought out by one character introduced in this season, Alys Rivers.
House of the Dragon Season 2 Deviated From Books To Give Daemon Targaryen A Redemption Arc
Matt Smith‘s Daemon Targaryen continues his hallucinations in the latest episode of House of the Dragon Season 2. Daemon arrives at Harrenhal castle to win House Strong as an ally. In the haunted halls of the cursed castle, Daemon meets Alys Rivers, a mysterious woman in service to House Strong.
He takes a drink from Alys, which is supposed to calm him down but ends up making him worse. According to Fire & Blood, Daemon appeared to be immune to Alys’ mysterious powers. A line in the book reads, “Whatever her powers, it would seem Daemon Targaryen was immune to them, for little is heard of this supposed sorceress while the prince held Harrenhal.”
However, the episodes so far saw a vulnerable side of the Targaryen prince, which is a complete deviation from the books. A guilt-ridden Daemon has visions of young Rhaenyra after taking Alys’ drink, giving fans a chance to see Milly Alcock in the role one more time. Alcock’s Rhaenyra is sewing up the decapitated neck of Jaehaerys in Daemon’s vision.
It clearly indicates that the Blood & Cheese event in the episode premiere affected the Prince emotionally. On the contrary, Daemon seems unfazed about the event, or at least, his struggles with the brutal killing are not discussed in the book. Alcock’s Rhaenyra tells Daemon in the vision, “always coming and going, and I have to clean up afterwards.”
Daemon has also lost the trust of Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) who suspects him of ordering Jaehaerys’s death. The new vulnerable Daemon is pretty interesting for the book fans in the current season.
Who Is Alys Rivers – The New Mysterious Character In House Of The Dragon Season 2?
Gayle Rankin plays the mysterious character Alys Rivers, who further triggers Daemon Targaryen’s hallucinations. Alys is a healer in the series, serving the House Strong, but she is allegedly a b*stard of the Strong family. One theory in Fire & Blood suggests she is the daughter of Lyonel Strong, making her the half-sister of Lord Larys Strong and Ser Harwin Strong.
Another theory suggests that she’s a witch who is far older than she appears to be and would have even served generations of the Strong family. This theory comes from the dwarf jester Mushroom, but the narrator of Fire & Blood doesn’t fully agree with this theory. In the book, Alys soon enters into a relationship with Aemond Targaryen and bears a child, most likely with Aemond.
She uses her visions to provoke the climactic battle in the Dance of the Dragons between Aemond and Daemon. The book also makes her one of the survivors of the Civil War and she ascends the position of the Witch Queen of Harrenhal. The character’s end is not exactly revealed in George R.R. Martin‘s source material.
House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 3 is now streaming on Max.
