Why does Daemon turn on Rhaenyra in the House of the Dragon season 1 finale?

The first season of House of the Dragon has been a wild ride. I’ll admit I was a bit nervous to get my hopes up too high for the Game of Thrones prequel show, but it’s definitely delivered for me. We get to know a handful of really flawed, really interesting characters, and the performances are just so good. And now that we’ve seen the conclusion with Episode 10, I can confidently say this has been a fantastic season.

“The Black Queen” shows us the aftermath of Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) being crowned King from the perspective of the blacks, including Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) who is shocked by the news. But despite urgings from her husband Daemon (Matt Smith) and others to act fast, she decides they’ll think strategically and determine who’s still loyal to her and her claim to the Iron Throne before starting a war.

Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for House of the Dragon Episode 10!

From the start of the episode after Rhaenyra and Daemon find out that Viserys (Paddy Considine) is dead and the blacks have turned on them, there’s tension between the couple. The prince starts calling the shots, but Rhaenyra wants him to slow down. Their personalities clash and it only escalates. Every scene between them in this episode is layered and complicated.

Why does Daemon choke Rhaenyra in House of the Dragon Episode 10?

One specific scene in the finale will surely have Daemyra (Daemon and Rhaenyra) shippers talking. After Daemon publicly disrespects Rhaenyra by comparing her to Viserys in a negative way, she asks everyone to clear the room so they can be alone. The two argue, with Daemon believing the greens have already started a war and they need to retaliate. Rhaenyra begins to remind him of Aegon the Conquerer’s dream, but as it turns out, Viserys never told him about it.

Suddenly, Daemon grabs Rhaenyra and chokes her before telling her: “Dreams didn’t make us kings. Dragons did.” Rhaenyra realizes that Daemon doesn’t know about the song of ice and fire, and he doesn’t want to listen. He storms off before she can explain.

I find this scene really strong, with both characters making really valid points. Of course, that doesn’t mean Daemon has the right to get physical with his wife. It’s an uncalled-for move but one that matters. We’re reminded he’s still that violent man who killed his wife all those years ago. Daemon chokes Rhaenyra because he’s angry, because he feels she’s making the wrong decision, and probably even because she reminds him of his late brother. And because he doesn’t have self-control.

I know Daemyra fans don’t want to hear it, but their relationship just isn’t as great as many want it to be. It makes me sad, too! I was rooting for them and probably still will! That’s not to say we’ll see them splitting anytime soon, however. They have a lot of love for each other and Daemon does still support Rhaenyra despite his temper in this episode. He still bends the knee to Rhaenyra and calls her his queen, and he’s the one who delivers the news to her at the end that Lucerys (Elliot Grihault) is dead. He turns on her in the finale, but I think that’s really because of his own issues, not because of her. They will stand together in the Dance of the Dragons, though we’re sure there will be more problems along the way.

House of the Dragon season 1 has concluded, but we have a lot to look forward to. During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, writer/producer Sara Hess teased “a different side” of Daemon in the finale, adding: “And right now, we’re writing season two and figuring out, what is the nature of his relationship with Rhaenyra? There are many interpretations [in George R.R. Martin’s book Fire & Blood] to that.”

Stay tuned for updates on House of the Dragon season 2, and in the meantime, you can stream all 10 episodes of the first season on HBO Max.

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