The identity of the real Daeron Targaryen has been a hot topic in House of the Dragon season 3. The youngest child of Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) and Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine) was shipped off to live in Oldtown as a child to become a ward for Ormund Hightower (James Norton), and has been barely mentioned throughout the series until the latest installment. But once Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) takes the Iron Throne, the Blacks must eliminate any threat—including those in the succession line.
At this point of the season, Aegon Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney) has fled King’s Landing and is nowhere to be found, with Rhaenyra pronouncing him dead. His brother, Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell), has left the city for Harrenhal, but now his whereabout are unknown to most—and he could be dead. There’s Alicent’s daughter Helaena Targayren (Phia Saban), but we all know how difficult it is to put a woman on the throne. Plus, she’s being held with Alicent in the castle, so Rhaenyra has no reason to worry about her.
Ormund Hightower has ulterior motives with Daeron Targaryen
As for Daeron, Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) demands to take him from Ormund in episode 3, though what he doesn’t realize is that Ormund tricks him by giving him a fake Daeron (Charlie Gordon). Needless to say, the Daeron situation has been complicated, and the real one’s actual story is nothing short of disturbing. In episode 4, we finally, really meet Daeron (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth), and see how terribly he’s been mistreated by Ormund.
Though Alicent tells Rhaenyra in tonight’s episode that she’s heard Ormund is “fatherly” towards Daeron, it’s not that innocent whatsoever. Ormund sees a way he can use Daeron, showing his true colors in Tumbleton, and it’s more twisted than we were imagining.
Ormund becomes enraged when learning that Aemond will not be coming to Tumbleton with Vhagar. He throws a fit, and it seems like Daeron knows exactly what to expect when it comes to his outbursts. His anger doesn’t subside, and later on, he scolds Daeron for showing affection to his dragon Tessarion, who he’s holding captive. He begins to lecture Daeron about his “tainted” bloodline, believing the Hightowers are “superior” and should sit the Iron Throne. Because that can’t be him, he wants Daeron to become the king—and, of course, reap the benefits.
Daeron is not happy with this idea, but Ormund’s mind is made up. “Victory will be ours,” he proclaims. And to ensure Daeron is the right person for the job, he makes him prove his honor by killing a man. He brings in one of the people of Oldtown, Kat’s (Ellora Torchia) brother, who attacked a Hightower soldier earlier on in the episode to stop him from sexually assaulting his sister. Daeron insists the man was just trying to protect an innocent woman, but Ormund doesn’t care; he wants Daeron to kill him.
It’s clear Daeron doesn’t want to kill the man, but he does it seemingly out of fear of Ormund, concluding the episode.
Ormund uses religion as a way to excuse his mistreatment
It’s evident that Ormund is driven by his need for power, and he sees a way to it through Daeron. Though he speaks down upon Targaryens, they have what he wants. He realizes that he can get to power using Daeron, placing him on the Iron Throne and likely convincing him to name him his Hand, or something even more sinister. Whatever his grand plan is, Ormund rationalizes his bad behavior through the belief that he’s acting in the name of the Faith.
When confronting Daeron in the new episode, Ormund tells him, “I have raised you in the light of the Seven and the Father smiles upon you.” It’s funny how such a terrible person can claim to be so devout. But that’s how he can sleep at night, I guess; acting as if he’s doing all of this for the Faith. It seems that according to him, because the Hightowers are so devout, they deserve to sit the Iron Throne, not the Targaryens. But really, he’s just a power-hungry, disturbed man who has absolutely no honor. Where’s the therapy in Westeros?
Fanaticism has become a major theme of House of the Dragon season 3, with Rhaenyra leaning into the Prince That Was Promised prophecy as a way to drive all of her choices. Believing she has a divine right to sit the Iron Throne, in order to unite the Seven Kingdoms, she will do whatever it takes to make it happen.
But what happens when people use their faith simply as a way to justify committing horrible acts? We’re seeing that play out with Ormund right now, and it’s not pretty.
We’re keeping our fingers crossed things work out for Daeron, though we know there’s about to be a whole lot of more trouble in Tumbleton to come. Watch new episodes of House of the Dragon season 3 every Sunday night on HBO and HBO Max.
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