WARNING! This post contains SPOILERS for House of the Dragon episode 4 AND Fire & Blood!Daemon Targaryen is exiled again by King Viserys in House of the Dragon episode 4, leaving him with few options for power and friends in King's Landing. The Rogue Prince never stays in the Red Keep for long, and his return from his victory in the Stepstones led to the King's brother being exiled for a second time almost immediately. Taking advantage of his niece's interest in him, Daemon seals his own fate when he seduces Rhaenyra and teaches her the arts of pleasure.
Shortly after making amends with King Viserys by giving him his crown from the Stepstones, Daemon Targaryen got himself exiled yet again. Previously, Daemon was banished for celebrating after Prince Baelon's birth and calling him the "one-day heir," although the second occasion is far more scandalous. House of the Dragon episode 4 sees Daemon seduce Rhaenyra in a Flea Bottom brothel, with the Prince refusing to deny that he slept with Rhaenyra despite the fact that he abruptly left her before that happened. When Viserys confronts Daemon about the rumors, Daemon suggests Viserys marry Princess Rhaenyra to him, but the King refuses and sends his brother away instead.
Related: Daemon Defending Viserys To Corlys Repeats A Game Of Thrones Villain Trick
As an exile, Daemon Targaryen doesn't have many options of where to go to next. He was already forced to stop his occupation on Dragonstone, he has no intentions of going to the Vale with his wife, and now only has about two people who could possibly take him in: Mysaria and Corlys. Since Mysaria is still in Flea Bottom and is even working with Otto Hightower, Daemon Targaryen's best option is to return to his kingdom in the Stepstones and further his alliance with Corlys Velaryon on Driftmark. In Fire & Blood, Daemon Targaryen went to Bloodstone in the Stepstones after being exiled for seducing Rhaenyra, with this seeming like the next logical place for him to go in House of the Dragon. With no inheritance from his brother, a possibly fractured relationship with Rhaenyra, and very few allies, Daemon has to find another way to carve out his own power in Westeros. His next big move was actually subtly set up by a quick reference in House of the Dragon episode 4.
If House of the Dragon goes by the events laid out in Fire & Blood, then Daemon will be in the Stepstones for a while until he hears about the death of his wife Rhea Royce. Rhea dies when falling off a horse, so Daemon seizes this opportunity to claim her seat of Runestone by flying to the Vale. However, House of the Dragon's Rogue Prince is sent away by Lady Jeyne Arryn, so he decides to fly to Driftmark to meet with Corlys Velaryon, at which point he seemingly falls in love with his daughter Laena Velaryon. But, as House of the Dragon episode 4 revealed, Laena is already betrothed to the son of a Sealord of Braavos.
Since there will likely be another time jump in House of the Dragon episode 5, Daemon is apt to be seen trying to convince Corlys to let him marry Laena. In the book, Corlys is eager to accept because he had already been trying to end the marriage pact, so Daemon challenges the Braavosi to a duel. As can be expected, Daemon wins by using his sword, Dark Sister, and utilizes this situation to repair his power in Westeros after being exiled by King Viserys. Since Viserys didn't give consent for Daemon's marriage to Laena, he takes his new wife to Essos until the two return home with young children. After this point, it's possible that House of the Dragon season 1 will introduce its big 10-year time jump.
New episodes of House of the Dragon release Sundays on HBO/HBO Max.
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