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‘House of the Dragon’ fans lose it over Daemon Targaryen’s character arc as Season 2 finale looms

In 'House of the Dragon' Season 2, Daemon Targaryen's vulnerability contrasts sharply with the unpredictable charm that made him a fan favorite

Contains spoilers and speculation for 'House of the Dragon' 

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 Episode 7 aired on HBO on Sunday, July 28. The exciting episode advanced many storylines, including the eerie subplot involving Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith).

Daemon has spent most of this season at Harrenhal, where the cursed castle and the enigmatic Alys Rivers (Gayle Rankin) have played their tricks on the maverick character.

In the first season, Daemon's unpredictable nature made him a fan favorite, but his character arc in Season 2 seems to be driving some fans away.

His repetitive hallucinations at Harrenhal have led fans to miss the Daemon of old, and his vulnerability at Harrenhal hasn't been well received by viewers of the show.

Fans are up in arms about Daemon's character arc in 'House of the Dragon' Season 2

On Reddit, one user posted, "Is it just me or Daemon is really boring to watch in season 2??" It's like he does nothing during the episodes, he cut some woods and he went to sleep but it doesn't look like he's trying to raise an army. Why can't he just talk to the lord regent or the council idk of the tully and ask him to raise an army or at least help against the blackwood and bracken argument."

Another Reddit user added, "I think the storyline would be fine under normal circumstances, but people waited a long time for Season 2 and for Daemon to just not be doing anything is a bit of a bummer."

One Reddit user wrote, "Amen. His entrance to Harrenhal was great, swooping in on dragonback and going it alone into the castle. Then… nothing happened, cept going a lil bit insane in the membrane."

One Reddit user said, "He was the only reason I watched season 1 and yeah he’s been a bit dull now"

Why the Harrenhal story is essential for Daemon's character development?

When Daemon arrived at Harrenhal, he was furious with his wife, engaging in heated arguments. He was determined to take the Iron Throne for himself by assembling an army in the Riverlands.

However, as the story progresses, Daemon has come to recognize his unpredictability and the hidden guilt within him, which has manifested as hallucinations in the haunted castle of Harrenhal.

As the hallucinations grew more intense, Daemon came to realize that he might not be suited for the glory and burden of the crown. He began to think that he was perhaps better suited to fighting battles that were not his own.

In 'Fire and Blood' by George RR Martin, the source material for the show, Daemon ultimately becomes a loyal soldier to his wife, Rhaenyra, fighting for her cause until the very end.

He dies fighting Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell), eliminating the greatest threat to Rhaenyra by killing both Aemond and his dragon, Vhagar.

How to stream 'House of the Dragon' Season 2?

'House of the Dragon' Season 2 has been streaming on HBO since June 16, 2024, with new episodes dropping every Sunday till August 4, 2024.

The streaming platform typically offers three packages that you can choose from depending on your budget.

The low-cost plan that supports advertising costs $9.99 per month or $99.99 annually.

The second package, which does not support advertising, costs $15.99 per month or $149.99 annually.

Meanwhile, the third package, titled Ultimate Ad-Free, costs $19.99 per month or $199.99 annually.

'House of the Dragon' Season 2 trailer

'House of the Dragon' Season 2 is streaming on HBO.