‘Game of Thrones’ prequel ‘House of the Dragon’: Who is Nanna Blondell's Laena Velaryon? Meet Daemon Targaryen's second wife
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The first episode of the epic historical war prequel ‘House of the Dragon’ that premiered globally on August 21, 2022, on both HBO and HBO Max took all of us into the vibrant and culturally intriguing world of traditional Westeros. More importantly, it gave us all a detailed introduction of House Targaryen which is going to be the King’s landing throughout. The core of the saga focuses on the zenith to dust journey of House Targaryen which happens due to an ugly civil war ‘Dance of the Dragons’ between Princess Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) and Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney). This war makes all the Targaryens compete against each other who use all fair and unfair means to gain the inheritance on the coveted Iron Throne. Nothing is the same again after this war.
Talking about the characters in the prequel based on acclaimed novelist George RR Martin’s ‘Fire & Blood’, one of the most intriguing ones is that of Lady Laena Velaryon (Nanna Blondell). Interestingly, Laena was the second wife of Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith). She gave birth to his twin daughters Rhaena and Baela Targaryen. Laena was a dragon rider and rode the she-dragon Vhagar. According to Westeros.org, Lady Laena Velaryon was the eldest child and only daughter of Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) and Princess Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Best).
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The website clearly describes that Laena was born in late 92 AC. She was the daughter of Lord Corlys Velaryon and Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, and the great-granddaughter of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen. The unborn Laena, also referred to as "the boy in the belly", was the subject of much debate on the succession until her birth. In 101 AC, Laena's claim as the rightful heir to the Iron Throne of Westeros was put forward once more during the Great Council, but she was dismissed alongside her mother because of being a female. By 105 AC, Laena had become a dragon rider by claiming the largest Targaryen she-dragon Vhagar.
Laena’s first betrothal to Sealord of Braavos and rift between House Targaryen and House Velaryon
Post the death of Queen Aemma of House Arryn in late 105 AC, the Grand Maester Runciter suggested that King Viserys I marry twelve-year-old Laena Velaryon so that the rift between both the houses can get healed. But King Viserys dismissed the decision. Viserys married another noblewoman Lady Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke). Although this angered Laena's father, Laena herself was unfazed by the same. At the age of twelve, Laena was betrothed to a son of the Sealord of Braavos.
When the ruling King Sealord unfortunately died, Laena's betrothed wasted his late father's money and power and came to Driftmark. For almost a decade, Laena's father Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) constantly found ways to postpone their wedding and was not ready at all to let it happen. Sadly though, he couldn’t gracefully break the marriage alliance.
Prince Daemon’s arrival to Driftmark and wedding with Laena
When Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) arrived at Driftmark in 115 AC, the singers claimed that he fell in love with Laena. Even though many others think that he saw her as a means to further his ambition of wanting to become the rightful heir of Westeros Iron Throne. It so happened that Daemon ended up humiliating Laena's betrothed so badly that the boy threw an open challenge to him for a duel. In that duel, sadly the guy got killed by Daemon with his sword known as ‘Dark Sister’. Laena married Daemon a fortnight later.
The second highly-discussed episode of the prequel titled 'The Rogue Prince' is going to premiere this weekend on Sunday, August 28, 2022. It would air at 9 pm ET on both HBO and HBO Max.
