Sorry, Daemyra Fans: It's All Downhill From Here
It may have once looked to be one of the most solid – if a little strange – dynamics in House of the Dragon, but when Daemon strangled Rhaenyra in the final episode of season 1, it became apparent that there is more to their relationship than meets the eye.
Ok, he was acting out of anger and grief, but such behaviour can never be tolerated and it's hard to see how Rhaenyra can forget this moment despite the years of infatuation that preceded their marriage.
And all the signs are that it won't get any better. According to various accounts we can read in George RR Martin's book, the relationship looks set to continue its nosedive as the Targaryen civil war unfolds around them.
Indeed, the two are likely to be separated for most of the war, a situation that Rhaenyra is more than happy with. And she won't mind that he is out there spreading his wild oats with at least two other women – presumably, because it at least means he's not with her.
Although, with war raging, there is a necessity for Daemon to be off fighting and it's not just one big jolly.
This is in keeping with the character of Daemon who has always been something of a thrill seeker. And perhaps there is no longer a thrill with Rhaenyra now that the chase is over. In fact, it seems that he will return to one of his former partners as he turns his amorous attentions to Mysaria – although this could have something to do with the fact that there political agency in her running the largest spy network in King's Landing.
But let's not forget that we've already seen that Daemon has an eye for the younger ladies. And we can expect to see more of this when he falls for 17-year-old Nettles. Now, it needs to be said here that other accounts suggest he saw Nettles more as a daughter and did not sleep with her. So, maybe it's just the one affair and a war's worth of absence to add to his violent outburst at the end of the previous season.
Of course, the marriage will remain intact, and the pair will continue their reign. But where it once seemed this relationship was about more than politics, Daemyra seems to have succumbed to the usual curse of Westeros.