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There's a Simple Explanation Behind Daemyra Craze, And It Involves Twilight

There's a Simple Explanation Behind Daemyra Craze, And It Involves Twilight
Image credit: Legion-Media, HBO

If you're wondering what the hell House of the Dragon has to do with Twilight, read on – the answer might surprise you.

House of the Dragon Season 1 has ended, but fans still can't get over Daemon and Rhaenyra's relationship.

From the very first episode, when Daemon gave Rhaenyra a necklace, fans picked up on the undeniable chemistry between the characters and, despite Rhaenyra's minor status, began to speculate about their future together.

As Daemon and Rhaenyra's respective storylines developed, fans became obsessed with the idea that they would end up together. The fans' theories were proved in episode 4 by the scene in a brothel where Daemon took his niece to steal the first kiss, awakening her sexual desires and presumably framing the heiress.

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After that, Daemon became the internet boyfriend and Rhaenyra the suitable partner. It was only a matter of time before they became a couple, which they did in episode 7, when Daemon and the mature Rhaenyra had a passionate sex scene and then got married.

Despite many potentially repulsive facts, such as incestuous relationships, teenage grooming, the killing of former spouses and outbreaks of what looks like domestic violence, viewers seem to be obsessed with the couple.

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While such fan devotion may seem unnatural, a Reddit explanation gives a clear understanding of why fans dig this relationship.

According to a Redditor u/Hot-Shallot the dynamic Daemyra has is actually a classic novel/fan fiction dynamic where a dangerous and sexy man who is also uncontrollable and unreachable finds someone who is different and special and becomes obsessed with her alone. Developing that further another Redditor u/5leeplessinvancouver compared the dynamic between Daemon and Rhaenyra to that of Edward and Bella in Twilight:

"This dynamic is exactly why Twilight was such a massive success despite being horribly written. It's the same fantasy trope of being chosen which appeals to a lot of female viewers. Daemon is a classic example of the unattainable man – he's brooding and mysterious, and nobody can figure out what it is that he wants (but if you're Rhaenyra, you know that he wants you). It helps in this case that Daemon is a fan favorite of male viewers as well, he's not so cringey like Edward Cullen who was written specifically for the female gaze."

This comment explains a lot. Though such dynamic translates terribly to real life, it is all-time popular among viewers/readers of different shows, movies, and novels.