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The Realm's Delight and the Rogue Prince have come a long way. Rhaenyra and Daemon Targaryen's relationship has been extremely complicated since their first scene together – and things are only set to get more complex in House of the Dragon season 2.
We spoke with showrunner Ryan Condal all about the second season, and our conversation delved into that knotty relationship between Daemon and Rhaenyra.
"I don't know that they've ever existed in a frictionless environment, those two," Condal points out. "They have this very unique and special bond, just based on where the relationship came from. It exists in conflict. Rhaenyra was the child who supplanted Daemon as heir to the throne. And Daemon is not somebody that necessarily ever wanted the throne, so to speak, he just wanted Viserys to say that he could have the throne. He was looking for the approval of his older brother.
"This is a person who lost a father figure early in his life and then transferred that onto his elder brother," Condal continues. "So, when Viserys removed him, then Daemon's whole life became about, 'How do I get back to that thing that was taken from me, and how do I get closer to Viserys?' And Rhaenyra in that way is a projection of Viserys, and Daemon really loves her and sees Targaryen exceptionalism in her, and the greatness that Daemon thinks of his own self. But he also sees elements of his brother, which he hates, in Rhaenyra: temperance. Daemon would call it a weakness, but we would just say humanity and hesitation to plunge everybody into war for every little slight that happens. So, that creates a constant push-pull between the two of them, and that's what makes that relationship dynamic."
After all, things would be pretty boring if Rhaenyra and Daemon weren't clashing. "Does anybody just want to watch many seasons of television about this perfectly normal, stable marriage of these two people that love and care for each other? No," Condal adds. "Conflict is the order of the day, but the trick is, how do you evolve that conflict over time so you're not just going back to the same well again and again? So, as the pressures of the war increase, you'll see the nature of Rhaenyra and Daemon's conflict changes."
House of the Dragon season 2 launches on Sky and NOW on Monday 17 June in the UK, and HBO and Max on Sunday 16 June in the US. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming new TV shows to get excited about.
For more from Condal, check out our pieces on:
- House of the Dragon season 2 showrunner on why Blood and Cheese is nothing like Game of Thrones' Red Wedding
- House of the Dragon season 2 showrunner doesn't feel the pressure of following the controversial Game of Thrones season 8: "Our challenge comes from within"
- House of the Dragon showrunner teases season 3: "You don't want to end up in that place where you're doing the same thing again and again"
- House of the Dragon season 2 showrunner says Rhaenyra and Alicent's bond is still the heart of the show: "We understand that these two women are connected"
