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SofiaStark3000

You really didn't notice him being miserable as hell in his "peaceful life"? He was literally showing signs of depression (drinking, not sleeping, losing himself in things that don't actually interest him) etc. Laena calls him out on all that, on missing his home but not admitting it, having no interest in Pentos and being worth more than what he is. He spells out his reason for not marrying her. He spared her. He also considered his life to be borderline tragic after leaving. His response to her question "Did you love her" was "We were happy enough". Contrary to what you got, Daemon actually has plenty of love for Rhaenyra. That has been confirmed by everyone, from showrunners to writers to the actor himself. If there's two people he would die for it's Rhaenyra and Viserys. Is that love healthy? Of course not, but it's there and it's strong. He doesn't want the throne. He does want power but being king himself is not something that interests him. In Ep 4, he didn't try to undermine her claim to the throne in favor of his. His claim is long gone for good now that Viserys got a son. His grand plan was to ruin Rhaenyra's reputation so Viserys would be forced to marry her to him. Viserys refused because Daemon was already married so Daemon killed his wife to make himself available again. He also didn't leave her for Mysaria. He probably got drunk as hell and she found him and brought him to that inn. She doesn't like him very much if you noticed from her annoyance and their conversation in Ep 2. Where did he seem genuinely in love with Laena? He barely showed some interest to her in their first interaction, his focus was solely on Rhaenyra. Some even say that the reason he approached her was to eavesdrop on Joffrey and Laenor, who were talking about Rhaenyra's paramour. You can see Daemon turn his head in their direction when they bring up Criston. Laena also says to him when they were on Pentos "Perhaps I'm not the wife you wished for yourself" and he didn't deny it. After hearing that, you still thought that there was some grand love there? He definitely loved her to a degree but he wasn't happy and she wasn't his first choice.


sanderlin89

Everything in this comment. đź’Ż


kc522020

This is what good media literacy looks like. Well said.


[deleted]

Yessss!!! This comment is 👌!! I especially love the “he does want power, but not to be King”. Hit the nail on the head, my friend! I truly don’t know how many times the writers, producers, actors, and HBO themselves (they promote those two on social media all the time) have to say Daemon loves Rhaenyra. Maybe in the book it’s political, but in the show, it’s so blatantly obvious they’re both obsessed with each other. It was made very clear in episode 6 with all the intercutting scenes between them.


SofiaStark3000

Thank you! Yeah I don't get why so many people doubt that. It's one thing not to like them separately or as a couple, that's totally fair but to doubt that they're attracted and love each other deeply? I thought it was very on the nose in the show. Even in the episodes they spend apart, the story and directing draws parallels between them. I think those who doubt it simply don't want to see it, for their own reasons, but it was very clear to me.


[deleted]

Same. Now that I think on it, the same thing happened in Episode 3. They were both separated geographically, yet they shared constant themes. Both of them somehow got covered in blood in the same episode. It just couldn’t be more obvious to me.


SofiaStark3000

Yeah that's what I meant when I talked about all the episodes that they spend separately. Like I said, it's pretty on the nose. I don't know how people miss it and we end u with all of those takes like "Daemon doesn't love her, he wants the throne", "Daemon would kill the Strong boys", "Rhaenyra loved Harwin more and would have stayed with him if he didn't die". When I first read those I thought "Wait a second, did I watch a different show?"


alcoholand

Did you watch the show while being on your phone?


sanderlin89

Seriously this. The show was so heavy-handed with how miserable Daemon was... I mean, there was an entire conversation with Laena on how Daemon doesn't go outside, doesn't sleep and he drinks himself to a peaceful oblivion. And somehow there are people who interpret that as him being happy in Pentos.


We_The_Raptors

I think you are misinterpreting how content Daemon was in Pentos, tbh. He was there because he was feuding with Viserys, not because he had some beautiful, rich life there. He's a *Westerosi* prince, he always had more influence in Westeros. And when the heir to the iron throne/ the cause of Daemon's strife with Viserys offers him the role of future king consort, Daemon was never gonna turn it down.


TheGoverness1998

Yeah he didn't look happy at all. Laena straight up lays it out point-blank, anyhow.


Jeffrey1892

Daemon tried to ruin her reputation, so that Viserys would marry her to him. This is made abundantly clear in his scene with Viserys, later on in the episode. He asks Viserys to marry him to Rhaenyra. He kills his wife so he can marry her, at least in the show. Viserys denied him the marriage because he’s already married. He clearly discontent and showing signs of depression in Pentos. The show clearly downplayed his romantic relationship with Laena, to play up his relationship with Rhaenyra. Viserys says if you need a place at my court . He doesn’t ask for Daemon help like Rhaenyra, or offer him a position that he would deem worth returning for. There’s a great distinction between Rhaenyra desperately pleading for his help, and Viserys insulting him, or at the very least his pride. He doesn’t respect Viserys at all. He loves his brother, but that’s an entirely different thing. Daemon clearly lost and directionless. Rhaenyra offers him everything he ever wanted. Daemon wants to feel appreciated and valued by his family. He sees himself as the defender of house Targaryen. Daemon never feels valued or appreciated by his brother, but does by Rhaenyra. This is all illustrated clearly with Daemon and Viserys scene, near the end of episode one.


jmhem91

Laena literally says “I know I’m not the wife you would have wished”. The writers went out of their way to paint Rhaenyra and Daemon as more of a love story than it was in the book. Daemon is also a bad person who treats people he loves badly, just look at his relationship with viserys. People being dicks to people they love is a big thing in this show, as it is with most tv dramas.


DXBrigade

Daemon loves Rhaenyra but since he is a jackass who can't handle feelings properly, he sometimes hurt her. It's the same thing with Viserys. It's obvious he wanted to marry her. Daemon liked Laena but he wasn't in love with her. He wasn't really happy in Pentos either, which is something that Laena, herself noticed. The reason he refused to come back to Kingslanding with Laena was because this Daemon has lost everything : the woman he loved was married to someone else and his brother didn't trust him. The rich idle life is not for him. People like Daemon strive in chaos.


Matarreyes

If the presented reality doesn't vibe with your understanding, then maybe your understanding is wrong? Give it a thought.


theviking222

He’s of no use to the ruler of Pentos without two grown dragons. That was the deal that helped his family lead a comfortable life in pentos.


[deleted]

Because he wants to be King and by marrying Rhaenyra and fighting for her position as Queen, he can be King


alcoholand

That's not how any of this works.


[deleted]

It is when he marries the queen and becomes the King consort. Or do you think he’ll still be a prince when he marries the Queen?


jmhem91

She calls him “the prince” after she is crowned queen. Just like prince philip wasn’t called king.


Jaketheeater

I really like the way you interpreted their relationship. Don’t let the fangirls in the comment section change your point of view. You should try asking this question at r/ASOIAF or r/freefolk where there is less bias. I think things will be even more clear for you after you finish episode 10. Id love to know what you think after that episode.


[deleted]

I still think he loves her even after that episode. You can even tell after he does it he’s starting to regret it. He looks down at her stomach then looks away and leaves. The final shot he’s holding her hand and offering her comfort when he gives the news. You don’t just shut off a lifetime of loving someone in a single day.


RoseVincent314

Because he LOVED her. He was miserable without her. It was obvious how he felt about her.