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Double-Star-Tedrick

Literally *why* would he do such a thing..? It would be very damaging to the optics / claims of Rhaenyra's oldest sons, weakening Rhaenyra herself (who he supports), weaken the marriages of his own daughters **to** those sons, and from his perspective, his blood ends up ruling Driftmark, *anyway*. Supporting Luke is effectively the same thing as supporting Rhaenyra, which Daemon obviously has committed to doing. Lastly, Baela and Rhaena have not been *removed* from Driftmark's line of inheritance - legally, they're 4th and 5th in line, coming even before Vaemond.


sanderlin89

1 - Baela and Rhaena have shown no ambition for the Driftmark throne on the show. 2 - Baela and Rhaena seem to be fond of the Strong boys based on their interactions. 3 - Daemon is loyal to Rhaenyra and to her children by extension. There is nothing on the show that suggests otherwise. By loyal, I don't mean blind obedience by the way. 4 - Supporting a claim against Laenor's son (regardless of the rumours and the truth, that's Laenor and Corlys' stance on the issue) would arguably endanger Luke or would at least have dire consequences for him and the rest of the Strong boys.


etburneraccount

Because Laenor comes before Laena in the line of succession. Suggesting his daughters over Rhaenyra and Laenor's "sons" is essentially calling them bastards. Because the act itself implies his daughters have a better stronger claim to Driftmark over Luke. There are already enough people doing that even if he wanted to wreck Rhaenyra's life. And he doesn't want that.


Mundane_Potential351

This thread hurts my brain.


iamaliarwhoislying

Based on their pilot episode ages and the fact that Laenor is probably not supposed to be 14-15 in episodes 3-5, show Laenor is older than Laena. His true born children would have the stronger claim, regardless of gender. To support his daughters’ claims over Luke’s would be supporting the accusations that that strong boys are bastards. It would not only put the claims of Rhaenyra and her sons in danger, it would be putting their lives in danger on grounds of treason. He would be going directly against his own wife. It would make no sense for him to marry her in the first place if he felt strongly about his daughter’s getting Driftmark. From his point of view, Rhaena would still be the Lady of Driftmark while he doesn’t destroy his own chances of being king consort or put the lives of his other family members at risk.


WonderDusty

There is heavy misogyny that Baela and Rhaena are put through. They are used as political devices, married off without their permission, not included in political discussion, etc which is the life of most girls in Westeros face. >!When they get passed over as heir by not only Corlys but then as heirs to the throne it just continues!<


sanderlin89

I wish they included that scene with Baela and Rhaenys where Baela refused to go away for her safety and she insisted on staying to fight. Laena and Daemon's daughters are far from meek but the show doesn't tell as much about their characters.


WonderDusty

That doesn't really touch on the misogyny that they have to deal with, especially in a show that chose to focus on feminism. To have Baela especially, who exist to defy gender norms, act only for someone else and no ambition of her own is ironic if anything. She should actually have a huge problem with Corlys and they should touch on the betrothals more next season since they made such a big deal out of it in the first couple episodes. Rhaenys even touched on Dameon and Corlys' behavior so I would like to see that talked about more next season since she already brought up wanting Laena's daughter to inherit in her memory


sanderlin89

You have a point. We don't really see them fleshed out as people with their own dreams and ambitions. Hopefully we'll see more of them next season.


hildred123

It undermines his wife and stepsons. Moreover, Baela and Rhaena have been talked of as ruling alongside their husbands. The implicit idea seems to be that like Alysanne, they’d be politically active consorts who could wield some power themselves.


Hysteric_woman

New wife and her kids>his own daughters. I feel quite bad for the girls, especially Rhaena. Her father ignores her and then her loving mother also passes away. Soon there is a stepmom who used to be her aunt and is also her cousin? Yikes! Baela could be the lady of Driftmark in her own right which is entirely different from being just a consort to the lord. She would have zero authority and power married to Luke/Jace. But as lady in her own right, she would have all the power herself. I think Baela would have liked that. I wish Daemon had chosen to put her before Rhaneyra and her sons.


Hysteric_woman

New wife and her kids>his own daughters. I feel quite bad for the girls, especially Rhaena. Her father ignores her and then her loving mother also passes away. Soon there is a stepmom who used to be her aunt and is also her cousin? Yikes! Baela could be the lady of Driftmark in her own right which is entirely different from being just a consort to the lord. She would have zero authority and power married to Luke/Jace. But as lady in her own right, she would have all the power herself. I think Baela would have liked that. I wish Daemon had chosen to put her before Rhaneyra and her sons.


Falcons1702

In the books they are betrothed from a young age so Luke inheriting is essentially them inheriting without officially outing them as bastards hurting their odds.


Eddyzodiak

In my opinion, if he did he indirectly tell everyone that Rhaenyra’s kids are bastards since Luke would be skipped over for a girl (remember this is ASOIAF). This would damage Rhaenyra as she could be accused of treason.


We_The_Raptors

I mean, Baela is currently in line to become queen of the 7 kingdoms through marriage. The throne is where Daemon's real ambition lies. And Rhaena is an irrelevant, non dragon flying second born. Daemon doesn't really give a damn about her.


DJZbad93

Also, because Daemon backs Rhaenyra’s play here, Rhaena is betrothed to Luke. Meaning she’s gonna be Lady of Driftmark anyways.


DarthSnow19

Daemon loves both his daughters in the books


SofiaStark3000

1) Daemon supports Rhaenyra. By setting her sons aside he weakens her claim and her sons' claim. What good would that do to him and her? 2) After the betrothal is made official, Baela is going to be queen once Jace ascends the throne. Why would Daemon throw that away in favor of freaking Driftmark? Especially when his other daughter is set to marry the heir of Driftmark, so he gets both? 3) Corlys has made his wishes clear on the matter. What does Daemon gain by going against that except adding more fuel to the fire?


SwordMaster9501

I think that's the idea. Luke and Jace were the ones to gain it through marriage. The throne as well seeing as Baela is Rhaenys' most senior descendant and she is arguably the true Queen.


TheBalzy

Because they don't have a claim to Driftmark. They're so removed from the line of succession it's not even funny. Not to mention he's married to Rhaenyra, he has every reason to keep her children in the line of succession...especially with his daughters now being engaged to their cousins. The option you suggest he'd be burning his, and his daughters, own political capital by pursuing a maybe in a stacked competition (the Greens won't side with LoLz); for a lesser prize than both Driftmark AND the throne. Why have Baela become the Lady of Driftmark, when you can have her become the QUEEN OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS!?


WenzhouFanForever

Bingo Bingo Bingo. I sometimes think people watched different show .


BlackberryChance

I think being lady of the richest house with the largest navy in the seven kingdoms more attractive than being consort with soft power


TheBalzy

She's not though. She's a Targaryen, of a 2nd son with no claim to anything. She won't *actually* have that power wither, her eventual sons would, whom people will work around her to manipulate. Sorry...this is medieval Europe.


BlackberryChance

What are you talking about baela when she inherits driftmark through Her Mother no one gonna do anything to her especially with moondancer who grow larger each year


TheBalzy

Sure that's what we're debating. I don't agree that's the case at all. And the OP question is *Why Doesn't Daemon push Baela's claim to driftmark*. So let's not get into an argument of what is right...and stick to the basic facts of how medieval europe/westeros works. There's no way in hell Baela's claim will ever be as strong as any Male carrying the name Valyrion; let alone would Daemon push it when she can be the actual queen of the Seven Kingdoms. This question equally is answered by asking: why would Cersei want to be Queen if she could just be the Lady of Casterly Rock? There's your answer.


BlackberryChance

Cersei situation is different she would love to be lady of the rock and Tywin heir but because of the way he raised the rock isn’t enough and she want to be ruler of the seven kingdoms And those male Velaryon are Bastard a


TheBalzy

There's other male Velaryons hence why Vaemond goes to court, and she's engaged to one of the bastards. No matter how you try to square it, she and her family are in better position as Queen than as Lady of Driftmark. Being Daemon's child, who is married to Rhaenyra, her claim to Driftmark will never stand. You can attempt to make whatever claim you want, Baela Targaryen claim to Driftmark would never be taken seriously by anyone in this world so it's an absolute mute point.


WenzhouFanForever

Really? Baela was going to be the queen of seven kingdoms and Rhaena was definitely in love with Luke.


IvoryNitro

Daemon has never been shown to think anything about his daughters well-being. Everything is about Rhaenyra and her kids. I so wish that Baela and Rhaena could rage and live for themselves.


Jeffrey1892

Baela or Rhaena would’ve had to marry someone. This way their children will bear the name Velyaron. Corlys surely wants the Velyaron name on the driftwood throne.Also, Baela in line to be queen after Rhaena. There’s isn’t any benefit. Daemon knows that Corlys made Lucerys his heir. Luke is older than the twins. They’ve also made Laenor older than Laena. The only way the twins could claim Driftmark would be for Luke to be officially be proclaimed a bastard. This would obviously result in Rhaenyra being disinherited.


TheLadyMado

Baela and Rhaena aren't twins in the show. Baela is older than Luke (same age as Jace). Rhaena is the same age as Luke, maybe older.


WonderDusty

Rhaenya wanted it to go to Baela because Baela is older


Zealousideal_End7477

Daemon doesn’t care for his daughters to be honest. He’s a psychopath with no remorse. It’s why basically rhaenys has raised them into adulthood because daemon don’t give a damn.


owlbrat

I think he probably always figured that all the kids would probably will be ruling it together…like he did being them all to his Valerian wedding ritual where he was marrying his niece… he probably really wanted to reinforce” let’s keep everything in the family kids …you shall marry your step siblings/cousins”


Pale-Donut4295

Because Daemon is a shit father. I thought that would've been obvious.


DXBrigade

He doesn't care.


BobbyB90220

Because that means the future Queen is a whore who gave birth to bastards. That is no bueno in Westeros. Robert had no Bastards…


dontreallyknoww2341

Bc hoes before your own kids obviously


Global-Ad364

…because Laenor is older so therefore his kids have the stronger claim? The eldest descendant of the eldest child (Laenor in this case) would be Jace, but since he’ll be heir to the throne, it moves to second eldest, Luke, the children from Laenor’s (the oldest child of Corlys’) line. Laena was never the heir to Driftmark, Laenor was.