House of the Dragon: Who is Daemon’s mother? Alyssa Targaryen explained

The haunting of Daemon Targaryen continues in House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 5, with one particularly ghastly vision introducing a character we’ve never seen: his mother.

Ever since Daemon arrived at Harrenhal, it’s been a bit… weird. Firstly, Ser Simon Strong didn’t even put up a fight – he bent the knee immediately and gladly gave him food and shelter.

However, the castle’s infamous curse has lived up to its reputation. In these mysterious daydreams, Daemon has seen a young Rhaenyra sowing Jaehaerys’ head back on; he’s even chopped off her head, and Alys Rivers told him he’d “die in this place.”

House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 5 ramps things up when Daemon encounters his late mother – and even for Game of Thrones, it takes incest to a new level.

Who is Daemon’s mother?

Daemon’s mother is Alyssa Targaryen, the late wife of Baelon “the Brave.”

HBO

As per George R.R. Martin’s source material, she was named after her grandmother, Alyssa Velaryon. In 75 AC, she married her brother Baelon and claimed her dragon: Meleys, later ridden by Rhaenys in House of the Dragon.

Baelon and Alyssa had three children: Viserys I, Daemon, and Aegon. When Viserys and Daemon were born, Alyssa took them into the sky while riding Meleys.

The birth of Aegon took a terrible toll on Alyssa, who died less than a year later – and her baby closely followed. Baelon never remarried, but he may have fathered a bastard; more specifically, Ulf the White.

What happens between Daemon and Alyssa in House of the Dragon?

Daemon fantasizes about sleeping with his mother in Season 2 Episode 5.

HBO

“You were always the strong one; the finest swordsman, the fearless dragonrider,” she tells him in his dream as they kiss and Daemon performs oral sex on her, before leaving a trail of blood on her chest.

“Your brother had great love in his heart, but he lacked your constitution. Viserys was unsuited for the crown, but you, Daemon, you were made to wear it. If only you’d be born first. My favorite son.”

This is a significant leap for the show. Brothers and sisters sleeping with each other is par for the course, but we’ve never crossed the parent-child line in Game of Thrones.

Daemon’s dream explained

Daemon’s twisted dreams seem to be building to a ghostly face-off with the person that’s actually haunting him: his brother, Viserys.

HBO

Let’s look at the evidence. Specifically regarding Alyssa, Viserys told him in Season 1, “You were always mother’s favorite. No, it’s no great mystery. You were. Our mother, she had no regard for custom or tradition, rules. And I, sadly, was no great warrior.”

Viserys, while revered for maintaining peace in the realm, didn’t carry the cruel gene of past Targaryen kings. Daemon is a respected, volatile warrior who’s happily washed his hands in blood his brother couldn’t shed.

Daemon will profess his loyalty to Rhaenyra, but he’s clearly harboring some resentment against Viserys for not making him his heir – which has seeped into his relationship with his wife.

“You exploited me and abandoned me. You sullied my name at court. You empowered my rivals. You tried to make my ruin. You put me on that throne. And you love me and you hate me for it. You created me, Daemon. Yet you are now set on destroying me. All because your brother loved me more than he did you. This is what you always wanted, is it not?” she told him in Season 2 Episode 3.

In other words, Daemon’s demons all stem from his brother. He’s fighting two trains of thought: has he always been better, or is his pride stopping him from being the man – the husband, the uncle, the king consort – he could be?

Keep up to date with our House of the Dragon Season 2 release schedule, check out our guides on Hugh the Hammer, how Aemond Targaryen dies, and find other TV shows streaming this month.