House of the Dragon still hasn’t introduced one of the coolest Fire & Blood characters
HBOHouse of the Dragon is missing one notable dragonseed, and the show is losing out on one of its most memorable players by not including Nettles.
When it comes to the Targaryen Civil War, Team Black makes great gains by enlisting the help of the various dragonseeds wandering around Westeros. They make talented dragonriders, but few are as capable as Nettles.
Given Nettles’ rough beginnings and her widely-debated relationship with Daemon later on, she not only serves as an important figure during the ongoing war, but also provides a true crossroads in his and Rhaenyra’s relationship.
She’s not been introduced in House of the Dragon yet, and with her background, that’s a huge absence. Here’s everything you need to know about Nettles and why she’s so important in the grand scheme of the story. (Warning: SPOILERS for Fire & Blood ahead!)
Who is Nettles?
Nettles (aka Netty) is one of many dragonseeds introduced during Fire & Blood.
There’s several dragonseeds (bastards of Valyrian descent) to be found during the events of the Targaryen Civil War, including Alyn of Hull, Ulf the White, and Hugh Hammer. Nettles is one of the few female dragonseeds mentioned.
She’s a dragonrider herself, and is known as the last rider of the dragon Sheepstealer. As described in the books, she’s fearless and has a foul mouth. She’s also usually described as being filthy.
She’s small and skinny with a large scar across her nose. Archmaester Gyldayn even wrote that she couldn’t be called pretty. But by all accounts, she’s a fierce dragonseed, and becomes useful to Team Black through grit and smarts.
Nettles’ parentage is uncertain, but it’s generally believed that her mother was a dockside whore. Growing up homeless in Spicetown and Hull, she was caught stealing at a young age, and received a slit nose as punishment, resulting in her scar.
During Dance of the Dragons, she pledged her loyalty to Team Black after Prince Jacaerys Velaryon sought more dragonriders. As such, a number of dragonseeds came forward, including Nettles, who was only 16 years old at the time.
She was able to tame Sheepstealer, earning the dragon’s trust by bringing it sheep every morning to eat. Nettles fought alongside Hugh and Ulf in the Battle of the Gullet in 130 AC. But while the two men were thrilled with the outcome of the battle, Nettles was disturbed and upset over the death of Jacaerys, as well as the destruction of Spicetown.
Nettles and Daemon’s relationship explained
The relationship between Nettles and Daemon has been debated, with some accounts depicting them as having a father-daughter dynamic, and others believing it was more romantic.
Nettles first joined Daemon while he was on his quest to hunt Prince Aemond along the Trident. Daemon wanted another dragon on his side, since Aemond’s dragon, Vhagar, was formidable and large in size.
The two stayed together at House Mooton’s castle in Maidenpool, and this is where accounts become divided. Mushroom wrote that Daemon grew to love the girl, taking her to bed at night.
However, Maester Norren’s Chronicles of Maidenpool says the two slept in adjoining bedrooms, and that Daemon loved her as a daughter. (There’s been much speculation that Nettles is actually the bastard daughter of Daemon, though this was never confirmed.)
It was said that Daemon also taught her how to wash herself and gave her fine gifts, though some of the maidservants alleged that the two were seen sharing bathtubs together.
HBOAfter the betrayal of Ulf and Hugh, Rhaenyra started to grow suspicious of the dragonseeds. Lady Mysaria, the White Worm, started to feed her concerns, alluding to Daemon’s affair with Nettles. Rhaenyra was outraged and accused Nettles of using spells to gain her dragon and Daemon’s affections.
She even requested that Nettles’ head be brought to her, but the Lord of Maidenpool didn’t want to kill the young woman (nor Daemon, who he assumed would come after him after they killed the girl he’d grown so fond of).
As such, he pulled the entirely uninspired but effective trick of saying he never received the letter with her request.
When Daemon heard of the plot, he encouraged Nettles to escape the next day. He helped her saddle Sheepstealer and watched her fly away to the Bay of Crabs. Although the two didn’t share an emotional goodbye, it was said that his dragon Caraxes made such a scream that it shattered every window in Jonquil’s tower.
The two never saw each other again, since Daemon would soon die while fighting Aemond in the Battle Above the God’s Eye.
The dragonseed’s mysterious fate
The last time anyone encountered Nettles was in 134 AC, when Ser Robert Rowan was leading his army to the Vale of Arryn.
After they encountered Nettles and Sheepstealer in a cave, they were brutally attacked. Sixteen men died and even more were wounded. After this, Nettles took off flying towards the Mountains of the Moon.
Since then, no official sightings of the dragonseed and her dragon have been reported. However, there remains a legend surrounding her. The Vale mountain clans often told stories of a “fire witch” who lived in a hidden valley, and was worshiped by a clan from the Painted Dogs.
It was said that the men would bring her gifts, proving their worth by facing (and sometimes surviving) dragonfire. As such, her tale has humble beginnings and ends in a mystery, painting her as a dragonseed who worked her way up to becoming a god-like figure for the men in the mountains.
Will she be in House of the Dragon?
It’s not confirmed whether Nettles will appear in later seasons of House of the Dragon, but an unofficial source said she definitely won’t be appearing in Season 2.
This was around the same time that fans were hit with the news that we also wouldn’t be seeing Daeron Targaryen in Season 2.
Nettles, despite her dragonseed status, plays a significant role in the ongoing war. Although she might not have any higher stakes involved in the battle for the Iron Throne, her questionable relationship with Daemon has a tremendous impact on his relationship with Rhaenyra.
Although Rhaenyra’s dependence on the dragonseeds to assist her quest grows, storylines like Nettles’ (and Ulf and Hugh’s) contribute to her dwindling faith in those who support her. Plus, her trust in Daemon grows weaker, too.
Since Nettles and Daemon’s relationship is also up for debate (is she his daughter, or just another lover?) it’ll allow the TV show room to explore her character with plenty of creative interpretation. Depending on which route they go down, it could either paint Daemon as a betrayer, or show a softer side.
Granted, the claims of Nettles’ Season 2 absence are unofficial, but at this stage, it’s unlikely she’ll show up unexpectedly. If she does appear, it’ll probably be further down the line.
For more character tales, check out our guides to Alys Rivers, Criston Cole, and Daeron Targaryen. You can also take a look at our breakdown of all the Targaryen kings, as well as our House of the Dragon Season 2 review.