Is Daenerys the Prince That Was Promised? Daemon’s vision explained

House of the Dragon Season 2 is now over, and one scene in the finale has fans thinking they have an answer to the long-running Prince That Was Promised prophecy: Daenerys Targaryen.

Much of House of the Dragon Season 2 was spent within the crumbling walls of Harrenhal, where Daemon has been living out his worst nightmares and most questionable dreams.

In Episode 8, the Season 2 finale, Daemon has one last vision that might have just changed everything we know about Game of Thrones, Daenerys Targaryen, and the Prince That Was Promised prophecy.

Here’s a breakdown of Daemon’s vision, plus details on what this means for Daenerys. (Warning: spoilers ahead!)

What did Daemon see in his vision?

In Episode 8, Daemon has a vision while visiting the Harrenhal Weirwood tree, and sees a montage of images that include a blood-soaked battlefield, the three-eyed raven, Daenerys Targaryen, and Rhaenyra on the Iron Throne.

They play out as a series of nonsensical mental pictures. Daemon finds himself walking through a bloody battlefield, stepping into a puddle of blood and falling through a body of water. He also sees Rhaenyra sitting on the Iron Throne, wearing the crown.

HBO

What’s more, he also sees images previously found in Game of Thrones. This includes the White Walkers advancing through the woods, as well as the sight of Daenerys Targaryen after surviving the burning hut in Game of Thrones Season 1, where her dragons eggs hatch.

It’s worth noting that we don’t see Emilia Clarke’s Daenerys, as she’s only seen from the back – though it’s very clear who he’s looking at.

Daemon then awakes from his vision. This seems to ignite a change in heart and understanding of the prophecy, and how the Dance of the Dragons will play a part in it. When Rhaenyra later arrives at Harrenhal, he pledges his loyalty to her once again.

He tells her that a long winter is coming and will bring death and destruction to Westeros. He also says: “The realm’s only hope is a leader who can unite it, and my brother chose you.”

Does this mean Daenerys is the Prince That Was Promised?

With Daemon’s vision giving him understanding of the prophecy, and Daenerys forming such a large part of it, it’s been assumed that she was the Prince That Was Promised all along.

But ultimately, the prophecy is still up for debate. It’s possible that Daenerys was the Prince That Was Promised, since her story in Game of Thrones certainly indicated at one point that she was a savior figure of sorts.

However, there will likely never be a full confirmation either way, since the prophecy isn’t set in stone. There have been many misunderstandings as to who the “prince” in question actually is over the years.

At one point, it was believed that Jon Snow was the Prince That Was Promised, since it was revealed he was a Targaryen all along. However, the word for “prince” in High Valyrian is actually gender neutral, so “prince” could very equally mean “princess.”

The biggest evidence that she is the reincarnation of the prophecy could be that, according to Daemon’s vision, everything leads to her. It is her and her dragons that help defeat the Night King in Game of Thrones. The Dance of the Dragons will eventually pave way to Daenerys.

However, the prince is more a fighter of darkness than a conqueror.

HBO

Although Daemon sees Rhaenyra on the throne (and he accepts her as being the chosen ruler), it’s clear that the Targaryens’ tale doesn’t end there, and it doesn’t end peacefully.

On the fan front, House of the Dragon viewers are divided over what this vision means for the prophecy. Some take it to mean that Daenerys is actually the symbol of “fire” in the Song of Ice and Fire.

“Personally I saw it as her being the ‘fire’ as opposed to the White Walker ‘ice’, that’s all. Or perhaps that Dany is Azor Ahai, but AA and TPTWP aren’t necessarily one and the same,” said one Reddit comment.

“The most logical answer: Daemon sees event from the future from the return of the White Walkers to the rebirth of the dragons. He falsely believe that he sees a glimpse of the prince that was promised in Dany. No knowing that the vision actually shows the threat of ice (white walkers) and fire (Dany),” another wrote.

A third added: “The most important thing about that scene is the dragons being reborn. If anything it signifies someone from their line will birth dragons to fight White Walkers.”

House of the Dragon creator speaks out

After the House of the Dragon Season 2 finale aired, showrunner Ryan Condal spoke about Daemon’s vision, claiming that they had no intention of providing an answer to the prophecy.

“That could be his future daughter with Rhaenyra who has three dragons born,” he said [via Collider]. “He doesn’t know, but he is sensing that this was something that was shown to me for a specific reason. And I think you know Daemon, in his own way, we know Rhaenyra is already kind of running with this idea of the prince that was promised.

“If Daemon also believes that that is Rhaenyra, as we’ve seen him say to her in High Valyrian in Episode 8, there’s a very interesting thing that can be done with his interpretation of that reality as we move forward. So, for that reason, I think it was important that it was Daenerys, the image.

“We are not trying to make any kind of specific interpretation of a prophecy that has yet to be revealed by its author. And that is George’s world and George’s space to tell that story. I think we’re, we’re more interested in playing with the character drama that lives in and around that imagery.”

So, essentially, until George R.R. Martin confirms (if he confirms) who the Prince That Was Promised is, the entire prophecy has to be taken with a pinch of salt.

For more, check out our full breakdown of the House of the Dragon Season 2 ending. You can also learn what’s going on with House of the Dragon Season 3, and take a look at all the dragons featured in the show.