One of the most important members of the Targaryen family has been left out of House of the Dragon throughout Seasons 1 and 2, but a recently released teaser for Season 3, Episode 3 finally revealed that he will be featured in the series. House of the Dragon is finally back with Season 3, and of course, that means more dragons, more battles in Westeros, and more Targaryens. Many fans debate whether the HBO show has done a good job adapting George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood faithfully, but those who have read the source material have all been wondering why Daeron Targaryen hasn't played a role in the show.
Following the release of House of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 2, HBO unveiled a short teaser for Episode 3. The footage (which was shared via YouTube) included scenes strictly from Season 3, Episode 3. Notably, for the first time since House of the Dragon began in 2022, Aegon II, Aemond, and Helaena's brother, Daeron Targaryen, has been introduced on-screen.
At around the 0:22 mark in the preview, Matt Smith's voice can be heard saying, "Daeron Targaryen. He's a claimant to the throne. You're going to have to kill him."
While this voiceover is happening, there is footage of Daeron and his blue dragon, Tessarion, in a field with Hightower soldiers. This is the first time that Daeron has ever been featured in the show, meaning this is the first look anyone has had of the character in any way.
Daeron only pops up in a couple of shots, but they are definitely meaningful. For instance, one shot displays Daemon Targaryen standing in a field in front of hundreds of men in the Hightower army. At his back, Daemon has his dragon, Caraxes, along with another dragon.
Then, Daeron walks out from the crowd, seemingly toward Daemon. It is unclear what is happening in the scene, but it likely won't end well. Daemon would have no problem killing someone like Daeron, even though he is a child. Rhaenyra, on the other hand, could have given Daemon strict orders not to kill Daeron, though, so it is possible Daemon could be trying to broker a peace agreement.
Nonetheless, another shot provides a close-up of Daeron's face. He is decked out in all green, proving his allegiance, and has the trademarked Targaryen white hair.
For reference, Daeron Targaryen is the youngest child of Viserys I Targaryen and Alicent Hightower. He is the brother of Aegon II, Aemond, and Helaena Targaryen. House of the Dragon established that, after he reached a certain age, Daeron was sent to Oldtown to be with the Hightowers, which is why he was not featured in Seasons 1 or 2 of House of the Dragon.
The full preview for House of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 3 can be seen below:
Is This the Real Daeron Targaryen?
As mentioned, the inclusion of Daeron Targaryen in the House of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 3 preview is the first time that the character has been fully featured on-screen since House of the Dragon started. However, it is possible that the person showcased isn't actually Daeron at all.
There is a popular theory going around that the Greens will try to hide Daeron from the Blacks in House of the Dragon Season 3 since they know he is in danger of being killed by Rhaenyra or Daemon, especially now that Rhaenyra is sitting on the Iron Throne.
To keep Daeron's identity hidden, some have suggested that the Greens will dye his hair brown and keep him tucked away within the Hightower ranks, or with another house. If that is the case, then the Daeron shown in the Episode 3 preview would be a decoy. Honestly, it wouldn't be a bad idea at all, as Daeron does have a fairly strong claim to the throne, especially now that Aegon is missing and Aemond has gone rogue.
It is definitely possible that the Greens are hiding Daeron and that he still hasn't actually been shown in House of the Dragon yet. Only time will tell, of course, but fans will most likely learn more in Episode 3.
How Does Daeron Targaryen Factor Into Fire & Blood?
Daeron Targaryen's role in George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood is vastly different than how the show has handled his character. Without giving away any huge spoilers, it is important to know that Daeron was often viewed as much milder than Aegon or Aemond, and many found him rather pleasant to be around.
Unlike in House of the Dragon, Daeron spent a lot of his early years in King's Landing. He still went to Oldtown in the source material to be Ormund Hightower's cupbearer, but if the show completely followed the timeline of the book, Daeron would have been featured as a child in Season 1.
Daeron definitely did not play as big a role in the Dance of the Dragons as his siblings, but later on in the Dance (the part that is currently being explored in House of the Dragon Season 3), he did take part in multiple battles and was even present at the First Battle of Tumbleton, where two of Rhaenyra's most trusted allies defected to the Greens.
