House of the Dragon: Daemon's nightmarish visions in Harrenhal explained

If you haven't been watching, things are getting downright spooky in House of the Dragon.

In season 2, episode 4, titled "The Red Dragon and the Gold," Daemon Targaryen is once again plunged into a series of haunting visions at Harrenhal that will send shivers down your spine. What's going on with our favorite bad boy from The Blacks? What's causing such weird hallucination and making him lose track of time?

Let's break down the ghostly happenings and unravel the mystery behind Daemon's eerie encounters.

SPOILER WARNING: Please continue to read at your own risk.

Daemon’s visions of young Rhaenyra

The episode kicks off with Daemon dreaming about the Great Hall at the Red Keep. And guess who’s sitting on the Iron Throne? Young Rhaenyra Targaryen, looking regal and somewhat menacing as she spews complaint after complaint towards him. But there’s a twist – she’s dressed in the black and red gown of adult Rhaenyra and wearing Jaehaerys the Conciliator’s crown. This mix-up of young and adult Rhaenyra throws Daemon for a loop.

In episode 3, "The Burning Mill", young Rhaenyra represented someone who truly loved and understood Daemon, unlike his brother Viserys, who disapproved of him and his antics and often mistrusted him. Now, this vision is getting under his skin by reminding him of the rift between him and the adult Rhaenyra. She even taunts him in High Valyrian, the intimate language they used to share. It’s enough to drive anyone crazy, honestly. Things take a darker turn when Daemon, overwhelmed by the vision’s intensity, beheads young Rhaenyra without a second thought. This act is eerily reminiscent of his past beheadings, like those of Jaehaerys and Vaemond Velaryon. But Rhaenyra's head doesn’t just roll away quietly. Nope, it starts talking, questioning if this monstrous act is what Daemon has always wanted. What a nightmare!

Aemond or Daemon?

Just when you think it can't get any creepier, Daemon sees what looks like Aemond Targaryen strolling through Harrenhal. The long blonde hair, the eyepatch – it’s gotta be Aemond, right? Wrong! When the figure turns around, it’s Daemon himself, made to look like Aemond.

This vision is a mind-bender. Daemon and Aemond are like twisted reflections of each other – both younger brothers of kings and both super dangerous. But they share something even more sinister: the killing of children. Aemond’s actions led to Lucerys’s death, and Daemon’s retaliation resulted in the death of Jaehaerys. Seeing himself as a child murderer and kinslayer dressed as Aemond is enough to give Daemon the heebie-jeebies.

Ghostly Laena

But Harrenhal isn’t done with Daemon yet. During a meeting with House Blackwood, Daemon’s vision shifts again. This time, a serving woman transforms into his late wife, Laena Velaryon. It’s a heartbreaking reminder of his past and another jab at his potential monstrosity. Laena died by suicide, choosing to be burned by her dragon rather than suffer a painful, likely fatal labor. Daemon was torn between saving his child and respecting Laena’s wishes. This ghostly visit reopens old wounds and questions his actions once more.

Alys Rivers, the Witch of Harrenhal

So, why is Daemon having these visions? Enter Alys Rivers, the witchy woman who’s taken over Harrenhal’s Maester duties. She’s the one who ominously told Daemon he would die at Harrenhal. Charming, right?

Alys explains that Harrenhal is cursed. When Harren the Black built the castle, he cut down the sacred weirwood trees, which supposedly held the spirits of those who lived long before. Their whispers can still be heard, according to Alys. Daemon, ever the skeptic, brushes this off as a fairy tale. But there’s more truth to it than he realizes, especially since his bed is made from a weirwood tree, and his visions often lead him to the lone weirwood tree in Harrenhal’s courtyard.

Is it just the curse of Harrenhal, or is Alys up to something? She gives Daemon a draught to help him sleep, but instead, he seems more disoriented and still sees visions as he seems to randomnly wake up in the middle of a meeting. Alys also pokes at Daemon’s insecurities, much like his vision of Rhaenyra. Can she see his visions too? Or is she causing them? Either way, Alys’s presence adds a layer of mystery and magic to Daemon’s own personal scary movie.

Daemon’s visions in House of the Dragon are a haunting mix of his deepest fears and regrets, stirred up by the cursed grounds of Harrenhal and possibly influenced by the enigmatic Alys Rivers. These supernatural encounters force Daemon to confront his past actions and insecurities in the most terrifying way possible.

As the battle for the Iron Throne rages on, Daemon’s ongoing internal horror movie adds a chilling twist to the tale. Who or what will he see next?