Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Fire & Blood, the book on which House of the Dragon is based.
Summary
A theory aboutGame of Thrones' Night King andHouse of the Dragon’s Daemon Targaryen being the same person has gained a lot of traction. It’s a fun, if wild, piece of speculation, as many of the most compelling theories are, but it also makes me more annoyed that HBO scrapped its plans for a spinoff about the Long Night.
There are variousGame of Thronesspinoffs in development, but the first wasBloodmoon, which would’ve taken place in the Age of Heroes and led to the Long Night. HBO canceled the show in 2019, long before it could even truly begin, and then pivoted into telling theDance of the Dragonsinstead. However, the franchise has never fully moved beyond the White Walkers, with evenHouse of the Dragonseason 2’s endingreferencing them, and it makes the spinoff-that-never-was a lot more frustrating.
Daemon Targaryen Is The Night King - Theory Explained
Is He The Night King… Consort?
Thetheory that Daemon Targaryen is the Night Kingdates back to the beginning ofHouse of the Dragon, though has gained more prominence since season 2. Unlike, say, R+L=J (the now-confirmed theory that Jon Snow is the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark), there’s not a huge amount of evidence, but there is enough to make it an interesting bit of tinfoil speculation. This includes
When it comes to evidence, it’s more like wet cardboard than it is set concrete, but I do think there’s a level of enjoyment to these wilder theories.I can certainly see why the idea of the Night King being Daemon would catch on, because it’s explaining mysterious parts of both characters, each of whom is highly important to their respective show. Theorizing about the White Walkers was a core part of engaging withGame of Thronesthat was lost when Arya Stark killed the Night King, so I get trying to fill that void as well.
The Night King was invented forGame of Thrones, and does not exist in George R.R. Martin’sA Song of Ice and Firebooks.
Certainly,the imagery in Daemon’s vision feels like it wants us to connect the twoin some way. That’s more likely to be about the Targaryens bringing about their own downfall than it is something so literal as Daemon somehow becoming the Night King, but again, it’s not hard to see why it’d add fuel to the more fun and outlandish theories. In isolation, that’s fine, but it does show flaws with the wider franchise.
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Daemon Being The Night King Theories Makes Bloodmoon’s Cancelation Even Worse
The Prequel Could’ve Provided So Many Answers
The theory of Daemon being the Night King tells me two things, besides the fact that people will theorize literally anything:
That makes it so frustrating that HBO had theGame of Thronesspinoff that could’ve provided all of that and so much more lined-up, in the form ofBloodmoon(its working title). Set in the Age of Heroes and then working up to the Long Night, it could’ve explained a lot about the White Walkers’ creation, their first defeat, what actually happened to them, and their motivations.
The Night King’s origin, and thus the origin of the White Walkers as a whole, was hardly touched upon inGame of Thrones.Bran Stark’s vision of the man who was turned into the Night King is an easy way of debunking the Daemon theory because, well, it’s clearly not him (and it was thousands of years before the Targaryens existed, as far as we know, never mind them coming to Westeros), but it’s a few seconds of insight into the villains that were the overarching threat for the entire show.
Given HBO reportedly spent around $30 million onBloodmoon’s pilot, then it’s easy to assume it must’ve been a real disaster. DirectorS.J. Clarkson said theGame of Thronesspinoff pilot was“great,”while former chairman of WarnerMedia, Robert Greenblatt, stated it wasn’t canceled because it was"horrible"or there was something terribly wrong, but it lacked the"depth and richness”of the original show’s pilot.
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Game of Thrones has had various prequel series in development for HBO. These ideas are confirmed to have been rejected at one point or another.
The fewimages ofBloodmoonthat were revealedlooked impressive, and it had a good cast - led by Naomi Watts - and a strong writing pedigree in Jane Goldman (Kick-Ass,X-Men: First Class). With all of that, I’d love to know what that pilot episode was really like, given just how much potential there was to the idea and, clearly, how it would remain a draw even now.
The Daemon/Night King theory really just shows how much more needs to be explained about the villains. And, yes, that’s a failing ofGame of Thrones. But it’s also where, at the very least, the spinoff could’ve helped while telling its own story. And maybe the cancelation was the right decision - it’s very difficult to argue against it without seeing the pilot - but the ongoing speculation about the White Walkers just makes me more annoyed we didn’t get the prequel in some form.
Status
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
Based on Martin’s The Tales of Dunk & Egg novellas, following knight Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire, Egg.
Releasing 2025
House of the Dragon season 3
The third season of the Game of Thrones prequel. Season 4 is also confirmed, which will be the show’s last.
Expected 2026
Aegon’s Conquest
Aegon I Targaryen’s conquest and unification of Westeros, alongside his sister-wives, Visenya and Rhaenys.
In development
10,000 Ships
Princess Nymeria leads her people, the Rhoynar, to Dorne after their home was invaded by Valyrians.
The Golden Empire
A show set in Yi Ti, a nation in Essos that lies to the east of Qarth.
Nine Voyages
The nine great voyages of Corlys Velaryon, set before House of the Dragon, who traveled around the known world accumulating wealth and treasures.
Animated
*There are also two unknown animated shows and one more live-action show in development, as perGeorge R.R. Martin’s comments onGame of Thronesspinoffs.
Still, given winter seems to be perpetually coming (with even Daemon himself noting it), and multipleGame of Thronesspinoffs in the works (both animated and live-action), maybe one day it will happen. Until then, we can have fun with the theory Daemon is the Night King, even if it’s not true… because he’s obviously the Three-Eyed Raven instead!
Game Of Thrones
Cast
Based on George R. R. Martin’s ongoing A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, Game of Thrones is a fantasy drama set in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos. It follows noble families like the Starks, Lannisters, and Targaryen vying for control of the Iron Throne while a rising threat from the undead looms in the North. The series received significant critical success and amassed a loyal fan base due to its high production values, sprawling sets, iconic characters, and shocking twists.
House of the Dragon
House of the Dragon is a 2022 fantasy drama set in the world of Westeros, chronicling the Targaryen dynasty at its height. The story revolves around King Viserys’s controversial decision to name his daughter Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne, sparking tensions and divisions within the realm.
Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones is a multimedia franchise created by George R.R. Martin. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire is the basis for the award-winning HBO series Game of Thrones, which lasted for eight seasons. After the incredibly divisive final season of Game of Thrones, the series was followed up by the prequel series House of the Dragon, which also received critical acclaim.
