Writing Analysis
Brilliant Writing from “House of the Dragon” Episode 3
This week’s episode of House of the Dragon showcased two brilliant examples of “show, don’t tell.” By now we know that Daemon Targaeryan is the rebellious younger brother of the king. We know he seeks the Iron Throne and can be at best mischievous, at worst sadistic.
He exhibits characteristics that seem consistent with narcissist personality disorder. But instead of telling us he is resentful, that he has delusions of grandeur; instead of telling us he is ruthless and follows his own moral code, the writers show us just how twisted Daemon is during two key moments at the beginning and end of the show.
SPOILERS AHEAD
1. Daemon stomps a supporter to death— and doesn’t even know it
The episode opens on a Westerosi soldier being eaten alive by crabs. He curses the Crabfeeder.
Then, a dragon appears — and the soldier screams in delight. He goads the Crabfeeder, saying Daemon Targaryen will kill them all. He screams for Daemon: “SAVE ME.”
Instead, we see the foot of the dragon stomp down on the soldier. We hear a fatal, wet crack. The dragon lifts off, and we see the bloody pulp of the now-dead soldier.
Why this is good writing
This scene effectively showcases 1) the type of support Daemon inspires, and 2) just how much he cares about his supporters.
First, Daemon inspires a feverish admiration more akin to worshipping. He is seen as a savior, a bad-ass warrior. He is a beacon for desperate, broken men. This is in stark contrast to the exasperated disapproval he inspires from other men seated around the King’s Council in episodes 1 and 2; the chiding he receives from his own niece; and threats of mutiny he endures from other soldiers in episode 3.
Even without those examples, the dying soldier’s feverish support tells us all we need to know. Daemon is a hero more for madmen than for, let’s say, emotionally healthy men. Who are the type of people that inspire this type of crowd? Usually madmen themselves, or certainly superficial people with big egos. (Think of the most famous social media stars in our world— and the scandals that enshroud them.)
Second, the stomping obviously shows how much Daemon actually cares about his supporters. He doesn’t care at all about them, or at least, he can’t be bothered to avoid crushing his own men. In fact, he probably didn’t even know he killed one of his own soldiers.
This is somehow worse than intentional, malignant torture. He has such disregard for his supporters beyond any immediate value they can provide for him. (The one caveat so far seems to be Mysaria, his paramour, who seems to be the only person able to tame him.) Again, what type of person is so dismissive of their fervent supporters? Someone who is self-centered and lacking in empathy.
2. Daemon rushes into a suicide mission — to avoid being saved by his brother
The episode ends with Daemon receiving a note from his brother, Viserys, the king. Without a word, he crumples the paper, scoffs, then bludgeons the messenger.
With a voiceover, we hear the message we already knew was coming based on dialogue earlier in the episode: King Viserys is finally sending help so that Daemon can finish the war he started (along with Corlys Valeryon) against the Crabfeeder.
Daemon then rushes into the Crabfeeder’s territory waving a white flag. When the crabfeeder’s men cautiously approach to check whether Daemon’s surrender is genuine, Daemon attacks the men, dodges arrows, and rushes towards the Crabfeeder.
Why this is good writing
This scene shows us 1) what drives Daemon, and 2) how he responds to pressure.
Daemon is driven by pride. We might have known this already but this scene really drive it home by showing the extent to which he will go to protect his pride. Keep in mind that this war has dragged on for 2 years, with Daemon unable to clinch a victory.
Meanwhile, King Viserys has never approved of the war and has never intervened, not wanting to seem weak by endlessly cleaning after his brother’s messes. After consulting various people throughout the episode, though, it seems the King decides to send Daemon help.
Based on Daemon’s wordless reaction to the letter, I honestly thought maybe the King had changed his mind: maybe his letter was a final rebuke telling Daemon he would never send support.
Instead, we find out from the voiceover that the thing that sets Daemon off, the thing that catapults him into a suicidal Hail Mary mission to end the war is not his brother’s scorn, but his graciousness. The threat of his brother deigning to help him, the threat of not being to claim victory as his own lights a fire under Daemon’s ass. Out of spite for his brother, he runs into the battlefield alone, ready to risk death for glory.
We don’t even have to see Daemon victoriously dragging the Crabfeeder’s torso out of a cave to know that Daemon won. Daemon won — in his own sense of the word — the minute he rushed onto the battlefield, because in doing so he was able to protect his pride. He was able to maintain control, and he was able to claim either decisive victory or decisive defeat as his own.
What type of person is crazy enough to risk their life as an “I told you so” to their older sibling, let alone their king? Someone who has a reckless ego. Someone who values that ego more than their life. This was not just an incredible action sequence but a catalyst for Daemon’s character development.
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