Fans Up in Arms After HoTD Producer Shades Daemon Targaryen
If you're still wondering why people love Daemon, you got an ally in the show's producer.
The unconditional fan love that Daemon Targaryen enjoys may be truly baffling when you think about it. Despite being violent, sneaky and straight up dangerous, the rogue prince from House of the Dragon is Internet's new darling — and even the show's producer is surprised by it.
"He's become Internet Boyfriend in a way that baffles me," Sara Hess, the show's writer and exec producer, told The Hollywood Reporter. "Not that Matt isn't incredibly charismatic and wonderful, and he's incredible in the role. But Daemon himself is … I don't want him to be my boyfriend! I'm a little baffled how they're all, 'Oh, daddy!' And I'm just like: 'Really?' How — in what way — was he a good partner, father or brother — to anybody?"
Makes sense, right? Well, not for Daemon fans, who immediately took an issue with Hess after she shaded their favorite character.
"Says the woman that deliberately decided to shoot & then cut scenes of him comforting his daughter after Laena's passing, a decision so bad that HBO had to post pictures of it and even the actresses for said daughters came on his defense," Twitter user slytherndarkln argued, reminding people how Eva Ossei who played young Rhaena defended Matt Smith 's character on her Instagram.
Other people raised their eyebrows at Hess for different reasons.
"Don't tell me it's the same producer who said that nobody cares about smallfolk when Rhaenys killed hundreds of them in a pointless scene," Twitter user iBeny06 said.
Many fans argued that it was Hess herself who made Daemon complex and layered — and therefore likable — with her own writing. After all, the scene with Daemon helping Viserys to get to his throne and putting the crown back on his head alone tells a lot about his character.
Still, Hess was quick to note that she was happy that the fandom is so invested in the House of the Dragon characters even though they are up to awful things sometimes.
This week is especially dramatic for House of the Dragon fans, because the finale is nigh. Episode 10 is set to premiere on Sunday, October 23, on HBO Max, and conclude the first season of the Game of Thrones prequel.