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| Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen in House of the Dragon (HBO) |
Daemon Targaryen is one of the most compelling warriors in the history of the Seven Kingdoms. Charismatic, daring, and exceptionally skilled in battle, he was also reckless, ambitious, and often impossible to control. That combination makes him both fascinating and difficult to place cleanly on a list like this but yet he ranks at #10 by my estimation.
Background
The younger brother of King Viserys I, Daemon spent much of his life chafing against the limits placed on him. He was a knight of proven skill, a former commander of the City Watch, a veteran of the Stepstones, and eventually a key figure in the Dance of the Dragons. He rode the dragon Caraxes, carried the Valyrian steel sword Dark Sister for a time, and cultivated a reputation as a man who would rather fight than talk.
Where Aemon the Dragonknight represented the ideal of knighthood, Daemon represented something closer to the opposite: a warrior who lived for the fight itself and rarely let honor get in the way of what he wanted.
The Warrior
Daemon’s skill at arms is not seriously in question. He was a dangerous man in single combat and even more dangerous when mounted on Caraxes. His campaigns in the Stepstones showed a commander who could be both bold and effective, carving out a temporary kingdom through sheer force of will and personal courage. During the Dance he continued to prove himself in the field, most notably in the fighting around Harrenhal and in the final confrontation at the God’s Eye against Aemond Targaryen.
What sets Daemon apart is the combination of personal combat ability and the willingness to take enormous risks. He did not fight cautiously. He fought to win, and he was usually willing to put himself in the thick of it to make that happen and consequences be damned.
The Darker Side
Daemon’s reputation is complicated by his character. He was charming when it suited him and ruthless when it did not. His treatment of his first wife, his ambition for the throne, and his general disregard for consequences make him a hard man to admire even when his skill is obvious. He is not a pure knight in the mold of Aemon or Arthur Dayne. He is something more dangerous: a highly capable warrior who answered primarily to himself.
He fits that middle ground in the Song of Ice and Fire, not good, not evil but something in-between. Martin calls him his favorite character and morally gray are likewise a hit with Martin so it stands the reason he is featured prominently.
Why He Belongs
Daemon earns a high place on this list because the record of his ability is strong and relatively close in time compared to older legends. So much so a plausible argument can be made that he could be anywhere from #5 to #10 on the Greatest Warriors of the Westros list.
He was a proven fighter, a dragonrider of note, and a man who repeatedly put himself in situations where lesser warriors would have failed. The fact that he was also ambitious and often destructive does not erase the skill.
Addtionally, Daemon leads forces for the Blacks in the Dance of Dragon and is capable in addition to having served as the Commander of the Gold Cloaks in Kings Landing.
He is not the purest knight on the list. He may not even be the most likeable. But as a warrior, pure and simple, Daemon Targaryen stands among the best the Targaryen dynasty ever produced.
In the end #10 suits him in my opion; that is no slight either. It's simply a reflection of how good those are at #1-9 on the list.
How about you, thoughts on Daemon Targaryen?
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