Why Baelor Targaryen Has Dark Hair & How It Sets Up Jon Snow Not Becoming King in Game of Thrones

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The second episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, titled “Hard Salt Beef,” presents a different kind of Targaryen character. Unlike many Targaryens we’ve seen, particularly in House of the Dragon, who are often arrogant, power-hungry, or even cruel, Prince Baelor Targaryen shares similarities with Daenerys Targaryen before she embraced the “fire and blood” philosophy. He’s kinder, more honorable, and envisions a more virtuous Westeros under his leadership.

What really struck me about Baelor is his dark hair. It’s a cool change from the usual silver-blonde hair we see on characters with Valyrian ancestry – and honestly, a relief that the actor, Bertie Carvel, didn’t have to rely on wigs or dye! Apparently, Baelor’s mother was Dornish – Myriah Martell – and he inherited her coloring. It’s neat to see that reflected, especially since his brother, Maekar, does have the typical Valyrian silver hair in the show.

In both Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, hair color has been a key way to reveal hidden parentage, particularly when it comes to illegitimate children. For example, Ned Stark used differences in hair color to figure out Joffrey wasn’t Robert Baratheon’s biological son, and the true father of Rhaenyra Targaryen’s children with Laenor Velaryon was hinted at through the same clue. While Baelor’s parentage is certain, his dark hair connects him to another character with a hidden lineage: Jon Snow, who was actually a Targaryen.

Dark Haired Targaryens Don’t Become King (Or Queen) In Westeros

As a Targaryen fan, it’s really interesting to me how many dark-haired Targaryens seem to get overlooked when it comes to the Iron Throne! Baelor, for example, was actually in line to be king during the events of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, but as we know from Game of Thrones, he never actually got the chance. And it’s not just him – his son, who also had dark hair, was passed over too. It’s like there’s a pattern of these deserving, dark-haired Targaryens never quite making it to the top!

In the House of the Dragon novels, Rhaenys Targaryen has dark hair, inherited from her mother, but this detail was altered for the TV series. She had a strong claim to the throne as the only child of Aemon Targaryen, who was the heir to King Jaehaerys I. However, when Aemon died, Jaehaerys chose Aemon’s brother, Baelon, as the new heir. After Baelon’s death, Jaehaerys called a Great Council (shown near the beginning of the House of the Dragon series) to decide on a successor. Rhaenys was passed over in favor of Viserys, largely because she was a woman – and her dark hair was also considered a mark against her.

Later in the story, we meet Prince Duncan Targaryen, another dark-haired heir to the throne. He gives up his claim to the throne to be with the commoner he loved and married, causing quite a scandal. Then there’s Jon Snow, the legitimate son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark – the true heir to the Iron Throne. However, he famously didn’t want the responsibility, and his dark hair should have hinted that he wasn’t destined to be king.

New episodes of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms release Sundays at 10pm ET on HBO and HBO Max.

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2026-01-26 06:42