Daeron Targaryen Explained & What His Dream of Dunk Means in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

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Daeron Targaryen has made his official debut in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, though fans may recognize him from an earlier appearance. He was first shown as a nameless, drunken man in the initial episode, but his identity remained a mystery until Episode 4. Now revealed to be Aegon Targaryen’s older brother, known as Egg, he’s already creating difficulties for Ser Duncan the Tall.

Daeron’s own foolish actions caused Egg to run off, but he can’t tell his father, Maekar, the truth. Instead, he claims Ser Duncan, a wandering knight, kidnapped Egg, supporting Aerion’s accusations and leading to the upcoming trial by combat. Daeron also repeats a strange claim he made to Dunk: he had a dream about him, a dream he believes foretells death… but for a dragon, not for Ser Duncan himself.

What To Know About Daeron Targaryen & What Happens To Him

Spoilers For Daeron’s Fate After The Show Ahead

While Maekar is stern and Aerion embodies the worst traits of the Targaryens – cruelty and arrogance – Daeron (played by Henry Ashton) stands apart. Sent to the Tourney at Ashford Meadow by his father, he has little desire for combat, swordsmanship, or even riding. Daeron’s primary interest lies in drinking, a habit fueled by troubling dreams that have earned him the nickname ‘Daeron the Drunken.’ This is why he was found at the inn, instead of traveling to the tourney.

Daeron is the oldest son of Maekar, and through a series of unexpected events occurring around and after the time period of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, he briefly becomes the heir to the Iron Throne. This happens when Maekar unexpectedly becomes king in 221 AC, about twelve years after the events of Season 1. Unfortunately, Daeron never actually rules, as he dies before his father, likely from an illness contracted from a prostitute.

Daeron’s Dragon Dream Continues A Major Game Of Thrones Franchise Trend

House Of The Dragon Has Revealed Several Prophetic Dreams

As a follower of House Targaryen, I’ve always been told about the importance of dragon dreams. Before Aegon even began his conquest, my ancestors learned about the Doom of Valyria through a dream experienced by Daenys. It was that dream that caused the family to relocate to Dragonstone, and it’s a story that’s been passed down for generations.

Then, House of the Dragon went even deeper, showing Aegon the Conqueror’s own prophetic dream – his version of the ‘Song of Ice and Fire’. In this dream, he foresaw a coming darkness (essentially, the White Walkers) and believed that only a Targaryen ruler could bring the realm together to fight it. This vision drove his conquest of Westeros, though he was about 300 years too early.

King Viserys I Targaryen dreamt of his son’s future reign, and these visions, filled with dragons, hinted at the coming conflict known as the Dance of the Dragons, specifically involving Aegon II. Similarly, Helaena Targaryen’s prophetic dreams, including visions of Aemond losing an eye and the incident with Blood and Cheese, have become central to understanding her personality and role in the story.

Daeron is only the most recent instance, and we can expect to see more. In fact, the third Dunk and Egg story, The Mystery Knight, introduces another character who foresees Dunk’s destiny. While this won’t appear in the show until Season 3, the series is already establishing this kind of plot device.

This also relates to Daenerys’s story. While the show Game of Thrones simplified many of the prophetic parts of the books – particularly reducing the impact of her visions in the House of the Undying – it did establish that she was someone who could dream of dragons.

I was absolutely captivated in Season 2, Episode 6 when she shared the incredible dream she had – a vision telling her that if she bravely carried her dragon eggs through a massive fire, they would finally hatch! It was such a powerful moment, and she finished with the exact same words as Daeron, saying, “My dreams come true.” It really highlighted how deeply she believes in her visions, and it gave me chills!

Daeron Targaryen’s Dream Of Dunk Explained & How It Comes True

Major Book Spoilers Ahead

I was really intrigued by Daeron’s dream about Dunk, and it took a while for him to fully share what happened! Finally, in Episode 4, he laid it all out – he described exactly what he saw in his dream.

I saw you, Ser, along with a fire and a dead dragon. It was a huge creature – its wings were so large they could have shaded the entire meadow. It had fallen on you, but somehow you survived, and the dragon was killed.

In A Song of Ice and Fire, dreams and prophecies rarely mean exactly what they say, and that’s true in this case as well. Dragons don’t appear in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms because they had become extinct more than fifty years before the story takes place at Ashford.

Daeron’s vision seems to symbolize a deceased Targaryen, rather than a literal dragon. To find out what happens next, simply highlight the text below.

Four Targaryen brothers – Aerion, Daeron, Maekar, and unexpectedly, Baelor – participated in the Trial of Seven. As with all things in the Game of Thrones world, the cruel Aerion survives, while the noble Baelor is killed. During the trial, Maekar struck Baelor in the back of the head with a mace, ending his life. Ser Duncan the Tall lived through the battle, but a truly remarkable man, Baelor, was lost.

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

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2026-02-07 16:11