“Priceless moment right there”- GOT and House of the Dragon fans not surprised by Targaryen family traditions

House of the Dragon continues to give fans more theories, incidents, and parallels to discuss. One of the topics that constantly finds mention in fan circles is the Targaryen family and their rather messy family tree. With Targaryen children marrying their own siblings and family members, the show does not stop giving viewers content to make references and memes about.

Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers for House of the Dragon season 2 and Game of Thrones.

Season 2 episode 5 gave fans just that opportunity, when one of the opening scenes of the episode showed a rather strange situation. As the audience knows, Daemon Targaryen has lost a bit of his stability ever since he stepped foot into Harrenhal. Between Alys Rivers and the haunted aura of the castle, Daemon keeps seeing disturbing visions.

One of his recent visions disturbed fans too: Daemon was seen in bed with his mother Alyssa Targaryen, eventually covered in her blood as she whispered affirmations to him. Many fans had mixed reactions to the scene. On one hand, some viewers were horrified by the vision. On the other hand, a few viewers joked about it by calling it a Targaryen family tradition. A user on X even ironically commented how 'priceless' the moment was.

Fans were rightfully dismayed when the intimate scene between Daemon and his mother Alyssa Targaryen showed up. Many said that, even though the Targaryen family has been known for incest, this line should not have been crossed in any way.

Wtf Daemon and his mom!!! This Harrenhal arc must end! #HouseOfTheDragon - said a user on X

Naturally, the memes were not far behind, since a few fans were disappointed but not surprised. After all, the Targaryens are famously known for their inbreeding. Aegon's marriage to his sister Helaena, and Rhaenyra's marriage to her uncle Daemon himself are enough proof.

A user on X even explained that Targaryen inbreeding was never glorified either in the show or the books and was always used as a symbol of madness:

"grrm does a lot of Things re: incest but one thing he never shied away was proving to the audience that targaryen incest was actually neither special, magical, nor justifiable but mere vehicles of generational abuse. WHY ELSE do u think targaryen madness is a legitimate fear lol."

Many fans are even hoping for Daemon to leave Harrenhal and re-enter the main storyline with Rhaenyra. Audiences are hoping to see Daemon in action, now that the full-fledged war between the Greens and Blacks, has finally begun. A user on X joked:

"me: “i hope daemon stops having these hallucinations” daemon still in harrenhal during tonight’s episode: #HouseOfTheDragon #HOTD

---

What is the "Targaryen family tradition" in House of the Dragon and how does it link to Game of Thrones?

Emma D'Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon season 2 (via HBO Max)

The 'Targaryen family tradition' that fans are referring to, is the Targaryen tendency to marry within their family to supposedly keep their bloodline pure and strong. In House of the Dragon, this happens many times.

At first, Rhaenyra Targaryen is attracted to and eventually marries, her uncle Daemon Targaryen. Rhaenyra's son Jace is set to marry Daemon's daughter Baela. On the other hand, Aegon II Targaryen is married to his sister Helaena, and they share children.

This fact about the Targaryen family is not just featured in this series, it also finds root in the original show Game of Thrones. Though the main inbred relationship of the series is between Jaime Lannister and his twin sister Cersei, the Targaryens are never one to fall behind in these matters.

In the later seasons, Jon Snow is revealed to be a Targaryen. He was the son of Rhaegar Targaryen, originally christened Aegon, and was supposed to be the heir to the throne. Unaware of his true identity, he strikes up a relationship with Daenerys Targaryen, who is actually his aunt.

---

Viewers can watch the latest episode of House of the Dragon streaming online on HBO Max, Sky TV, and JioCinema.