House Of The Dragon Episode 1 Review - 8 Ups & 2 Downs

2. Up - Daemon Targaryen

"I see Otto Hightower for what he is" proclaims Daemon Targaryen to his brother King Viserys.

"An unwavering and loyal Hand?"

"A c*nt."

Played with smoldering menace and charm by Dr Who's Matt Smith, House of the Dragon may have found their first great villain; Daemon's ambitions are hinted at from the very first scene he appears in as Rhaenyra finds the heir apparent sitting on the Iron Throne.

Smith's soft tones and softly smiling eyes are sharply juxtaposed with the merciless dread that Daemon drips as he leads his Gold Cloaks in a purge of the city's criminal underworld, depicted in stomach churning detail. While Daemon's clear blood lust and willingness to get his hands dirty are ominous, what is truly terrifying is the smirk on the Prince's face when confronted by his brother the King following the massacre; this is truly not a man to be messed with. Let's not even get started on his behemoth of a dragon, the scarlet Caraxes.

There are nuances however, that hint at a Jaime Lannister style redemptive arc; Daemon's love for his brother shines through at Queen Aemma's funeral as he gently urges Rhaenyra to throw her support behind her father at this devastating time. That being said, Daemon's mercurial unpredictability and his ruthless nature imply that this could all just be a manipulative game of power.

Only one thing is for sure, Smith's can't-look-away debut has left fans absolutely desperate for more Daemon and to explore of one of the more enigmatic characters to touch down on Westerosi soil in further depth and detail.