Women's Lifestyle July 13, 2026 0 Comments

Unlocking Rhaena Targaryen: The Unstoppable Force About to Shake Up House of the Dragon and Change the Game Forever

Rhaena Targaryen—now there’s a name that’s been flying under the radar for way too long. Ever wonder what it really means to be the black sheep in a family that literally breathes fire? This oft-overlooked second daughter of Daemon Targaryen is suddenly stepping into the spotlight in House of the Dragon season 3, but with a twist: her storyline’s been merged with that of Nettles, a rogue dragonrider with a complicated past. It’s like mixing two recipes and hoping the flavors don’t clash—except, well, this concoction sparks fiery debates among fans, especially considering the show’s flair for dipping toes into the dark, incestuous waters of royal drama. So, what’s really going on with Rhaena? Will she rise as the redeemed dragonrider or get tangled in the messy webs of family loyalty and danger? Stick around—this is one ride you don’t want to miss. LEARN MORE

4 min read

Rhaena Targaryen contains multitudes. This is not only because the oft-sidelined second daughter of Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) is one of the most emotionally conflicted and compelling children (left alive) in House of the Dragon season 3. She is also literally an amalgamation of characters. One of the biggest (and most controversial) differences between the HBO show and its source material, the George R.R. Martin fantasy book Fire and Blood, was revealed in season 3: In the adaptation, Rhaena’s storylines are blended with those of a beloved rogue dragonrider named Nettles. The change, while controversial, finally gives Phoebe Campbell, who has played Rhaena for three seasons, a chance to shine as the neglected Targaryen daughter. Still, it definitely raises some questions, including ones about—you guessed it—incest. Read on for our attempt at answering them. But be warned if you haven’t yet seen season 3 so far: There are spoilers ahead.

Who is Nettles?

Nettles is one of Fire and Blood’s most revered (and best-named) characters. She grew up homeless in Driftmark, the home of the ship-sailing Velaryon family. Sometime during her youth, she bonded with a wild dragon in the Vale known as Sheepstealer by, well, feeding him sheep. In season 2, when Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) decides her cause needs additional dragons, she and her son Jacerys figure they can find bastards with Targaryen blood to ride the unbonded dragons. After lots of fiery deaths, the queen successfully enlists new riders, who become known as the Dragonseeds. This includes a blacksmith, Hugh Hammer, and a drunk, Ulf White (both risky choices).

Nettles joins the Dragonseed ranks shortly after, fighting in several key battles and even remaining loyal to Rhaenyra when other Dragonseeds betray her. Nettles’s betrayal, however, takes the form of romantic deception (at least, allegedly): Some “sources” in Fire and Blood claim the closeness between Nettles and Daemon Targaryen (Rhaenyra’s husband) is romantic. (This is an incredibly complicated development, but the Targaryen family tree doesn’t shy away from incest.)

Wait, will Daemon and Rhaena have a romance?

Martin never outright wrote a romantic storyline between Daemon and Nettles, though it’s presented as hearsay in the book. But most importantly, Rhaenyra, as she becomes increasingly paranoid, believes it to be true. After that, Rhaenyra never trusts Nettles or the Dragonseeds to the same extent.

The question is: Now that Nettles and Rhaena are one, will Daemon fall in love with his own daughter, or will his love remain paternal? We don’t know for sure. But the show plunges into the dark corners of incestuous royal families more often than not. Just this season, a Targaryen son has already kissed his mother. So, we’ll have to keep watching to find out.

What is Rhaena Targaryen’s storyline in seasons 1 and 2?

Rhaena didn’t get much action in the first two seasons. She’s been present for weddings, funerals, coronations, some deaths, and some important conversations with her (now dead) cousins. At the end of season 2, Rhaenyra and Daemon task her to travel to the Vale to protect Rhaenyra’s youngest children (see the family tree). There, however, Rhaena encounters a dragon, Sheepstealer, which readers know to be linked to Nettles. Sheepstealer is running rampant, as it has likely done for centuries, yet it warms to Rhaena, who travels out into the Vale to finally find her dragon.

When do Rhaena’s and Nettles’s storylines merge?

Rhaena officially consumes Nettles’s storyline when she jumps onto Sheepstealer’s back and flies to the Battle of the Gullet. In the book, Nettles is a key part of the battle, fighting alongside Rhaena’s sister Baela and Jacaerys Targaryen. The show instead brings Rhaena into the battle on an unwieldy dragon that aimlessly rains down fire on both enemy and friendly ships. This haphazard flying (inadvertently) causes the death of her cousin, Jacaerys, the heir to the throne. This is where things get complicated for Rhaena/Nettles.

What happens in “Tumbleton,” season 3, episode 4 of House of the Dragon?

“Tumbleton” opens with a (far-from-satisfying) father-daughter reunion. Daemon travels to the Vale for gold, but as he’s leaving, his dragon pulls him up into a nest burrowed in the mountains. A skeptical Daemon slowly walks with sword in hand towards the cave, where he finds his ragged daughter holed up with Sheepstealer. He quickly pieces together that Rhaena is responsible for the death of Rhaenyra’s son, knowing that the queen is, to put it kindly, unforgiving. To buy time, Daemon kills a shepherd in the mountains and brings the queen the burnt, severed head, telling her that it’s the unnamed Sheepstealer rider. Now, that is paternal instinct!

What will happen to Rhaena?

The Game of Thrones universe is known for wasting characters. Sure, the extended universe is juggling a lot of George R.R. Martin’s half-written characters (with names that all sound and look the same). How could a show truly give them all enough screen time?

But Rhaena Targaryen felt particularly unwritten in the first two seasons, as well as the source material. Now, House of the Dragon has the opportunity to tell a riveting story about a rogue dragonrider who is blood-related not only to the queen but also to her son. In the book, Nettles eventually flees from the Targaryens, disappearing into the mountains on Sheepstealer. Here, Rhaena is grappling with the death of her cousin while also balancing her relationships with her father and the queen. Not only does this guarantee Campbell some deserved screen time, but it will imbue the show with some much-needed nuanced storytelling about loyalty and place. Rhaena is configured to be a compelling counterpoint to the royal politics, a story about how the black sheep of the family comes to be a dragonrider in her own right. We hope so!