Baela Targaryen

Baela Targaryen
Biographical information
Born	116 AC (age 16) Pentos
Political information
House(s)	Targaryen
Affiliation(s)	House Velaryon (ward) Black Council
Title(s)	Lady
Personal information
Culture	Valyrian
Father	Daemon Targaryen
Mother	{Laena Velaryon}
Sibling(s)	Rhaena Targaryen Half-siblings: Aegon Targaryen Viserys Targaryen {Visenya Targaryen}
World of Westeros
Series	House of the Dragon
Season(s)	1 · 2 · 3
Appeared in	11 episodes (see below)
First seen in	"The Princess and the Queen"
Portrayed by	Bethany Antonia Shani Smethurst (child)

"I am a dragonrider, like my mother, my father, and you. The Greens reach to usurp our queen's throne and they must be answered with fire and blood."

―Baela to Rhaenys Targaryen

Lady Baela Targaryen is the eldest daughter of Daemon Targaryen and Laena Velaryon. She becomes the ward of her grandmother Rhaenys Targaryen following her mother's death and the apparent death of Laenor Velaryon.

Biography

Background

Baela Targaryen, named after her paternal grandfather Baelon, is the eldest daughter of Daemon Targaryen and Laena Velaryon, and is bonded with the young dragon Moondancer. She is the older sister of Rhaena Targaryen.

House of the Dragon: Season 1

In 126 AC, Baela and her family live in Pentos, as guests of Prince Reggio Haratis. Unlike her younger sister, Baela has a dragon and is preferred by their father. When her mother dies, Baela and her younger sister are shocked and sad.

Baela attends her mother's funeral at High Tide. She and her sister are warmly welcomed by their grandparents, especially Rhaenys. At the request of his mother, Jacaerys comforts the grieving Baela by silently holding her hands. Later that night, her grandmother suggests to her grandfather that Baela should be made heir to Driftmark. Corlys rejects the suggestion.

That night, Baela and her sister witness Aemond flying Vhagar, and they run to wake their cousin Jacaerys. The sisters, along with Jacaerys and his brother Lucerys, confront Aemond at an entrance to the castle. Tempers flare and a fight breaks out, in which Aemond beats up Baela. The fight concludes when Lucerys takes Aemond's right eye in defense of Jacaerys. The Kingsguard burst in and the children are taken to the Hall of Nine. Baela witnesses the wedding of Rhaenyra and Daemon.

In 132 AC, Baela has become a ward to her grandmother at Driftmark. She listens to Maester Kelvyn informing Rhaenys and her about the grave injuries sustained by her grandfather. As Vaemond Velaryon brings up the inheritance of Driftmark, Baela retorts that Rhaenys looks very comfortable on the Driftwood Throne. In the prelude to Vaemond's petitions to the Greens, Rhaenys agrees to marry Baela to her cousin and future heir Jacaerys, in exchange for backing Lucerys's claim to Driftmark. Baela accompanies her grandmother to hear Vaemond petitions for the inheritance of Driftmark, then gets killed by her father. In the evening, Baela dines with her entire family, sans Rhaenys. Helaena toasts her and Rhaena, while Aegon makes several leery passes towards her. Tensions rise until a fight ensues, Baela attempts to defend Jacaerys by fighting Aegon, but is held back by her sister. She leaves King's Landing without her grandmother.

Alicent offers Rhaenys to grant the inheritance of Driftmark to her granddaughters, if Rhaenys helps maintain the peace.

Baela watches the funeral of Visenya on Dragonstone. After Rhaenyra is crowned, she and her sister kneel, unlike her grandmother. Baela gathers around the Painted Table, as part of the Black Council. Her father states her to be the dragonrider of Moondancer.

House of the Dragon: Season 2

Baela is present at the Black Council when Rhaenyra returns from the Stormlands. She accompanies Jacaerys, as he seeks out his mother, to inform her about his journey to the North and Vale. Baela later attends the funeral of Lucerys.

While heading to Rhaenyra's chamber, Baela runs into her father. Baela tries to talk to him, but Daemon is so furious at having argued with Rhaenyra that he remains silent. Once in the queen's room, Baela receives orders to patrol King's Landing on the back of Moondancer. When Baela asks where her father is going, her stepmother only responds that Daemon will take his own path.

Baela practices bank shooting on a cliff. Jacaerys appears says that he imagines going to Harrenhal. Baela comments that sometimes she thinks she hates her father. Jacaerys comments that the parents are complicated, and he starts talking about his biological father Harwin Strong and his adoptive father Laenor Velaryon. Then he says that he miss his brother. Baela puts a hand on his shoulder to comfort him.

Baela, alongside Rhaenyra and Jacaerys, say goodbye to Rhaena, Joffrey, Aegon, and Viserys, before they leave to the safety of the Vale. Rhaena is discontent about having to go away to serve as a babysitter; Baela tries to cheer her up by assuring her that her mission is very important, including taking care of the four dragon eggs to the Vale.

Baela, atop Moondancer, scouts the Crownlands and sees Criston Cole, Gwayne Hightower, and a party of Hightower knights. She dives towards them, but the Greens make it to the treeline. Baela and Moondancer break off their attack to avoid crashing into the trees. After repeatedly circling around the trees to no avail, Baela flies away to Dragonstone and inform Rhaenyra of Criston Cole's movements.

After arriving at Dragonstone, Baela reports to the Black Council that she and Moondancer saw Criston Cole's small party. The Black Council conclude that Cole's army is heading towards Harrenhal.

Personality

Baela is a brave dragonrider.

Quotes

Corlys: "Granddaughter. I would make you my heir."

Baela: "I am blood and fire. Driftmark must pass to salt and sea."

— Baela refuses Driftmark.

Family

Paternal

Rhaena Targaryen Deceased

Aegon Targaryen Deceased

Viserys Targaryen Deceased

Jaehaerys I Targaryen1 Deceased

Alysanne Targaryen Deceased

Vaella Targaryen Deceased

Aemon Targaryen Deceased

Jocelyn Baratheon Deceased

Rodrik Arryn Deceased

Daella Targaryen Deceased

Baelon Targaryen Deceased

Alyssa Targaryen Deceased

Corlys Velaryon

Rhaenys Targaryen Deceased

Aemma Arryn Deceased

Viserys I Targaryen2 Deceased

Alicent Hightower

Daemon Targaryen

Rhea Royce Deceased

Daemon Targaryen

Laena Velaryon Deceased

Laenor Velaryon3

Rhaenyra Targaryen2

Daemon Targaryen

Aegon II Targaryen

Helaena Targaryen

Aemond Targaryen

Daeron Targaryen

Baela Targaryen

Rhaena Targaryen

Jacaerys Velaryon

Lucerys Velaryon Deceased

Joffrey Velaryon

Aegon Targaryen

Viserys Targaryen

Jaehaerys Targaryen Deceased

Jaehaera Targaryen

¹ Jaehaerys had thirteen children in all. For simplicity, only the direct ancestors of future generations are on this family tree and they are not in the exact order of birth. The thirteen children in correct order are: Aegon, Daenerys, Aemon, Baelon, Alyssa, Maegelle, Vaegon, Daella, Saera, Viserra, Gaemon, Valerion, and Gael.

² Due to the nature of their respective births and deaths, Baelon Targaryen, son of Viserys and Aemma, and Visenya Targaryen, daughter of Rhaenyra and Daemon, are not included on this family tree.

³ While Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey are officially Laenor's, he and Rhaenyra never had any biological issue. Their three sons were in fact fathered by Harwin Strong.

Maternal

Daemon Velaryon Deceased

Lady Velaryon Deceased

Aenys I Targaryen Deceased

Alyssa Velaryon Deceased

Corwyn Velaryon Deceased

Wife Deceased

House Targaryen

Marilda of Hull

Corlys Velaryon

Rhaenys Targaryen Deceased

Vaemond Velaryon Deceased

Alyn of Hull

Addam of Hull

Laenor Velaryon1

Rhaenyra Targaryen

Daemon Targaryen

Laena Velaryon Deceased

Jacaerys Velaryon

Lucerys Velaryon Deceased

Joffrey Velaryon

Baela Targaryen

Rhaena Targaryen

¹ While Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey are officially Laenor's, he and Rhaenyra never had any biological issue. Their three sons were in fact fathered by Harwin Strong.

Behind the scenes

On March 30, 2022, HBO announced that Bethany Antonia had been cast in the role of Baela Targaryen for House of the Dragon. Her character description for Season 1 reads as follows:

"Eldest daughter of Laena Velaryon and rider of the young dragon Moondancer."

In a deleted scene Baela insists on fighting for Rhaenyra. When Baela proclaims herself a dragonrider and says that the Greens must be answered with fire and blood, Rhaenys muses that she just saw her daughter Laena for the first time in years.

Her character description for Season 2 reads as follows:

"The eldest daughter of Daemon Targaryen and Laena Velaryon, Baela is betrothed to Prince Jacaerys and rides the young dragon Moondancer."

In the books

In Fire & Blood, Baela and Rhaena are described as twins, but not identical twins: they started out looking very similar, but in their teenage years their appearance and personalities diverged. The TV series changed this to make Baela slightly older than Rhaena. In the book, Baela was the elder twin by a matter of minutes.

Baela is described as fierce and fearless, very much her father's daughter - and in contrast to her sister Rhaena's more lady-like nature.

Appearances

• – "The Princess and the Queen"
• – "Driftmark"
• – "The Lord of the Tides"
• – "The Green Council" (mentioned)
• – "The Black Queen"
• – "A Son for a Son"
• – "Rhaenyra the Cruel"
• – "The Burning Mill"
• – "The Red Dragon and the Gold"
• – "Regent"
• – "The Red Sowing"
• – "The Queen Who Ever Was"

Forthcoming

• – Season 3 (unreleased)

External links

• Baela Targaryen on A Wiki of Ice and Fire (potential spoilers for House of the Dragon)
• Baela Targaryen on The Official Guide