Rhaena Targaryen

This page is about the daughter of Daemon Targaryen. For other uses, see: Rhaena Targaryen (disambiguation)

Rhaena Targaryen
Biographical information
Born	118 AC (age 14) Pentos
Political information
House(s)	Targaryen
Affiliation(s)	Black Council
Title(s)	Lady
Personal information
Culture	Valyrian
Father	Daemon Targaryen
Mother	{Laena Velaryon}
Sibling(s)	Baela Targaryen Half-siblings: Aegon Targaryen Viserys Targaryen {Visenya Targaryen}
World of Westeros
Series	House of the Dragon
Season(s)	1 · 2 · 3
Appeared in	10 episodes (see below)
First seen in	"The Princess and the Queen"
Portrayed by	Phoebe Campbell Eva Ossei-Gerning (child)

"I've decided there is nothing to be gained with fretfulness. Not all of us, I suppose, are called to great deeds. Some of us must serve in smaller ways... even if they are not what we would choose for ourselves."

―Rhaena Targaryen

Lady Rhaena Targaryen is the youngest daughter of Daemon Targaryen and Laena Velaryon.

Biography

Background

Rhaena Targaryen is the youngest daughter of Daemon Targaryen and Laena Velaryon. She is the younger sister of Baela Targaryen. Rhaena was named in honor of her maternal grandmother, Rhaenys Targaryen.

House of the Dragon: Season 1

In 126 AC, Rhaena and her family live in Pentos, as guests of Prince Reggio Haratis. Unlike her sister, Rhaena does not have a dragon and her father therefore spends little time with her. Her egg never hatched, despite Rhaena keeping it near the fire. Her mother comforts her by saying that many eggs never hatch, and that this does not mean that she will never be a dragonrider. When her mother dies, Rhaena and her older sister are shocked and sad.

Rhaena attends her mother's funeral at High Tide, where she and her sister are warmly welcomed by her grandparents, especially Princess Rhaenys. At the request of his mother, Jacaerys tries to comfort the grieving Rhaena.

That night, Rhaena 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. Rhaena berates him by saying that Vhagar was hers to ride, as she was her mother's dragon, to which Aemond retorts that she should have claimed her when she had the chance. He insults her by suggesting that her cousins could find her a pig to ride, saying that it would suit her. Tempers flare and a fight breaks out, in which Aemond beats up Baela and Rhaena. The Kingsguard burst in and the children are taken to the Hall of Nine. Rhaena witnesses the wedding of Rhaenyra and Daemon.

At some point Rhaena tried to tame a dragon from Dragonstone, the creatures rejected her and she nearly lost her life.

In 132 AC, Rhaena lives with her father and his new wife Rhaenyra on Dragonstone, Rhaena accompanies Rhaenyra to King's Landing. Rhaena and Rhaenyra meet Rhaenys in the Red Keep's godswood. Rhaenys is delighted to see her granddaughter, but less so Rhaenyra, who asks Rhaena leave to let them talk in private. With Ser Vaemond's petition to the Greens imminent, Rhaenys agrees to marry Rhaena to her cousin and future Lord of Driftmark Lucerys Velaryon, in exchange for backing Lucerys's claim to Driftmark. Rhaena is present to hear Ser Vaemond Velaryon petition for the inheritance of Driftmark. She is a witness to her father killing Ser Vaemond. In the Evening, Rhaena dines with her entire family, sans Rhaenys, Helaena toasts her and Baela. Tensions rises until a fight ensues, she tries to deescalate the situation by holding back her sister. She leaves King's Landing without her grandmother and returns to Dragonstone.

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

Rhaena watches the funeral of Visenya on Dragonstone. After Rhaenyra is crowned, she and her sister kneel, unlike her grandmother. Rhaena gathers around the Painted Table, as part of the Black Council. She hands Rhaenyra a cup. She has a hopeful look as her father mentions riderless dragons on Dragonstone.

House of the Dragon: Season 2

Rhaena is present at the Black Council when Rhaenyra returns from the Stormlands and the funeral of her former betrothed Lucerys Velaryon, mourning his loss with tears.

Rhaenyra orders Rhaena to accompany Joffrey to the Vale, and from there - to take her children Viserys and Aegon to safety, preferably to Pentos. Rhaena does not like the idea of being a babysitter away from danger, while her sister remains at Dragonstone, but obeys. She is also given four dragon eggs.

Already at the Eyrie, Rhaena hears Lady Jeyne Arryn say how impregnable her castle is, unless attacked by dragons. Rhaena reminds Lady Arryn that she promised her 15,000 soldiers, Rhaenyra in exchange for a dragon and fulfilled her promise by sending two dragons to the Vale. Lady Arryn (somewhat annoyed by Rhaena's tone of speech) points out that they are still young and that she cannot afford to wait until they grow up. Jeyne offers her condolences to Rhaena for the death of her grandmother and before telling her that she is waiting for her for dinner and leaves the girl alone.

Rhaena and her cousin Joffrey are taking a step outside the Eyrie, escorted by some guards. Rhaena tells Joffrey that she has accepted that she will not participate in the war as a warrior.

Joffrey tells him how he longs for his mother, and Rhaena tries to console him when they come across a large bushel of scorched earth along with several charred sheep's bones, which can means only one thing: in the Vale of Arryn an adult dragon is hiding.

Back at the castle, Rhaena watches her half-brothers, Viserys, and Aegon while they are playing. Lady Jeyne arrives to tell Rhaena that the Prince of Pentos has agreed to take her, and her siblings, in, and that a Braavosi merchant cog will take them there. Rhaena blames Lady Jeyne for hiding the fact that there is already a dragon in the Vale, but Jeyne dismisses this since the dragon is wild and cannot be used to defend the Vale.

Rhaena leaves the Eyrie with Aegon and Viserys, under the watch of Lady Jeyne. However, she separates from the others and sets out in search of the wild dragon of the Vale.

Personality

Rhaena longs for a dragon. As a child, she felt ignored by her father.

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 Phoebe Campbell had been cast in the role of Rhaena Targaryen for House of the Dragon. Her character description for Season 1 reads as follows:

"Second daughter of Lady Laena and sister to Baela."

Her character description for Season 2 reads as follows:

"The younger sister of Lady Baela. Though she is eager to be a dragonrider like her sister, she has not claimed a dragon."

In the books

In Fire & Blood, Rhaena and Baela 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.

Rhaena was named in honor of her maternal grandmother, Rhaenys Targaryen. Like her grandmother, both of these names have repeated in the Targaryen dynasty: Rhaenys was named after Aegon I's sister-wife, and the earlier Rhaena was the older sister of Jaehaerys I Targaryen (himself this Rhaena's great-grandfather).

During the Dance of the Dragons, Rhaena was chosen to accompany Joffrey Velaryon to Gulltown for their protection, although they were told it was to defend the Vale against the Greens' dragons. Rhaena brought three dragon eggs with her to the Vale, where she prayed nightly for their hatching.

Rhaena's role during the war was very scant and insignificant: she remained safely at the Vale as Jeyne Arryn's ward, enjoying a life of comfort and privilege. In the show, her character was merged with Nettles's book character.

Appearances

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

Forthcoming

• – Season 3 (unreleased)

External links

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