The Intriguing Tale of Daemon's Dark Sister: A Captivating History Unveiled

In House of the Dragon, Matt Smith plays Prince Daemon Targaryen, who wields the renowned and lethal longsword called Dark Sister. Dark Sister, along with Blackfyre, is one of the famous ancestral swords of House Targaryen. Blackfyre belonged to Aegon the Conqueror, while Dark Sister was wielded by Aegon's older sister and wife, Visenya Targaryen. Aegon used Blackfyre to defeat his enemy, Qhorin Volmark, the Lord of Volmark, during the invasion of the Iron Islands and in the First Dornish War.

Despite Aegon's skill with a sword, Visenya believed that his guards were insufficient in protecting him as the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms from the dangers that come with sitting on the Iron Throne. After an assassination attempt on both Aegon and Visenya's lives, Visenya used her longsword to show the peril they faced due to the Dornish War. She slashed Aegon's cheek before his guards could react, prompting him to entrust her with the task of forming the Order of the Kingsguard. Aegon the Conqueror had two sons, one from each of his Queens. While Rhaenys' Aenys was the eldest and the rightful heir, Visenya's Maegor was the younger son. In 25 AC, Visenya gave her Valyrian steel longsword, Dark Sister, to Maegor. Over the years, Dark Sister changed hands multiple times and, according to HBO's House of the Dragon, it is now in the possession of Daemon Targaryen.

From Maegor The Cruel To Daemon Targaryen

Maegor, known as Maegor the Cruel, possessed Dark Sister at the age of thirteen. According to Game of Thrones lore, when King Aenys took the Iron Throne in 37 AC, he gave his father Aegon's Blackfyre longsword to his younger and more skilled brother, Prince Maegor. Since then, Maegor kept Dark Sister in his chambers at Dragonstone and used Blackfyre as his weapon.

House Targaryen's history is stained with betrayals, and Maegor's seizure of the throne from Aenys' children stands as the earliest instance of a brazen power grab within the dragon's house. Maegor's mother, Visenya, held Aenys' wife, the Dowager Queen Alyssa Velaryon, along with her youngest children, Jaehaerys and Alysanne, captive on Dragonstone. Nevertheless, after Visenya's death in 44 AC, Alyssa and her children managed to escape and took Dark Sister from Visenya's chambers.

Dark Sister In House Of The Dragon

Dark Sister was initially wielded by Jaehaerys the Wise in 48 AC when he asserted his claim to the Iron Throne. Following the end of Maegor's tyrannical rule, Jaehaerys ascended as the fourth king on the Iron Throne. In 92 AC, Dark Sister was then passed on to Jaehaerys' son, Prince Baelon Targaryen, also known as Baelon the Brave. With this remarkable longsword, he avenged his brother Prince Aemon's death by slaying Myrmen. Moreover, Dark Sister was granted to Prince Daemon Targaryen, Jaehaerys I's own grandson, recognizing his exceptional fighting skills.

Viserys I and later Aegon II both wield the powerful Blackfyre. Meanwhile, the skilled Daemon carries Dark Sister as his weapon of choice. During the Heir's Tournament, a tournament held to celebrate the upcoming birth of Viserys' heir, Prince Daemon showcases his prowess by jousting against Ser Criston Cole. However, to his dismay, Daemon is unhorsed by Ser Criston. In a display of arrogance, he ignores his defeat and draws Dark Sister on Ser Criston. Unfortunately, his overconfidence is short-lived as Ser Criston strikes him from behind, causing him to fall. This turn of events forces Daemon to submit to an opponent of lesser rank and from a lesser-known house.

Daemon not only loses the joust, but also the contest of arms, despite wielding the far superior Valyrian steel longsword. Additionally, he wields Dark Sister while battling the Triarchy for control of the Stepstones, using his intricate longsword to defeat a man named Craghas Drahar, who proclaimed himself as the Prince Admiral of the Triarchy.

As the second son of King Viserys II, Prince Aemon, also known as the Dragonknight, becomes the next Targaryen to possess Dark Sister. History reveres him as the most noble knight and a legendary swordsman. He serves as the Lord Commander of King Aegon IV's Kingsguard, earning a reputation for his skill in jousting, valor, and bravery. Following Prince Aemon, Dark Sister is then passed on to Ser Brynden Rivers, also known as Lord Bloodraven. He is the illegitimate son of Aegon the Unworthy and his sixth mistress, Lady Melissa Blackwood.

Lord Bloodraven joined the Night's Watch and rose to become Lord Commander in 239 AC. However, he vanished during an expedition beyond the Wall. The location of Dark Sister, his prized longsword, is still unknown in the legends. In Game of Thrones season 2, Arya Stark, while serving Lord Tywin Lannister, speaks of Dark Sister, which was once wielded by Visenya Targaryen, a renowned warrior. With the impending civil war in House of the Dragon, it is expected that Daemon Targaryen will have ample chances to wield Dark Sister.