House of the Dragons: Who Owns Dark Sister? The Legendary Targaryen Sword

House of the Dragon the highly-awaited spinoff to the Orignal Game of the Thrones produce by HBO and authored by legendary fiction novelist R.R Martin, has

By Rishabh Shandilya
August 30,2022
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House of the Dragon the highly-awaited spinoff to the Orignal Game of the Thrones produce by HBO and authored by legendary fiction novelist R.R Martin, has officially taken flight, exposing fans to the forebears of Daenerys Targaryen who seem poised to fight a brutal struggle for the claim to ascension and to rule on the Iron Throne.

Prince Daemon Targaryen, portrayed by Matt Smith is one of the siblings of King Viserys I Targaryen, portrayed by famous Hollywood star Paddy Considine, who rejects to denounce his brother’s acts till it is too late, putting in effect a series of events that would result in Dance of the Dragons. House of the Dragon’s pilot, “The Heirs of the Dragon,” alludes many times to a mysterious entity dubbed “Dark Sister,” who would turn out to be a pivotal element in the upcoming fight.

Prince Daemon gives his niece, Princess Rhaenyra played by young and talented Milly Alcock, jewelry upon her arrival at the palace. The jewelry is fashioned of Valyrian steel, “the same metal the infamous Dark Sister is fashioned of,” as Rhaenyra puts it. Afterward, Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno), Daemon’s friend and love interest, encourages him to put up a fight against those who would resist his accession to the realm. She tells the prince that, since he has Dark Sister, he is in a league of his own among warriors. But who or what is Dark Sister, or why is she so significant in the legends of the House of the Dragon?

What is Dark Sister in House of the Dragon?

Dark Sister is a blade, indeed, but not just any blade. Valyrian steel gives it a cutting edge that never dulls and may be used indefinitely without sharpening. Although its history is shrouded in mystery, it is generally accepted that House Targaryen has owned Dark Sister ever since before Aegon’s Invasion, the military war in which Aegon I Targaryen as well as his beasts triumphantly overran six of Westeros’ seven kingdoms, with the exception of Dorne.

Dark Sister was the preferred sword of Queen Visenya, Aegon’s sister, whereas Aegon himself preferred Blackfyre, the second prized ancestor sword of House Targaryen. Her child, then 13 years old, Prince Maegor Targaryen, inherited the longsword, albeit he was subsequently granted Blackfyre to carry in combat and Dark Sister was hung in his rooms at Dragonstone, the ancient home of the Targaryen dynasty in Westeros. Afterward, the infamous blade was forcefully taken away by Alyssa Velaryon, the spouse of the late King Aenys I, and fled Dragonstone with the surviving members of her family.

Eventually, the saber made its way to Prince Baelon Targaryen, another of King Jaehaerys’s children. Baelon wielded the blade to kill the Myrish refugees who had been proved culpable for his brother, Prince Aemon’s, murder. The death of Prince Baelon, as revealed in The Heirs of the Dragon, also removed a potential heir to the throne for King Jaehaerys. Princess Rhaenys Targaryen as well as her cousin Prince Viserys were the two top contenders among the 14 claimants to the throne.

Although Viserys was the rightful heir to the Iron Throne, it was his own blood Daemon that Jaehaerys honored for his military superiority by giving him the coveted Dark Sister. Daemon uses the blade in his duel with Ser Criston Cole at the King’s tournament in The Heirs of the Dragon, but he loses to the stranger from Dorne.

Was There a Dark Sister In Game of Thrones

Nope, Daemon’s sword has never been seen again after it was misplaced in the years spanning House of the Dragon and the first season of Game of Thrones. Nevertheless, in episode 7 of season 2 titled “A Man Without Honor,” Arya Stark disguised as a servant stops Tywin Lannister as he mulls over how Aegon Targaryen “broke the laws” by releasing dragons in warfare, alluding to Dark Sister.

Aegon as well as his sisters,” Arya says to set Tywin straight. Aegon was not the only one piloting a dragon. Both Rhaenys and Visenya were involved. She goes on to say that Visenya Targaryen was an outstanding fighter. Dark Sister was the name she gave to her Valyrian steel blade.

And now that Daemon has lost his claim to the Iron Throne and his chance to succeed his brother, the legendary blade has made its way into House of the Dragon, where it will undoubtedly be used to unleash devastation on King’s Landing and even beyond.