In A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Prince Daeron Targaryen (played by Henry Ashton) stands out as one of the most layered and helpless characters. Nicknamed “Daeron the Drunken,” his heavy alcohol use isn’t mere indulgence, it’s a desperate coping mechanism. In a recent podcast with host Tom Zachar, Henry Ashton delved into the science and tragedy behind it, revealing how Daeron’s prophetic dragon dreams drive his addiction.
Quick read:
- Henry Ashton explains Daeron Targaryen’s alchohol addiction
- He drinks alcohol to suppress his dreams/prophetic visions
- Daeron doesn’t like to drink but has to
Credits: HBO
The surface: Daeron the Drunken
On the surface, Daeron appears as a charming but unreliable Targaryen prince; quick with a joke, quicker with a drink. But Henry Ashton emphasizes that the alcoholism is rooted in deep torment.
“I loved the… relationship between like alcohol and dreams. Alcohol suppresses REM sleep… so you don’t dream. And that’s why Daeron drinks so much—to suppress these dreams that absolutely terrify him.”
Daeron’s prophetic visions; dragon dreams that come true, haunt him relentlessly, turning sleep into a nightmare he can’t escape without help.
The science of suppression: REM Sleep and the buildup
Ashton draws on real biology to explain Daeron’s cycle:
“Alcohol will suppress REM sleep… Um, and that’s why Daeron drinks so much… But the really upsetting thing… is that that REM sleep never dissipates. Your body builds up a need for it. So if you’re pushing it off… if you have a five day bender… your body is just desperate to dream… And it will take it… as soon as you stop drinking—all that buildup and you have the most insane dream.”
He explains how this creates a vicious loop: Daeron drinks to avoid the visions, but the longer he suppresses them, the more overwhelming they become when the alcohol wears off.
Desperation, not choice: “He f**king needs to drink”
Ashton highlights the emotional core as well:
“That element of desperation… gives someone who is trying to suppress their dreams… they can’t fucking stop drinking because… they’re going to get hit with a tidal wave of these horrific dreams.”
It can be easily seen in the series that Daeron isn’t just an alcoholic who enjoys wine. Rather he’s a man trapped in survival mode. The drinking is necessity, not preference.
“He’s an alcoholic, but it’s… not just because he likes to drink. It’s cause he fucking needs to drink.”
This nuance makes Daeron one of the most sympathetic Targaryens ever.
