The heart tree in the weirwood of Harrenhal is of particular significance because the heart trees are sacred to the people of the North, who worship the Old Gods of Westeros. It’s worth noting that Aemond’s body is found near the Isle of Faces, an island in the center of the Gods Eye that’s a holy place and one of the only weirwood forests left in the south, believed to be a place where mystical children of the forest might still live. After Daemon’s treatment of the heart tree, it’s unlikely he would be welcomed on the island, which means his remains may have been destroyed by magical means or he was taken somewhere by the supernatural inhabitants of the isle. Not only that, but the Targaryens are already invaders to Westeros. By the end, the land itself has become his enemy, and it’s possible that he was swallowed up by the Gods Eye completely because Westeros was taking her vengeance on an abusive invader.
Whatever the case may be, Daemon comes to an incredibly tragic end at Harrenhal, and it will be interesting to see how the television series adapts his fate. (Who knows? Maybe they’ll decide to take the route where he somehow magically survived! People do love Matt Smith.) We’ll have to wait a few seasons to see what happens, but there should be lots of fun little clues to follow until then.
New episodes of “House of the Dragon” season 2 premiere Sundays on HBO and Max.