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Warning: SPOILERS ahead for House of the Dragon season 2, episode 4!
Summary
- Aemond’s motivations in the battle at Rook’s Rest are complex, rooted in perceived inferiority and past trauma.
- Aemond may not have intentionally burned Aegon, but his actions raise questions about his intentions.
- Director Alan Taylor and actor Ewan Mitchell discuss the layered motivations behind Aemond’s actions during the battle, indicating what it means for the future.
House of the Dragon director Alan Taylor and actor Ewan Mitchell have weighed in on Aemond’s motivations during the battle at Rook’s Rest in the newest episode of the fantasy series. The end of House of the Dragon season 2, episode 4, sees Ser Criston Cole summon the Targaryen prince alongside Vhagar to help them win their latest battle. However, his brother Aegon also shows up, the King falling after his dragon, Sunfyre, is killed. Aemond seemingly almost kills the King himself, who is saved when Cole arrives just in time.
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Taylor and Mitchell, the latter of whom portrays Aemond, offered their perspectives on the young prince’s motivations in House of the Dragon during the battle at Rook’s Rest. The director explained how there are many layered motivations to what he did during the fight, while the actor talked about whether he really wanted Aegon dead. Check out what Taylor and Mitchell had to say below:
Ewan Mitchell:
It was no secret that he felt like Aegon was inferior to himself. He felt like Aegon lacked the perseverance to be a leader. Also, it’s no secret that Aegon was almost the ringleader to a lot of Aemond’s childhood torment and trauma.I think that maybe Aemond would never have intended to burn Aegon, but it just so happened that Aegon was there tangled with Rhaenys and Meleys when he was on top of Sunfyre. It raises the question of whether or not he would’ve done that or if Aegon was just collateral damage. I think that’s compelling. Maybe it was when Aegon brought in the Pink Dread [as children] when Aemond was like, ‘I’m going to burn him one day for this.’ Who knows?
Alan Taylor:
We wanted to sustain multiple motivations that might have happened there. It’s a battle move, but he did deliberately join the battle late, and he is being a little bit indiscriminate with how he’s blasting fire. So I think you can believe whatever you want to believe about his motivations there.
More to come…
Source: EW