This article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon season 2, episode 6.
Summary
Ewan Mitchell explains why Aemond gives the stone to Aegon inHouse of the Dragonseason 2, episode 6. Mitchell plays Aemond Targaryen, the second son of the late King Viserys Targaryen and Alicent Hightower. In season 2,Aemond has become a central character in the show’s high drama.InHouse of theDragonseason 2, episode 4, Aemond made a powerful move by flying into battle and unleashing dragonfire on King Aegon, who survived but is in dire condition, allowing Aemond to take over as protector of the realm. In episode 6, he confronted his bed-ridden brother.
Speaking withVariety, Mitchell addressedwhy Aemond gives Aegon the Small Council stone marker during this tense encounter.Mitchell upheld a degree of mystery behind theHouse of the Dragonscene, explaining that “If [he] give[s] all the answers, people will stop asking the questions.” He still spoke to some of the character themes in the episode 6 moment, saying that it was “a new dynamic for Aemond"and comparing the character to “this spider leering over his prey in the web.” Check out the full quote from Mitchell below:
You’ll have to wait and see. I love that scene, because it’s almost like Stephen King’s “Misery.” It’s like this spider leering over his prey in the web. You’re right there in the palm of my hand. That’s certainly a new dynamic for Aemond, as well as his brother, who’s now physically inferior than him. I can’t wait to see where it goes. If I give all the answers, people will stop asking the questions. That’s a really cool way of looking at it. It’s the king’s marker. Maybe Aemond is giving it back to his brother, maybe he’s trying to reassure him that everything’s gonna be okay — “You’ll be king after you recover” — maybe lure him into that false sense of security.
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He’s Showing Signs Of Life, But Can He Rule Westeros Again?
Mitchell went on to suppose potential meanings of theHouse of the Dragonscene, noting that this stone from the Small Council is “the king’s marker.” He posited that"maybe Aemond is giving it back to his brother” in an effort to “lure him into that false sense of security"that things are going to work out and that Aegon will “be king after [he] recover[s].” After all, Aemond was stated as the next in line to the throne inHouse of the Dragonseason 2, episode 5, so he has a stake in whether Aegon lives or dies.
House Of The Dragon Season 2, Episode 6 Ending Explained
House of the Dragon season 2, episode 6, offers plenty of new material to break down. Here’s our explanation of the episode’s climactic moments.
Episode 6 leaves Aegon’s fate once again hanging in the balance. Right now,the king’s health is in a precarious state, as the wound on his chest is rotting, and he is still sleeping for the majority of the day (9 hours for every 10, according to episode 6). In his lethargic state, Aegon can be likened to his predecessor, his fatherKing Viserys, who spentHouse of the Dragonseason 1slowly withering away as he was afflicted with injuries that left him ever closer to death’s door.
While the parallels between Aegon and Viserys are interesting, the slow-death-by-injury arc has already been done for aHouse of the Dragonking, making it unlikely that the show will take the same path in season 2.Aegon’s fate could end at the hands of Aemond, who has already made an attempt at the king’s life once and may not be afraid to do so again. Each season 2 episode also brings the families closer to all-out war with Rhaenyra’s group, the outcome of which will be explored in the last two episodes.
How Aegon Mirrors King Viserys
Aegon And Viserys' Afflictions Are Not Their Only Similarity
As mentioned, Aegon’s arc bears some similarity to the late King Viserys, who served as ruler up until his death inHouse of the Dragonseason 1. In said season,Viserys is injured by cutting himself on the Iron Throne, and his wound, which begins as a cut finger, does not heal easily. His hand rots away and is eventually amputated, a microcosm of his decrepit body’s progression. Aegon’s dragon fight-induced injuries are even more severe than Visyers', and his youth renders the situation even more tragic.
Beyond their injuries, kingsAegon and Viserys also both underwent the death of their firstborn son. For Viserys, this fatality came in theHouse of the Dragonpilot, when a failed C-section resulted in the death of his beloved wife and then, shortly after, the newborn son that they tried to save.House of the Dragonseason 2, episode 6 recalls this plot point during its episode, staging Viserys in one of Daemon’s visions. This flashback helps recall King Viserys' grief, which set off the plot of season 1.
Episode 8: Title TBA
August 4
Aegon lost his firstborn son earlier this season, when he was slain at the hands of Blood and Cheese in theHouse of the Dragonseason 2 premiere. While Aegon has experienced grief over this death, the more relevant likeness to Viserys lies in the fact thatthis leaves him without a clear heir. As discussed inHouse of the Dragonseason 2, episode 5, this is prescient in the current season, as, sonless, Aegon’s fragile health necessitates the selection of an heir outside the more conventional path.
This predicament then leads to the most glaring difference between Aegon and Viserys: their chosen next in line. Viserys asserted that his daughter Rhaenyra would be queen, rather than his brother, Daemon. Now,Rhaenyra is still alive and calculatedly vying for the throne, and her unchosen uncle Daemon is grieving over his past errors. With the would-be queen’s return to King’s Landing ever looming and Aemond being deemed the rightful heir in conventional succession, chaos — and likely war — is bound to ensue should Aegon succumb to his wounds inHouse of the Dragonseason 2’s conclusion.
