Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 2.
The Big Picture
- Tom Glynn-Carney's Aegon portrayal adds depth to House of the Dragon Season 2's succession conflict.
- Aegon's poorly executed intentions and actions make his unique tragic story stand out among Westeros rulers.
- The generational trauma that the Greens suffer through affects family relationships and actions.
HBO's return to Westeros sees the splintered Targaryen family descend into their doomed and legendary conflict over who is the rightful ruler of the Seven Kingdoms. Arriving back with a vengeance, the second season of House of the Dragon has swiftly established itself as a tour de force of exceptional performances from its star-studded cast, with an abundance of noteworthy moments coming from both the Greens and the Blacks. The standout from the faction in Dragonstone is their queen themselves, as Emma D'Arcy's second outing as Rhaenyra has been a masterclass in conveying deep, complex emotions.They only spoke 4 words in the season premiere, yet remained a tremendous presence despite such limited dialogue. However, Rhaenyra's rival for the Iron Throne has likewise been utterly captivating.
Though Tom Glynn-Carney's performance as Aegon wasn't as prevalent in season 1 as his counterpart on the Blacks, he has rapidly asserted himself as a formidable and capable actor able to utterly dominate a scene. While the majority of episode 2 sees Aegon in a raucous grief-stricken rage, Glynn-Carney's most noteworthy moment is a far quieter scene, as he portrays Aegon's anguished grief over his son's death in a private, tearful breakdown that conveys fathoms of emotion, despite not uttering a single word. Aegon is meant to be a flawed character — he's immature, selfish, and entirely out of his depth as a ruler. But despite this, Glynn-Carney is able to present Aegon as a sympathetic character as well, a critically important task that makes the conflict over succession all the more tragic for both sides.
House of the Dragon
TV-MA
Fantasy
Drama
Action
Adventure
810
The reign of House Targaryen begins with this prequel to the popular HBO seriesGame of Thrones. Based on George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood, House of the Dragonis set nearly 200 years before Game of Thrones, telling the story of the Targaryen civil war with King Viserys.
- Release Date
- August 21, 2022
- Creator
- Ryan J. Condal, George R.R. Martin
- Cast
- Paddy Considine , Olivia Cooke , Rhys Ifans , Matt Smith , Eve Best , Steve Toussaint , Emma D'Arcy , Milly Alco*ck , Emily Carey
- Main Genre
- Drama
- Seasons
- 4
- Distributor
- HBO
Despite Aegon's Many, Many Flaws, He Truly Loved His Son
Whether one sides with the Greens or the Blacks, there is no question that Aegon is ill-prepared to be king. While other characters naturally ascend into leadership, Aegon's character and values are not what one would want from an all-powerful dragon king. While he's meant to garner sympathy in many regards, it's still important to note that Aegon himself has committed plenty of heinous actions, and will likely descend into more as the war worsens. His assault of a handmaiden is unforgivable and his constant neglect of his wife and queen, Helaena (Phia Saban), is one of the most unrelenting tragedies in the series thus far.
But among the worst of Westerosi rulers, Aegon's story is wholly unique, a different kind of tragedy. He isn't Joffrey (Jack Gleeson), needlessly sad*stic for pleasure. He isn't the Mad King Aerys, tyrannical and obsessive to the point of destruction. Much of Aegon's brief rule thus far can instead be seen as well-meaning but poorly executed. Unlike other rulers, Aegon holds no ill will towards the smallfolk, though saying he bears love for them might be an exaggeration. His offer to return a shepherd's flock encapsulates his ruling style: good intentions, awful execution.
This contrast between intention and effect is best encapsulated in his treatment of his son and heir, Jaehaerys. Unlike Aegon's own upbringing, where he suffered from neglect and was never properly prepared to rule, Aegon earnestly wanted his son to become a strong king after him. However, he once again misses the mark in this, showing cruelty towards Jason Lannister (Jefferson Hall) and dismissing his daughter (a poignant reminder of the overarching trappings of Westerosi patriarchy that ultimately incited this bloody conflict in the first place). Jaehaerys is set up as the one person that Aegon loves and prioritizes the most, which makes his assassination feel even more brutally tragic.
Tom Glynn-Carney Stunningly Depicts Aegon's Visceral Grief
In the aftermath of Daemon's clandestine plotting that led to the death of his son, whatever remained of Aegon's inhibitions and restraint were unleashed, and Tom Glynn-Carney got the opportunity to utterly dominate the spotlight. Though Aegon is best known for his blustering and self-aggrandizing, spending far more time concerned with his titles than governing, it's ultimately through his physical actions, both in the minute and expressive, that Glynn-Carney fully expresses the complexity of his character.
The start of Episode 2 is a foreboding sight, establishing how untethered Aegon has become. He hacks away at Viserys' model of Old Valyria with a sword, furiously cursing Rhaenyra with each swing of the blade. And despite this already unrestrained display of fury, Aegon descends further in the Small Council meeting where they discuss their response to this treachery and assassination as the unprepared king splinters under the weight of the tragedy. After spending so much time looking like a young but nonetheless regal ruler, Glynn-Carney's portrayal of Aegon's faltering confidence is tragically sympathetic, conveyed through expressive body language; Aegon shrinks in his seat, appearing like a lost child seeking his mother's comfort. This moment is such a stark contrast from a previous scene where the new king lounges casually on the Iron Throne, a striking image considering the fated seat had once cut King Viserys (Paddy Considine) as an omen of impending doom.
But all of Aegon's emotional outbursts throughout the episode culminate in a heartbreaking moment, as Aegon breaks down into distraught, grief-stricken tears in his private quarters. This is Glynn-Carney's most memorable scene in the series thus far and is one of the most visceral depictions of grief and distress. It's a moment that humanizes Aegon, taking a moment of reprieve from his vengeful anger and instead replacing it with the downtrodden emotions of a father who lost his son. Glynn-Carney's expressions convey the depth of his anguish, his shoulders shaking from the intensity of his weeping. Considering how much Aegon values appearing strong and powerful, seeing him release his emotions in a moment of vulnerability and weakness is deeply cathartic. However, despite Aegon's lack of control over his emotions in this scene, Glynn-Carney is not uncontrolled in his performance. Between the shoulder-shuddering sobs, there is attention to the smaller details of Aegon's mannerisms. Similar to his mother Alicent (Olivia Cooke), Aegon developed a similar mannerism of fidgeting with his hands when under duress. Alicent picks at her fingernails until they are raw while her son Aegon fiddles with his signet ring as if uncomfortable with the weight of responsibility it places upon him.
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Alicent and Halaena's grief did more than just replicate the event in George R. R. Martin's novel.
The Greens Harbor Generational Trauma and Resentment
Aegon's characterization is made far more complex and compelling in this humanizing moment. He's a tragic character, yet another victim of generational trauma that haunts the Great Houses of Westeros. In what's become an unfortunate Hightower tradition, each of the younger generation in the Greens has suffered through manipulation and abandonment. Otto Hightower manipulated Alicent into becoming queen, the same way they both schemed to get Aegon on the throne. Despite their overarching attempts at securing prosperity and security for their family, the Greens are utterly incapable of providing comfort to one another, resulting in lasting trauma from the neglect and manipulation that permeates their house.
The final scenes of episode 2 perfectly illustrate this toxic cycle as moments before Aegon's breakdown, Otto (Rhys Ifan) utterly shuts down Alicent's attempt at seeking comfort and penance. But when Alicent sees her son in distress, she is unable to give him comfort, once more neglecting her responsibility as a mother. Despite her good intentions, Alicent continues to perpetuate the toxicity instigated by her father. Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) and Helaena likewise suffer from Alicent's absent motherhood, experiencing their own forms of neglect. While there is surely love among the Greens, their utter inability to speak to one another and develop an understanding of one another will only further haunt them.
Aegon's time on the throne has already been marred by so much tragedy and bloodshed, incited and perpetuated by the conflict of past generations and the cycle of familial abandonment. While his indiscriminate killing of the Red Keep's ratcatchers is heinous, it's informed by his outraged response to such a heartbreaking loss. For all his bluster, Aegon is still just a young man with a realm thrust upon him with a son that was just mercilessly slaughtered, and a family unable to provide him with even a moment's comfort and security. Tom Glynn-Carney's portrayal of the new king's heart-wrenching tears humanizes the Targaryen but is also a foreboding sign of all the suffering that will come to Westeros because of this conflict.
House of the Dragon is streaming now on Max.
