Contains SPOILERS for the season 2 finale of House of the Dragon and HUGE SPOILERS for Fire & Blood, the series’ original adaptation.
Summary
- Aegon Targaryen claims the nickname “The Joy of the Realm” to be revered like Rhaenyra.
- Aegon strives for the love of his people but fails, leading to his death after the Dance of Dragons.
- House of the Dragon portrays the complexity between Aegon’s desire to be loved and his actions.
House of the Dragon Season 2 continued interesting changes to Aegon Targaryen, including the nickname “The Realm’s Delight” in the finalePlayed by actor Tom Glynn-Carney in the House of the Dragon Season 2 tried to present the Green King as a more sympathetic figurehead. He’s done some truly unforgivable things, but he’s vulnerable and sad, which makes him easy to pity, especially in the episodes leading up to the Battle of Rook’s Rest.
The House of the Dragon At the end of Season 2, Aegon II escapes King’s Landing and survives to fight another day rather than be killed by Rhaenyra or his brother Aemond.In conversation with Larys Strong, the Lord tries to convince Aegon that he is considered a survivor who can later return to King’s Landing and save the people of Rhaenyra after realizing their mistake in trying to make her queen. This scene has enormous connotations for Aegon’s wishes and desires.
Aegon envies Rhaenyra for her nickname “The Realm’s Delight”
Aegon wants to be loved by people like Rhaenyra
When Larys lists possible nicknames for Aegon, the king calls himself “The Realm’s Delight.” This refers to Rhaenyra, who was called “The Realm’s Delight” by the people of Westeros in her childhood. Essentially, this is shows that Aegon has a desire to be admired by the realm, just like RhaenyraThe idea of Aegon’s possible nickname circled House of the Dragon Season 2, where he is referred to as “Aegon the Magnanimous” in Episode 1.
By choosing “The Realm’s Delight” he essentially expresses that he wants to be remembered as a champion of the common people.
Targaryen monarchs have often been given nicknames that define their rules, such as “the Conqueror” or “the Cruel,” and this underlying storyline shows Aegon thinking about what impact he wants his monarchy to have. By choosing “the joy of the realm,” he’s essentially saying he wants to be remembered as a champion of the common people. Choosing a nickname for yourself and earning it naturally is a whole differentwhich shows Aegon’s naivety. He wants to be loved, but that doesn’t come naturally to him and that will ultimately define him.
Killing Rhaenyra still doesn’t bring Aegon the love and admiration he always wanted
People still hate Aegon even after he won
For a short time, Aegon sees himself as the victor of the Dance of Dragons after killing Rhaenyra Targaryen. But murdering his older sister and returning to King’s Landing to reinstate himself as king do not earn him the admiration he seems to desire. In fact, shortly after returning to the capital, he is poisoned and killed by his own council. House of the Dragon might try to make Aegon a character the audience can pity, creating a gap between his desire to be good and his innate ability to be good.
House of the Dragon
4.0
About 172 years before the events of game of Thrones, House of the Dragon tells the story of the rise of the Targaryens, the only family of dragon lords to survive the fall of Valyria. The popular HBO spin-off series initially starred Milly Alcock and Emily Carey as Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower, before being replaced by Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke, who play the older versions of the characters. Also starring in the series are Matt Smith (Prince Daemon Targaryen) and Paddy Considine as Rhaenyra’s father, King Viserys Targaryen.
- Pour
- Jefferson Hall, Paddy Considine, Fabien Frankel, Ryan Corr, Eve Best, Gavin Spokes, Graham McTavish, Steve Toussaint, Olivia Cooke, Sonoya Mizuno, Bill Paterson, Matthew Needham, Emma D’Arcy, Matt Smith, Rhys Ifans, David Horovitch
- Release date
- 21 August 2022
- Seasons
- 2
