Aemond and Daemon Targaryen share many similarities – they both ride formidable dragons in Westeros, have remarkable hair, and are fixated on each other.
Daemon seeks revenge on Aemond at the request of Rhaenyra, following the death of her son Lucerys in the season 1 finale, leading to the tragic events of Blood and Cheese. Although Aemond was the intended target of the murder plot, it was young Jaehaerys who ultimately lost his life gruesomely (whether Daemon ordered this specific killing remains ambiguous).
How have Aemond’s feelings towards Daemon evolved after Blood and Cheese? According to Ewan Mitchell, who portrays Aemond in the show, the obsession is deep – exemplified by a coin Aemond discovers after the murder, left in the same spot where he had been sitting just hours earlier. The coin, knocked to the ground by one of the assassins, serves as evidence of how close Aemond came to death at Daemon’s command.
“The significance Aemond sees in that coin, everything it symbolizes, that he picks up in episode 2: the notion that he is now worthy enough for Daemon Targaryen, who is regarded as the most formidable man, fighter, and dragon rider in the realm,” Mitchell explains. “The fact that he is now being pursued by Daemon, there is almost a romantic element to it for Aemond.
“I made a point to always keep that coin on me throughout season 2 after that moment,” he adds. “Because Daemon ultimately resides rent-free in Aemond’s mind.”
House of the Dragon season 2 airs weekly on Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW in the UK and HBO in the US.
For more insights from our conversation with Mitchell, delve into his thoughts on the gripping episode 4 conclusion, how Michael Myers influenced his portrayal of Aemond, and the similarities Aemond shares with Robert De Niro’s character in Heat.
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