Aemond Is King, Tom Glynn-Carney on Aegon’s Struggle

spoiler ALERT: This story contains spoilers for “House of the Dragon” Season 2 Episode 5, titled “Regent,” now streaming on Max.

After Sunday’s fiery dragon battle left Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Best) and her dragon Malleus dead, this past episode of “House of the Dragon” slowed down some of the lingering issues while showcasing the fallout from Rook’s remaining gives.

The struggle may be Vegeta’s victory, but no one is celebrating the King’s touchdown. Kristen Cole (Fabian Frankel) and her soldiers march through the streets with Mélez’s severed head, though the audience is more horrified than inspired by the undead dragon. Soldiers bring King Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney) for medical treatment, then he and his dragon Sunfire are ambushed by his brother Aemond Targaryen (Evan Mitchell) and his evil dragon, Vhagar, and severely burned. Gave.

Egon is not looking like his regular good looking self. His armor melted into his skin, his bones shattered and the masters were not sure how long he would live. With his brother unconscious, Aemond seeks the Iron Throne and becomes Prince Regent – ​​which may have been his plan all along. He is overtaken by his mother, Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke), who is not satisfied with being left out in the line of succession.

Across the sea, Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) is mourning the death of his husband Rhaenys, and Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) must strategize how to take down the greatest dragon of the Blacks. Her son Jace (Harry Collette) continues to rally allies, though Rhaenyra doesn’t want to jeopardize her eldest child’s moment of conflict just yet.

At Harrenhal, Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) helps maintain the visible horrors in the haunted castle’s halls. Later suffering from the eye disease of young Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock) and his late wife Lana Velaryon (Nanna Blondell), this time he longs for his mother, Alyssa Targaryen – but since he is having sex with her. The terrifying Oedipal episode reveals that Daemon resents being the younger brother of King Viserys and no longer claiming the Iron Throne for himself. In the same era, Rhaenyra realizes that she wants Daemon and his dragons to go to war, so she sends Ser Alfred Broome (Jamie Kenna) to bring him home.

The episode ends with Aemond looking ominously at the Iron Throne, Aegon lying pitifully in bed and Jace and Rhaenyra contemplating how to oppose Aemond and Vhagar. The Blacks have dragons, but they need additional riders, so they decide to seek out “dragonseeds” – habituated populations with Targaryen blood in their lineage who can attack the beasts. Rhaenyra’s strength is 0-2 against Whangar, so this may be her most effective shot to even out the percentage.

Glynn-Carney didn’t have much to do as Aegon in this episode, as he once suffered third-degree burns and was confined to his bed, but his presence still looms very much over Westeros. Was staying. with selectionThey talk about their tragedies after the battle, Emond’s betrayal, and what will happen next to the damaged king.

What was it like seeing the makeup and prosthetics for Egon’s look and then the rest of Rook’s look?

The level of testing was long, and it took a year to complete everything we were traveling for. A variety of other variations. To mention the least, the only thing we compromised on was the husky once.

How did you really feel with makeup on for almost the entire episode? Was there a point where you mentioned waking up for a brief scene? In “Fire and Blood”, Aegon is out for a month, so I was curious to what extent Aegon could be out of duty?

Cleverly, on the negative side, we couldn’t give Emond a month or two to hang out at his place. We needed to speed up the era a bit. But it was definitely awesome. This was restrictive in overall reasonable strategy. It was claustrophobic at times. It informed the best way for me to breathe, move, and speak, every time I did it. I was very grateful to be involved in the dialogue process from the idea stage to the end.

Have you ever created an unused melody for Aegon when he is able to speak again?

I did not collect the unused tonality. I did a lot of studying on how intense heat and irritation can affect your vocal folds, and can completely destroy them. Obviously, I can’t do this myself, so I needed to give you a chance to copy it. This was something I definitely needed to believe when visiting this untapped level of Aegon. He has to actually feel changed, as if he has been changed. And that’s what I’m hoping will read in the end.

In his incapacitated state, does Aegon know that Aemond deliberately attacked and burned him? How do you explain the overall scene of Episode 4, when it looks like Aemond is sheathing his sword as Aegon approaches, or he’s going shooting?

This is to get the target audience to reach a decision. I will not talk about that. I don’t need to tell people what to think. He’s up for grabs.

Episode 4 has a gorgeous scene of Aegon and Sunfire combining as he rides her. What level of duty does Aegon really feel for what happened to his dragon?

He is very attentive to Egon. What I loved about that life was that there was a one-minute shining look at their dating at every opportunity and the vulnerability between them. It’s funny, I have a beautiful blonde retriever, and the week we had that scene, at one point it felt as if it was my dog, Ziggy, pushing my chest. It felt like it was the one. So any interaction I have with Sunfire there is like having my own dog.

Each option is identified and monitored, and so they do not go through each option as quickly as they would like, although there is probably an excellent explanation for this. It lends itself to showcasing Aegon’s vulnerability and that softer side that I’ve tried to flesh out a little more this season.

So would Aegon actually feel some duty for what happened to him?

after all. It’s like taking your dog for a walk and he gets hit by a vehicle. It’s my mistake.

How does removing Aegon from the board affect Alicent and Vegeta?

Cleverly, by Aegon’s bedside, he presumably thinks it gives him a little more room to become a major force within the Mini Council. This frees up that seat at the end of the desk. I don’t think Aegon’s in bed thinking “Oh, Aemond will probably sit there as Prince Regent.”

So wouldn’t you believe that the Aegon concept was Aemond’s intention to sit on the Iron Throne? In Season 1, there was a life where Aegon didn’t want the throne, but Aemond brought him back to take it.

I think that idea was born right here at the beginning of Season 2, where Aegon is talking about how Aemond is as stubborn as a dog and can attack enemies on command and spread his wings throughout the realm. Knows the playground. However that coin can flip in any life. We’re all dancing on a knife’s edge, and all it takes is a minute’s push from one side to the other. With ongoing instability in Targaryen blood, betrayal is a possibility at all times. Although then again, was this intentional? After all, who knows?

What will Westeros be like if Aemond becomes king?

That must be a metal fist, right? I think he would be a very strict person and more than likely he would be a cold king. From the beginning, he will have a population to worry about. He often talks about being bullied as a child, so he wants to establish himself as a stable, tough guy who will not be messed with, which could be bad if he holds a royal position.

In Episode 4, Aegon becomes involved in the struggle for the remainder of Rook because he feels like he is not being noticed on the council, and he wants to be a good king. He made some questionable decisions, but he seems to be trying to do the right thing. How did you play the game with him in those moments?

He does not want to remain hidden as an excellent king. he is other Creature An excellent king. It’s about its impact and how to understand it. The way I’m playing with him is how he’s basically seen through King’s Touchdown and Westeros. He doesn’t want to have to hide to do the right thing. To me it’s a sell-out month when he realizes that some of the options he’s choosing don’t provide that.

This interview has been edited and condensed.