The season 2 finale of House of the Dragon provides fans with a ton of setup for what's to come next, some of it interesting and some of it not so much. One storyline we're particularly interested in is Aegon's, who flees King's Landing with Larys in the final moments of the season. Though the character himself is truly awful, it's Tom Glynn-Carney's layered performance that has me so invested. And while Aegon might be at "rock bottom" right now, the actor teases that he will only become more interesting as the story progresses.
It might be deserved, but Aegon has a pretty rough season. Though he sits the Iron Throne and gains many followers, he's treated like a fool as he proves himself incapable of ruling the Seven Kingdoms. Not only that, but his power-hungry brother Aemond seemingly tries to kill him multiple times and, oh yeah, he nearly dies during the Battle at Rook's Rest. And though he survives, it's not without permanent damages. In the season 2 finale, he reveals one of these injuries to Larys, telling him that his penis is destroyed and he can't even pee normally anymore. That's an unpleasant visual.
What doesn't kill Aegon makes him stronger?
While speaking with Business Insider, Glynn-Carney calls this conversation between Aegon and Larys "pure rock bottom" for his character, explaining: "I think he felt like he had nothing to lose, and his dignity went out of the window very early on due to his injuries."
"I think that's the first time he's acknowledged that about himself. And as we all know, Aegon found a lot of use for that part of his body. So I think he's going to have to reevaluate how he spends his spare time."Tom Glynn-Carney
But it won't be all doom and gloom for Aegon moving forward. Glynn-Carney spoke about his excitement for season 3 to continue playing his character in this new physical state, explaining that his injuries won't stop him: "And even though his physicality has changed now, I don't particularly think for him, in terms of how unpredictable and how volatile he is — I don't think that's going to change at all. If anything, there will be more."
Aegon has to learn to adapt now that he's leaving King's Landing, though as Glynn-Carney teases, we can't predict how he will react to his new surroundings. Just like his brother Aemond, Aegon is an incredibly complex character who commands each scene he's in, and the fact that he's going somewhere new should only make the third season more interesting. So where are Larys and Aegon going at the end of season 2? Well, their first stop should be the Iron Bank of Braavos, but after that, we're not completely sure.
We do know where Aegon ends up in the source material, Fire & Blood, though we won't spoil that here for any non-book readers. The show has also changed a good amount from the book, so it's possible Aegon could be headed somewhere completely different, at least for a little while.
Though some of the characters disappointed me in the second season of House of the Dragon (looking at you, Daemon), I was also pleasantly surprised by others, like Aegon. Here's hoping his storyline is just as engaging in the third season. With Glynn-Carney portraying him, I'm sure it will be.
Both seasons of House of the Dragon are streaming on Max. While we wait for more updates about the third season, keep up with our coverage of other fantasy shows here at Winter is Coming.
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