With the first season of House of the Dragon coming to an end, fans have already come to pick favorites within the cast. Characters like Daemon, Rhaenyra, Viserys, and Alicent have earned the love and respect of the fanbase. But there is one character who gets a pretty bad rap.
Aemond Targaryen, the son of Alicent Hightower and King Viserys I, has really come to be one of the show’s most hated characters. From his cold nature to his cunning wit and willingness to harm others, he has quickly become a villain as hated as Joffrey. Yet there are some aspects of Aemond’s character that fans have been misunderstanding.
Aemond Is Not Just Daemon Reborn
A common critique of Aemond is that he is nothing more than a younger version of Rhaenyra’s husband, Daemon. After all, the growing rivalry between Daemon and Aemond has already led to a confrontation, and it can be hard to look past the fact that Daemon and Aemond are the same names with only the “D” moved.
Both may be second sons, and both may be cruel people, but their expression of that cruelty is incredibly different. Aemond remains stable enough that he doesn’t earn a banishment from King’s Landing every other week, and he rarely seems to visit brothels the way that Daemon does. While Daemon is wild and unpredictable, Aemond wants nothing more than to train for war.
Aemond Could Not Have Waited To Claim Vhagar
While many fans have come to accept that Aemond rightfully claimed Vhagar, they still claim that the boy should have waited to attempt it. Yet Aemond couldn’t. After all, with the king’s party about to leave Driftmark, he really didn’t have another chance to spend time with Vhagar.
Aemond waited as long as he possibly could. But when his mother was encouraging her sons to prepare for war with Rhaenyra, the bullied Aemond really did need to get himself a dragon if he wanted to survive. Now, Aemond is one of the most powerful dragonriders, but he would have had nothing if he had waited even a moment longer.
Aemond Was Raised To Hate The Strong Boys
Many fans despise Aemond for targeting Rhaenyra’s first two sons, the sons of Harwin Strong, especially since the boys seem particularly sweet. Yet Aemond was never given the chance to see the good side of Luke and Jace, since the two of them helped to bully him.
Between the Pink Dread and the fact that the boys were willing to sneak down and fight him in the tunnels, he had no reason to love them. That combined with the fact that Alicent was whispering in his ear about the boys being bastards willing to usurp Aegon, it is a wonder they managed to keep away from conflict for as long as they did.
Aemond Was Entitled To No Inheritance
While many may complain about Aemond feeling so slighted, despite being incredibly privileged, Aemond actually will likely never earn land or a title for himself. As a second son, who falls lower down the line of succession with every child that Rhaenyra and Aegon have, it’s unlikely that he will ever inherit the Iron Throne.
Much like Otto or Daemon, Aemond will have to work if he ever wishes to make a name for himself. So, while his training in the yard may be excessive, it could also be because martial skills are all that Aemond can possibly have for himself. Much like Jon Snow in Game of Thrones, he needs to find a place in the world, and Criston Cole has provided it.
Aemond Had Reason To Despise Luke From The Start
Fans everywhere have been rolling their eyes about Aemond hating Luke as much as he does. While some have pointed to the attack in the halls of Driftmark as the source of their conflict, Aemond actually had a reason to hate Luke even before the boy took his eye.
With Luke as the heir to Driftmark, he is entitled to land and titles even in spite of being a second-born son and a bastard. Aemond, the trueborn son of a king, is entitled to nothing but a name. It must be incredibly frustrating for Aemond to see, especially when it is publicly known that Luke is a bastard.
Rhaena Was Not Entitled To Vhagar
In claiming Vhagar, Aemond claimed one of the biggest dragons in Game of Thrones history. It made him an instant threat and a horrifying enemy that the Blacks should have really tried to bring over to their side, long before the conflict in Driftmark. Yet, instead, Rhaena claimed that Aemond stole her dragon.
In reality, dragons are not passed down through a bloodline. Instead, dragons are sentient creatures with a mind and desires of their own. Aemond did nothing wrong by claiming Vhagar. In fact, he even waited as long as he possibly could to reach out to her. If Rhaena wanted to attempt to bond with her, she should have tried it sooner.
Aemond Did Not Start The Fight About Vhagar
As much as Aemond insulted Rhaena, he really was not at fault for the fact that a fight started between him and his cousins and nephews. After all, he initially responded only defensively. When Rhaena pushed him, he shoved her down. When Baela hit him so hard that he fell to the floor, he hit her back.
While the fight escalated at that point, which was Aemond’s fault, it is ridiculous that some fans say that Aemond outright started the fight. He responded by mimicking the actions of his attackers. It was only when Jace and Luke involved themselves that Aemond escalated with threats.
He Is Not Crueler Than Daemon
With most fans claiming that Aemond and Daemon are mirrors of each other, they have been arguing that Aemond is as cruel as Daemon. Yet that claim isn’t exactly one with merit. After all, Aemond has been content to remain inside the Red Keep, making comments and training, but not hurting anyone.
While Daemon beats messengers, kills people, and even brutally injures and murders his own wife, Aemond has remained by his family’s side. In fact, it is Aegon who has been killing people, while Daemon continues on his rampages. It’s a sign of Aemond’s restraint and Daemon’s lack thereof.
Aemond Loves And Respects His Mother
While Alicent makes many parenting mistakes, it is clear that Aemond still absolutely loves and adores his mother. After all, he went to her when Aegon and the Strong boys bullied him with the pig, and she was entirely willing and able to comfort and defend her son, even from Aegon.
Aemond also defended his mother by claiming that it was Aegon who told him that the Strong boys were bastards. In return, she came to his defense against a king, and she even tried to take Luke’s eye in turn. While it was brutal and unnecessary, it did show the love that Aemond and Alicent have for each other.
Aemond Only Fights If Provoked
While Aemond has been the subject of much attention, he is not as wild as most people claim. Though he clearly enjoys making jabs at the Strong boys, he only really does it if provoked, and never truly without thinking. Unlike Daemon, Aemond truly is cunning.
After all, even at the dinner with his nephews, Aemond only makes a comment about the Strong Boys after Luke laughs at him. He also only attacks Baela after she attacked him. Aemond is rarely the one to make the first move, but he is always happy to make the final one.
