House of the Dragon star Ewan Mitchell offers an in-depth explanation regarding Aemond’s state of mind in season 2. Serving as an adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, the hit Game of Thrones spinoff recently returned for season 2, continuing the story of the Targaryen house as it tumbles closer toward all-out war. Prince Aemond played a crucial role in the onset of this conflict with his murder of Lucerys (Elliot Grihault) in the House of the Dragon season 1 finale, and season 2 has been leaning more into his vulnerabilities.

In a recent interview with Variety, Mitchell touches on the new version of Aemond viewers are seeing so far in House of the Dragon season 2. According to the actor, some of Aemond’s issues that have been explored in the first three episodes of the show’s sophomore outing stem from his flawed relationship with his mother, Alicent (Olivia Cooke). Check out Mitchell’s explanation below:

“He needs a bit of love. He’s a broken boy, needs someone to fix him. Season 1, it was a rich show full of morally compromised gray characters. I wanted to present a character who, in those three episodes, that time in his life was just complete darkness.

Someone asked me the other day whether or not I thought Aemond had mommy issues, and I don’t know if he had mommy issues or rather he just wanted to be loved by his mom a little bit more. Growing up, he never really felt that unconditional love. He had to find surrogates elsewhere. He sort of found it in his dragon, Vhagar, this older she-dragon, and he’s also found it with the madam. But whether or not it’s enough, if it’s a worthy enough surrogate, is questionable.”

Aemond’s House Of The Dragon Arc Repeats A Key Game Of Thrones Strength

Ewan Mitchell’s Character Is More Than Just A Villain

In the latter episodes of House of the Dragon season 1, Aemond clearly becomes a central villain character in the show. With lasting issues stemming from the loss of his eye as a child, Aemond is shown to be cruel and vindictive. His murder of Lucerys, despite seemingly not being entirely intentional, certainly cements him as an unsavory figure in House of the Dragon‘s sprawling cast of characters.

The first three House of the Dragon season 2 episodes, however, give more depth to Aemond and bring forth his flaws and inner insecurities. Bringing forth Aemond’s inner humanity and adding more dimensions to him mirrors something that Game of Thrones did so effectively with its own unsavory characters. Figures like The Hound (Rory McCann) and Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) are two characters who very much start off as seemingly irredeemable, villainous men, but later seasons complicate this idea by giving them new layers.

It’s too early to say whether Aemond will experience any such arc, but the first three episodes of House of the Dragon season 2 have already given Mitchell’s character more depth. Even if Aemond is never redeemed or if he falls further into his violent ways, seeing the character vulnerable and hurting makes him even more compelling to watch on screen. It’s unclear how Aemond’s journey will shake out on House of the Dragon, but he evidently has some deep-seated issues that will continue to affect him.

New episodes of House of the Dragon season 2 air on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.

Source: Variety