Why Aemond Targaryen Is So Important to the Dance of the Dragons

Aemond Targaryen is my favorite character in the House of the Dragon storyline, and I think he works as an almost perfect opposite to Daemon. He is one of the most cunning people in all of Westeros, and I want to go through his backstory, what lies ahead for him, and why the character works so well.

Aemond and Daemon are opposites on a number of levels. Their names even sound similar, and in the book their brothers both end up becoming king after Alicent puts together a plan to oust Rhaenyra following the death of Viserys, which looks like the route the series is following too. This sets up the dynamic where Aemond and Daemon become bitter rivals throughout the storyline. Both are skilled swordsmen and brilliant strategists, and Aemond stealing Daemon's ex wife's dragon just adds salt to the wound. That rivalry, teased at the banquet, extends far beyond the food fight we saw on screen.

Aemond Targaryen Was Overlooked as a Child, Which Fueled His Ambition

Aemond was often overlooked when he was younger. The book details how he was born half the size of his brother Aegon and was constantly pushed around by him. That created a fire within him that slowly drove him to become more and more ambitious. Where Aegon had everything handed to him, Aemond had to fight for everything in his life, and that carved out a fierce character who accomplished several things in his childhood.

The books tell how he had trouble gaining a dragon. When his family traveled to Driftmark and his father said they would then go on to Dragonstone, he would be given either an egg or a recent hatchling that would not be difficult to tame. Aemond was completely overlooked in that plan and saw it as a challenge. That night he traveled out to Vhagar, who had recently lost her rider, Laena, and whom no one wanted to try to tame because of how ferocious she was. Vhagar is often referred to as the largest dragon in the realm, and claiming her was a massive win for Aemond. The series changes this from the book by having him spotted by a young Jacaerys, who snuck out to see the dragon too and tried to sound the alarm on him, only for Aemond to kick him into dragon droppings before flying off on Vhagar's back.

Losing His Eye to Lucerys Was One of the Defining Moments in Aemond's Life

Upon his return, Aemond had what became one of the most defining moments of his life: the loss of his eye. He called Rhaenyra's sons illegitimate, and that caused Lucerys to slash it out. Rather than being bitter over it, Aemond accepted that day that he lost an eye but that he also gained a dragon. He did not harbor hatred over the moment, though he did still hold a grudge, which is not stated outright in the book but is my own read on it. I think that moment made Aemond realize he had to become a fighter in case a situation like that happened again, since Lucerys was far smaller and weaker than him but caught him off guard.

He started training, and the book states that thanks to Criston Cole's help he became a proficient swordsman. Aemond wore night black armor laced with gold, and he became a standout figure among the crowds. He wore a sapphire stone in place of his missing eye, and in court he wore an eye patch to cover it. When he went into battle, though, he would often remove the patch to make himself seem even more intimidating.

The Killing of Lucerys Velaryon Earned Aemond the Name Kinslayer

Viserys died when Aemond was nineteen, and after his brother was chosen to become king, the Dance of the Dragons began. Both sides quickly scrambled for power, seeking to bring as many houses as they could under their dragons' wings. Some stayed loyal to Rhaenyra, while others folded under pressure from the greens and their belief that men should be the ones in charge. Aemond was dispatched to Storm's End to try to get Lord Borros Baratheon to support his brother, offering to marry one of his daughters in exchange. Lucerys had been sent there too, and just as at the banquet, he kept provoking Aemond.

Aemond chased Lucerys on his dragon after saying that Luke owed him an eye, and he and Vhagar ended up killing both Lucerys and his dragon, which is how Aemond earned the name Kinslayer. Alicent was a bit upset about it, but the greens still threw a feast for him, as you can imagine. This did not go down well with the blacks, and Daemon swore there would be a reckoning for his son. Throughout the story there is this literal eye for an eye mentality, one that eventually leads to everyone losing their sight in some form. Daemon later used his connection to Mysaria to send assassins who killed Aegon and Helaena's son Jaehaerys, which sent Helaena mad and meant she could no longer ride dragons.

Aemond Oversaw the Realm After the Battle of Rook's Rest and the Harrenhal Campaign

The next big event was the Battle of Rook's Rest, where Aemond, Aegon, and Criston Cole teamed up and successfully killed Rhaenys and her dragon. The battle came at a cost, though, since Aegon was severely wounded, leaving a spot on the throne for someone to rule while Aegon recovered. Aemond took that role. Unlike Daemon, who never got to sit on the throne, Aemond oversaw the realm, and he even mentioned that he thought he looked better in the crown than his brother did.

Aemond and Criston Cole launched several attacks, including one on Harrenhal, which they ended up taking. At this point, Criston Cole was the hand of the king, and after they took over they had Simon Strong killed. This shows how important Aemond was, because without him a lot of these locations would not have fallen under their control. During this time Aemond also started sleeping with Alys Rivers, whom he had spared after taking Harrenhal, and she eventually became pregnant. Later in the timeline, that child would be presented as the rightful heir to replace Aegon the Younger, though that is a story for another time.

Aemond and Daemon's Final Battle Over the God's Eye Changed the Course of the War

Taking Harrenhal left King's Landing open, and Rhaenyra and Daemon managed to take it over. Aemond then launched a massive attack, flying Vhagar over several locations owned by the blacks and raining fire down, turning a lot of their land into scorched earth. Harrenhal was briefly retaken during this, but Aemond arrived, saved the day, and took back his lover.

During the campaign, Daemon was desperate to take Aemond out because of the damage he had caused. After Aemond went to Harrenhal, Daemon waited for him for thirteen days until he showed up with his pregnant wife. The pair eventually took to the skies to do battle above the God's Eye, one of the most important moments in both of their lives, and one that would lead to their deaths. As they clashed and hurtled toward the water, Daemon stabbed Aemond in the eye with his sword Dark Sister, and both crashed into the lake. Aemond, tied to Vhagar, sank down and was recovered later with Dark Sister still embedded in his head. It was not really a win for Rhaenyra's side either, since Aemond seemingly killed Daemon too, whose body was never recovered. The series may reveal that Daemon is still alive, but either way, Aemond managed to take him out of the Dance of the Dragons, and Rhaenyra lost her loyal protector because of it.

Why Aemond Targaryen Became One of the Most Important Figures in Fire and Blood

Though Aemond lived a relatively short life, he became one of the most important characters in Fire and Blood because of how much he spun events in his brother's favor. Early on he was a character who was often overlooked, but he overcame that adversity and took out several key players on Rhaenyra's side. Losing her son was one of the most devastating things that happened to Rhaenyra, and it made her realize she needed a fighter on the same level as the greens.

Aemond stands strong as one of the most crucial characters in Game of Thrones. I often wonder what would have happened if he had been on the throne instead, and how King's Landing would have fallen, and whether Rhaenyra could have taken over and gotten such a foothold there. I think the series is doing a great job of bringing him to life.

What do you think would have happened if Aemond had held the throne instead of Aegon?