Notice: This story incorporates spoilers from “Home of the Dragon” Season 2, Episode 4.
“Home of the Dragon” Season 2, Episode 4, ramps up the Westeros civil struggle at Rook’s Relaxation, throughout which Aemond made a surprising transfer that star Ewan Mitchell says will change issues “eternally.”
After Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) unexpectedly confirmed up on the battle atop Sunfyre, and started sparring with Rhaenys (Eve Greatest) and Meleys, Aemond swooped in to save lots of the day with Vhagar. As a substitute of simply taking down Rhaenys, Vhagar additionally attacked Sunfyre, main Aegon and his dragon to plummet from the sky. Whereas Aegon was caught within the crossfire as Aemond tried to take out Rhaenys, one may argue that Aegon’s look of terror previous to Vhagar’s blow implied that Aemond’s assault on Aegon was intentional.
“That’s one of many compelling arguments that it raises in what Aemond does, whether or not or not he at all times deliberately was going to harm Aegon someplace down the road, or whether or not or not Aegon, in that second, was simply collateral harm, as a result of he was entangled with Rhaenys,” Mitchell instructed TheWrap. “Was the goal simply Rhaenys, or was it Rhaenys and Aegon?”
Given the already fractured historical past between the brothers — which got here to a head when Aemond put Aegon in his place in entrance of the small council earlier in Episode 4 — Mitchell stated the Rook’s Relaxation sequence mirrored the “two characters trajectories lastly [coming] into an accumulation within the skies.”
After the battle, Criston Cole discovered Aemond — along with his sword drawn — shut by Aegon’s nonetheless physique and wounded dragon. With Aegon’s destiny left unclear by the tip of Episode 4, Mitchell stated he prefers Aemond’s actions to be left “ambiguous,” although it’s clear the brothers’ relationship has been completely altered.
“I feel he acknowledges, going ahead, that he’s modified issues eternally between him and his brother — There’s no going again,” Mitchell stated. “It’s such an attention-grabbing turning level for these characters.”
Beneath, Mitchell displays on how Aegon and Aemond’s relationship has additional devolved this season, why he prefers leaving Aemond’s actions ambiguous and why he compares Aegon and Aegmond to Fredo and Michael Corleone from “The Godfather.”
“Home of the Dragon” Season 2 (HBO)
TheWrap: I first need to ask about your nude scene in Episode 3, which had an enormous response from viewers. Did you’re employed with an intimacy coordinator to craft that second?
Ewan Mitchell: We labored with an exceptional intimacy coordinator. It wasn’t a choice that we made calmly — there was an enormous dialog that we had and ultimately, we had been all unanimous [in the] choice that we simply wished to be true to Aemond in that second, as a result of Aemond is a personality who doesn’t care what you concentrate on him, and also you see that.
That scene within the brothel is a end result of the humiliation Aegon places Aemond. How has their relationship continued to devolve this season with Aegon taking the crown?
I feel Aemond’s in a really related thoughts to the place we noticed him in Season 1, in that he nonetheless believes his brother is inferior to rule. Aegon was squandering his inheritance while he was in some sleazy nook in Flea Backside, while Aemond was within the Purple Preserve yard coaching with Criston Cole. Day in and day trip, he was finding out with the masters; he was very a lot manufacturing himself into this weapon. Though Aemond is the second son, he nonetheless very a lot believes that he must be handled as the primary.
In Ep. 4 we see Aemond visibly take energy away from Aegon and put him in his place. What do you suppose shifted inside Aemond that he felt the arrogance to take action?
It’s an accumulation of two issues — you get a way of Aemond and Cole from the primary episode that their intent is to govern the small council to their wants and what they need. I feel they’re each in related minds that they imagine that struggle is inevitable, and you’ll both look ahead to it to return to the doorstep or you may get forward of the curve, so Aemond and Cole want to act.
Then you definitely couple that with Aegon’s historical past and Daemon’s historical past. He was the ringleader to loads of Aemond’s childhood torment and bullying, and that’s one thing that Aemond forgives, however he doesn’t neglect — that’s in all probability at all times at the back of his thoughts as nicely. You finally see him precise that in Episode 4, particularly in the course of the council, like “now we have to behave, and I’m going to need to put you within the place when you’re not with me.”
In Rook’s Relaxation, Aegon royally messes up the plan by exhibiting as much as battle. How does that shock impression Aemond?
That’s the variable in Criston Cole and Aemon’s plan — Criston Cole’s plan was to assemble a drive utilizing levees from the cities that he would take main by Rook’s Relaxation and Aemond was very a lot there to offer air help in case one other dragon was to indicate up within the skies there — the variable being Aegon up on Sunfyre fireflies overhead.
Proper earlier than Criston Cole will get there, Aemond has already discovered Aegon, however he was within the place to click on his sword again. What was he about to do proper earlier than Criston discovered him?
I feel it’s ambiguous — that’s what I like. If I give all of the solutions, individuals will cease asking the questions. I like that debate, I just like the theories that the followers strike up.
Eve Greatest in “Home of the Dragon” Season 2 Episode 4 (Ollie Upton/HBO)
How does Aemond really feel about killing his nice aunt? Does Aemond really feel any qualms concerning the transfer? Are you anticipating backlash from followers?
If he feels any form of remorse, it’s actually one thing that he won’t ever present, he’ll get hidden behind that hardened facade that Aemond possesses. That’s one of many stunning elements of taking part in within the character, you by no means actually know what Aemond is pondering in any given time. He could possibly be taking a look at somebody fascinated about how he desires to cook dinner them a meal and take them on a date, or he could possibly be taking a look at them, fascinated about how he desires to make them the meal and take Vhagar on a date. [But] you do know that he’s pondering. He’s not simply this senseless sociopath — the cogs are turning behind his eye. There’s a really, very harmful calculative high quality to Aemond and [he] picks his moments.
Aemond has a little bit of a sample with taking revenge when he sees the chance. How intentional was Luke’s demise?
Lucerys Velaryon bullied Aemond relentlessly alongside along with his nephews and Aegon rising up. I feel Aemond had forgiven Luke that he had taken his eye, however he simply hadn’t forgiven the truth that Luke obtained away with it. What may have been resolved with with easy phrases of apology was as a substitute allowed to fester. Children are going to be youngsters, however it ought to have been the duty of the adults that the the youngsters discover some form of decision and there wasn’t — there was no closure.
That hatred for one another between two characters was allowed to construct and construct construct. In the end what you see within the skies above Storm’s Finish is human nature taking its course. Aemond didn’t deliberately imply to harm Luke, he simply wished to scare him.
Is there any a part of Aemond that needs his and Aegon’s relationship was something like Jace and Luke’s? Or was the best way they had been raised — in a loveless, joyless relationship between Alicent and Viserys vs. Rhaenyra and Harwin — meant that they had no shot at an actual bond?
Aemond and Aegon rising up shared a world of damage, as a result of they had been the half of the household that weren’t seen to succeed the dominion, so Aegon and Aemond had been form of pushed apart, they had been uncared for by Viserys. They by no means skilled that unconditional love from both Viserys or Alicent, so possibly they don’t know how one can present it as nicely, actually Aemond doesn’t essentially know how one can present it.
I at all times liken Aegon and Aemond as Fredo Corleone and Michael Corleone respectively, as a result of Fredo ought to have regarded out for Michael, the identical means that Aegon ought to have regarded out for Aemond, however as a substitute, Aegon went behind Aemond’s again and conspired in opposition to Aemond with the assistance of his nephews. Aemond does really feel a hate to his enemies, however when it’s your individual brother that goes behind your again and backstabbed you, that hatred is even deeper than somebody who’s supposed to guard you and imagined to look out for you.
This interview has been edited for size and readability.
New episodes of “Home of the Dragon” air Sundays on HBO and stream on Max.