The main conflict of House of the Dragon is reaching new heights in Season 3, but the show’s worst character introduction is dragging it down — even in spite of recent attempts to fix it. Like Game of Thrones, the fantasy spinoff centers the fight for power that seems to constantly surround the Iron Throne. Unlike the prior show, however, House of the Dragon is focused on more personal, familial succession drama. Such stories tend to work best when all the characters are both flawed and compelling. And as much as we want that to be true of every contender in the prequel, it simply isn’t.
This is why there’s a tendency to side with Rhaenyra Targaryen, though that’s also dwindling with her poor leadership in Season 3. As she unravels, the spinoff tries to make us appreciate her competition more. That almost works, but the show can’t overcome the character’s earliest moments on-screen. They render House of the Dragon Season 3’s attempts to make him likable flat, and they hurt the Dance of the Dragons more generally. SPOILERS ahead for House of the Dragon Season 3, Episodes 1-7.
If Rhaenyra Targaryen is the figurehead and main contender for the Iron Throne on Team Black, Aegon serves that purpose for the Greens. Yes, the other faction has more in-fighting, with Prince Aemond also vying for the crown — and Lord Ormund Hightower throwing Daeron’s hat into the ring as well. Aegon’s the one who comes closest to having a legitimate claim after Rhaenyra, however. And that makes it all too easy to choose sides while watching House of the Dragon.
After all, Season 1 makes Aegon instantly unlikable and irredeemable. When Tom Glynn-Carney’s adult version of the character is introduced, it’s during a scene revealing that he raped a maid in the Red Keep. Alicent sets about covering up his crime, which feels impossible for any character to come back from. To make matters worse, it’s later confirmed that Aegon is a regular at the children’s fighting pits in Flea Bottom. Several of the children are even implied to be his, suggesting he’s assaulted more than one woman by the time Season 1 jumps forward.
Although redemption arcs are often compelling in fantasy series, that’s only true when the character’s actions don’t cross certain lines. Jaime Lannister is a perfect example, as it seems impossible we’ll like him after he pushes Bran from a tower in the Game of Thrones premiere. However, Bran survives the fall, Jaime comes to feel remorse for it, and Bran seems to forgive him. That’s a turnaround that’s easy enough to stomach, even if it doesn’t undo Jaime’s wrongs.
By contrast, Aegon’s early actions are unforgivable, even if he were to show genuine sorrow or attempt to make them right. He’s not even doing that, though, which makes Season 3’s attempts to sell him as more nuanced and likable fall flat. It’s a shame, as his introduction ruins what could be a compelling character arc.
Despite Aegon’s behavior in Season 1, later seasons of House of the Dragon attempt to paint him as a more layered character — something that’s completely overshadowed by his past crimes. Season 2 highlights his deep bond with Sunfyre, and it sees him grappling with grief over the loss of his son. And Season 3 brings him to new lows, while having him face Larys’ harsh but truthful sentiment that he’s a bad person. House of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 7 even reunites him with his dragon in one of the most exciting sequences of the series. It’s clearly setting him up to be a proper threat to Rhaenyra again, and with her own flaws this season, that should be a compelling crossing of arcs.
But while these layers make Aegon a bit more interesting, they’re not enough to convince viewers to root for him. Audiences will keep coming back to his worst crimes, and those are too bad to overlook. Therefore, the showdown between Rhaenyra and Aegon will always tilt in the former’s favor. Sadly, the Dance of the Dragons would be more engaging with a better balance of flaws and redeemable qualities between the two.
House of the Dragon‘s inability to come back from adult Aegon’s first outing makes the Dance of the Dragons less complicated overall, as it prevents many people from switching sides, or even considering it. At this point in the show, it’s clear that Rhaenyra may not be the best person for the job — and some viewers should be looking to Aegon with interest. But even with Tom Glynn-Carney’s captivating performance, and the added character depth, supporting Aegon still feels like a step too far.
Being able to get behind multiple opposing forces is part of the reason Game of Thrones was so great, and House of the Dragon would benefit from that strength as well. Unfortunately, it’s made too many of the Greens lean too far into villainy. The only one who could actually garner widespread support is Daeron, and as he notes, he’s not likely to actually see the Iron Throne.
