Ewan Mitchell talks about Aemond dethroning Daemon as the baddest man in the realm

The intricate relationship between Aemond and Daemon has been subtly nudged along in House of the Dragon season 2. While Daemon may be the only one who Aemond truly respects, he also looks up to him for his carefree and ruthless attitude.

Season 2 of the show begins with Daemon attempting to get Aemond killed. An average person would feel angry or threatened by this, but Aemond takes it in his stride. He sees it as a sign of Daemon’s respect as the Rogue Prince fears the One-Eyed Targaryen.

Also Read: House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 6 gets review bombed on IMDb, lowest rating of the series

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Daemon is the baddest man in the realm

Credits: HBO

In the latest House of the Dragon official podcast episode, Ewan Mitchell joins the hosts of the show to speak about his character’s trajectory as Prince Regent. Talking about Aemond’s hero Daemon in the show, Mitchell says,

“I think that’s maybe one of his endgames as well, being seen as this, you know, nigh-unkillable war hero, that ultimately, you know, won the war for the side of the Greens, by hook or by crook. I mean, you see it in his costumes, you know? This image that he has, it’s so reminiscent of a young Daemon Targaryen. And Aemond is, like, Daemon’s biggest stan. He wants to be better than him. He wants to be him, but he also wants to be better than him, you know? And to do that, maybe that’s a player he’s got to take off the board. And, in doing so, become the baddest man in the realm. Daemon is the baddest man in the realm, right? Like, that, we can all agree. But Aemond is coming for that spot.”

Daemon, on the other hand, is now plagued with visions at Harrenhal. Aemond is planning on attacking and challenging Daemon but the latter does not seem to be in any condition to take to battle. It won’t be long before Aemond dethrones Daemon as the baddest man in the realm. As Prince Regent, he has already given viewers a glimpse into his powerful personality that exudes authority and control.

Ewan Mitchell shares Aemond’s leadership style

Credit: Max

Mitchell further sheds light on how his leadership style has evolved. From the wings at the side to taking center stage as Prince Regent of the Seven Kingdoms, Aemond has faced a major change that goes beyond just going to the other side of the table.

He is in control now. Unlike Viserys or Aegon II, councilmen cannot manipulate him into doing something. Aemond has clear targets in his mind that he will fulfill at all costs. The actor shared,

“I think that’s one of the scary things about Aemond is how quickly he can just switch. You know, from that moment that he goes from the Master of Ships chair to the King’s chair, it’s so instantaneous. It’s like, “Oh my God, his perspective has just changed in a heartbeat.” And all of these people are now seen in a completely different perspective around him. You don’t see that he has any compassion or empathy, you know, for the smallfolk. And I think that’s just tremendously scary. And you kind of think of Aegon when he sat in the chair, and maybe he was better in some regard.”

Mitchell rightfully points out this very basic difference between Aemond and Aegon II. When the latter was King, he was sympathetic to the demands of the small folk as we saw in his decision to meet their demands. Although he does so without looking at the bigger picture, but Aegon II does think about his kingdom. Aemond, on the other hand, is power-hungry. All his moves are motivated by his need to sustain power and his ever-growing ambition.

Aemond wants Mum’s affection

Credit: Theo Whiteman/HBO

Contrary to how we saw Aemond push Alicent away from the council, the foundation of their relationship lies in Aemond’s need for attention and love from his mum. Between Aegon II’s tantrums and Halaena’s visions, Alicent barely got time to focus on Aemond and he still carries that grudge to adulthood. Mitchell talks about the scene where he asks Alicent to leave her chair in the small council,

“I think in that moment, he finally has that little bit of affection from his mom that he’s craved for so long, and he kind of– You know, one of the things that he does want, one of his objectives is, you know, is his mom. And whether or not, you know, his vision aligns with, you know, her idea of happiness is another thing. But I think Aemond– She is the kryptonite to that code. She challenges that. And so it’s that thing of like, “I can’t function when you’re in the room with me, so you’ve got to go.” Like, I need to– I can’t let my emotions get the better of me in this moment. This code has to– has to remain in place for me to do my job, so you’ve got to go. I love working with Liv Cooke as well.”

It’s extremely interesting to see how fundamental human emotions also find their place in the HBO prequel series. No matter who’s King or Queen, they are all human beings in the end. Moreover, their craving for love and connection supersedes the ambition and hunger for power.

Also Read: Daemon didn’t know it was his mother before she called him “son”, confirms director Clare Kilner

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09/07/2024 10:57 pm GMT