‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2: Why this noble character unexpectedly became everyone’s favorite
Contains spoilers and speculation
Los Angeles, California: ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2 Episode 5 aired on HBO on July 14, 2024. The high-octane episode provided a much-awaited update on the health of King Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Kearney) after he fell with his dragon in the battle of Rook’s Rest in the previous episode.
In the ‘Game of Thrones’ universe, we’ve often seen the most hated characters become fan favorites as we progress further into the series and the audience is exposed to a more vulnerable side of the character.
For most of the first season, Egon’s despicable actions and his openly arrogant attitude made him one of the most hated characters on the show. But the second season showed him a different side of the fan-favorite character.
Fans fall for Aegon II Targaryen in ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2
Egon gets attacked by his brother in ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2 Episode 4 (@hbo)
The makers of ‘House of the Dragon’ seem to have the audience in the palm of their hand, suddenly making Aegon II Targaryen one of the most loved characters.
One Reddit user explained the change, saying, “Awkwardly, I think it’s comedy and a touch of lightness with pathos. There were a lot of funnier characters in GOT. I wouldn’t say Aegon is exactly funny, but he’s the closest thing we have to a funny character. will be”
Another Reddit user said, “Great actor. Interesting character. Gives us funny moments and serious stuff. Also, I think everyone sympathizes with how the rest of the Greens treat him.”
That wasn’t the only praise for Tom Glynn-Kearney’s portrayal of Egon. Another Reddit user said, “I can’t stress enough how much the actor brings to the role, it’s amazing. Every time the camera closes in on him his face tells a whole story.”
Another Reddit user blamed her popularity for her vulnerability, saying, “Audiences (and people in general!) are drawn to people who are unapologetically and vulnerably themselves, warts and all.”
Will Aegon II Targaryen survive after the Battle of Rooke’s Rest?
Both Aegon and Rhaenyra are power hungry and willing to sacrifice countless soldiers for that war (@hbo)
Episode 5 leaves Aegon’s future unknown as he is still very ill and it is difficult for the Grand Masters to predict whether he will recover. A glimmer of hope comes when he says the word ‘Mummy’ towards the end of the show.
If ‘Fire and Blood’ is to be believed, Aegon will not only survive but return to the throne later in the series. When King’s Landing falls to Rhaenyra Targaryen, Aegon escapes with the help of Larys Strong (Matthew Needham).
He retaliates against Renara by feeding him the Dragon Sunfire. He would never fully recover though and survive all the injuries and return to the throne after Rhynera’s death. Aegon will eventually be poisoned by Corlys Velarion (Steve Toussaint) along with other conspirators.
How to Stream ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2?
A still from the opening credits of ‘House of the Dragon’ (YouTube/@max).
‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2 premiered on HBO Max on Sunday, June 16, 2024, with new episodes dropping every Sunday. To watch the series, you need a maximum subscription.
The streaming platform usually offers three packages that you can choose from depending on your budget.
Low-cost plans that support ads cost $9.99 per month or $99.99 annually The second package, which does not support ads, costs $15.99 per month or $149.99 annually.
Meanwhile, a third package titled Ultimate Ad-Free costs $19.99 per month or $199.99 annually.
‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2 Trailer