The season two finale of House of the Dragon shows the aftermath of Aemond’s wrath over Rhaenyra’s new dragonriders. He not only burns Sharp Point, he also returns to King’s Landing and tries to force his sister, Queen Helaena, to ride Dreamfyre into war. It was quite the baffling ask considering that the current queen is a gentle seer versus a fierce fighter. So why, exactly, did Aemond ask Helaena to go to war? Is he desperate to win the war or is he actually trying to protect his family from certain death? Ewan Mitchell has some thoughts about Aemond’s motivations.
“I think it’s a little bit of both,” Mitchell told us. “It’s a fight for self-preservation. It’s basically, ‘Look, it’s either going to be them, or it’s going to be us, so it might as well be them… we’re out-dragoned seven to three. If we don’t bind together and take Harrenhal, take out Daemon, and destroy all of the influence that he has in the Riverlands, we’re going to be on a serious back foot.’”
He continues, “…he is desperate at that moment. He’s been made a fool in Rhaenyra raising new dragonseeds, and he had to make a U-turn and fly back to King’s Landing, and he definitely has to feel like he has to overcompensate.”
Of course, Helaena was not into doing this and even boldly told her brother that he would die in battle. While most people ignore her forewarnings, Mitchell believes Aemond will take it to heart in season three.
“He always thought that he was the master of his own fate, but this new knowledge very much challenges that,” he affirms. “I think Aemond will believe that information. He just doesn’t want to.”
Well, that’s fair. Let’s see if Aemond can convince Helaena to join him in battle next season… and if her dark forewarning comes to fruition.