The Tragedy of Aegon II Targaryen | Anatomy of a Character 

His line "I need to be informed of these things" already makes him much more redeemable than Rhaenyra

Sometimes it's overwhelming with how much the writers want you to hate Aegon but it's next to impossible not to feel bad for him especially with Tom Glynn-Carney's performance oozing with enough snark and charisma to match Matt Smith's Daemon. I'm looking forward to show watchers being unable to recognize him at the end of the series, not just physically, but mentally as well. I think with the material we have left, Tom's superb nuanced performance, and what we have seen so far, we will be getting one of the greatest and most complicated villains on TV of all time.

I think it's very telling when Aemond lost his eye in episode 7 and the person who got slapped was Aegon for not protecting Aemond from the strong boys. If have seen that episode you know that only hours ago he was drunk tf out and Otto kicked him, woke him up and sent him to the chambers. He got punished for not being there for Aemond, when everyone was supposed to be at their beds sleeping. And now he is being shat on by everyone for being bad at something he was trained or prepared for in the first place. No matter what happens, even if he is the least responsible person for the war he is getting blamed for everything. Even when his son is dead his mother can't comfort him. Worse his family tells him to just sit back and shut up about it. It really tells you how he was treated his entire life and why he ended up becoming what he became. Truly the most tragic case.

What I love about f&b is that Aegon isn’t the strongest or smartest but he and sunfyre win through sheer will power and love for Sunfyre and his family

I'm so glad people are loving aegon as the complex character he is! Amaizng analysis 💚

one of my favourite details in season 1 is aegon's short jagged hairs. tom glynn-carney discussed with the then-showrunner miguel sapochnik to give aegon this hairstyle because aegon cut his own hairs as a way to distant himself from his targaryen root that he hated so much, his rejection of his own family because in his mind they hated him. as opposed to aemond's long luscious hairs similar to how other targaryens on the show because he embraced the valyrian ideals and traditions. it's not hard to imagine that aegon might've also hated the targaryen custom of wedding siblings, so he probably had to drink himself into near stupor to be able to force himself onto helaena. tom said in an interview that while aegon saw his little sister as an oddball, he learnt to have respect for her for giving him 2 beautiful children, but ultimately aegon and helaena existed in 2 parallel worlds of their own, they both lack the capability to give the other what they needed and they were happy to stay that way. ughhh the tragedy... I know the show is pretty pro-team black but I swear someone in that writer room is fighting to put all these little details in for team green's characters that make them so much more interesting than the straight "good guys with a modern sense of morality" on team black.

I was surprised by how much I cared for Aegon's character in season 2, because he was such a prick in season 1, and he still was in season 2. A lot comes from the actor, I think, he was great in not portraying him as a caricature. But your analysis was into point, and yes, Viserys and Alicent were horrible parents, even though their intentions weren't bad.

"Mother, I never wanted it, but I have it now and want to live up to it, but I don't know how. What do I do?" "What was always expected of you. Nothing. You are means for me and your grandfather to rule." After that conversation, and drinking, I understand him being reckless beyond sense.

I feel so bad for Aegon. Throughout his entire life, his mother and grandfather insisted he must become king, warning that if he failed, he, his brothers and sister, and his children would be killed by his half-sister. No matter what he did, it was never enough. To make matters worse, his own father barely acknowledged his existence. Despite being the firstborn son, his father preferred spending time with a model city rather than with him. Aegon never experienced unconditional love. Regardless of his efforts, nothing mattered, so he eventually gave up and sank into degeneracy. Then he was literally dragged and forced to become king. This led to the tragic loss of his beloved son, and once again, no one was there for him in his darkest hour. Even then, he couldn't do anything without being ridiculed by his family. When he tried to be a magnanimous king and take his role seriously, he was undermined and insulted. When he wanted to participate in the campaign, he was undermined and insulted. When he did nothing, he was still undermined and insulted. He literally couldn't do anything without being insulted.

Sometimes i think that i could write a big essay about Aegon. He is so complex character, unlike the others in this show. Aegon is a mess and he has nobody from his family on his side. I would like to see how this mess get out of hand after the betrayal. Especially in the context of his relationship with Larys. Aegon is a bad person, very bad (like most of the characters in this show), but he is also the most interesting and tragic character. I want to see his downfall ) Thanks for the great analysis

Such a fascinating character, excited for what happens later on

Aegon is the best character of the season. He didn't want the crown, he had to be beaten and dragged to his own coronation, and when the people cheered for him, he felt validation for the first time in his life. So he tried being a belowed king, and a father to his son that Viserys never was to him. And he had his son murderd in revenge for something he didn't do. Despite everything he follows his councils advice and parades his sons corpse despite his diguist. He wants to take vengance yet everyone forces him to do nothing. He recives no simpathy nor comfort from any of his family members, not from his mother, grandfather, or brother. He can't even look into the eyes of his wife out of guilt, and even if he could dou to her strangeness (medieval people didn't know what autism is) he can't realy connect with her. After that he constantly gets disrespected by his brother and grandfather who wants to sit on his ass writing letter while not giveing a shit about his grief. Cole and Larys are the only ones who show some respect to him. He appoints Cole, the only man willing to take action, and he gets bereted and told of by his mother and grandfater that he is a piece of shit, whom they only want as a pupet figurehead, and no matter what he does, he will never be as good of a king or person as his father who never cared about him. So he takes action, the only way he can, he goes into battle with his dragon, bravely facing down the way larger Meleys and the more experienced Rhaenys. He fights against all odds, knowing that he will either have revenge or died knowing that he tried claiming vengance for his son. And when he thinks salvation arrived he gets betrayed, and gets crippled. The crown he didn't want was forced on him, and he lost everything for it.

Viserys should have made Aegon Rhaenyra’s cupbearer so everyone would be used to him serving her. I think he also should have let her sit the iron throne in his place sometimes. And Alicent should have at least taught Aegon decorum if she always planned to have him usurp his sister. He didn’t even want to do it!

When I read Fire & Blood, I didn't sympathize at all with Aegon and couldn't wait for him to meet his fate. In only a couple of episodes, I've completely changed my opinion and feel terrible for him. Like said in the video: he absolutely had no chance. Even tho that doesn't excuse his horrible actions, it makes his character so compelling and interesting to watch. Knowing how it all ends for him just makes it even more depressing.

I like the point you made about sunfyre being the only one to ever show aegon real love. No spoilers but considering how much they go through together during the dance it really shows how strong their bond was from the start. It goes beyond normal riders and dragons if you ask me.

He wont be a pawn later on He learns

Sometimes, I wished Rhaenyra raised him as her ward, I'm really hoping that he may get some love and affection from Rhaenyra and family. But the way they are pitted against each other is just so tragic. 😢

What pissed ne about this show how they portray Viserts as a good king he was not one😂

I hope they developp him well, there’s great potential for character development

I have a soft spot for him. He was basically left to his own device and when he does something they disapprove of they smack him around and yell at him. All of their kids are a mess. That's what happens when you have parents who could care less about you.

It's amazing what an actor that desperately wants to give deep to his character can do

I don't justify his actions (especially with the girl ) but I really love his character I find him very interesting

Team Green!

Sunfire, was the best dragon. the head bud it gives Aegon was so cute.

I really like show ageon I think he's a Intresting, tragic and complex character but I don't like how they have characterised him in one aspect and the greens in general, the character I'm getting shown is someone I find sympathetic if kinda a douchey frat boy who has a lot of different sides to him good and bad but i don't like having him abuse the girl or being involved with the child fighting rings, I think it makes his character a tad too villainess and it makes it really hard to side with him if tho I really want too, I have similar issues with how aggressively the greens are being villainized and the writers trying to wipe as much blood as possible of the blacks hands, I want both sides of be a lot more grey in the morality

Having only 1 child is not good, because you need a spare. What if something happened to rhaenyra like dying in child birth like her mother. Everyone was pushing for him remarry

I love Otto, he's my fav

His character really grew on me in season 2, maybe mostly to the actor. But I feel really bad for him. There is obviously good in him but he was never taught how to be good. And everyone that should love him, well...

There needs to be section devoted to Aegon's dragon-sized balls. The dragons can barely fly beneath the weight of them especially when he gets into another dragon fight.

🔥🔥🔥

Actually his reckless moves almost worked.

I agree who's to blaime for the dance of dragons , Viserys its bcz of him and his stupidity though the show makes you feel sympathy for regadless of his insane decisions

Viserys needed to remarry tho and have some more kids cause what if Rhaenyra would have died? Eventhough he would have still had Daemon...but that was the point, nobody wanted Daemon to be the king , Viserys just made a huge mistake by marrying a Hightower ....Hightowers hate everything Targaryen or Valyrian if you will...Viserys should have married within the family, Laena for example, Laena married with Daemon anyway who is just 4 years younger than Viserys...so it wouldnt have been so bad in their world

I didn't care the part of Aegon who would use handmaidens and so on, but I do realize, this boy...was presumed to be the heir, right? But Idk why he's not pushed to be more studious. Why is he spoiled rotten that he's a drunk by his teen years? Viserys was def. an absent father, heck he was not that great with rearing Rhaenyra anyway but yeah, with his children with Alicent? Complete utter spares. I disagree with you that Viserys shouldn't marry after Aemma, because you've seen how things went, Rhaenyra can die anytime too, so it's important to have spares. But I got annoyed that despite pointing Rhaenyra as heir, he also did little to make her more politically aware. Alicent was playing regent when he's sickly, fine, but he should've pointed Rhaenyra as his hand at the very least, after the unfortunate death of Lord Strong. Instead, he called back Otto Hightower, wtf--Viserys. Back to Aegon. I felt badly for him. His mother obviously didn't quite nurture him, her interactions with him were mostly of her chastizing him and screaming at him. I'm like...what's going on here lol. I'm also confused why they didn't put him to study at the Hightower, and only Daeron got that opportunity. Imo, if Aegon was raised with the Hightowers, he would come out much better (plus Aemond would not have a bully too lol)....anyway, I digress. Aegon is a fun character to watch. I find him a sensitive soul despite the crassness-drunkenness-etc. Like Aemond, he's afraid of rejection and to be vulnerable, so he postures instead and bullies others (i.e, Aemond)...sad really to watch. Imo, IF there is no war, I'd say either he or Rhaenyra would've been fine to be the ruler of Westerosi. Yes, Rhaenyra is more ... 'sober' lol, but still, Aegon wouldn't have mucked it up that much too, he does listen to his advisors at times and he does have some care for the smallfolks too....

Deute. 18:10-14,

Your video is interesting, but I think that Aegon is too terrible of a person to have as much smpathy you attribute to him. I think you could have talked about this stuff in an objective way, but it’s clear you have a soft spot for him. But you show only half of who he is, The good abused half. Then when you brush off the “he should be responsible for his actions” part as if his actions are constant r**ping of woman and using his children to fight like dogs makes me feel like you don’t understand the severity of those acts and how it influences this Aegon we see now. Not talking about his evilness misses parts of his tradegy as a character, but placing him in this light, like he’s just this abused kid who you literally call “poor Aegon” makes me think you shouldn’t make these videos. So I guess my point is, I think it’s fucked up how much sympathy you have for a fictional r*pist because his family was shitty. Makes me not trust your judgment nor want to subscribe.

I refuse to hear any Viserys slander