House of the Dragon: Why does Aemond really call his nephews “Boys of Strength”?

Watch “House of the Dragon” on Joyn in the free stream❯

At the end of episode 8 of “House of the Dragon”, Alicent and Rhaenyra, along with their families, come together at the invitation of King Viserys I. For the old, weak king, it is a comforting sight to see his family reunited. Old rivalries seem to be dissolving and for a short time one can almost feel peace. But then the mood changes dramatically.

Aemond Targaryen, second eldest son of Alicent, has grown into a cold and fearsome man after Lucerys lost his eye. He takes the floor and seems to want to toast his family and nephews. But instead he directs words of contempt and discredit against Jacaerys and Lucerys. He chooses his words extremely wisely, calculatedly and deliberately ambiguously.

A family meal to create harmony

After the inheritance disputes over House Velaryon have been resolved, King Viserys makes one last attempt to reunite his family. In the evening everyone comes together and, after an emotional speech from their king, exchanges words of forgiveness.

Despite some taunts between Aegon and Jacaerys, the situation remains peaceful and Viserys breathes a sigh of relief to finally see his beloved family whole and whole again. But someone doesn’t seem to want to forget or forgive. After young Luke gouged out his eye in a scuffle in the caves of Driftmark 6 years ago, Aemond is unforgiving and out for revenge.

When Luke laughs at him because a suckling pig is placed in front of him (he probably remembers the joke about the winged pig), it’s the last straw. Aemond raises the cup and speaks poisonous words to his nephews.

Aemond “the one-eyed” and his bitterness

You quickly realize that Aemond is no longer the insecure little boy who let others push him around. After claiming the world’s greatest dragon, Vhagar, he brims with smug pride and confidence. During his little speech to the children of Rhaenyra, he deliberately wishes them “strength” and calls them “boys of strength”.

Intentional good health wishes cannot hide the fact that Aemond once again alludes to Jace & Luke’s bastard descent from Ser Harwin Kraft. In this way, he wants to enhance his and his brother Aegon’s own pure Targaryen descent and support the claim to the throne that their mother Alicent had planned for Aegon. Above all, it was bitter words of hate towards the boys that cost him h is left eye.

Words are followed by actions and so there is another argument between the princes, which is quickly ended by the guards. This time it was not the parents but the children who incited the conflict again. This is probably irretrievable, because King Viserys, the first of his name, will soon be no more and after him chaos and war will follow.

Will Aemond become the great nemesis of Rhaenyra and Daemon and the main villain of the series?

Clearly, Aemond defies his mo ther’s wishes in this moment and verbally and then physically attacks Rhaenyra’s children of Laenor. He deliberately wanted to provoke in order to deliberately destroy the possible peace between the two families and get his revenge. Something that already places him, almost irretrievably, condemned and beyond any redemption.

His enormous ego is only reinforced by his talent with the sword and his gigantic dragon Vhagar, and so Aemond isn’t expected to slow down any time soon. His mercilessness, brutality and lack of remorse or guilt will accompany him in many atrocities in Westeros. In the future and the next seasons of “House of the Dragon” he will become one of the most formidable opponents for Rhaenyra and the Blacks.

What happens to Aemond in Dance of the Dragons? (Spoilers from the books)

At the beginning of the Civil War, both Aemond and his nephew Lucerys will each fly to the Lord of Storm’s End on behalf of their mothers. There they should win the support of the Baratheons. But instead they shed their first blood. On the return flight, Aemond confronts his nephew with his dragon Vhagar and mauls him and his dragon Arrax.

However, Aemond is said to meet his end in another prominent dragon duel. Over Harrenhal in the Riverlands, Daemon confronts his nephew. In the ensuing epic battle in the clouds, both riders and both dragons die. Aemond is therefore in one person responsible for the escalation of the conflict and, with his death, for the impending end of the Dance of the Dragons. His development and his actions in the war will be among the most exciting of the next seasons of “House of the Dragon.”

The grand finale of “House of the Dragon” will air on ProSieben on free TV on February 5, 2024. You can already see it in the stream at Joyn.