Aemond Targaryen Claims He Traded An Eye For Vhagar, But What Does That Mean And Why Does It Matter?
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- Опубликовано: 31 май 2024
- Aemond Targaryen lost is eye the day that he claimed Vhagar. While he characterizes it as a fair exchange, could this really be called a trade? What did he mean when he said these things, and why does it still matter to House of the Dragon and House Targaryen?
Content of This Video:
00:00 Intro
00:34 Fire & Blood Excerpt
05:45 How It Looks Vs. What It Means
09:05 An Openly Unfair Exchange
14:33 Outro 
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The history of House Targaryen can be summarized as the most unholy mix of daddy issues AND lizard issues
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@@HillsAliveYThills alive with the boomer laughing emoji 😂😂
I laughed way too much at this 😂😂😂😂
Don't forget issues with pee pees (aegon, maegor, viserys, aegon IV, aenys, and maekar all having very interesting different succession issues)
and there is a suspicion that the dragons might have Targ blood - so more daddy / mommy issues
The scene in HOTD when the Aegon and Aemond rallied to cover for Alicent is so brilliant.
Like Aemond goes "It was Aegon" and Aegon gets all confused and shocked and then he realises that if he doesn't bite the bullet his mother's getting raked across the coals. So he says the obvious, that they all look very *Strong* drawing fire to himself instead.
Before that they hadn't really been that close, but that immediate rallying of the troops caused the birth of the green factions, as the brothers realised what was at stake and united together in defence of their mother.
I absolutely loved that scene, the two brothers protected their mother.
Thats when we all know that Maegor with teats will just do whatever she wants, and if the Greens doesn't do anything to protect their REAL FAMILY they will be in great danger.
Aemond was failed by his father and the only one who was protecting him was his mother and he saw at that moment that his mother was in danger so he now had to protect her. I believe that is why he made that statement.
This.
It's very telling how Viserys treats Alicent given that her children push their own pain aside to comfort her and ease her worries, while their father just ignores it and tells her to not let her anger "cloud" her judgement when she is upset that her child was mutilated and the one who did it doesn't even suffer any punishment. Aemond tried to comfort his mother because his father didn't care about either of them.
And TB fans use it as valid is hilarious 😂.
He hugs her after she defends him and makes that statement to comfort her.
Thank you! I never understood why so many people took his words at face value. He read the room corectly and at least gave some comfort to his mother.
It's hard to stay neutral when aemond is so relatable and pitiful, as well as inspiring in his own right. From a boy who was bullied came the most powerful single individual walking in his time.
@@mesa577True, it's a bit tragic when you realize he would've been a pretty good Prince and perhaps Small Council Member had he not lost his eye and died young in the Dance.
To add to your comment, he saw his mother almost kill Rhaenyra and realized he needed to intervene to calm her down
Dumb fans take this at face value to justify mutilating Aemond.
how many eyes did jace, luke or baela lose to gain their dragons? zero? then thats the amount of eyes Aemond should lose to gain vhagar. its crazy that people think this is a good excuse for their actions.
I felt so bad for little Aemond in that scene. He was so happy to achieve something so great, but it was soured so quickly. His actor did a great job (and was super adorable).
As always, I love your POV. Great video ❤
Thanks!
Aemond was let down by his father and the only one willing to protect him and his siblings, was Alicent.
It's annoying how something so obvious goes over people's heads. How on earth is the eye a fair exchange, when it was never an exchange to begin with? He already had Vhagar, he lost his eye because those kids attacked him when they had no business confronting him. He only said what he said to protect his mother.
I have this feeling that adults are not watching HOTD specially in black fraction 😂.
@@mg-cx5tvmost black supporters think with their emotions, just like how the blacks are in HotD.
Aemond is a very interesting character because he wears the mask of duty. In his situation, he is the middle child who has to step up because his father is absent and uninterested in him, and his elder brother is so obviously incapable of sharing any responsibility.
He has constantly had to pick up the slack for the failures of raising Aegon. And yet he does it anyway because that is what is required.
Yeah Aemond is definitely the picture-perfect dutiful second son. LOL at least until things start getting crazy.
And the younger brother gets to be raised by who I presume is a much healthier and loving family in oldtown with lord hightower.
He reminds me a bit of a parentified child.
@@bensonfang1868 HotD seems to indicate when Otto’s brother is in King’s Landing that the only reason he (Otto) is so insistent on Alicent making sure Aegon inherits is his older brother insists upon it, so I doubt they’re a great family either
Wait.... people actually make arguments that Aemond deserved to lose his eye?? He was a child... tf
Exactly! And it wasn’t like he had to lose his eye to get the dragon, Vhagar had already tested him and accepted him as a rider.
Quiet a few people sadly.
To be fair though, he was gonna bash another child’s head with a rock at one point during that fight so, I somewhat get the argument. Even though I don’t agree with it. None of the children deserved violence.
@@hannahstanley8201 No. None of the children deserved violence. They were in a bad situation brought on by lack of adult supervision and ingrained zealotry.
@@FrizziExRose oh I totally agree (I say so at the end of my original comment). I was just pointing out the fact that Aemond was also participating in the violence. In no way do I think that means anyone deserved harm at all. Though I see why the beginning of my comment gave that impression. Which was my mistake of not articulating better. Sorry about that. 😅
And the toxicity and generational abuse in house Targaryen is why I don’t understand why a lot of the fandom defends that house. I understand liking house Targaryen because they’re interesting, but people who actively defend the beliefs of that house are just weird. House Targaryen’s blood superiority, supremacy, and abuse is what led to their downfall.
I’m pretty sure a lot of the generational abuse also happens in most other noble houses. We just happen not to have a 300 year long detailed family tree with stories about every single branch of any other family.
@@bensonfang1868- "Pretty sure" is but an assumption and justifies nothing. Plus, because of the dragon matter the consequences of the Targ mindset and actions are far more grave. Literally.
@@bensonfang1868Then those theoretical houses would suck too. The point that the Targaryens took it to an extreme that ultimately destroyed their line still stands.
I have side eyed more than one person for the exalting of the innate supremacy of these violent, inbred, blonde invaders who do the inbreeding for dragon eugenics reasons, like do you not hear what your saying 😂😂😂
Rhaenyra had threatened him with torture, and Viserys had just threatened to cut people's tongues out before he said it. So Aemond, a maimed and traumatized child, realized he had to pretend to accept the victim-blaming his older sister and their father were throwing at him to get himself and his family out of an abusive situation before they were further harmed. It's so ridiculously obvious that the only reason why people don't want to accept that is to excuse the blacks.
Although even if he did think that way at the time, it was before he had to adapt to living with his disability. Because he lost 30% of his peripheral vision and most, if not all, of his depth perception, his remaining vision is impaired. He would have had to relearn everything that requires visual accuracy, for example, reaching out and grabbing objects and walking up and down staircases. And the strain on his remaining eye can cause headaches.
Also, considering how deep the cut to his face was, it had to have severed some of his nerves, so he has to have a condition called Trigeminal neuralgia which is a chronic pain condition that is sometimes described as “the worst pain known to humanity”. Without treatment, which I highly doubt Westeros has, it will progressively worsen, and he has lived with it for years (6 years in the show and 9 in the books), starting when he was 10.
Not really considering he didn't even need to give up the eye for the dragon. Vhagar had already accepted him.
Aemond and his parents are a straightforward example of the "unholy triangle" that therapists Terry Real and Esther Perel talk about: A distant or abusive father, a downtrodden, unhappy mother, and a sensitive little boy who feels his mother's pain, becomes overly emotionally enmeshed with her, and moves into caretaking.
I saw him as a parentified child.
@@danika9411me too. He had to look after his siblings as much as he had empathy for his mother all of Alicents children see their mother's flaws
I’m glad I’m not the only one who saw it that Aemond only said that bc the situation that was happening with his mom and what could possibly happen to her. And not bc he actually believed it was a fair exchange, bc if he truly did believe it was a fair exchange he wouldn’t have still be upset about it decade later saying he’s owed a debt . And 100% agreed with everything you said about Aemond
LOL yeah the number of people who are like "see he's fine" just because he said he was fine is a little weird, it has Monty Python "tis but a scratch" vibes.
@@HillsAliveYTlol exactly. Bc no child or even adult would be okay with being mutilated by someone else
@@adahharris943the craziest comments I read was the people saying he should just get over it, like they would lol
@@mesa577 lol honestly. And what makes them saying that so funny, is that they would be singing a different tune if it was Luke or Jace who was mutilated
The more since it wasn't an exchange. He had already won the dragon over when he was attacked. So, this "an eye for a dragon" makes no sense whatsoever.
Aemond is the ultimate product of the tensions in court, both by his family and his cousins. In the Early Targaryen era, if you weren't a Dragonrider, you weren't seen as important.
This was before the dragon knight, Blackfyre or other such great warriors. The non dragon riders were either Maesters or Septas or married off to lords of the realm. So he took his chances and claimed the greatest of them all. Then got jumped and blinded. Finally he got the greatest does of reality. His father would back Rhaeynera over them. The -Strongs- "Velayrons we pinky promise guys trust us or else" were so obviously *not*, and the king just shut down any real discussion or confrontation about it (I believe that it was the best thing he could have done in his situation, but still).
So Aemond spent around 5 years stewing and plotting in his anger and his grudges, and the grudges of his mother, never being able to fully address his lost eye.
It's no wonder he was so ready to rumble when the conflict broke out and the king was no longer there to step in the save the strong boys. Honestly, the biggest surprise for all of us was that he *didn't* mean to kill Jaecerys.
He wasn't a badass, he was made a badass magnificent bastard almost overnight.
Aemond was ready to kill
What he was not ready for was losing control of Vhagar
Viserys already said that controlling Dragons is an illusion
I'm not sure Aemond was actually willing to kill Luc. It seemed more like he wanted to bully and terrorize him in repayment for what happened, and perhaps take Luc's eye but no more than that. While he had had years to grow bitter about what happened, he surely also recognized that Luc had been a child as well and that he himself was not wholly innocent as he did provoke the Strong boys into fighting him by alleging they were bastards. He did not deserve what happened to him, and the real causes of his trauma were the adults who let an explosive situation get that far, adults that even with Visery's death he would not be able to get justice from.
Nevermind the Fact the His own half sister after him losing an eye. Almost wanted him questioned sharply.
They also bullied him for years. Plus his own uncle and half sister have no love for him. Plus ignored and threatened by his own father That would harden just about anyone.
Imagine your son loses an EYE at the hands of your grandsons and your first thought is………. TO ASK HIM WHERE HE HEARD RUMORS?????????😐 not trying console him after the LOST OF HIS EYE or try to do something, besides listening to your daughters idea of having him TORTURED. The actor is the only thing I liked about king Vissy T
The dance has no heroes, it barely has winners. The question I have is whether the Kings blindness is naïveté or willful ignorance? Everyone else could see that his family was going to rip itself to pieces, maybe the old man preferred not to dwell on it?
It’s so weird to be on “team” anyone in this story, especially since it’s a pseudo history and we can know how it all ends, which with everyone slaughtered horribly or barely willing to go on with life until they live just long enough to create a line, and the kingdom impoverished and war torn with repercussions that as far as we know are never resolved
I agree with much of what you said. However, I thought it strange you didn't discuss Baela and Rhaena. One of the first times we see the discussion of Targaryens having less value when they don't have a dragon is also Rhaena. She discussed with her own mother that she felt less valuable because her sister had a dragon and she did not. Her mother's response was a gentler version of Viserys words to Aemon: if your egg doesn't hatch, go claim one instead. Not to mention, Rhaena and Baela's mother was also a little girl who didn't have a dragon of her own hatch (like her younger brother's did) and went and claimed the most dangerous dragon available at at 13 years old. It's easy to see how she might have decided to risk her own body and life for the same reasons Rhaena wanted to and Aemon did.
In addition, the TV show it was Rhaena claiming that she should get the dragon that even led to the dispute between Jace, Luke, Jeffrey, and Aemon. Yet, no one considered that later. They were neither seen as a party to the injustice that Aemon experienced by the Green adults OR seen by any of the Black adults as having been wronged by taking "Rhaena's" dragon. Even by their father.
I think Rhaena (and Baela) are very interesting in how often they are ignored. One example is how they talked about unclaimed dragons on deagonstone and asked, "Who would ride them?"...but they had Rhaena, who really wanted a dragon. Eventually, they will go a route that ignored Rhaena again. The other time is the Valaryon claim that the three sons by Rhyaenyra as bastards and not Valaryons (obviously). The book mentioned in passing, and the TV show not at all, that Baela and Rhaena had better claims than any of their Valaryon cousins or uncles that were making a claim at it (unlike the Iron Throne, most Lordships DO pass to daughters before going to the brother's or nephews of the Lord in question). Not even Daemon, who could have mentioned that at any point that even if the claims on the boys were true, his daughters came before the other claimants, he never did. It could have only bolstered Rhaenyra's efforts. But she didn't make the point either.
Anyway, I think it would be interesting to look into the twins in one of your videos!
Yeah I didn't mention them because I just thought it was obvious. But the twins and specifically the succession issue/insane hypocrisy of skipping the girls in favor of boys who aren't even Velaryons is defo on the docket of topics to talk about!
You bring up a lot of great points! I wonder if Rhaena and Baela’s claim to the driftwood throne were never brought up because they technically aren’t Velaryons. Their mother was but their father is a Targaryen and so they’re part of the Targaryen family, not the Velaryon. I know that daughters precede their uncles in succession laws but I’m not sure about those daughters who marry out of the family and into another. In Laena’s case, the only reason she remained a Velaryon in name is because only those born in the royal family are able to be a Targaryen.
If Baela and Rhaena pushed their claims for Driftmark, they would have to explains that Rhaenyra's son are bastards and not true Velaryon. They are both betrothed to Luce and Jacaerys, so Rhaena would be lady of Driftmark anyway and Baela queen + Rhaenyra is her stepmother, why would she betray her ?
@@dendenne4856 It's not betrayal. Their claim is fair if Rhaenyra can be made hier regardless of gender then they should inherit driftwood on account of their mother being the eldest daughter.
Exactly this. I was surprised that so many people didn't get it and used Aemond still being pissed as a way to somehow call him a hypocrite
They might be people who can't read a room themselfs. Aemond read the room correctly and reacted in a way to soften the conflict to protect his mother and family.
I feel like with all these things, the cool thing about HoD versus Fire and Blood is that one is a third hand account from a biased source where the other we are seeing what's happening ourselves. It's like seeing the reality compared to the myth. That said, there are no "innocents" in this situation. The children are all victims of the machinations and incompetence of the adults around them and their upbringing. Seems to me siding with Greens or Blacks is feeding into the false dichotomy that is the reason why this whole conflict happened in the first place lol.
What I don’t get is why is Lucerys carrying a knife to begin with?
Are Rhaenyra, Laenor, or Viserys that incompetent that they don’t know what toys the kids are playing with?
For real though, the fact that Luke just walks around with a knife at the ripe old age of five is absolutely NUTS.
@HillsAliveYT funnily enough, I think this might be an actual thing back in the medieval period. Kids back then be wanting swords and other weapons capable of dismembering people like kids want legos these days.
In both the real medieval period, and the 90s fantasy novels that GRRM wrote much of ASOIAF in response to, kids carrying knives was part of culture.
Heck, in the modern real world, in rural areas, kids carry the equivalent Swiss army style knives. We love them.
Well, I hoped that they would regulate his access to weaponry, or at least say something about who’s he allowed to cut, but nothing.
@@HillsAliveYTif lucerys apologize I'm sure aemond would lighting up
Hands down my favorite character on the show! Finally an antagonist with some depth. Another part of the HOTD discourse that annoys me: if you don't support the blacks, you're a misogynist. So untrue. Rhaenyra only cares about one woman: herself.
Yeah, I'm not shocked that a lot of viewers missed it or ignored it, but I thought HotD very cleverly made this clear when Rhaenyra talks to Rhaenys and tells her that her granddaughter's _sons_ will sit on the Iron Throne. That's obviously a super intentional dialog choice that pretty clearly conveys that Rhaenyra plans on upholding male primogeniture after herself.
@@HillsAliveYT I read that as more Targaryen Supremacy. Her father comes from a "pure" line and her mother had a Targaryen parent.
He ain't an antagonist
Exactly, rhaenyra mocked rhaenys for unable to become a queen and thought she herself is special enough that she would be supported , she ignored perils of fellow women because they were too "women like" ,like problems of Alicent and her own mother. Why ? Because she is a girl boss? She robbed her step daughters from their rights and get that right for her illegitimate children by force and I don't remember much but I guess she would also made a female lady's right on her seat invalid because of being female. And this is being treated as a girlboss feminist role model when she literally didn't do anything to get What she have or has any expertise, infact is a fool who fo what she thinks without thinking of how important the responsibility she has and what she could do positively with it for other women. On the other hand Good Queen Alyssane , who was nearest a feminist could be is considered weak and misogynist by black fraction because she was not a queen but a queen consort and played by the rules.
To me, Aemond’s bad day points out a hypocrisy in the Targaryen ideology. They see themselves as dragons, take pride in their language, war, supremacy. When something happens around dragons, they must be in complete control, otherwise what stops their blood right from becoming a fluke? Therefore, Aemond, a ten year old, is completely fine losing an eye, as being a super cool lizard owner is better than sight. But that’s wrong. His eye was taken away cruelly and unfairly, and he wishes for vengeance cruelly and unfairly. Not even a Targaryen as dutiful as Aemond ‘I would marry my own sister’ Targaryen can’t justify what he went through past the most basic cover up. They all want to pretend like they are special, or chosen because of their dragons. But at best they are highly dangerous pets, and at worse a near curse on their ability to live full lives. I think Aemond is just a very clear example of how 99% of Targs are in some way ruined by a dragon or the concept of them. The weight of being rulers of the entire realm is second to their lizards. It’s like 300 years of a never ending king Lear saga that they’re all pretending is normal.
True, a young boy was deeply invested into his duty to his family and his heritage, and that obsession for a Dragon ended up going very badly for him in the end.
Sucks too, cause all the other Targaryens here got their Dragons with little issue in comparison, definitely wasn't a fair trade.
Heleana said Aemond must lose an eye to ride a dragon before he lost it so therefore he HAD to lose it. After all its magical.
Helaena said that because she's seen it in her dreams. It only "has" to happen cause GRRM wants it to. He could just have easily chosen for Helaena not to have prophetic dreams or ones that she misunderstood like Melisandre does.
Aemond didn't deserve what happened to him and Lucerys should have been punished for it. Viserys was a POS
This channel is such a breath of fresh air in HoTD, GoT (the show) and ASoIaF analysis, it's quite literally one of my favorites, I love every video. You always provide such insightful and critical takes on both the books and the TV shows, even if they arent what the fandom usually goes for (you honestly made me realize a lot more of the nuance behind these stories). It's really amazing, I love if when I get a notification of a new video 👏👏
😭 thank you 💜
black stans can't understand subtlety AT ALL. they always use his "i lost an eye but i gained a dragon" quote to justify team black when Aemond was not being literal.
Also, he gained a dragon but lost an eye. Not lost an eye but gained a dragon. Team black acts as if it was the other way around
I appreciate the read through. I am Team Green even with the book version. But especially with the TV version. I cannot stand King Deadbeat Dad.
Sidebar: I feel like I'm with Aegon about throwing him a party after. Evil... I know. Losing an eye isn't fun. A kid can't agree to a trade. He was just hyper aware of how crooked his father was and was afraid for his mother.
Indicative when he tossed the blame over to Aegon. Even Aegon had sense to see how much of a threat their father was to their mother and tossed the blame to the general public.
I'm actually interested to see how they handle the party in season 2 given how they switched things up and made Luke's death accidental, like I wonder if Aemond actually lied and said he did it on purpose or if the Greens basically decided to play it off like he did.
@HillsAliveYT It'd be interesting with the writers for the show. I liked the writing so far, but some gaps like Rhaenys busting out the floors were pretty insane. Unless... the party is marketed as the first stage of revenge for the commoners who were killed at the ceremony since Aemond intercepted a potential alliance and got rid of a dragon.
I think they would know the truth. But they would also know it's too late to do anything, so they allow the kingdom to think it's intentional to appear stronger. I wouldn't even be surprised if they told Rhaenyra, she kinda believes it, and Daemon is all like, "Don't believe it 🫣🤪😟." Because George RR Martin knows that the person who wants the throne the mostest is Daemon.
Personally, I want to see if the Valeryons do anything about Vaemond. I'd like to see some people pull up behind him. Divide their house in half because Corlys is not giving.
I think is interesting that Aemond demands only Luverys' eye but is emotionally destrought when Vhagar goes a step beyond and actually kills Luke.
So it seems to me that Aemond wanted to rectify the injustice he's suffered, but he didn't hated Lucerys to the point of wanting him dead.
This means that Aemond definitely didn't saw the loss of his eye for becoming a dragon rider as an "fair exchange".
The young feral green prince was most definitely wronged by both strong boys and velaryon girls but more importantly by his senile father. He realized that he could not rely on him to protect himself and his loved ones. Despite that the green dragon arises 🐉 💚
Not only could he not rely on Viserys, Viserys was actually a danger to him and the people he cares about.
Too true! (technically the "velaryon girls" are actually Targaryen girls since their father is prince Daemon, and they carry the Targ name)
@@HillsAliveYT That's so crazy to think how dangerously desillusioned Viserys was and how his children suffered for it.
@@Emma88178 Yes you're right their targ origins are put to the forefront more than their velar's heritage.
Idk about the book, but in the series it's quite obvious ti me that Aemond is just truing to defuse the situation because he sees that he wont have his justice. I still dont exactly blame Viserys for not punishing his little grandson, as Robert "bobby" Barather said "damn it, children fight! It's over"
Yeah I don't think the book gives the impression off that Aemond is trying to ameliorate the situation at all, which is what made HotD's take on it so interesting. LOL and yes that was like one of the only good things Bobby B ever said or did, but I think there is a difference between recognizing that children will be children and literally giving ZERO punishment for something that horrific, like he cut Aemond's eye out at least put him in a time out or something, goddamn.
I mean... Lucerys should've at least been reprimanded and forced to apologize. You can't have a kid thinking it's alright to slash eyes out.
@HillsAliveYT or at the very least, stopping all the arguing, hugging your son, and sending him to bed with a simple "much has happened tonight we'll reconvene in the morning. "
Now that I think about it he doesn't even congratulate his son on claiming Vhagar. Nobody does. Aemonds "I hate my dad" glare really hits HARD when you think about it as, "I did this to impress you. To prove I'm a worthy son of House Targeryen. And here you are shouting and treating me like a traitor for stating the obvious"
@@HillsAliveYT Yes, definitely. Viserys was so concerned with keeping peace in his family (AKA desperately keeping the pieces from rumbling down a hill) that he literally didn't think about giving Luke punishment nor did he tell Rhaenyra to chill the fuck down after she asked to "sharply question" her freshly mamed brother.
Viserys is weak and delays problems he cant solve easily (the Stepstones are a beautiful metaphore of that) but i also see him as a desperate father and king trying to keep his family and his kingdom in peace, knowing full well that the only thing that could tear down the House of the Dragons is itself, and i deeply relate to that. I love Viserys with his weakness and everything.
@@kailanerman5090 Let's get things straight, Aemond is committing treason. There's a reason why nobody sais it and Vaemond had his head chopped off. It may be obvious but there are no proof nor testimony, and as much as the Strong boys look like Sir Harwin calling them Bastards is still grave treason. Jace is Rhaeryra's successor, but even worse than that Rhaenyra having children with another man would question her inheritance. That is a direct attack to the heir of the Iron Throne with no proof.
That being said taking an eye off one's brother and the King's son is as much of a crime, so they both should've gotten the same treatment.
The problem is that Viserys was more worried with that the accusation could mean to the family than the health and mental state of Aemond, and somewhat rightfully so, but he pretty much ignores Aemond and Alicent.
IMO the only wrong thing that Viserys does in this occasion is his treatment of Aemond.
This is why I enjoy your videos, you really ground the morality of a lot of the actions of characters, especially those we might find ourselves rooting for more so due to them being the "protagonists." In this case there's also the added layer of most of them being kids who don't know better, and in some cases the adults manipulating and setting them up against each other, but if one does really think that Aemond had it coming, reminder that not only did the Strong bois bully him for bullied him for not having dragon, even his older brother did.
Thanks! And yeah, it's clear that not having a dragon makes you the ultimate Targaryen loser.
"Bully" is too strong of a word (no pun meant) to use. He was picked on-Typical sibling relationship. He wasn't tormented, hazed, or beat up, THAT would be bullying. People really need to let go of the idea that Aemond was some poor little sap being brutally treated by his own kin. He was a spoiled brat who took advantage of an extremely emotional situation all to benefit himself when claiming Vhagar.
Despite all this, I do agree with everyone else that Aemond didn't need to lose an eye, and a confrontation didn't need to happen. Then again *none* of that would've happened had Aegon had done his job and watch over his siblings/kin that night like he was supposed to (instead of getting drunk).
GRRM takes a lot of inspiration from European (mostly Germanic) mythology. The “exchange” of an eye for magical knowledge/power is something that Odin did in the myths. Aemond does parallel Odin in that way (that doesn’t mean that Aemond losing his eye was justified; just throwing out some possible inspiration).
Additionally, the fact that Aemond put a sapphire in his eye socket is fascinating to me. Blue is most often associated with death in ASOIAF, and so a blue sapphire eye could be showing that Aemond is “half-dead”, so to speak. Sapphires in particular are also associated with the sea, and with stars.
Speaking of the sea and stars, there’s also Shiera Seastar, who was born about 60 years after the birth of Aemond. And Shiera had heterochromia; one eye was green, and the other was blue. She was rumored to practice blood magic.
And there’s Bloodraven, who also lost an eye, and can also be associated with Odin. Specifically, his internment in the weirwood parallels Odin sacrificing himself to himself on Yggdrasil for magical knowledge. Idk how Odin survived sacrificing himself, but whatever.
There’s also the God’s Eye. Which is a lake, which is blue. There’s a whole lot of magic around the God’s Eye, mostly due to the Isle of Faces.
I’m not sure exactly where I’m going with all this. But there’s a lot of weird magic and symbolism surrounding eyes in ASOIAF and its lore/prequels. There is more that I could say about all this, but I really don’t want to spoil future seasons of HOTD for anyone.
Also, yes, I’m realizing that I have spewed a whole bunch of thoughts that are only tangentially related to the video. I am sorry
How did I never notice Bloodraven's blatant Odin parallels before even though I grew up on Wagner XD
Overall, none of the other Targaryens or Velaryons had to make any sort of trade for their Dragon companions.
No exchange took place, they simply had it bonded to them as babies in cradles, or young hatchlings, or went out and got one.
Aemond just got jumped.🗿
King Jaeharys never pressured Vaegon, Daella, Magaella, Viserra, Saera, or Gael to become dragon riders.
That was a rule of the indolent father that is Viserys Targaryen. Daemon's worthy brother the child killer and this king was such a vile father as to despise his legitimate children in favor of bastard grandchildren. All because the latter did have the blood of Aemma Arryn and Aegon II did not.
The Widows Law of 52 AC actually forbid any man from giving an inheritance to any child of a second wife that would have gone to a child of his first wife had he not remarried. Good Queen Alyssane's Las required him to pass the throne to Aemma's daughter, but also required that Rhaenyra maintain Alicent and her children in the status to which they were accustomed, not allowing her to take away their servants, clothes, or their chambers in the Red Keep unless and until the widow chose to remarry.
@@magister343 King Jaehaerys promulgated in 52 AD. The Law of Widows, which reaffirmed THE RIGHT OF THE FIRST-BORN MALE (OR FEMALE ONLY IF THERE WAS NO SUCH MALE) TO INHERIT, although with the requirement that said heir maintain the surviving widow under the same conditions that he had enjoyed before the death of her husband.
A lord's widow, whether first, second or third wife, could no longer be expelled from her castle, nor deprived of her service, clothing and income. The same law, however, also prohibited men from disinheriting the CHILDREN (MALES) they had with their first wife in order to grant land, headquarters or property to a later spouse or to the children they had with her.
That law in no way favors Rhaenyra as heiress, it more reaffirms Aegon II as legitimate king and you put it incomplete to try to mislead me but I read the books and go with your lies elsewhere.
@@magister343no that’s not true or someone would have brought it up in universe. Widow’s law assumes said heir is a son anyways. Jaehaerys never thought any lord would even think about naming a daughter over a son so he didn’t include that clause.
I think you're right, that this is what GRRM was going for with Aemond. I guess the readers' and audiences' unsympathetic reaction to Aemond is in part due to them being largely pro-Rhaenyra, but also frankly because the end of the Rogue Prince is pretty rushed and more than a little sloppily written, especially the eye-for-a-dragon incident?
Yeah, well and to be fair I think the fact that Aemond was such a non-character in the book overall contributes to a lot of people going into the TV show with the expectation that Luke cutting his eye out wouldn't be a big deal. In F&B, Aemond was a character that A. didn't have any emotional resonance and B. seemingly gave no fucks about losing his eye, and that primed a lot of people to go into HotD without any preconceived expectation of Aemond being sympathetic in general or during this incident specifically.
@@HillsAliveYT I will be honest, I don’t remember much of F&B but I do remember I was extremely pro-Black after reading it, but for HOTD I lean more towards the Green faction. I don’t know whether that says more about me or the different media’s, but I do feel like the show tried to deliver a story where both factions are more equal, so to speak. For example the decision to de-age Alicent to be childhood friends with Rhaenyra brought her (Alicent) a lot more sympathy on my end.
Can’t wait to see daeron in season 2 and we going need a breakdown on his character hills Alive 💯
Hey could you make a video as to why Deamon would be a terrible hand of the King and how Otto was a actually a good hand.
Yeah I can put that on my list and maybe squeeze an idea out of it!
FREAKIN YES!!!! Everyone hates Otto for "scheming" but forgets that this largely peaceful period of rulership was in large part because Otto was doing most of thr ruling
I want this as well because everyone, who hasn’t read the books yet. Swears up and down Daemon would have be a good king. Even though he was a crime lord.
Chopping up innocent peasants in the name of keeping KL safe. When he himself was in the heart of most of the crime.
@kimberlyplatt2382 butbutbut that doesn't matter!! He's just hurt from his brother not loving him
He didn't mean it when he crushed his first wife's skull, or banged his groomed niece on his second wife's funeral, or choked his third wife
YOU JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND DAEMON!!! HE'S A REAL KING
@@kailanerman5090 this comment had me in tears laughing. I can’t wait for Nettles to show up. Just to see the Daemon Stans cry.
This video proves to me that this channel is likely going to become a safe haven for any rational HOTD fan, regardless of what side they're on. Even for those that don't lean Green, I have a feeling that even they want nothing to do with the psychopaths who are already praising the happening of Blood and Cheese (Yes, I have seen people reacting to it with glee and saying it was justified).
Regardless of what side you're on, both sides deserve to have all pieces of them dissected fairly and with the nuance they deserve, which I feel this channel very much does even if they have a particular leaning themselves.
I'm curious how the show will handle blood and cheese or if they'll tone it down to keep Rhaenyra and Daemon as the "good" side
@@MrFredstt I fear they'll do that....
I actually have hopes for B&C to be presented at least somewhat fairly, I mean I went into the show kinda rooting for the Greens anyway but they made them even more sympathetic than I could have imagined. And FFS hopefully they know not to make the same mistake that GoT did with Dany and hide the villainous behaviors of the "heroes" until the very last minute.
I don’t see how anyone can pay attention to this and pick a side at all. There are no sides. Everyone loses
Ugh I’ve seen those psychopaths too they’re also looking forward to Jaehera’s death 🤢. I hope the tv show lets her live, considering that killing her was very overkill in the book.
I always find it interesting that the book explicitly made Aemond be equally at fault for the fight he had with Jace, Luke and Joff, whereas in House of the Dragon, Aemond was actually made into a victim of the Strong Boy's bullying and they attacked him FIRST. Causing Aemond to only use the rock in self-defense. Then his eye was cut out.
Aemond was bullied by HIS BROTHER and the stong boys, and if you watched that whole scene and didn’t pick up how disrespectful Aemond was being towards all of them you were just choosing what to pay attention too
@@johnathanoneal9 He was being "disrespectful" toward them because they had started it by bringing him a pig. Yes, his brother was also a bully toward him. But the pig scene established just how horrible ALL the boys (Aegon and the Strongs) were toward him because he didn't yet have a dragon. And it was that bullying that persuaded Aemond to try and claim Vhagar for himself. Dragons are not inherited from parent to child, any Targ had the right to claim them, and twins (Baela and Rhaena) would have known that. And yet, Baela, Rhaena, Luke and Jace ganged up on Aemond for claiming Vhagar. It was a COMPLETELY unfair fight because it was four kids against one. Aemond grabbed a rock in self-defense and it was clear that he was holding back. He was only using it to make the kids back away from him. Then Luke used the knife to slash at him. Was Aemond being a brat at the beginning of that fight, of course he was. But the others were equally as bratty. (all of this is about what went on in the show specifically, not the book)
@@Emma88178 so even with taking what you’ve said into account, Aegon the oldest sibling made fun of his brother and had a good laugh with his nephews at his brother’s expense, and this simple act of teasing (an act that most people go through at some point in their young life) is equivalent to disrespecting a family member on the day of their funeral and threatening to bash in the head of another family member while recounting how that family members father burned to death, ppl who side with the Greens are sociopaths no lie
I disagree the scene has escalating violence, Aemond behaves like a jerk (and while understandable given him being treated as worthless for not having a dragon it’s still a d*ck move) Baela and Rhaena shove him accusing him of stealing Vhagar, he shoves them harder which is when Jace and Luke join the physical fight, despite it being four on one Aemond is able to hold his own for a bit due to being the best fighter, and he literally lifts Luke who must be around 6 or 7(?) off the ground and then Jace pulls out the knife so Aemond fights him instead and Luke scared out of his mind that he’ll hurt Jace, cuts the dagger upwards just as Jace kicks sand into Aemond’s eye.
Neither party is innocent in this fight, it’s how the fight was handled by the adults that Aemond became the victim as he’s questioned and threatened with being tortured for information, and the others kids get no consequences, when all the adults (not knowing what happened) can clearly see that that cut his eye out and none of them seem to care about that except his mother.
This mentality might play into his character later on, he pretended to be fine with losing an eye and was seen as bold and dangerous because of it. Now he's going to be labeled a kinslayer so perhaps to protect his familyagain he would embrace the expectations of a kinslayer, to be the weapon that is brothers and sister can't be.
Oof! Another fantastic video. I love how you find these gaps of understanding in the story and characters, and shed illuminating insight into them. Your channel is criminally underrated and deserves more views and subs!
Something that I appreciate about HotD is the way in which the actions of characters are humanised and the manner in which characters are portrayed in F&B is challenged. Aemond pushing Joffery into the dragon dung feels like a kick the dog moment to portray Aemond as callous, while it also serves as a catalyst as to why Jace and Luke arrive in the first place. By removing the assault on Joff and changing it to have Aemond firmly as the one persecuted, it better highlights that he's being confronted because Rhaenyra's children deem him to be unworthy merely because they caught him flying Vhagar. Great analysis on how the context of the statement of "lost and eye but gained a dragon" is different in the text and the show as a result.
The show did a really good job with characters like Aemond. He seems like quite a nuanced and complex character. I really can't wait for season 2.
You have to remember that GRR Martin wrote the book as a historic account of the war decades after the fact, and the 3 sources (wether because of allegiances of to absolve themselves of guilt) deliberately left some of it in the dark or flat out lied about what really happened.
So it can make sense that book Aemond is painted as more of a confident badass kid. I'm actually interested if the cold embraces between Alicent and Rhaenyra was what really happened according to Martin, or was it one of the sources covering up the fight between them.
The boys are honestly lucky that Vhagar didn't just go ham on them after setting upon Aemond.
Excellent analysis. The very fact the the kids act like this is thanks to their parents’ animosity and Targaryen superiority complex. In the end, it’s always the innocents that suffer, especially the kids.
This is a great topic that I have been looking forward to seeing 😊 I think he mainly said it was fair to calm down the adults. Sad that he had to be strong in a moment of physical distress
interesting that in the books it was Vyseris the grown ass man who made Aemond feel inferior with his ockery and led to this instead of Aegon and the younger kids with the pig joke. Almost like the show made the blacks/vyseris look better at the greens expense again. And the boys didn't have swords either when they approached Aemond in the show.
I really appreciate your actually looking at all the characters as people with their own intricate thoughts and wants. It’s easy to fall into the trap of only seeing the protagonist as a person and everybody else just being a roadblock to their success. So thanks.
The description in Fire and Blood is even worse. They just gang up on him with wooden swords when all he did was shove one of them into some dung and tell him to basically eff off. Still found that whole sequence ridiculous in the show as well. And I honestly don't like how the show otherwise makes Rhaenrya's side generally seem good except for a somewhat deranged Daemon. It's a lot more interesting in Fire and Blood that she seems to be a rather awful person just like her brother Aegon and the truly competent parties on either side running the war effort are Daemon and Aemond.
A fair exchange is something decided ahead of time, so there is no way to take this claim seriously. It was a fight, not a bargain.
Aemond was Dragonless, but he choose to become better and worked hard. He earned his Glow up
I'm glad we can always count on you to ask the questions the nobody ever asks, but that everybody should!
To be fair to the Targaryens HotD portrays Aemond as being bulied by the strong boys and his own brother Aegon. They even gave him a pig with fake wings and called it the "pink dread"! Aemond references this in the fight with the strongs and his cousin Baela and Rhaena. he says "Maybe your cousins can give you a pig to ride." clearly he was still hurt by that prank and given that almost every other avlible dragon rejected him, Aemond may have wanted the oldest and most powerful dragon alive so he could protect his loved ones and to ensure no one would push him around again.
The loss of his eye becuase the Strong boys thought they had the rights to dicate who became Vaegar's rider was unfair. However his words to Rhaena in the show were uncalled for. She actually had a right to be offended that Aemond claimed her mother's dragon at said mothers funeral. He could have been kinder to the cousin who is now in the same situation as he was.
Question: If Jace and Luke didn’t intend to harm Aemond, why did they bring a knife with them? They didn’t find it lying around in the Dragonpit. They obviously intended to hurt or even kill Aemond.
I love and appreciate all ur vids and the work u do for them, ty!
An Aemond video yay!! I eat this stuff up with a spoon! It's my milk of the poppy to help me cope with the uncertainty of when season 2 is going to come out now with the things going on in hollywood. As for what you have said here, I'm so glad somebody else gets that he didn't actually mean it and was probably just being tough to protect his mother. That's why his line made me admire him, not because he was this kid who thought it actually was a fair exchange, but because he was grown enough at ten to think of comforting his mother. As a disabled person myself, I kind of admire how he goes on to study books and learn to fight better than any of the others. Even if he is made bitter at the same time, it's understandable and I don't think it takes away from how cool he is. And also, I too cannot understand anyone who acts like he had this coming. No, shoving the other kids especially the girls was wrong, but that's not the same thing as taking out a kid's eye. If that happened IRL, we'd be right to worry that Luc was going to grow up to be a serial killer. Anyway, Leo and Ewan are both amazing at portraying Aemond and they make me want to know what he would have been like as king.
"It's him."
"It's me." Daaang, kid.
You have ALOT of really great videos, in saying that I think this is the best -so far!! 😆
For my two cents, the ‘price’ was most certainly unjust, regardless to the question of its proposed necessity. It was a great character moment, showing the degree to which his 11/12 yr old self understood then decided to take a fashion of blame in order to protect his family.
can you make a video just about Daeron Targaryen or can be in the works thx 🙏 🤎
Dude, I am still baffled as to how they're going to just drop Daeron into the middle of shit in HotD season 2 though.
@@HillsAliveYTyea I know but in the intro of the show his sigil is there of the bloodline of alicent and remember deamon said the greens had 4 dragons
Yea I heard Gg rr Martian said he going be in season 2 and the director of the show two and plus he have some big roles to play in the dance of the dragon just can’t wait to see on screen
King aemond Targaryen 👑🐉🐉
Loved the video! This is kind of what I’ve been thinking since I finished watching season 1 of HOTD.
Just wanted to say your perspectives are always unique and real and, unlike other smaller lore channels out there, feels like you aren't just regurgitating what others say. I've watched every vid on your channel and you deserve way more views I can say that much.
I mean they were just kids sure, but on what world can someone steal a dragon? Vhagar respected Aemond, so he claimed her fair and square. Vhagar probably would have rejected Baela or Rhaena. I don't like the greens really, the throne is Rhaenyra's fair and square, but Aemond was absolutely right to be as pissed as he was these kids ganging up on him for stealing a dragon, then at Lucerys for taking his eye. Does it excuse him eventually going on to chase down Lucerys with a dragon and (indirectly) cause his death, burn a load of civilians in the Riverlands because he's pissy at Daemon for outsmarting him, or putting the entirety of House Strong to the sword? No, but I think having been so wronged in the past adds a lot of depth to Aemond's character as does his care for his mother and sister.
The throne is Raenyra fair and square if you assume the word of the king is worth more than thousands of years of tradition and legal precedence. Can you imagine if Trump said "Forget the elections, I am good for more 4 years"? It not because it is a monarch that laws don't apply. Previous Targeryan kings had ask especial (and personal) exemption from laws in the past (being allowed to have multiple wifes in the seven's faith, I believe), so it's well stablished that the king can't just do whatever and that's law now. Same principle to the crown owning debits, you can't declare yourself free of your own debits.
What Visery did was force the lords of the realm to swear to a illegal heir, since by law the heir was Daemon. Once he had a male child, things change. He was no long asking the lords to back his own child over his erratic brother (something many lords could see as justified even if not strictly legal), he was asking then to ignore his perfectly good children in favor of his favorite child.
That's frankly a disrespect for the stablished laws of succession, but also the very institution of marriage (that is legal, political and also religious), since he essentially was treating his wife as a concubine/affair by denying his true born sons their natural birthright of inheritance. That's really messed up, and if the king didn't control dragons (basically nukes), there would be loud resistance against his actions.
@@luizpaulosantosribeiro9005 Viserys is actually following the established law and precedence.
Westeros did not have a unified system of law until the reign of King Jaehaerys, who scoured through millennia of inconsistent laws and jurisprudence from each of the Seven Kingdoms (and the smaller kingdoms that preceded them) in order to produce a unified code acceptable in every region. While codifying the law, he also made some more progressive improvements at the advice of his wife and her women's courts. The first of "Good Queen Alyssane's Laws," and one of the earliest laws that ever applied to all of the kingdoms under the Iron throne, was the Widows Law of 52 AC.
This law guaranteed that a lord's heir must maintain his widow in the status to which she was accustomed, forbidding the widow from being kicked out of her home or having her incomes, servants, or clothing reduced in any way. (Before this, it was common for heirs to treat their stepmothers quite poorly.) The same law however affirmed that the children of a man's first wife must always take precedence above the children of any subsequent wife. A man was not allowed to disinherit a son or daughter of his deceased first wife so that a son of his second wife could inherit any of his lands, titles, or other wealth that would otherwise have gone to a child of his first wife. Viserys seems to have had every intention of following this law, allowing a son of Aemma to inherit before Rhaenyra but making sure that Rhaenyra inherited before any of Alicent's children.
If Jaehaerys had outlived his first wife and if Aemon had been the son of the first wife and Baelon a son of a second wife, then Jaehaerys would have been violating his own law when he chose to disinherit Aemon's daughter Rhaenys in order to make Baelon his heir. There was however no law that forbid a man from disinheriting his eldest son of his descendants in order to give that inheritance to another more capable child born from the same mother.
The Council of 101 did not, as some later argued, establish that inheritance cannot be through a woman. It merely affirmed that inheritance should follow the line of the king's last named heir, Baelon, over the girl whom he had previously chosen to pass over.
Rhaenyra was both the officially named heir and the legal heir who must come before her half brothers under the Widow's law, so there is no legal basis to prefer Aegon II over her.
@@magister343widow’s law assumes that the first wife has a son. It specifies the right of a daughter only when there is no son.
So I haven't watched HotD, or even finished GoT, but I really enjoy watching videos like this for some odd reason. Like, the lore behind the story is fascinating to me, as well as the psychology of the characters and their actions.
You must be so confused then! lol. If you haven't even watched hotd or finished got, (which probably means you haven't read any of the books) it's strange that you can enjoy these videos when you don't know what's happening in these plotlines. Hopefully you plan on watching/finishing both series! :D
@@Emma88178Not as confused as you might think. Haha. 😂. I've watched a lot of both series to know the gist of what goes on I've just never watched the whole thing from start to finish. Basically it's like I've watched like a cliff notes video version of both series so I know the overall storyline just not minute or specific details. Lmfao. 🤣. I've also watched videos that compile every scene of specific characters just not all characters. Lol. I stopped watching GoT after like the 4th or 5th season.
As for the books, I've somewhat done the same except I've also somewhat listened to part of the audio books as well. Like, not enough to know or remember much, especially since audio books don't really draw me in as much as it can draw in others, but enough to have noticed some differences between the novels and the series. Lol.
I think it could be a both/and situation. He knows it isn't a fair exchange in the slightest, and that the House Targaryen sees being a dragonrider as the ultimate status symbol (as you said). So this could be read as a snide comment, calling that out. But I also think he recognizes that he now has the greatest war dragon alive and is fully stepping into his power. I almost feel like he is comforting Allicent while threatening the blacks at the same time and I respect that.
This is an interesting interpretation, but I've always saw his line about losing an eye in a different manner. I really think that Aemond understood the political implications of him tipping the scales of power between the greens and the blacks by taking Vhagar for himself. The exchange is not between a dragon and an eye, but the humiliation he went through after being berated by his (horrible) father in front of everyone and being mutilated by a little prick like Luke, and, the power and respect he gained for his family after becoming Vhagar's rider. That is the exchange he is talking about. In a way, it is fair (being humiliated now to be respected and feared later). However, the actual mutilation he went through remained an unresolved issue which he would later try to solve by asking Luke for his eye.
Funny how really everything could have been avoided if Viserys didnt became king... and yet, the only character I sympathize with through episode 2-8 was mostly him. There is a reason why I exclude episode 1. Now I only cheer for Helaena and Rhaenys.
And the sad thing is even if it had been an exchange, it would have seemed more than fair at the time when he’s thinking it could buy himself and his family their lives. But knowing what we know, that it bought them merely a couple years, it’s so sad
I think a less literal interpretation might be that risking bullying by the Strong boys - which surely would have happened before - was worth getting a dragon. I think he could feel both ways. One that obviously the whole thing is incredibly unfair and toxic. But the other is that the two consequences of that action - losing an eye and gaining a dragon did not outweigh each other. He can be disgusted by his treatment and empowered by gaining a dragon at the same time. I feel he'd do the same again if he had the choice to redo, because he can't think of any better outcomes in his situation.
I'm a hopelessly predictable man, I see Aemond, I conjure up the fresh tea...and I click. This was a fine treatise of Aemond's formative childhood traumas, nevertheless I was anticipating some of your analytical gaze to linger upon what impact his elder brother taking him to the Street of Silk to "get it wet" on his 13th nameday (13 I might have misremembered) potentially had on his still developing barely adolescent psyche. The courtesan who parleyed with them at the door of the pleasure house he and Ser Criston visited clearly harboured an amusing memory of the young one-eyed drake who was brought by his brother, perhaps against his will from the rueful way Aemond speaks of it, to consummate his manhood with possibly the very lady who examined him so wantonly before remarking "how he had grown ". Our royal cyclops didn't seem at all amenable to the notion of giving whichever of the ladies who saddled him upon that occasion an opportunity to test his prowess now he had reached his prime. The fact he had not returned throughout the many years until that moment, when a visit to look for his more lascivious brother became expedient speaks volumes to what that place represents in his troubled conscience. He is a "decent man" in his own judgment after all, though not unkind to the ladies he questioned, there was no warmth or joy in that encounter, only a barely suppressed consternation. I would love to know what you think about this valuable glimpse into Aemond's disturbed ascent to manhood. Excellent videos, do keep providing me with a reason to jettison my work and stop for an arbitrary tea time in the future. 😂
Oof i was one of those people but mostly because i think gaining a dragon is worth a lot more than a measley eye. But i see your point and you're right
Bad parenting in this situation . I think he feels losing the eye was ok because he got the baddest dragon on the planet but he was raised wrong
It's not fair. He claimed the dragon, it was his and those other kids didn't really have a legitimate reason to be mad at him. Though I like the symbolism of sacrificing part of yourself in order to get magic powers. very odin coded.
In ASOIAF dragons are property of the king. He did technically steal from the crown and should have asked for permission. Idk why people skip over this. Yes Vhagar wasn’t Rhaena’s dragon but she certainly wasn’t Aemonds either. He stole Vhagar just as much as Daemon stole baby Baelons egg.
@@joshuaadams6565 Well he is the kings son. He has far more of a claim on the dragon than daemons kids or rhaenyras bastards.
@@joshuaadams6565 steal?
Aemond risked limb and life to claim the most powerful dragon in the world
Give him his props
@@joshuaadams6565nope daemon took baby baelon’s egg to give to his bastard. Eggs and dragons are open to all true born royals
This is one of your rare videos where I agree with everything you say. I’m realizing now I actually prefer when I don’t agree because I love the debate of interpretation of asoiaf
I personally think that Aemond losing his eye was the first act of war. I don't know how anyone expects him to be okay with that. War was always inevitable, but this act basically ensured that it would lead to some sort of retribution. Once again, by refusing to have consequences for anything, Viserys has ensured that the war would be bloody.
Odin trated an eye for unlimited knowledge. Or a devil huntress once gave one of her eyes to take control of a ghostlike devil.
Were they children? Were they able to make the decision before losing an eye? Those are not valid comparisons.
The ends definitely justified the means for Aemond. Because now he can archive one of his main goals of protecting his family, specifically his mother and sister, and securing the family legacy and progressing the Targaryen emperor. Losing an eye allowed the young prince to see the truth of things. It is he the younger brother who studies history and philosophy, who trains with the sword, who rides the largest dragon in the world.
No one:
Vhagar, as voiced by Danny DeVito: so you wanna be a hero kid, well whoop de doo! I’ve been around the block kid, with blockheads just like you 🎶
Please take your seat on the Iron Throne because that was the best comment.
👑
Just rambling i enjoyed the video still feel bad for the young Velaryons its like they are so outclassed. Then again hindsight is 20/20 and just looking at what Aemond became i feel made up for it in lore its shown Targaryens that bond with dragons have something more given to them through their connection with their mount Vhagar is the most battlehardened and eldest dragon alive at the point in the series and it shows the creature is confident it knows its the largest strongest most formidable thing alive and holds itself as such and that self assured sense of self is something that i think it bleeds into all its riders. Visenya was a warrior Queen that single handedly brought kingdoms to heel on the back of Vhagar Baelon The Bold rode Vhagar in the most prolific onesided victory the Targaryens ever Laena Velaryon was shown to be particularly attached to Vhagar and now young Aemond it seems to me nearly all of the riders of Vhagar seemed to be the overlooked sibling when it comes to it. Visenya was the eldest child but because she was a woman and also not as charismatic or extroverted as her siblings wasnt revered as much. Baelon was the daring second son but never meant to be anything but the spare until tragedy befell his brother. Laena was a daughter and second born child who unlike her brother didnt have a dragon hatchling to bond with at birth but had to go seek Vhagar out herself. I feel that Vhagar is a dragon for the overlooked and under appreciated which brings what im saying to Aemond the Spare prince dutiful and aimiable in the eyes of his mother.
I agree with you on this
The Targaryan culture of desiring dragons and pushing their children to be dragon riders, though toxic is still a cultural survival trait. Similar to Dothraki children learning to ride horses, or young Ironborn learning to sail. All of these tasks are dangerous for kids, but they need to do them regardless for the strength and culture of their people. That's why I don't think its odd that people in this house push each other to be dragon riders, its their duty. (I agree it's messed up tho from a modern perspective)
I'll admit in the show I originally thought Aemond got what he deserved. Not in exchange for a dragon, but for accusing Rhaenyra's kids of treason and they were defending themselves. You've made me realize thats probably not the a great opinion to have. And again, these are all children whose choices are partly if not entirely due to their parents vitriol and poison against each other.
I sympathized (in the show) with Laena's daughters mourning their mother and feeling a sense of entitlement to Vhagar but its another example of how these kids have been influenced by their parents but maybe mot educated on how things work and feel the need to defend their family factions as CHILDREN.
Aemond was wronged, and while he was a victim of his nephews, all of these kids are victims of their parents not doing a good job.
@hill'salive i believe that if lucerys apologize at the dinner aemond would have litten up
First! Had to post that cause…..even I am not above tradition and duty.
I can answer this you can reclaim another dragon if it dies. However you can not regrow eye. So it was not a fair exchange.
They were just a child in the middle of political machination with a parents who both indifferent (Viserys) and spoiled Princess who favored by their father, the blur line was just it blur no action from the adult can be justified at the end all of the children was victims
have you ever thought of joining Nebula content platform? I feel like your video essays can work great there
still think its really funny that a three old joffrey understood what aemond was doing
Should have removed one of the Strong boy’s eyes. 🤷🏾♂️
I might be wrong but I was under the impression that in the book King Viserys was the one that said it was a fair exchange not Aemond.
I think an exchange is a good way to look at it. Sacrifices of all sorts are needed to attain anything. I think it’s fair story wise
Short answer: No, it wasn’t a fair exchange.
Alicent was the only one who went to her son’s defense. Rhaenyra didn’t even care that her own brother got his eye gouged out by her son and wanted him tortured. Viserys did jack f*ck all to punish Luke for intending to possibly kill Aemond with a knife. The fans bash Alicent for cutting Rhaenyra because harming royals is treason. Where tf was that outrage when a ten year old prince got his eye gouged out?
Sorry. This makes me a bit heated because I was bullied at school when I was Aemond’s age and the only people who defended me were my mom and dad. The school victim-blamed me. Whenever I did anything to defend, the school punished me. Maybe that’s why Aemond has a soft place in my heart. Because I was him at ten years old.
I don’t think anyone truly believes that aemond deserved to have his eye cut out because he “stole” vhagar, pretty sure it has more to do with the show having aemond holding a rock above Jace’s head and Luke acting in his defence. He still didn’t deserve to lose his eye, but it was portrayed as more of a consequence of his own actions towards the strong boys during the fight.
A lot of people do take the line about it being a fair exchange too literally and criticise aemond for being hypocritical when he later is still salty about it. I do not think they also believe that it is a fair exchange either, they just use that argument because they believe that aemond considers it so (and Otto as well).
Overall the scene between the boys is rather muddy on who is right or wrong (which I think is great), people are going to side with whoever they support the most in the first place and there is definitely arguments you can make for or against each side.
I always interpreted the sentiment "a fair exchange" as a more poetic "from the mouths of babes" kind of foreshadowing, a narrative device more than a character motivation. The show embraces this (I believe it's Otto, I don't have it in front of me, forgive me! xD) with the comment "It would have been worth 100 times the price paid" to ride Vhagar, in light of the very obvious succession crisis looming in the distance.
It's possible Aemond had an inkling of that, as he and Aegon (who has no doubt been whispering in his ear for years that they are the true princes) quickly circle the wagons around their mother, and perhaps that's also context he could have been using.
You have a good head on your shoulders, you anaylize things wells before you come to your conclusions . Not that I can say the same for people sucking to team black
Aemond and Vhagars backs must hurt from carrying the entire Green faction. 😆
Its not a dair trade EVER.
Aemond could have bonded with Vhagar without losing an eye because Vhagar chose HIM.
He only said that to comfort Alicent.
In the show, Aemond was about to smash Jace’s face in with a rock so it’s a lot harder to feel bad for him when he had no problem escalating the fight to potentially killing someone…
I will roll with what you say.
In the book it is said that Aegon threw a feast in Honor of Aemond, right?
So the show clearly portrays Aegon as smarter than he appears on a first read and THEN they fight together against Rhaenys.
What if Aegon manipulated Aemond, the feast was a way to downplay the Kinslaying and to get Aemond on his side... food for the brain.
Not sure I would compare losing the ability to see out of both eyes to the fantasy metaphor for the atomic bomb😂