House of the Dragon takes a deep dive into a particularly violent era in the Targayren rule of Westeros. Following King Viserys’ death, the kingdoms are divided into two, with Team Black supporting Princess Rhaenyra and Team Green supporting Aegon II to succeed their father. If fans remember correctly, Daenerys Targaryen had a secret weapon in dealing with the masters in Slayer’s Bay, because High Valyrian is her mother tongue. Even as one of the last in the Targaryen bloodline, Daenerys excels in High Valyrian. It comes as a shock to many fans that Aegon II, who grew up as a Targaryen prince being surrounded by Old Valyrian blood, can’t speak High Valyrian.
This detail comes up in Season 2, Episode 4 of House of the Dragon when Aemond speaks to Aegon in High Valyrian. While Aemond speaks comfortably and fluently in the old language that only those of Old Valyria would use, Aegon struggles to form a sentence and sounds very uncertain if he has used the right word. Of course, this shocking detail shows a lot about Aegon as a character, but it also exposes some dark truths underneath the sibling rivalry.
The Targaryens Are Known to Speak High Valyrian
All Targaryen children are given lessons that teach them how to speak High Valyrian. As their ancient bloodline originates from the Old Valyria, their mother tongue is part of their culture and tradition that separates them from the rest of the houses in Westeros. Along with their ability to ride and command dragons, speaking High Valyrian is one of the things that makes them seem superior. After all, as dragon riders from another land, the Targaryens need people to believe that they are closer to god than they are to men in order to maintain peace and their rule. After the dragons are gone, their silver hair, temper and the ability to speak High Valyrian are what’s left of the Targaryen tradition. Being a Targaryen means royalty and magic in their blood, which is also why they are more inclined to marry within the House to keep their line pure.
In Game of Thrones, even though the Targaryens are nearly all gone, Daenerys Targaryen still speaks High Valyrian, which indicates the importance of the nearly extinct language for House Targaryen. High Valyrian was a defining part of their status. Even Daenerys, who grew up on the run with her brother, could speak the language fluently. It’s shocking that Aegon II, who was born before the Dance of Dragons, couldn’t even make out a full sentence in the language. His inability to speak in the very language that defines him as a Targaryen is striking, given that everyone around him who shares the Old Valyrian blood could speak fluent High Valyrian. It’s more interesting that the character even gives commands to his dragon, Sunfyre, in the common tongue. In Season 2, Episode 3, the council scene fully exposes Aegon when his brother Aemond questions his ability to lead in High Valyrian. In the scene, it’s clear that Aegon becomes very uncomfortable when his brother starts talking in the ancient language. He reaches for his drink, and when a response is required, he struggles and barely makes out a sentence. Aegon’s exact response in High Valyrian is, “I can…have to…make a…war?” Needless to say, this is humiliating for him.
Aegon Targaryen Had No Desire for the Throne
Aegon’s inability to speak High Valyrian is a subtle detail that tells a lot about his character. It’s clear that Aemond values his Targaryen lineage. He prides himself on being a Targaryen prince and the responsibility that comes with it, whereas Aegon is only interested in how being a prince can benefit him in the things he enjoys doing. Aegon doesn’t have his heart on the throne. He enjoys the benefit that comes with being a prince. With his half-sister, Rhaenyra, already established as an heir, Aegon plans on living his life comfortably without doing the heavy lifting. As a Targaryen child, he was given High Valyrian lessons by the Maesters, but it’s very likely that he saw no point in speaking the language at all, given that no one else except the Targaryens speak it.
As a skill that’s relatively useless in the list of things that Aegon would pursue, such as drinking, partying and women, it makes sense that he rarely practices or even pays any attention to the lessons. All dragon riders, including Daenarys, give commands to their dragons through High Valyrian, but Aegon goes so far as talking to Sunfyre in the common tongue. Given that his dragon is young, and he’s the first to ride it, it’s likely that Aegon trains Sunfyre in the common tongue, which speaks a lot about the kind of person he is. Speaking High Valyrian is the least Aegon thing to do. While being a spoiled royal prince may have worked when he was younger, as the King of the Seven Kingdoms amidst a war, what Aegon was too lazy to do eventually caught up with him. His terrible treatment of Aemond wasn’t forgiven or forgotten. Aemond’s revenge plan is just beginning in the council scene. As someone who grew up with Aegon, Aemond knows his elder brother’s weakness, and clearly, he’s using it against Aegon.
Aemond excels at nearly everything that Aegon couldn’t care less about. Aside from High Valyrian, Aegon doesn’t really play with swords, nor does he show any interest in history or politics. Alicent tries to talk some sense into him, but Aegon is simply the way he is. This doesn’t mean that Aegon doesn’t want to be a good king. He’s just not made for the job. In Season 2 of House of the Dragon, fans can see how hard Aegon tried. He wanted to do right by the people. He even tried being a better father by exposing Jaehaerys to council meetings from a young age. In a way, Aegon genuinely tried to be a good king, even though he didn’t want the throne in the first place because he wanted to live up to his name and the hope his parents had for him by naming him after the conqueror. But the truth is that he’s nothing like Aegon the Conqueror, and his insecurity grows with each passing day. So does his fear of being just a puppet in someone else’s game. Aegon II is having an identity crisis in Season 2. He is so eager to prove his worth that he hops on his dragon to lead a battle he knows nothing about.
Aemond Humiliating Aegon Is Only the Beginning
If Aemond didn’t start speaking High Valyrian in the middle of the council meeting, fans wouldn’t have known how bad Aegon’s High Valyrian really is. This scene also exposes some dark truths that Aemond holds in his heart — Aemond knows his brother can’t speak High Valyrian, and he also believes that Aegon isn’t suitable to lead or be king, which is why he chooses to use it against Aegon. It has a lot to do with the brothel scene, but how much is unknown. Instead of serving his brother, Aemond had his own agenda, and this was obvious from very early on. Aemond is a very complicated character who hides his intentions and waits for the right time to strike. He means to replace Aegon, or at least, become the person who truly has all the power, which would make Aegon the puppet. With Vaghar, his knowledge, and skills, the war is Aemond’s playground. His betrayal may have started before the brothel scene when Aegon again publicly humiliated him. The council scene is where Aemond starts showing his true intention, and it seems that Aegon didn’t really catch the seriousness of the situation. When facing Rhaenys, Aegon even believes that Aemond is flying Vaghar to save him; but sadly, it turns out to be the other way around.
Aemond even openly told Aegon that he’s well-prepared as the next person in line for the throne should there be a need. As someone who only wants to live an easy life and be away from wars and games, the council scene that exposes Aegon’s inability to speak High Valyrian only adds to the character’s tragedy. Aegon is severely burned by his brother’s dragon. With the throne being basically taken from his hand, Aemond also goes as far as threatening his safety and making sure that he’s unconscious most of the time. House of the Dragon Season 2 sees the king escaping King’s Landing, injured and without his dragon.
