ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 ก.ย. 2024
- House of the Dragon is an excellent piece of television, but it isn't perfect. In this video I examine one of its supposed main characters, Aegon Targaryen, and how he compares to Rhaenyra as one of the deuteragonists in the Dance of the Dragons civil war.
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:19 Background
1:30 Rhaenyra Targaryen
3:08 Aegon Targaryen
6:56 The Virtues of Virtue
8:50 Is it Over?
Songs Used in Order of Appearance:
Richard Wagner - Ride of the Valkyries
Macroblank - adipose
Macroblank - gulf war
Macroblank - Silent Tears
My HOTD Edit: • DRAGON HOUSE - HD Edition
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aegon ahahahhahaah. that;s youre problem with this show kid? ahhahaahhaahhahahhaha damn you du
Never beating the du allegations
@@Schloetz du for the censors you know what you are
THANK YOU! No, seriously, thank you. This video was great, showed simpathy for Alicent and that rhaenyra isn't perfect. It has the nuance this fandom so desperately needs. It's been impossible to say that I wanted more from aegon because people will just counter with "why are you defending a rapist?" and i'm like HE DIDN'T NEED TO BE A RAPIST. That scene coud've been fixed so easily to parallel rhaenyra/criston and Viserys/alicent to show that targaryens get what they want because of their position without resorting to rape. Also he didn't have a single conversation with rhaenyra in the entire season. I wanted both sides to feel sympathetic, i want to feel the full impact of the tragedy of a family destroying itself over a throne. I love hotd but this bothers me so much
I agree, him never talking to Rhaenyra before they go to war witch each other is quite the awkward choice. It feels like they keep putting themselves into similar situations, like with not even mentioning Daeron's existence during season 1 and reportedly not even including him in season 2 either
I think season 1 had a tall task in telling 20 years of backstory to properly explain the start of the civil war. You are correct, it probably could have given more moments to certain characters if it was given 2 more episodes. I think now that season 2 and beyond will be more contained in time, which will allow us way more intimate moments between all of the players in this game of thrones
A tall task indeed. I do worry a bit about the shortened length of the season, but given it's had oversight from GRRM I'm not quite as suspicious as I would be
I’ve never really been convinced that Aegon is the deuteragonist or that the conflict is Rhaenyra vs Aegon. Aegon unfortunately seems to be a bit more of an object or a plot device. I think the conflict is more easily framed through the lens of Rhaenyra, Daemon, the Velryons, (to a certain extent Viserys) etc. vs Alicent, Otto (and the other Hightower Lords), Cole, etc. Hence the greens and the blacks. I think the story neglects to give us a chance to know Aegon because unfortunately we don’t need to. He doesn’t matter all that much to the grand scheme of what the greens are trying to accomplish. He doesn’t have the power, connections, wealth, or influence they need to get the job done. He’s a pawn they play. A butt to put in a seat and the name/face they need to anchor their claim in reality. He’s a figurehead for the real power players and consequently the details therein can be taken or left.
That makes sense, and to an extent I agree, only I wish that he was more than that plot device as I believe it makes the conflict feel more personal. However, I think there’s merit to that sort of figurehead puppeteerd by others sort of narrative, which I think is done well later with Aerys I. Especially coming from F&B, I wanted to see Aegon have a more active roll.
@@Schloetz I definitely agree with you there. I do wish the character was more developed and we had a chance to see what the actor can really do. Even after spending the whole time with the character being conditioned to hate him, the “do you love me” scene is super poignant and impactful. You can’t help but feel sorry for the guy. Very well acted and it would be nice to see more like that. Hopefully in season two.
Same, I also felt that the conflict is mainly between Rhaenyra and Alicent.
Still, the claim was HIS. The writers should have been more unpartial towards him. In the book he accepts being crowned to save his brothers and children who would be threatened with Rhaenyra on the throne. In the series they made him want to escape this responsibility. He may be a "pawn", but he has a lot of humanity in the book.
@@aerykfilmsphoto What is even more sad is that the "Do you love me?" was improvised by the actor.
They gave the actor so little to work with. What is also interesting is that we actually never see Aegon do all these horrible things. We are told by other people that that is who he is. What we see, what is acted is something different. It's just so weird. His character makes no sense.
F.e. we are told he enjoys child fighting pits. But when Daemon beheads Vaemond he looks away disgusted and is then having an unsure expression on his face looking behind him to look questioning at how others react.
If this is his reaction to someone being beheaded an episode before, it makes no sense that one episode later he enjoys the pits.
It's also interesting how everyone thinks the worst of him and looks in terrible places, but he is actually hiding in the sept/church. And first thing he asks is "Where is my mother?" It mirrors Rhaenyras and Alicents talk in episode 2 where Alicent says she goes into the sept when she wants to feel close to her dead mother. It's the complete opposite of what we are told about him.
So far his character is a mess and makes no sense. I honestly think they messed him up way too much. Though there were some behind the scenes interviews, where one of the episode directors/writers? ( forgot who that was ) gave questionable answers that sounded as if ge himself didn't fully understand the material 😅
I wish us luck for season 2!
If the writers didn’t insist im interviews that they were trying to write a story where the audience can empathize with both sides, I’d swear HOTD was intentionally TB. But alas, they severely missed the mark in trying to write a neutral story
This is a great point. It certainly does feel skewed in general, and it'd be neat to do a deeper dive into the biases. Granted, The Critical Maester has a video that already examines that which I'd recommend.
Thank you for this. It has annoyed me so much that the fandom treat the Blacks like they're "better" but your video clearly outlines why. Awesome analysis.
I thought I was going to dislike this video because I THOROUGHLY enjoyed S1. But I have to say…. You’re completely undoubtably right. It was the fkn time jumps man. Even ONE more episode would have been enough to give us a backstory on Aegon; something in his childhood that we could all emphasize with and make him a more understood character. Great video bro. 10/10🔥🙌🏾
Your takes are gold, man.
Thanks :-)
The face of the Greens was never going to be Aegon, it was written to be Alicent. When I realized that, it made sense to why they decided to make Aegon so awful. He was never going to be more than a proxy by which Alicent can have her faction for the show. I personally don't like the change at all, I feel it really dampens the theme of sexism but hey
That is kind of my frustration, that I wish Aegon was more of a face for the Greens. I quite like Rhaenyra and Alicent's dynamic, in many ways it's a highlight of the show, but for a story about a civil war I'd prefer some more investment in the person meant to sit the throne in one of the factions
I agree with every word you said. The writers made the Dance of the Dragons about Rhaenyra and Alicent instead of being about Rhaenyra and Aegon. I'm very sad about this and although I really like GRRM's universe, I no longer see salvation for the narrative of this show.
The thing is I'm very welcoming to Alicent's role, generally speaking. Rhaenyra and Aegon don't really know each other given the age gap and physical separation, and so having Alicent be a big perspective for the Greens gives it a great sense of a personal break-up once the war starts. However, as I've said, they really sidelined Aegon in a conflict where he's supposed to be a main character. Hopefully he's given more focus in season 2 and likewise some redeeming qualities, or else his many triumphs and tragedies to come will feel quite flat
I think the point the show is trying to make is that patriarchal structures would STILL hand unlimited power to the worst man possible, over a uniquely qualified woman. Because they don't care about the quality of leadership as much as preserving the status quo. The amount of damage they do to their own house and the kingdom reveals how self-destructive and pointless this outlook is.
That's an interesting perspective, and I think that it does help to communicate that theme, but given his importance in the war and for the decisions he's to make (assuming it isn't changed from the book) I wish they'd given him more, especially given that a lot of the thematic legwork has been accomplished given his entire conflict of claiming the throne in the first place is born from that sexism
First of all rhaneyra is more worst she hated aegon for no reason
Her father gave her chance to choose a husband she could have choose anyone
She never sacrificed anything she married laenor but had bastards with harwin
About aegon he never bullyed rhaneyras bastards that was training
That's why I think Viserys should have accepted Otts proposal of betroving Aegon and Rhaenyra. They could both rule together. Aegon ii could let Rhaenyra rule the same way the conquerer let his sister/wives rule while he was away/didn't feel like it
I don't know that you can say she hates Aegon particularly much given they never have a conversation, at least beyond disliking him for his general incapability and poor proclivities. Are you referring to when he's a baby? In that instance, there certainly is a reason: everyone at his birthday, nobles who govern the realm, are all acting as if he's the one that's going to inherit even though Viserys named Rhaenyra the heir. She feels threatened by all the love and attention Aegon gets, and politically undermined by the status they're conferring onto him because Viserys has finally gotten a son. You can argue whether that's a legitimate or valid reason to dislike him, but the point is that it's a reason nonetheless. This extends to his general existence - as Alicent puts it, he "is the challenge." Him being the first born son of the king is an inherent threat to Rhaenyra's legitimacy.
Yes, Viserys gave her the option to "choose anyone," but that's not actually true. She can marry any noble of proper status, but at the time that meant not being with someone she loved because of his lack of nobility. Additionally, I don't think this really makes her all that bad; at most you could call her ungrateful.
Marrying Laenor is a sacrifice, as to the world and in much of her personal life she has to be with someone she doesn't actually love, and who mutually feels the same way about her. It was certainly irresponsible, yes, but having to live a constant public lie in order to be with someone you love is definitely a sacrifice. Additionally, she is sacrificial in the way I stated in the video: she heavily considers abdicating to Aegon for the sake of maintaining the peace and is only swayed by her war council and the eventual death of Lucerys.
They were meant to be training, yes, but when you're aggressively whopping on someone a half foot taller than you it carries a different weight than a fair fight, an inequity that Harwin points out.
Rhaenyra, still, is not a good person. As I mentioned, she's complicit in the murder of an innocent man so that she can marry her uncle. But still, the conversation isn't about which of the claimants is "more worst," because I want them both to have flaws. I just want Aegon to have some virtues too.
@@Schloetz first of all aegon got the attention because he is a prince a member of royal family it's not his fault if all the Lord's and ladys liked him rhaneyra got her attention when she was named heir and if viserys named aegon as heir it would have been the right thing and rhaneyra was not a child she was 18 and aegon was just 2 she should have understand her responsibility as a elder sister hating a child because everyone giving him attention on his birthday is wrong and she never loved anyone there were many nobles who came to see her she had a chance to choose a husband but she refused she didn't sacrificed anything she sleept with harwin strong and he was the heir to harrenhall the biggest castle westros and house strong is the one of the richest houses in westros rhaneyra never loved anyone who is a lesser noble
Honestly the book was a snooze compared to the show- I can see how people can be frustrated with Aegon not being “the face” of the Greens but then again audience spent more time with Alicent then they did with Aegon and they had a tough time introducing all the characters and portraying them, setting them up for the war.
My only problem with the show was “green council” where they could’ve made half of the episode Aegon’s POV instead of that wild goose chase they introduced, it was kinda dumb compared to the first half of the episode.
Aegon’s POV of the events would’ve been much more interesting and would give insight to his character and “way of thinking” before the coronation..
I guess you could say he really got Egg On his face 😎
I don’t think Aegon was written to be a deuteragonist (at least in the show) and that’s why his character isn’t as well fleshed out as others. I believe the show is taking a route that is suppose to highlight and commentate on the damage that can come from existing in and wanting to remain in a patriarchal society. Although Aegon is the face of the greens he’s really not the ladder option, Allison and Otto are. Allison and Otto raised Aegon and know of all his poor qualities they see that he is a drunk, careless has no moral values and they still choose to put him on the iron throne for the sake of tradition and him being a male despite knowing how bad of a person he is and how little he cares about the realm.
That's called bad writing. You don't sacrifice the character with the most potential from the opposing faction to make this point. You could accomplish this without making Aegon so comically evil that he seems like more of a plot device than an actual character.
Sorry to be that guy but last dragon before the dance died in 48 AC when Maegors Balerion killed Quicksilver. So it has not been over 100 years sonce the last dragon death
I was referring to the over 100 year period between the death of the last dragon and the birth of Dany's dragons, but never be sorry to be that guy - scrutiny in ASOIAF content, being as rich in lore as it is, will always welcomed :)
Lack of povs from the little ppl
That's also something I'd like to see. In some ways the first season had a neat atmosphere to it for its singular focus on the Targaryen family (mostly in King's Landing) as opposed to following many different families across the world in Game of Thrones. However, as ASOIAF puts a lot of focus on the plight of the common folk, I hope they get emphasized in future seasons. They certainly will once Dunk & Egg comes to our television screens as well
U could do better with more of a soothing piano song selection. Better for such narration
Thank you for the suggestion
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