Did Aemond mean to kill Lucerys? Warning spoilers ahead for House of the Dragon episode 10. The fantasy series House of the Dragon is full of intense rivalries; we’ve got Daemon Targaryen and his brother Viserys, Rhaeynra Targaryen and Alicent, and even Ser Criston Cole and Harwin Strong.
However, one of the TV series‘ more understated feuds has been between Aemond Targaryen and his nephew Lucerys. Lucerys and his brother Jacaerys used to enjoy teasing Aemond about his lack of a dragon, and things have only gotten worse from there. Lucerys eventually cut out Aemond’s eye in a fight over the dragon Vhagar and let’s say their relationship never really recovered.
This ultimately came to a head in House of the Dragon episode 10, The Black Queen. The pair met at Storms End while acting as diplomats for their families, and the encounter ended with Vhagar eating Lucerys and his dragon Arrax in a single bite. But did Aemond mean to kill Lucerys?
Did Aemond mean to kill Lucerys?
Honestly, it’s hard to say for sure, but no, Aemond probably didn’t want to kill Lucerys. We’re not saying Aemond didn’t have sinister intent while chasing Lucerys’s dragon, but it seemed like he was either trying to frighten his nephew or capture him, not kill him.
Showrunner Ryan J. Condal explained in a House of the Dragon episode 10 behind-the-scenes video that “maybe he was trying to scare Luce, and ultimately, I don’t think he was trying to kill him.”
Unfortunately, when Lucerys lost control of Arrax and breathed fire in Vhagar’s face, Aemond lost control of his dragon as well, and the great beasts acted on instinct. Arrax tried to fly up and away, but Vhagar was too old and powerful, easily devouring the smaller dragon.
From how Aemond screamed “no” and looked around after Arrax was killed, it seemed like he was trying to see if his nephew had somehow survived the attack, not that there was much chance of that.
Why wouldn’t Aemond want Lucerys dead?
There are a few reasons why Aemond wouldn’t want Lucerys dead. The first is that Lucerys would have been a valuable prisoner for the Greens had they been able to capture him, potentially allowing them to end the war before it began.
Another reason is that the Dance of Dragons hadn’t technically begun at this point. Although Rhaenyra and Aegon II were both looking for allies, neither side had struck the other. By killing Lucerys, Aemond has made what was a cold war hot.
Finally, for all his bluster, Aemond has never killed anyone, let alone a child who’s his nephew. He may have hated the boy, but kin-slaying is seen as a grievous sin in Westeros, and we doubt Aemond wanted that on his conscience.
If you love House of the Dragons, check out our guide to the best Game of Thrones characters, or if you want to know more about the key players in the Dance of the Dragons, we have guides to King Viserys Targaryen, Larys Strong, Alicent Hightower, Otto Hightower, and the White Worm, two of the best House of the Dragon characters.