King Aegon II Targaryen is, on the surface, House of the Dragon‘s equivalent of King Joffrey Baratheon from Game of Thrones. Both are rulers who come to the throne at a young age after the death of a father who didn’t show a huge amount of interest in them, both are far too immature, spoiled, and ill-prepared to hold such a position, and both are capable of acts of great depravity and cruelty that rival some of the worst kings from throughout Game of Thrones history.
Joffrey, of course, is one of the most hated characters in TV history, brought brilliantly to life by Jack Gleeson as part of Game of Thrones‘ cast. Aegon, who in House of the Dragon‘s own cast was played by Ty Tennant and then (and still) Tom Glynn-Carney, hasn’t reached the same rage-inducing, fist-through-the-TV levels of loathsome. That speaks to just how despicable Joffrey was, but also how good a job the prequel has done with its own young king.
King Aegon Is Very Different To King Joffrey, Despite Initial Similarities
There’s A Lot More Nuance To Aegon
There are clear similarities between Aegon and Joffrey in terms of their age, position, and aspects of their personality, which make it easy to look at them on equal terms. It also might’ve been tempting to lean into those less desirable qualities, given it worked so well for Game of Thrones. However, Aegon stands apart from Joffrey in several ways. That’s not to say he’s a better character, because Joff was an all-time great villain, but he’s certainly a more human one.
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Joffrey was a spoiled brat, but also someone completely lacking in empathy, or feelings of any kind for the most part. He’s not just cruel, but sadistic, and people’s suffering may be the only thing that brings him pleasure. Aegon does some terrible things, and there’s no forgiveness for that, but he is more multifaceted, and does try to be a good king, even if he fails at it. There’s a vulnerability to him, and in contrast to Joffrey, he’s very open with his emotions, especially after Blood and Cheese kill Prince Jaehaerys. Glynn-Carney himself addressed the comparisons, telling The Independent:
“Joffrey is cold and calculated, while Aegon is frantic, and when he feels, he feels so deeply – which is as dangerous as someone who doesn’t feel at all. He doesn’t have anywhere to put that, which I guess sometimes manifests in violence.”
House Of The Dragon’s Aegon Is Even Better Than The Book’s Version
The HBO Show Improves On Fire & Blood Thanks To Tom Glynn-Carney’s Performance
Aegon in House of the Dragon broadly follows the same arc as in Fire & Blood, but is, for the most part, a stronger character. A big advantage the HBO series has over Martin’s book is the ability to better flesh out characters and events, which are simply presented as moments in history without as much detail. That’s not to say the show always gets it right – the changes to Blood and Cheese are testament to that – but it certainly helps with characters like Aegon, who is much richer and more nuanced than on the page.
Overall, Aegon developed into one of House of the Dragon’s best characters in season 2.
A lot of the characteristics are the same, including being petulant young boys who aren’t made out to rule, but House of the Dragon adds extra layers. There’s a tragedy to Aegon in the show that doesn’t really exist as clearly in the book, which more clearly defines how he’s overlooked by his father and used simply as a tool by his mother and grandfather. The addition of Aemond’s hatred for him, too, is a nice touch, adding to the character’s complexity, as is the sadness of he and Helaena’s inability to communicate amid their shared grief.
Overall, Aegon developed into one of House of the Dragon‘s best characters in season 2. That’s thanks not only to some good writing, but also Glynn-Carney’s performance, which is one of the show’s finest. He perfectly conveys so much, making the character not exactly likable, but definitely more understandable. He brings a great balance of humor and sadness alongside his despicable acts, which makes him not only completely different to Joffrey, but an improvement on Fire & Blood.
Taking place about 172 years before the events of Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon tells the tale of the rise of the Targaryens, the only family of dragonlords to survive the Doom of Valyria. The popular HBO spinoff show first starred Milly Alcock and Emily Carey as Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower before they were replaced by Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke, who play the older versions of the characters. Also starring in the series is Matt Smith (Prince Daemon Targaryen) and Paddy Considine as Rhaenyra’s father, King Viserys Targaryen.
Based on George R.R. Martin’s novels, this fantasy series follows the power struggles among noble families as they vie for control of the Iron Throne in the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. The series is known for its complex characters, political intrigue, and unexpected plot twists.
Game of Thrones
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Game of Thrones is a multimedia franchise created by George R.R. Martin. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire is the basis for the award-winning HBO series Game of Thrones, which lasted for eight seasons. After the incredibly divisive final season of Game of Thrones, the series was followed up by the prequel series House of the Dragon, which also received critical acclaim.
