House of the Dragon: How does Aemond Targaryen lose his eye?
HBOAemond Targaryen finally loses one of his eyes in House of the Dragon Episode 7 – let’s break down how it happens and what it means going forward.
Aemond Targaryen, currently played by Leo Ashton, is the second son of King Viserys I and Queen Alicent, and the brother of Aegon II and Helaena.
He was introduced alongside the other children in Episode 6, seen as somewhat of a runt by his brother; he doesn’t have a dragon, it’s unlikely he’ll ever inherit the throne, and he’s easily picked on.
Episode 7 marks two major changes for Aemond – one being the loss of his eye, but how does it happen, and how does it compare to the book?
Spoilers for House of the Dragon Episode 7 to follow…
House of the Dragon: How does Aemond lose his eye?
Aemond loses his left eye after Lucerys Velaryon slashes his face with a dagger.
It comes after Aemond secretly bonds with Vhagar following Laena’s funeral, and even manages to take to the skies for his first flight under the moonlit sky. Daemon watches from the beach, while Laena’s daughters Baela and Rhaena catch sight of the dragon from their bedroom window and alert Jacaerys and Lucerys, the sons of Rhaenyra and Laenor – they’re actually Harwin Strong’s children, but that’s another matter.
After Aemond lands Vhagar, he’s confronted by the two sisters, who accuse him of stealing the dragon. He nastily dismisses their complaints, and a fight breaks out between him, Baela and Rhaena, and Jacaerys and Lucerys.
When he calls Jacaerys a “Strong”, Lucerys slashes Aemond’s face with his dagger, irreparably damaging his left eye – hence Aemond’s older actor wearing an eye patch.
In future episodes, Aemond will be played by Ewan Mitchell. While we won’t go into details, you can expect a few things: Aemond will still become a master swordsman with one eye; he will continue to fly Vhagar; and he will be at the center of the Dance of the Dragons.
House of the Dragon: How does Aemond lose his eye in the book?
George R.R. Martin’s Fire and Blood is vastly similar, with Aemond also losing his eye in a fight with Lucerys. In the book, it’s Joffrey who catches Aemond trying to bond with Vhagar, and while he threatens the young boy, he still tells his brothers.
A fight between the three of them ensues, and after Aemond calls them “Strongs”, he faces the same fate as the show.
House of the Dragon Episode 8 will be available to watch on October 9 in the US and October 10 in the UK.
