Warning! This article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon season 2, episode 5.
Summary
House of the Dragonhas revealed the severity of King Aegon’s injuries, leading many to wonder how long he will be sidelined from the Iron Throne. InHouse of the Dragonseason 2 episode 4’s ending, Aegon and Sunfyre took to the skies above Rook’s Rest and battled against Rhaenys and Meleys. Also present were Aemond and Vhagar - thebiggest dragon inHouse of the Dragon- which resulted in Aegon falling from the sky with Sunfyre in tow.
The ending of the episode showcased Aegon’s injuries, though without detailing exactly how severe they were. That said, byHouse of the Dragonseason 2 episode 5’s ending, the extent of Aegon’s wounds has become clear. The king is in no fit state to rule, with Aemond taking his place as Protector of the Realm and Prince Regent.Aemond being chosen as Aegon’s replacementwill have big ramifications onHouse of the Dragon’s future episodes, making the question of how long the latter will be sidelined all the more important.
King Aegon Is Bedridden For Almost One Full Year In Fire & Blood
Fire & Blood’s Textbook-Like Writing Sidelines Aegon For A Great Stretch Of Time
The answer to how long Aegon will be in recovery is not found inHouse of the Dragonseason 2, episode 5, but is revealed inFire and Blood. All that is mentioned in the HBO show is that it is unclear whether Aegon will ever wake up again, butFire and Blood’s interesting format explains that Aegon was bedridden for nearly a year after the Battle at Rook’s Rest.Fire and Bloodis written as an in-universe compilation of sources detailing the history of House Targaryen, meaning George R. R. Martin could simply write how long Aegon recovered.
Aegon will take almost a year to be healed of the injuries he sustained when he fell from the sky atop Sunfyre…
Naturally,House of the Dragon’s dramatized storytelling means this is not possible. As such, it is kept in the dark how long Aegon will be in recovery, including whether he will even recover at all. However, ifHouse of the DragonfollowsFire and Blood’s timeline, Aegon will take almost a year to be healed of the injuries he sustained when he fell from the sky atop Sunfyre. For most of this period, Aegon sleeps due to drinks like Milk of the Poppy and was mentioned to only let Alicent or Criston Cole enter his room.
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Why House Of The Dragon May Need To Change Aegon’s Story
The Nature Of TV Means House Of The Dragon May Alter Aegon’s Plot Somewhat
DespiteFire and Bloodmentioning that Aegon was bedridden for a year,House of the Dragoncould change this. For one, the nature of TV means that sidelining a core member ofHouse of the Dragon’s castis unlikely. While Aegon will probably not play as big a role as he has,it could be the case thatHouse of the Dragonat least makes him more consciously active during his recovery than he was inFire and Blood. Otherwise, Tom Glynn-Carney would surely be as sidelined as Aegon, which is not the most plausible outcome.
It could be the cast that a time jump takes place betweenHouse of the Dragonseasons 2 and 3; after all, the show is no stranger to skipping large periods of time off-screen. This way,House of the Dragonseason 3 could pick up when Aegon is on the mend, but this is admittedly unlikely too, given the important events of the Dance of Dragons that take place during this time. Instead, it is more likely that Aegon has a larger role while in recovery, akin to King Viserys in the latter half ofHouse of the Dragonseason 1.
House of the Dragon
Cast
House of the Dragon is a 2022 fantasy drama set in the world of Westeros, chronicling the Targaryen dynasty at its height. The story revolves around King Viserys’s controversial decision to name his daughter Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne, sparking tensions and divisions within the realm.
