Warning: spoilers ahead for House of the Dragon season 2 episode 2.
House of the Dragon star Ewan Mitchell has stressed to Metro.co.uk that he doesn’t feel Aemond Targaryen has ‘mummy issues’, after a scene was described as ‘disturbing’ by fans.
In season 2 episode 2 of the epic fantasy series, the characters in the Game of Thrones spin-off are grappling with the aftermath of a murder that rocked both sides of the war.
While it was a child who was killed – the heir to the Iron Throne – Aemond realises that he was the one being targeted, as he explains to the madam of a brothel (Michelle Bonnard).
As Aemond talks to the madam, he’s shown curled up on her lap in a foetal position, refraining from having any sexual contact with her while being served warm milk.
Straight away, many fans remarked on how it appeared to show the ‘mummy issues’ that Aemond has towards his mother, Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke), with some saying that they found the childlike interaction between the adult prince and the brothel madam ‘disturbing’ and ‘creepy’.
‘This took me off guard 💀💀,’ @aponastazja wrote on X, while @phasmaphobia added: ‘This scene was so uncomfortable 😭.’
‘That scene was revealing and creeeeeeeepy…,’ @Vero_in_OC said, as @luna_skygirl remarked: ‘Mommy issues is taking me out.’
X user @arwithluuv summarised with a picture of Aemond with the madam, writing: ‘Aemond, one eye, mommy issues, can’t control his dragon. Targaryen.’
Speaking to Metro.co.uk, Ewan outlined how he wanted to show different ‘shades’ to Aemond in season two, after he had ‘manufactured himself into this weapon’ in the previous scene, leading up to his deadly dragon battle with his ill-fated nephew Luke (Elliot Grihault).
‘Going into season two, you are gonna see these other shades to Aemond, this shadow side that he possesses. And maybe just maybe that kid might still be underneath this veneer that he’s manufactured over the years, whether or not he lets it out,’ he said.
We then commented on the foetal position that Aemond curls himself into while he’s in the brothel, questioning if that scene was symbolic of his relationship with his mother, Alicent.
‘Someone asked me the other day whether or not I thought that Aemond had mummy issues. And I don’t think he had mummy issues, or rather he just wanted to be loved by his mom a little bit more,’ Ewan, 27, responded.
‘So he never really felt that unconditional love from Alicent growing up and so he had to find surrogates in other areas.’
Referencing Aemond’s dragon Vhagar, the oldest dragon in the world of House of the Dragon, and Aemond’s brothel encounter, he continued: ‘He found it in Vhagar, an older lady, and he found it with the madam in episode two. Again, an older lady.
‘So he just wants to be loved. He’s a broken boy, he just wants to be fixed.’
While chatting at the premiere of House of the Dragon, Metro.co.uk asked Ewan about a possible face-off between Aemond and Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) in future, considering their similarities and how well-matched they would be as opponents.
In response, Ewan quipped: ‘Trust me, he doesn’t want that. He doesn’t want to meet Aemond Targaryen, especially on a battlefield. I feel like if those two guys were ever to fight, Daemon would want to make it ugly, he would take his time with it, whereas Aemond, it’d be over in a second.’
Ewan added about Daemon: ‘He doesn’t want the smoke, trust me.’ Fighting words!
House of the Dragon is available to watch on Sky and NOW, with new episodes released on Mondays.
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