Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower truly kept her promise to Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen. The Black Queen has finally entered King’s Landing and claimed the Iron Throne. Yet her victory remains incomplete. To secure her claim once and for all, she must eliminate the last major threat – King Aegon II Targaryen.
However, in the latest episode, Daemon and Rhaenyra learn that Aegon has fled the capital with Larys Strong. Instead of falling into her hands, the deposed king is now travelling through the Crownlands, with his sights ultimately set on Rook’s Rest.
Where is King Aegon?
Aegon Targaryen, whose coronation ignited the Dance of the Dragons, fled King’s Landing with Larys Strong in the House of the Dragon Season 2 finale.
In the Season 3 premiere, the duo is captured by supporters of Rhaenyra’s cause. By the latest episode, they are being escorted to Dragonstone as prisoners. Before they can reach the island, however, the group is ambushed by Triarchy pirates who have made it ashore following the Battle of the Gullet.
The surprise attack creates the perfect opportunity for Aegon and Larys to escape.
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Although Larys advises the king to head for Duskendale, Aegon instead decides to travel to Rook’s Rest.
The Battle of the Gullet ends up saving Aegon
The Battle of the Gullet was one of the bloodiest conflicts of the Dance of the Dragons. It claimed the life of Crown Prince Jacaerys Velaryon and dealt devastating losses to both sides.
The battle also saw Rhaena Targaryen lose control of Sheepstealer, while Sharako Lohar and Tyland Lannister met their ends. Although the Blacks emerged victorious and Corlys Velaryon’s fleet defeated the Triarchy, not every pirate was killed or captured.
It turns out some of the surviving Triarchy soldiers managed to reach the Crownlands.
These were the very pirates who later attacked the Black soldiers escorting Aegon and Larys to Dragonstone. In an ironic twist, the aftermath of Rhaenyra’s greatest naval victory ended up saving the life of the very king she intended to execute.
Showrunner Ryan Condal explained this in the Inside the Episode featurette:
“The Gullet doesn’t just end with the battle at the end of episode 1. Now you have all these crazed Triarchy pirates who come ashore and they’re just running amok through King’s Landing.”
He further added:
“Ironically it ends up saving the life of the king from otherwise being delivered to his arch enemy in Rhaenyra.”
Book readers may already know where Aegon’s journey leads next, but House of the Dragon continues to expand several storylines beyond George R.R. Martin’s original text. That makes his next move – and Larys Strong’s role alongside him – even more intriguing.
What do you think awaits Aegon and Larys next? Let us know in the comments.
