‘House of the Dragon’: Why Doesn’t Aemond Targaryen Have a Dragon?
House of the Dragon Episode 6 introduced Aemond Targaryen, Viserys and Alicent’s second son. Unlike his older brother, Aegon and Rhaenyra’s sons, Aemond does not have a dragon of his own, which the boys tease him about. There’s a reason Aemond doesn’t have a dragon, though he may later in the series.
[Spoiler Alert: This article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 1 Episode 6.]
Aemond Targaryen is mocked in ‘House of the Dragon’ Episode 6
House of the Dragon Episode 6 introduced a herd of Targaryen children. Alicent’s sons Aegon and Aemond enter a dragon pit with Rhaenyra’s boys Jacaerys and Lucerys for training. Jacaerys works with his dragon Vermax, instructing him to incinerate a goat that is led into the chamber.
The boys then play a trick on Aemond. Aegon Targaryen tells his brother they felt bad that Aemond is the only one without a dragon, so they found one for him. Lucerys then leads out a pig adorned with fake wings that they have dubbed “The Pink Dread.” Alicent later reprimands Aemond for hanging around the dragon pit and Aegon for pranking his brother.
Why doesn’t Aemond have a dragon?
Fans of House of the Dragon may be wondering why Aemond doesn’t have a dragon of his own. Targaryens are typically presented dragon eggs when they are born, but these eggs aren’t guaranteed to hatch. In fact, in episode 6, Laena Valyron tells her daughter Rhaena that half of the dragon eggs never do.
Both Rhaena and Aemond do not have dragons for this reason. The eggs they were given as infants never hatched. However, that is not to say that they will never be Dragonriders. “There is more than one way to bind yourself to a dragon,” Laena tells her daughter, adding that she did not have a dragon until she was 15 years old.
Besides being gifted a dragon egg at birth, there are several ways a person could claim a dragon. If a Dragonrider dies, it’s possible for a new person to bond with the creature. Additionally, Targaryens can be gifted dragon eggs later in life. In episode 5, while trying to make peace with Queen Alicent, Rhaenyra suggests that if her dragon Syrax has another clutch of eggs, she will give one to Aemond.
Do Aemond and Rhaena become Dragonriders?
Aemond and Rhaena eventually become Dragonriders in George R.R. Martin’s books, though House of the Dragon could go in a different direction. According to The Digital Fix, Aemond eventually claims Laena’s dragon Vhagar after her death. In episode 6, Laena states that Vhagar is the largest dragon in the world.
At some point, Rhaena is given one of Syrax’s eggs, which eventually hatches. Rhaena bonds with the dragon and names it Morning.
House of the Dragon airs Sunday nights at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.
