House of the Dragon just proved Aemond made one huge mistake, and it could cost him everything

Aemond Targaryen has always been one of House of the Dragon’s most dangerous characters, but season three might have just shown him making his biggest mistake yet.

So, while taking Harrenhal should have been a huge victory for Team Green, Aemond’s own actions actually leave him in a much worse position now.

Aemond could have taken Harrenhal without all the bloodshed

via HBO

When Aemond arrives at Harrenhal on Vhagar, everyone is already terrified of him. Ser Simon Strong makes it clear that he doesn’t want to fight and is willing to surrender the castle peacefully. But Aemond refuses.

Instead, he orders Ser Simon to draw a sword. When the old man still tries to avoid a fight, Aemond stabs him anyway before killing his sons too.

And his decision actually backfires straight away. At first, Aemond seems completely unstoppable. But during the fight, one of Ser Simon’s sons manages to stab him through his armour. And by the end, Aemond is lying badly wounded on the floor and is forced to beg Alys Rivers for help.

So, the victory comes at a huge cost.

The show actually compares him to Daemon

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What’s really interesting is that this isn’t the first time someone has taken Harrenhal. Back in season two, Daemon Targaryen also captured the castle. He arrived on dragonback just like Aemond did and was met by Ser Simon Strong.

The difference is that Daemon accepted Ser Simon’s surrender instead of killing him. Because of that, Daemon gained control of Harrenhal without unnecessary bloodshed. Aemond, meanwhile, chose to slaughter everyone, and he ended up seriously injured.

So, the two scenes actually highlight how differently the two princes think.

Earlier in House of the Dragon, Aemond often came across as calm, calculating and patient. Even when he was ruthless, he usually seemed to have a reason behind his decisions. Now, though, he seems much quicker to lash out.

His actions at Harrenhal feel driven more by anger and mistrust than careful planning. Basically, instead of simply accepting a surrender and moving on, he creates a fight that leaves him fighting for his own life.

But there’s still a chance this changes him. Aemond is now completely vulnerable and at the mercy of Alys Rivers. And it’s actually one of the few times we’ve seen him powerless instead of in control.

So, this could end up becoming an important turning point for his character. His mistake at Harrenhal may force him to rethink how he leads the war going forward, and that might change everything.

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