What Happens To Aegon After Becoming King & When Does He Die?

WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for House of the Dragon and Fire & Blood!In House of the Dragon season 1, episode 9, Aegon II was crowned king of the Seven Kingdoms but, as with so many George R.R. Martin characters, Aegon II's future is bleak. While Rhaenyra, the firstborn child of the previous king, Viserys I Targaryen, was in line to inherit the throne, a misunderstanding on the King’s deathbed led to Aegon II’s coronation. Rhaenyra is the daughter of Viserys and Aemma, his late wife, who never had any sons. The new king, Aegon, is the son of Viserys and Alicent Hightower, his second wife. Rhaenyra’s gender has led to wide disputes concerning her claim to the throne, and many in the Seven Kingdoms believe Aegon, as the firstborn male has more claim than her. It is likely that a battle for the throne between Aegon, Rhaenyra, and their allies is in store for House of the Dragon viewers.

Aegon's new kingship will lead to further development of his character, as up until his coronation in House of the Dragon episode 9 audiences have only been given a small taste of his full character. What has been shown of Aegon II so far depicts him as lustful, immoral, and naive, undesirable qualities in a ruler. Hopefully, with Aegon shifting to the role of king, more will be revealed about his character and what lies ahead for him. Luckily, the George R.R. Martin novels, and foreshadowing put in place by House of the Dragon, make it clear what happens to Aegon II after becoming king.

What Happens To Aegon After Becoming King

King Aegon II Targaryen House Of The Dragon Episode 9

Upon becoming king, Aegon II Targaryen is immediately thrust into the war that came to be known as the Dance of the Dragons. Early on in the conflict, Aegon becomes frustrated with the Hand of the King, Otto Hightower, finding him to be too cautious and inactive. He chooses to relieve Otto Hightower of his duties and replace him with Ser Criston Cole. Cole takes a much more aggressive approach to the war. Soon after, Aegon and his brother Aemond kill Rhaenys Targaryen and her dragon in battle, but the king is left badly injured, with broken bones and burns covering half of his body. While he recovers, his brother Aemond rules in his place.

When Rhaenyra’s forces close in, a much older, scarred Aegon flees King’s Landing disguised as a commoner. In a later battle in Dragonstone, Aegon is injured again, shattering both of his legs. This leaves him in great pain for the rest of his life. Later, after his firstborn is killed in battle, Aegon’s wife and sister, Helaena, takes her own life and at the end of the war, Aegon captures and kills Rhaenyra.

When Will Aegon Die In House Of The Dragon?

King Aegon, badly scarred and mangled from his injuries many injuries, dies after being poisoned in the Royal Sept. It remains unknown who kills the king, but it is believed to have been one of his own men. It is not long after he kills Rhaenyra with his Dragon, that Aegon dies himself. In the days leading to his death, the House of the Dragon's black armies close in on King’s Landing. Aegon, however, does not concern himself with this, instead spending his time worrying about his marriage to Cassandra Baratheon and erecting statues of his late brothers. This is likely why he was killed as many believe his killer poisoned him to prevent the continuation of the war under an idle king.

Will Aegon Be ed As A Good King?

Aegon II is not generally ed as a good king. The entirety of his reign was spent in a vicious, civil war over succession with his sister. The Seven Kingdoms were split throughout his reign regarding who had more claim to the Iron Throne. His controversial coronation over Rhaenyra resulted in him being known as Aegon the Usurper. Additionally, Aegon did not even want to rule, and his lack of commitment to the throne paints him as uncommitted and aloof. In George R.R. Martin's writing, Aegon only chooses to remain on the throne over Rhaenyra, because he fears her wrath on him and his family if she took power. The Westerosi people largely him as merely a pawn of his often manipulative mother, Alicent.

Becoming king at a young age, Aegon also is ed for lacking maturity, differing from his wise and generous predecessors. He is known to be cruel and vicious, short-tempered and rash. He often has disagreements with his small council, preferring speedy actions over calculated and strategic moves. Furthermore, Aegon’s constant debauchery (teased in the window scene in House of the Dragon) left him with a reputation for promiscuity. All in all, Aegon is not ed as a good or effective king, with most of his reign marred by war and his own naivete.

Who Replaces Aegon As King

In the George R.R. Martin novel, Rhaenyra briefly usurps the throne from Aegon II. Aegon spent most of his reign fighting in The Dance of Dragons, the battle with his half-sister, Rhaenyra, for who should rule the Seven Kingdoms. House of the Dragon has been diverging heavily from the plot of the book, but the show seems to be gearing up for Rhaenyra to reclaim her father’s seat at King’s Landing. House of the Dragon Season 1, episode 10 is entitled “The Black Queen,” seemingly alluding to Rhaenyra. However, Rhaenyra, dubbed The Half-Year Queen, only sits on the throne for around six months, before she is judged a traitor and forced to flee King’s Landing and killed. After which Aegon II reclaims his throne, dying soon after.

Aegon II was succeeded by Aegon III, Rhaenyra’s eldest son, as he had no living sons of his own. Jaehaerys, his oldest son is killed early in the war by men sent by Daemon Targaryen, as revenge for the death of Rhaenyra’s son Lucerys. Aegon’s second son, Maelor was killed by a mob. His final child, Jaehaera ended up marrying her father’s successor, Aegon III, to bridge the gap between the sides of the family. Aegon III, also known as Aegon the Dragonbane, featured as a baby in House of the Dragon episode 8, is ed as an unsmiling, forlorn king who helped bring the kingdoms back together in the wake of war.

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