SPOILER ALERT: This story contains spoilers for “Home of the Dragon” Season 2 Episode 5, titled “Regent,” now streaming on Max.

After ultimate Sunday’s fiery dragon battle killed off Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Finest) and her dragon Meleys, this week’s episode of “Home of the Dragon” slows points down a bit, exhibiting the aftermath of Rook’s Relaxation.

The battle might need been a win for the greens, nonetheless no particular person is celebrating in King’s Touchdown. Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) and his troopers march Meleys’ severed head by way of the streets, nonetheless onlookers are further terrified than impressed by the ineffective dragon. The troops usher in King Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney) for medical remedy after he and his dragon Sunfyre had been ambushed and severely burned by his brother Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell) and his vicious dragon, Vhagar.

Aegon isn’t attempting like his regular pretty self. His armor melted into his pores and pores and skin, his bones shattered and the maesters should not positive how prolonged he’ll survive. Along along with his brother comatose, Aemond is subsequent in line for the Iron Throne and turns into prince regent — which might have been his plan all alongside. He leapfrogs his mother, Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke), who isn’t blissful about being skipped inside the line of succession.

Throughout the ocean, Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) mourns the lack of lifetime of his partner Rhaenys, and Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) ought to strategize after shedding the blacks’ largest dragon. Her son Jace (Harry Collett) continues to gather allies, nonetheless Rhaenyra doesn’t want to jeopardize her eldest infant’s life to battle merely however.

Over in Harrenhal, Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) retains seeing creepy targets contained in the haunted citadel halls. After being laid low with visions of youthful Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock) and his late partner Laena Velaryon (Nanna Blondell), this time he targets of his mother Alyssa Targaryen — nonetheless as he’s having intercourse alongside along with her. The eerie Oedipal episode reveals that Daemon harbors resentment over being the youthful brother to King Viserys and having not claimed the Iron Throne for himself. On the an identical time, Rhaenyra realizes she desires Daemon and his dragon for the battle, so she sends Ser Alfred Broome (Jamie Kenna) to ship him dwelling.

The episode ends with Aemond attempting ominously on the Iron Throne, Aegon lying pitifully in mattress and Jace and Rhaenyra brainstorming the precise manner to stop Aemond and Vhagar. The blacks have dragons, nonetheless need further riders, in order that they resolve to look for “dragonseeds” — odd of us with Targaryen blood of their lineage who can mount the beasts. Rhaenyra’s forces are 0-2 in opposition to Vhagar, so this may be their solely shot to even the chances.

Glynn-Carney didn’t have rather a lot to do as Aegon on this episode, since as he was coated in third-degree burns and confined to his mattress, nonetheless his presence nonetheless looms big over Westeros. With Selection, he spoke about his post-battle accidents, Aemond’s betrayal and what’s subsequent for the broken king.

What was it like seeing the make-up and prosthetics for Aegon’s take care of Rook’s Relaxation?

The testing stage was prolonged, and took a while to nail what we had been gonna go for. Loads of completely totally different variations. The one we settled on was gnarly, to say the least.

How did it actually really feel sporting the make-up for nearly the entire episode? Was there any stage the place you talked about waking up for a brief scene? In “Hearth & Blood,” Aegon is out for a yr, so I used to be curious the extent to which Aegon could be out of payment?

Properly, no, we couldn’t give Aemond a yr or two to have the benefit of his place. We wanted to velocity up time a little bit of bit. Nevertheless it was good. It was restrictive in all the appropriate strategies. It was claustrophobic. It educated the best way by which that I breathe and switch and spoke, every time I did. I used to be very grateful to be included inside the dialogue course of, from conception stage to the tip.

Have you ever created a model new voice for Aegon for when he’s able to talk as soon as extra?

I didn’t create a model new voice. I did loads of evaluation into how intense heat and burns can impact your vocal folds, and easily totally decimate them. Clearly I couldn’t do that to myself, so I wanted to uncover a choice to replicate it. It was one factor that I wanted to undoubtedly take into consideration going into this new stage of Aegon. He has to actually really feel modified, like he’s shifted. And I hope that reads in the end.

In his incapacitated state, does Aegon know Aemond deliberately attacked and burned him? How do you interpret the final word scene of Episode 4, when it seems to be like like Aemond is each sheathing his sword when he approaches Aegon, or he’s moving into for the kill?

That’s for the viewers to resolve. I can’t contact upon that. I don’t want to inform of us what to suppose. That’s up for grabs.

Aegon and Sunfyre have an beautiful scene collectively in Episode 4 when he rides him. What diploma of accountability does Aegon actually really feel for what occurred to his dragon?

He is important to Aegon. What I liked about that second was that there was a little bit of little little bit of a light-weight confirmed on their relationship to each other, and the vulnerability between the two of them. It’s humorous, I’ve an beautiful golden retriever, and on the day we had that scene, it was as if it had been Ziggy, my canine, type of pushing my chest. It felt choose it was him. So any interaction I’m having there with Sunfyre is like having my very personal canine.

There’s an understanding and appreciation of each other, they normally don’t see each other as normally as they need, nonetheless there’s perhaps good trigger for that. It lends itself to exhibiting Aegon’s vulnerability and that softer side that I’ve tried to carve out a little bit of bit further of this season.

So Aegon would actually really feel some accountability for what occurred to him?

In reality. It’s like taking your canine for a stroll and he’ll get hit by a automotive. That’s my fault.

How does taking Aegon off the board impact Alicent and the greens?

Properly, from Aegon’s mattress, he perhaps thinks it gives her a little bit of bit further room to be further of a dominant stress inside the small council. It frees up that seat on the end of the desk. I don’t suppose in Aegon’s mattress he’s pondering “Oh, Aemond’s in all probability going to take a seat there as prince regent.”

So that you just don’t suppose Aegon thought Aemond had intentions of sitting on the Iron Throne? Again in Season 1, there was a second the place Aegon didn’t event want the throne, nonetheless Aemond launched him once more to serve.

I consider that’s the place that idea at first of Season 2 was born, the place Aegon is talking about how Aemond’s as loyal as a canine and might assault enemies on command and is conscious of his place contained in the realm. However that coin can flip at any second. We’re all dancing on a knife’s edge, and all it takes is one little push from one side. With the volatility that runs in Targaryen blood, there’s on a regular basis potential for betrayal. However then as soon as extra, was it intentional? Who the hell is conscious of?

What would Westeros be like with Aemond as king?

He’d be a steel fist, wouldn’t he? I consider he’d be pretty cutthroat, and a cold king perhaps. A minimal of from the outset, he’d want of us to concern him. He normally talks about being bullied as a toddler, so he perhaps wants to reinstate himself as a secure, extremely efficient man who gained’t be messed with, which may probably be dangerous in a kingly place.

In Episode 4, Aegon joins the Battle of Rook’s Relaxation on account of he seems like he’s getting disregarded of the council, and he wants to be an excellent king. He made some questionable selections, however it seems to be as if he’s attempting to do the appropriate issue. How did you play him in these moments?

He wants to be seen as an excellent king. That’s completely totally different to being an excellent king. It’s about impressions and the best way he’s perceived. The greatest manner I’m collaborating in him is that it’s about how he’s perceived by King’s Touchdown and Westeros normally. He wants to be seen to be doing the appropriate points. That to me has a sell-by date when he realizes that a couple of of those selections he’s making don’t serve him.

This interview has been edited and condensed.