Tom Glynn-Carney on Aegon’s choice in ‘House of the Dragon’ season two finale

By the end, Aegon is a changed man physically and mentally. There are his injuries, which have forced him to acclimate to his new physical handicap. But more insidious is the growing awareness that his allies are dwindling and duplicitous Larys Strong (Matthew Needham) may be the only person he can lean on. Before the battle can come to King’s Landing, Larys convinces Aegon to flee, only to one day return in triumph after the battle is over.

Throughout it all, Tom Glynn-Carney embodied Aegon in a way that makes you sympathize with him, despite his many… MANY — less savory qualities.

The actor spoke to Business Insider about Aegon’s decision to leave King’s Landing, his relationship with Aemond and his mother Alicent (Olivia Cooke), and how much he enjoys seeing his friend Fabien Frankel, who plays Ser Criston Cole, on a horse.

I’d like to start by undoing Aegon’s decision to leave King’s Landing with Larys. When you were working on those sequences with Matthew Needham, how did you approach getting him to the point where he made that decision?

Well, I guess he wasn’t given many options, and this seemed to be an option where the least amount of collateral damage would occur. It’s survival instinct, I guess, at this point. And Larys has proven to be someone Aegon can trust, at least for now.

I think Aegon would have bitten his hand off for that opportunity to get out of there. And he can’t do it alone either. So Larys was his ticket out.

There’s a very memorable moment in episode eight where Aegon holds up his battle-damaged penis as Larys talks to him. Is it a diversion, or is it bottoming out, or both?

I didn’t see it as a diversion at all. I thought it was just ass, as you say. I think he felt he had nothing to lose and his dignity went out the window very early because of his injuries. And I think he’s just acknowledging and coming to terms with the fact that he’s changed. I don’t think those changes are fully absorbed yet, but I think the more he talks about them – it’s like when you talk about something, you breathe it into existence, right?

I think this is the first time he’s admitted that about himself. And as we all know, Aegon found plenty of uses for that part of his body. So I think he’s going to have to reevaluate how he spends his free time.

I want to talk about Aegon’s physicality in the back half of the season after he suffers these injuries. When you signed on to “House of the Dragon,” how much did you know about this phase of the character, and how did you feel about it when you first approached him?

I knew he would be a challenge to fight into submission, but it was a challenge I was more than willing to accept. I absolutely loved every minute of it. I think he is the gift that keeps on giving.

And even though his physique has changed now, I don’t think particularly for him, in terms of how unpredictable and how volatile he is – I don’t think that’s going to change at all. If anything, there will be more. So I’m looking forward to coming back in season three and taking him on the next chapter of his journey and pushing the boundaries even more with him this time.

Can you tell me a little bit about the process of getting into prosthetics and makeup as his injuries heal?

To be honest, it’s all down to my amazing team that I’ve had around me the whole time, who have just been absolute masters at what they do. We have Amanda Knight and Waldo Mason, Hannah Eccleston, so many people around me applying and designing these pieces and building this version of Aegon. I get the easy job, really. I just have to sit back and let them do it. But these guys are absolutely phenomenal and should get more praise.

But it really informs my performance, how we all collaborated to design these pieces. They would come in with some prototypes and try them on and I would ask them to make certain parts of it tighter or come in certain parts of my body to further restrict movement, just to inform the performance and allow me to to really feel the restrictions they now have to face. It is such a wonderful collaborative process that I was very honored to be allowed to be a part of.

All the different stages of his recovery have been very difficult to play consistently and play according to where we are. But I’m looking forward to being in a semi-permanent, you know, state of it for season three and seeing how that helps and seeing what changes.

Alicent makes the very difficult decision sell Aegon to Rhaenyra in the end. Do you think that crossed his mind as a possibility?

I think there was always the potential for her to betray him. I could feel everyone’s timer running out, didn’t I? And Alicent was very much on her last grains of sand at that moment. It was time for him to probably jump ship and save himself. She is a very, very smart woman and she is a survivor.

It’s just a will, isn’t it? What a survivor she is that she will throw her own children under the bus. But yeah, maybe if they meet again at some point, they can have a conversation and she can apologize. But I don’t know if that will happen. I think it’s probably another show, isn’t it?

I talked to Ewan earlierand said that Aemond and Alicent would go for piña coladas on the beach in Dorne after this was all over.

Oh, I’m going to the south of France, not Dorne.

Speaking of Aemond, his and Aegon’s relationship is changing very quickly this season. How did you and Ewan approach these changes, especially after Rook’s Rest?

These two have been at each other’s throats their whole lives, and now it feels like it’s all come to a head, and Aemond finally got the balls to do something about it. I think it’s a sibling rivalry on another level now.

There is absolutely no element of Aegon that trusts Aemond now. I think Aemond has his eyes on the prize and will stop at nothing to get it. Aegon must return and fight fire, so may the best man win.

During a conversation that Aegon is unaware of, Helena prophecies that he will reign again one day. Do you think he is guided by any real belief that he will return to the throne or that he will be loved by the people?

I think what Aegon has is something that is much more present than looking too far into the future. He’s a survivor, and he feels so betrayed on so many levels, by so many people, that it’s more of a steely stubbornness to him now, and he takes it day by day. And I think that’s where its power lies, that we just take it one day at a time.

He has this inferno of vengeance burning in him, his bitterness keeping him up at night. I think he’ll use that to fuel him and not get too caught up in the whole endgame scenario.

Is there a particular pick you’re really proud of this season or something you wanted to be asked about?

Fabien Frankel and his ability to look incredibly heroic on a horse. Sincere. I mean, I love the boy anyway, but seeing him on his horse and galloping in all that armor, oh my God, if I had ovaries, Jesus Christ.

Fabien is amazing. Criston, maybe less.

But I don’t see – because I see Fabien on a horse. I only watch it because my friends are in it and I’m a fan of the show, so I’m like, “Well, I see my friend jumping on a horse over there. This is absolutely class”.

And he’s so good at it! I know he says he’s riding on the back of a trailer or whatever, but God, I think it’s even harder to make him look like a proper horse. Fabien deserves more airtime.

Have you ever felt that way when you got on the back of a mechanical dragon?

Yes. Well, less, because it’s mechanical. I would love to ride a real horse in the show. Maybe that’s something I suggest to the showrunners for next time. can i ride a horse please

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

“House of the Dragon” season two, including the finale, is now airing MAX.