Why Does Aemond Look Older Than His Brother Aegon in the House of the Dragon?

Many fans have pointed out there’s quite a difference in appearance between the two brothers, Aemond and Aegon. Aegon is supposed to be the older brother, yet his younger sibling, Aemond, is much older-looking. So what could be the reason for that?Let’s see why does Aemond look older than his brother Aegon in the House of the Dragon.

Aemond looks older than his brother Aegon due to different facial features, training regiments and scarring on his face. The first thing to notice is their opposing facial structures, and it could also be the case that because of Aemond’s strict training regiment, he eventually outgrew Aegon. Others say that it is simply because of the scarring on Aemond’s face.

Even though the actor who plays Aegon, Tom Glynn-Carney (28) is older than his co-star, he still has a round-like facial structure, creating a baby-like effect and giving him a more youthful appearance. Unlike Aemond, played by Ewan Mitchell (25) who’s got more of a defined bone structure and sharper features that give off a mature look. If you’re interested in more details regarding the looks of two brothers, stay with us and keep reading!

Aemond’s motivation

Something that also must’ve influenced the casting team in their decision is that Aemond has a strong motivation to outshine his older brother and to show everyone he’s the one they should be looking at for the ascension of the Iron Throne. He continuously trained hard and studied while his brother Aegon mostly tried to escape his duties, drowning in alcohol and women.

Something that we can expect in the future is the conflict between Daemon, The Rogue Prince, and Aemond. Aemond always had a sort of admiration or aspiration of becoming like Daemon; of course, his wish is mostly to surpass him. That will be explored in upcoming seasons, so it’s good to keep that in mind when watching their interactions and the looks they exchange.

This is also something that can influence someone to become more mature. Having an older role model can make us act older than our age. With different gestures and acts, we can take on a role that is not yet suited for us, like in the cases of really young Kings and Queens ascending the Throne. Aegon, for example, has gone the complete opposite path. He would try and escape his duties with childlike behavior, showing that he does not see himself in the inherited role.

What is also worth noting is that Aemond managed to tame the biggest dragon we have seen so far in this show. That further speaks to his character. He was always the odd one out when they were younger. Going back a couple of episodes, Aemond was half the size of his older brother.

Unlike his brother Aegon, who was handed everything since he was born, Aemond had to carve out his own path. King Viserys’s wish was for his and Rhaenyra’s children to get along with each other, but that quickly backfired. Aemond was the one everyone would pick on for not having a dragon of his own.

One night, soon after the death of Laena Velaryon, Aemond sneaked out in the night and found Vhagar’s lair. Vhagar was the largest dragon during that time, and the young Aemond managed to tame her secretly. Quickly after the other children, Jacaerys and Lucerys found out what happened and confronted Aemond about it.

A fight between the children ensued, and Aemond lost his eye. In his own words, Aemond said: “It was a fair exchange, I may have lost an eye, but I gained a dragon.” It was a crucial moment for his growth as a character, and at that moment, everyone, including the viewers, started to see him as a key player in the show.

Characters with scars in George R. R. Martin’s universe

Coming back to another reason for his stern look would be his scar, especially considering the quality of medicine at that time, which wasn’t very good. We’ve seen Alicent and Otto Hightower using various primitive opiates like the milk of the poppy. And we’ve also seen King Viserys looking much older than his real age, due to mysterious ilness eating him up from the inside.

Aemond’s face would certainly have a different look to it after the trauma his face suffered. Interestingly enough, when it comes to George R. R. Martins’s universe, unlike others who might use this or see it as a disadvantage, a lot of the prominent fighters and magic users were blinded in some way.

This is interpreted as a show of strength, but in some cases, madness as well, in the case of Euron Greyjoy, whom you might remember from previous seasons of Game of Thrones. In the books, he is a king conquering, taking over the Shield Islands, and preparing to take over the Old Town in the Wind of Winter. We also find out that he gathers multiple priests from multiple regions and is preparing a massive blood sacrifice. He also possessed Velaryon Dragon Horn called Dragon Binder, a tool that could only be found in Valyria before the Doom.

In any case, we can definitely say that it could’ve been many different elements at play that make Aemond seem older than Aegon, from the facial differences in structure and scarring to potential storyline implications.